Archive for the 'human rights' Category
December 12, 2014
Under the title “FAMED UGANDAN ACTIVIST URGES UK HOME OFFICE NOT TO DEPORT LESBIAN” Melanie Nathan reports in her post of 11 December 2014 on O-blog-dee-o-blog-da that Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, the MEA laureate of 2011 has intervened strongly with the UK not to force Judith Twikiriz back to Uganda. “The UK has been very supportive of the Uganda Gay rights movement and it will be an embarrassment that your office doesn’t live up to its expectations in protecting those that need the protection most from persecution” Kasha writes in her letter. She would be sent back to the country where she already experienced torture and where she now faces likely persecution. The letter contains detailed arguments against deportation.
COPY OF THE LETTER to be found in the original post:
via Famed Ugandan Activist Urges UK Home Office Not to Deport Lesbian | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da.
Posted in awards, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Civil society, deportation, gay rights, Home Office, Kasha, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, lesbian, LGBTI, MEA laureate 2011, Melanie Nathan, O-blog-dee-o-blog-da, persecution, refugee status determination, refugees, Uganda Gay rights movement, UK, woman human rights defender
December 12, 2014
To shine a light on the courageous work of women human rights defenders (WHRDs) worldwide, the NGO Protection International announces the launch of a series of interviews with women who defend human rights across the globe, from December and continuing in 2015, each month will see a new portrait of a WHRD.
This month’s conversation is with Alejandra Ancheita, a leading human rights defender from Mexico and winner of the 2014 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. Alejandra is the founder and executive director of The Project of Economic, Cultural, and Social Rights. To read the interview and watch the (Vimeo) video that goes with it go to Protection International’s website (see link below).
Other outstanding women lined up in the months to come include Rehana Hashmi (Pakistan), Eva Bande (Indonesia), María Martín (Spain), Porntip Honchai (Thailand).
Rehana Hashimi
Eva Bande
María Martín
Porntip Honchai
The Women Who Defend Human Rights – Alejandra AncheitaProtection International.
Posted in films, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Protection International | 1 Comment »
Tags: Alejandra Ancheita, Eva Bande, films, Human Rights Defenders, Indonesia, interview, María Martín, MEA laureate 2014, Mexico, Pakistan, PI, Porntip Honchai, Protection International, Rehana Hashmi, Spain, Thailand, video, Vimeo, women human rights defenders
December 11, 2014
On Human Rights Day, FIDH reports that Chan Soveth, a prominent Cambodian human rights defender, has died at the early age of 51. He was a senior investigator at the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC, a member organization of FIDH). “Chan Soveth was a voice for the voiceless. For decades, he selflessly worked for victims of human rights violations and abuses, in particular the poor and those living in remote areas, which ADHOC managed to reach out to”, said Karim Lahidji, FIDH President. “Soveth’s death is a great loss for his family, his colleagues and Cambodia’s human rights community, but the heritage of courage and commitment he left will last for generations”.
On many occasions, Soveth’s human rights work and personal commitment had caused him to be subjected to threats, intimidation and reprisals in the form of judicial harassment. In 2012, he had been forced to stay outside his country for several months. Upon his return, despite receiving another summon to appear before Cambodia’s flawed judicial system, and thus, despite the risk of being arbitrarily detained, he had decided to stay in Cambodia, amongst his fellow countrymen. Soveth relentlessly fought against human rights violations – from land grabbing and violations of people’s and communities’ rights to food, water or housing, to extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture, and violations of the rights to free expression and free assembly. He was not only a great investigator, trainer and human rights advocate, but also an inspiration to many. He was always eager to improve his impressive human rights and professional skills and to celebrate successes.
Cambodia and the community of human rights defenders lose a (…).
more details in: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rights-warrior-passes-age-51
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Adhoc, Cambodia, Chan Soveth, death, detention, FIDH, Human rights defender, human rights violations, in memoriam, intimidation, Karim Lahidji, land rights
December 11, 2014
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), called on all OSCE participating States to do more to protect human rights defenders in the OSCE region: “It is time for all OSCE participating States to move from words to deeds and to provide more effective protection to those who strive to promote and safeguard human rights in our countries.”
The words must refer to the Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders which OSCE adopted this year: see: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/osce-publishes-guidelines-on-the-protection-of-human-rights-defenders/
“Unfortunately, in 2014 we have witnessed numerous attacks and threats against human rights defenders,” the ODIHR Director said. “This includes human rights defenders with whom ODIHR has worked, and I am particularly disturbed that those standing up for human rights in the OSCE region may be being targeted for activities they carry out in partnership with our Office.”
At the Budapest Summit, in 1994, OSCE participating States emphasized the need to protect human rights defenders, and at the OSCE Summit in Astana, in 2010, they underscored the important role played by civil society in helping to ensure full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms. “That the environment in which human rights defenders operate has become more, not less, restricted across the region over the past few years is disturbing,” Link said. “Determined action is needed to reverse this trend.”
Human Rights Day 2014: Better protection of human rights defenders needed across the OSCE region, ODIHR Director says | OSCE.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 2 Comments »
Tags: Europe, harassment, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, international human rights day, international protection, legal protection, Michael Georg Link, ODIHR, OSCE, OSCE Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders
December 11, 2014
Not necessarily directly related to human rights defenders (although asylum seekers often are), this post is quite interesting and raises the issue of who is best placed to undertake refugee status determination.
Back in 2001 and 2002, when I was working on setting up legal aid for asylum-seekers applying to UNHCR for refugee status determination (RSD) in Egypt, UNHCR officials would sometimes tell me: “Why don’t you put your energy into getting the Egyptian government to live up to its responsibilities? UNHCR is not even supposed to be doing RSD.”
By this time, UNHCR had been doing RSD in Egypt for nearly five decades, and so many people in Cairo took it for granted that this was UNHCR normal role. But it was a provocative question. So, whenever I met up with an Egyptian lawyer or human rights activist, I would ask their opinion: “Do you think we should push the Egyptian government to take over from UNHCR and start deciding refugee cases?” I would always get the same answer: “Are you crazy? Why would anyone want to have the Egyptian Government…
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December 10, 2014
“I call on states to honour their obligation to protect human rights every day of the year. I call on people to hold their governments to account. And I call for special protections for the human rights defenders who courageously serve our collective cause,” UN Secretary-General stated in his message for Human Rights Day. There is so much to report on this day, that I decided to focus on stories from 4 Asian countries (China (Hong Kong), India, Thailand, Bangladesh) which give an impression (not more than that) of how Human Rights Day is reflected in the media.
The first article “Responsibility for the protection of human rights is in our hands” appeared in the South China Morning Post of Tuesday, 09 December, 2014
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bangkok Post, Bangladesh, China, Economic Times of India, Financial Express of Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Human Rights Day, Human Rights Defenders, human rights education, India, Indian National Human Rights Commission, international commitments, international human rights day, media, South China Morning Post, Thailand, Universal Declaration of Human Rights
December 9, 2014
To mark Human Rights Day tomorrow, Wednesday 10 December, the Guardian organises a live chat with three women human rights defenders who will answer your questions on their campaigning work and the challenges they face in uncovering abuses. The panel looks most promising:
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Alejandra Ancheita, Arif Yunus, Azerbaijan, Cristina Palabay, Dinara Yunus, Human Rights Day, Human Rights Defenders, international human rights day, Karapatan, Leyla Yunus, MEA laureate 2014, Mexico, Philippines, the Guardian, women human rights defenders
December 9, 2014
(The four winners of this year’s Right Livelihood Award (from left): Asma Jahangir, Bill McKibben, Alan Rusbridger and Basil Fernando. US whistle-blower Edward Snowden (not pictured) also received an honorary award)
Qantara.de 2014 on 9 December 2014 published an interesting interview by Roma Rajpal Weiss with Asma Jahangir, a prominent human rights defenders, winner of the Right Livelihood Award of this year and Laureate of the MEA as far back as 1995. The title “Every restriction is justified in the name of religion” is taken from Asma’s statement that most restrictions on the human rights of women in Pakistan are justified by arguments (perhaps rather feelings) based on religious or tradition. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in awards, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Asma Jahangir, awards, human rights award, human rights lawyer, human rights of women, Pakistan, religion, religious extremism, Right Livelihood Award, rule of law, woman human rights defender
December 9, 2014
(Vidulfo Rosales (Center) | Photo: Clayton Conn/ teleSUR)
A lengthy report entitled: “
Ficha Cisen a abogado de normalistas” written in the electronic investigative journal,
Reporte Indigo, shows that
Mexico’s Intelligence Agency (CISEN) has opened dossiers on human rights defenders from the Human Rights Center of the Mountain “
Tlachinollan” calling them “dangerous to governance.” The report details that
Vidulfo Rosales, lawyer and representative of the 43 families of the Ayotzinapa students as well as Tlachinollan’s director,
Abel Barrera are “elements” that pose a “threat” to the government and that the two participate in “subversive” activities. Telesur of 8 December refers to a public letter signed by over a dozen reputable human rights organizations:
“It is outrageous that public resources are used to weaken the human rights movement instead of using intelligence capabilities to combat infiltration and corruption by narco-governments and guarantee that serious human rights violations do not go unpunished”.
Mexico Intelligence Agency Investigates Rights Defenders | News | teleSUR.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Abel Barrera, Ayotzinapa, CISEN, disappearances, harassment, Human Rights Defenders, human rights organizations, intimidation, Mexico, Reporte Indigo, state security agency, students, Surveillance, Telesur, Tlachinollan, Vidulfo Rosales
December 8, 2014
It doesn’t always have to be gloom in this blog: Petras Vaida, from Vilnius, reports on 8 December 2014 that a survey shows that more than half Lithuanians would know where to address in case they think their rights were violated (against 27,9% of respondents in 2012.)
Each year the Seimas Ombudsmen ask Lithuanians whether they have enough information about the human rights defenders who may help them in case their rights are violated in municipal and governmental institutions. This year’s survey based showed that fifty-four% of respondents would know where to request help in case their rights were violated, including 42% who would address the Seimas Ombudsmen. The researchers observed that younger, more educated, urban and richer respondents knew better where to address in case their rights were violated.
More than half Lithuanians would know where to address in case their rights were violated :: The Baltic Course | Baltic States news & analytics.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: access, Human Rights Defenders, Lithuania, Ombudsman, Petras Vaida, Seimas Ombudsmen, The Baltic Course
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 