Archive for the 'human rights' Category
December 13, 2013
On the occasion of Human Rights Day, 10 December 2013, the largest ever body of independent experts in the United Nations Human Rights system urged Governments to coöperate with them, and allow human rights organisations and individuals to engage with the UN “without fear of intimidation or reprisals.” The appeal by the 72 special procedures experts stated that: “Over the years more than 160 UN member States have been visited by at least one of our human rights experts, and a total of 106 States have extended an open invitation to special procedures,” Around 30 States have not yet accepted a visit by any of our experts while others have given only selective access. “Unfortunately, it has become a reality that a standing invitation cannot necessarily guarantee that a visit will actually take place.” Mr. Chaloka Beyani said on behalf the group. “The work we do relies heavily on our interaction with civil society, national human rights institutions, human rights defenders, other individuals working on the ground and victims of human rights violations,” the expert explained. “It is of utmost concern that some of these become victims of intimidation and reprisals. The protection of these vital partners is of utmost importance,” he said, calling on world Governments “to respond firmly against any act which threatens them and seeks to obstruct human rights work.” Reprisals are a critical challenge facing the UN system and its human rights mechanisms. “We call for the designation of a focal point on the issue of intimidation and reprisals as soon as possible,”
[The United Nations human rights experts are part of what it is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures is the general name of the independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms of the Human Rights Council that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are charged by the Human Rights Council to monitor, report and advise on human rights issues. Currently, there are 37 thematic mandates and 14 mandates related to countries and territories, with 72 mandate holders. In March 2014, three new mandates will be added.]
via DisplayNews.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: anti-reprisals focal point, Civil society, cooperation with UN, country visit, enforcement, Expert, Human right, human rights, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, human rights experts, human rights violations, international human rights day, intimidation, Member states of the United Nations, Reprisal, reprisals, retaliation, UN, UN Rapporteurs, United Nations, United Nations Human Rights, United Nations Human Rights Council
December 10, 2013
In the context of 10 December, Human Rights Day, Curt Goering of the Centre for Victims of Torture posts in the Huffington Post a piece on the value of information technology to prevent torture. .. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Centre for Victims of Torture, Curt Goering, Egypt, FDEP, Front to Defend Egypt Protesters, Huffington Post, human rights, Human Rights Day, Human Rights Defenders, information technology, Lebanon, LGBT, Middle East, New Tactics in Human Rights, SMS, torture, United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights
December 6, 2013
On 7 December 2013, Satur C. Ocampo wrote in the Philippine Star a remarkable tribute to a Swiss woman, Alba Viotto, who died recently. After a short context of the human rights scene in his country, he then describes the work of a Swiss human rights defender that most of us will never have heard of. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Alba Viotto, Asia, campaigner, human rights, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, mayor of Geneva, Philippine Star, Philippines, Sandrine Salerno, solidarity action, Switzerland, woman human rights defender, women human rights defenders
December 6, 2013
By Mona Seif, founder of ‘No to Military Trials for Civilians’ and Final Nominee 2013 of the MEA reports in some detail the following:
“Egyptian Activists Arrested in Growing Crackdown – Activist Alaa Abd El Fattah one of at least 27 people currently charged under Egypt’s new anti-protest law
Mona Seif, Egypt – Final Nominee MEA 2013
Egypt is facing a growing crackdown on political protest and dissent. This week has seen the arrest of 27 political activists under the cover of a new law designed to effectively ban protest in Egypt. On November 26th the well-known and internationally respected activist group, No to Military Trials for Civilians, called for a demonstration in front of the Shoura Council (the Upper House of the Egyptian parliament) to protest the failure of the current draft constitution to legislate against the military court martials of civilians. The entirely peaceful protest was met with serious force by the police, who attacked demonstrators with a water cannon and tear gas while arresting as many people as they could. At least 51 people were arrested that day. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 2 Comments »
Tags: Abd El Fattah, Ahmed Abdelrahman, Ahmed Maher, Alaa Abd El Fattah, arbitrary arrest, Cairo, crackdown, Egypt, freedom to demonstrate, Human Rights Defenders, illegal detention, MEA, MEA final nominee 2013, military trials, Mona Seif, No To Military Trials for Civilians, protest, Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, women human rights defenders
December 5, 2013
On 5 December 2013 the six winners announced of the UN Human Rights Prize were announced: Biram Dah Abeid of Mauritania, a son of freed slaves who works to eradicate the heinous practice; Hiljmnijeta Apuk of Kosovo, a campaigner for the rights of people with disproportional restricted growth short stature; Liisa Kauppinen of Finland, President emeritus of the World Federation of the Deaf; Khadija Ryadi, Former President of the Morocco Association for Human Rights; Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice the Constitutional Court; and Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban for attending classes and is now a renowned education activist. The award ceremony will take place at UN Headquarters in New York on 10 December 2013, as part of the annual commemoration of Human Rights Day [The Prize, which is bestowed every five years, is an honorary award given to individuals and organizations in recognition of outstanding achievement in human rights.]
via United Nations News Centre – Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai among winners of 2013 UN human rights prize.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: awards, Biram Dah Abeid, disabled, Finland, Hiljmnijeta Apuk, Human right, human rights awards, Human Rights Defenders, Khadija Ryadi, Kosovo, Liisa Kauppinen, Malala Yousafzai, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Morocco Association for Human Rights, New York, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Pakistan, UN Human Rights Prize, United Nations, women human rights defenders, World Federation of the Deaf
December 5, 2013
The Alice Zachmann Human Rights Defenders Award recognizes an individual, organization or community from Guatemala who has demonstrated a commitment to the defense of human rights through non-violent methods, and for which he/she has been exposed to threats, violence and/or other attacks. The award serves as a means to highlight the struggle of the recipient on an international level and represents a commitment by GHRC to provide ongoing support.
The award giver, the Guatemala Human Rights Commission [GHRC] presented the 2013 Award to the Guatemalan Human Rights Defenders Unit (UDEFEGUA) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Advocacy Organizations, Alice Zachmann Human Rights Defenders Award, awards, Claudia Samayoa, Guatemala, Guatemala Human Rights Commission, Guatemalan Human Rights Defenders Unit, Human right, Human Rights and Liberties, human rights award, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, Non-governmental organization, UDEFEGUA, woman human rights defender
December 5, 2013
Following a major human rights speech delivered by National Security Advisor Susan Rice, at the Human Rights First Summit, CEO Elisa Massimino issued the following statement: “Today’s speech was a welcome affirmation of the Obama 
Administration’s commitment to protecting human rights at home and abroad. Ambassador Rice made a compelling case for why this effort is squarely in the national interest, arguing that short term trade-offs cannot alter our foundational values, and that respect for human rights is essential to our security. Detailing not just the ‘easy cases’ but also those where the United States has competing interests, Rice spelled out the ways the administration balances these interests, while seeking to uphold American ideals. She underscored the administration’s commitment to following through on promises to shutter Guantanamo and take the nation off of its current war-footing. We encourage the administration to double down on efforts to more actively and creatively support human rights defenders in places like Egypt, Bahrain, and Russia, priorities that Ambassador Rice touched on today. We look forward to working with the administration to keep human rights at the heart of U.S. foreign policy today, and in the long term.” After her speech Susan Rice met with human rights defenders from Bahrain, Egypt, Zimbabwe, and the international LGBT community.
via Rice Delivers Major Human Rights Speech at Human Rights First Summit | Human Rights First.
Posted in HRF, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Ambassador Rice, Bahrain, Egypt, Foreign Policy of the USA, HRF, Human right, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights First, National Security Advisor (United States), National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Rice, Russia, Susan Rice, United States
December 5, 2013
Civil Rights Defenders strongly condemns the death threats directed towards Aida Corovic, a leading human rights defender in Sandzak, Serbia, and requests a quick and firm response from the authorities. “We have seen too much tolerance towards radical and extremist groups who use violence and threats”, says Goran Miletic, Programme Director for the Western Balkans of the Stockholm-based NGO. Aida Corovic is head of the organisation Urban–In from Novi Pazar. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Aida Corovic, Balkan, Boban Stojanovic, Bosniak, Civil Rights Defenders, death threats, freedom of expression, Islam, islamic fundamentalists, Montenegro, Novi Pazar, Sandzak, Serbia
December 4, 2013
The Monitor of the ISHR reports that in the Third Committee there was a serious setback in establishing an high-level ‘anti-reprisals focal point’ in the UN. In an unprecedented move, a group of States, led by Gabon and joined by others such as China and Russia, was successful in securing the passage of a resolution in the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly to defer the appointment of such a senior UN official despite Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, UN | 1 Comment »
Tags: anti-reprisals focal point, China, European Union, Gabon, Human right, Human Rights Council, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, International Service for Human Rights, ISHR, Norway, OHCHR, reprisals, retaliation, Russia, Third Committee, Third Committee of the GA, UN, UN General Assembly, United Nations, United Nations Human Rights Council
December 3, 2013
PC Tech Magazine of 3 December carries a story from the Ugandan Daily Monitor about human rights defenders in the country accusing the government of allegedly recruiting two foreign firms to secretly carry out surveillance on individuals’ private digital equipment such as computers and mobile telephones in a move they say infringes on citizens’ right to privacy. The activists allege that the two firms are doing voice and data surveillance without permission from the telecommunication providers. “We are aware that the surveillance companies operate without permission from the telecommunication providers but have access to do surveillance. This is dangerous because people cannot have quality conversations and yet the government is supposed to protect people’s rights to privacy,” said Mr Geoffrey Ssebaggala, the chief executive officer of the Unwanted Witness- Uganda [UW-U]. He was speaking at the closure of a training workshop for journalists and business operators on the risks involved while using internet in Kampala. Mr Ssebaggala added: “Our preliminary inquiry shows that these companies send surveillance Malware to individual citizens’ computers as long as they have their Internet Protocol address to track peoples’ activities on computer and their telephones,” he said, revealing that UW-U in partnership with the Parliamentary Committee on ICT have started formulating a law to protect privacy. However, the executive director of the Uganda Media Centre, Mr Ofwono Opondo, said he was not aware of the recruitment of the said companies but insisted that whatever is done by the government is within the law. He explained that the move seeks to protect the public from terrorism and other criminal acts such as money laundering.
via Unwanted Witness – Uganda Accuses Government of Illegal Online Surveillance | PC Tech Magazine.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Daily Monitor, digital security, Geoffrey Ssebaggala, Government, Human rights defender, PC Tech Magazine, right to privacy, Surveillance, Uganda, Ugandan, Unwanted Witness- Uganda
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 