This time just a short presentation of Guatemalan human rights defender Lolita Chávez who spoke in Ottawa, Canada, for a group of supporters some time ago (March 2013): Lolita Chávez says it is love of life that motivates her to risk her own as an outspoken Maya Kiche activist against racism, mining, and hydroelectric project developments in the highlands of Guatemala. As a result of her leadership in Guatemala’s Indigenous movement, she is a frequent target of threats, accusations and attempts to label her as working against the national interest, as some sort of enemy of the state. Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for the 'human rights' Category
Lolita Chávez about land and life in peril in Guatemala
January 29, 2014Berta Cáceres in Honduras continues to be harassed in spite of court order
January 28, 2014In my post of 17 January I related that there seemed to be some optimism in the case of Berta Cáceres in Honduras as the court had suspended her case (https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/justice-maybe-on-its-way-for-some-human-rights-defenders-in-honduras/), but the ink on the order was hardly dry when on 26 January 2014, she was again temporarily detained. Members of the criminal investigation unit showed her an order for her capture [the authorities had not communicated any counter-order to them, they stated]. According to sources of Front Line, only her knowledge of the law lead to her release an hour later. Judicial harassment of the first order.
Grammy-winning Esperanza Spalding performs on-line against Guantanamo tomorrow
January 28, 2014
Grammy award-winning Esperanza Spalding and Human Rights First bring a LIVE online broadcast of Spotlight on Guantanamo, a night of performance and discussion from Washington, DC’s historic Lincoln Theatre. In November 2013, Esperanza Spalding launched her new music video titled ”We Are America” to urge Congress to close Guantanamo responsibly. You can watch the live stream via the link below starting at 19h00 (Washington DC time) on Wednesday 29 January.
via Spotlight on Guantanamo: An Evening with Esperanza Spalding [Live Stream] | Human Rights First.
About Russia’s report on human rights in the EU and the need to support human rights defenders
January 28, 2014In my post of 17 January I mentioned Russia‘s report on human rights in the EU (https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/russia-publishes-report-on-human-rights-in-the-eu/) and I now want to refer to a thoughtful comment by Aaron Rhodes (founder of the Freedom Rights Project and former Director of the Vienna-based International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights) in The Commentator of 27 January. He argues inter alia that:
“The report is thus likely to be dismissed as little more than a bad-faith political attack, especially in view of Russia’s own problems — a case of “the pot calling the kettle black.” In fact, Read the rest of this entry »
Vacancy: Protection International looking for head of office in Kinshasa, RD Congo
January 27, 2014Protection International (PI) is looking for a Head of Office in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it has been present since 2004, with a field office in South Kivu and soon in North Kivu. Must be French speaker. Deadline: 9 February. For more details see:
Uzbekistan’s Human Rights Defenders risk a lot by helping others
January 27, 2014“Why do people turn to human rights defenders?” asks Vladimir Husainov in this video posted by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting [IPWR] on 27 January 2014. “Because they can at least do something, even though they have no official powers or authority.” Husainov is one of a handful of courageous human rights defenders in Uzbekistan. They investigate various kinds of abuses ranging from the routine practice of torture in detention to the use of child labour in the cotton fields. Read the rest of this entry »
Petty: Human Rights Watch Refused Entry to the Emirates
January 27, 2014The United Arab Emirates [UAE] authorities have refused to allow Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch, to enter the country on 24 January, 2014, for a planned two-day visit to Dubai. The move followed the country’s forced cancellation on 23 January of a Human Rights Watch news conference to release its annual World Report 2014 in the UAE. Whitson had traveled to the UAE on numerous occasions.“These petty tactics by the UAE authorities to muzzle Human Rights Watch only demonstrate the government’s intolerance of free speech and fear of critical discussion,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director. “Human Rights Watch will continue to document abuses in the UAE and to urge the government to comply with its most basic human rights obligations.” “While UAE newspapers regularly use the work of Human Rights Watch from around the world, it’s a pity the government can’t tolerate any review of its own record,” Roth added.
via UAE: Human Rights Watch Official Refused Entry | Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Defender Razan Zaitouneh still missing in Syria after one month
January 27, 2014[reposted as it seems that the link no longer worked – why? – Syrian secret service THAT sophisticated??]
After more than a month the abduction of 36-year-old human rights defender Ms. Razan Zaitouneh in Syria continues to go unsolved. She became part of the statistics herself that she was gathering inside Syria. Now part of ‘the missing’ inside her country Zaitouneh was joined in her abduction by her husband Nazem al-Hamadi, along with reform activist Ms. Sameera Alkhalil along with lawyer and poet Wael Hamada on December 9, 2013 in the Damascus suburb of Douma city. Just before she recorded this video message for the FIDH:
Political parties in Madurai, India, learn about human rights defenders
January 26, 2014There are plenty of training courses on human rights, but this one reported by the Times of India on 26 January deserves special mention as its main target were political parties. The two-day seminar started Saturday 25 January for members of political parties and movements in the state of Madurai. Human Rights Defenders Alert organised the event. Around 60 representatives from political parties and outfits [whatever these are!] attended the training course.
via Political activists learn how to defend human rights – The Times of India.
Human Rights Coalition sues prison officials in US for censoring human rights advocacy
January 26, 2014
The Human Rights Coalition (HRC), prisoner Robert Saleem Holbrook (pictured above) and College of Charleston Professor Kristi Brian brought a lawsuit on 8 January against employees of the State Correctional Institution (SCI) and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) in the USA for confiscation of mail sent to Holbrook, a co-founder of HRC. “It is long overdue that prison officials are held to account for their attempts to silence those who speak out against this abusive system. The rights, health and lives of our loved ones are at stake.” HRC-Philadelphia activist Patricia Vickers stated. This lawsuit challenges the ability of PA DOC officials to target political dissent and human rights defenders with censorship. Read the rest of this entry »
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 