Archive for the 'human rights' Category
June 5, 2012
Today, 5 June 2012, Doros Polycarpou, the Executive Director of Cypriot anti-racist NGO KISA, was acquitted of the charge of rioting during the 2010 Rainbow Festival in Larnaca. This decision is final and is not open for appeal. The judge found the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses to be not credible. The Observatory for Human Rights Defenders (OMCT-FIDH joint project) had sent Cretan lawyer Costaz Gazis as trial observer.
This ruling confirms the view of a wide coalition of international NGOs that the accusations were manifestly false and were an attempt by the Cypriot authorities to silence KISA, an organisation that has being fighting xenophobia and racism in Cyprus for 14 years.
The same NGOs deplore that, despite repeated requests to the Attorney General and the Council of Ministers, no independent investigation was carried out about the events that occurred in Larnaca in 2010, in particular with respect to the alleged failure of police to protect the Rainbow Festival’s participants. More than a year and a half later, no one has been charged with the crimes which resulted in serious injuries and hospitalisation of people who participated in the Festival. The evidence points to the fact that attackers were motivated by xenophobia and racism.
The organisations mentioned below add that they regret the charges were not withdrawn earlier and urge the Cypriot authorities to use the occasion of Doros Polycarpou’s acquittal to mark the beginning of new cooperation between the Cyprus state and human rights defenders.
Signatories
European Association for Human Rights/ Association Européenne des droits de l’Homme (AEDH)
Euro-Mediterranean Network for Human Rights
European Network Against Racism
Fahamu Refugee Legal Aid Programme
Front Line Defenders
Migreurop
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (joint programme OMCT-FIDH)
Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: anti-racism, Cyprus, Doros Polycarpou, Gostas Gazis, Human Rights Defenders, International Federation for Human Rights, KISA, Larnaca, Observatory for the Protection of HRDs, Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Rainbow Festival, trial observation, World Organisation Against Torture
June 1, 2012
This post is not directly about human rights defenders but rather touches an area where they are not so commonly engaged. My interest in the area is of course to a large extent self-interest as the 65 benchmark is nearing but was piqued by a recent visitor from Australia, my good friends Rodney and Noni Lewis.
Rodney Lewis is a practicing lawyer engaged in resolving legal problems for the aged and the ageing in our community. He is based in Mona Vale, a suburb of Sydney. He has been a practising lawyer for over 40 years. He is the author of the legal text Elder Law in Australia (published by Lexis Nexis Sydney, in 2004). Rodney’s interest in Aged Care came through his wife Noni who is a registered nurse. His inquiries sprang from their discussions and led to his research, writing, lecturing and the preparation of the only text book on the subject. Rodney’s interest in Elder Law and the legal rights of older persons also stems from his interest and commitment to human rights. (Rodney has been active with the International Commission of Jurists, and assisted me greatly in writing the book on Human Rights in Indonesia; he also undertook trail observations missions).
Over the past several decades a massive change has taken place in a key demographic area of the planet’s human population: age. If the current trend of lowering birth rates and lowering death rates continues, by the year 2050 one out of five people will be aged 60 years or older and by 2150, one out of every three people will be aged 60 years or older. Additionally, the older-person support ratio is falling in both more and less developed regions, which could further lessen the ability of societies and governments to care for their aging populations.
These demographic trends create unique challenges for all people, particularly for the governments of nation-states around the globe. Elderly individuals are often subject to discrimination and abuse because they are perceived as easily taken advantage of. There is also a prevalent belief among many that elderly persons are worthless in today’s fast-paced, globalized and increasingly industrialized world. Obviously, with the number of elderly people on earth at any one time rising rapidly, there is an increased urgency to address the rights and roles of elderly persons in our world.
From a cursory glance at the internet it seems that Canada and Australia have gone furthest in organizing elder law, e.g. http://www.elderlaw.com.au/
Posted in human rights, ICJ | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Australia, Elder Law, human rights, International Commission of Jurists, Old age, rights of the elderly, Rodney Lewis
May 28, 2012
Swedish Eurovision contestant Loreen at her own initiative visited IRFS offices to meet with IRFS chairman Emin Huseynov, Human Rights Club chairman Rasul Jafarov, and Norwegian Human Rights House foundation co-coordinator Shahla Ismayilova. Her aim was to learn about the state of human rights in Azerbaijan and in particular the Sing for Democracy campaign. The event took place at IRFS with the support of the Swedish Civil Rights Defenders organization and Norwegian Human Rights House foundation. A number of international press representatives attended.
Jafarov guided Loreen through a photo exhibition depicting illegal housing demolitions, and spoke about the general human rights situation in Azerbaijan. The campaign video along with footage from the afternoon’s protest was also shown.
Loreen meets press and HRDs
Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Azerbaijan, Baku, Civil Rights Defenders, Eurovision Song Contest, human rights, Human Rights House Foundation, IRFS, Loreen
May 26, 2012
Image via CrunchBase
On 24 May 2012 two NGOs, WITNESS and Storyful, launched a new channel devoted to human rights videos. The channel specializes in collecting and sharing citizen videos relevant to human rights. “The new human rights channel will give people an ‘on-the-ground’ perspective of underexposed stories often absent from mainstream media, highlight ways to take action and develop new collaborations amongst interested citizens,” says Sam Gregory, WITNESS’ Program Director. The exponential growth of portable video devices – especially in developing countries – has enabled everyday citizens to record otherwise hidden abuses and to advance human rights from the grassroots level.
The channel will feature:
- Daily updates of breaking stories, alerts and related campaign videos
- Featured stories through playlists gather videos together to provide insight into an evolving situation or an under covered issue
- Profiles of videographers and organizations on YouTube who have made a major impact or a significant contribution to video for change
- Tools and tactics offering 20 years of WITNESS expertise in video for change
This project will offer users new avenues for action and impact on Google+, where the broader human rights community will take part in discussions, share their material, and find collaborators.
The channel can be found at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/humanrights
And the conversation continues on Google+: https://plus.google.com/100621536540324323611/posts
WITNESS http://www.witness.org.
from: WITNESS And Storyful Launch New Global Channel For Human Rights Video – PR Newswire – The Sacramento Bee
Posted in films, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: google, human rights, news channel, Non-governmental organization, Sam Gregory, Storyful, video, Witness, Witness (human rights group), YouTube
May 24, 2012
We have just learned that the Venerable Luon Savath been released and is now at the office of the NGO LICADHO. But not sure that this is the end of the story and will keep you posted.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Cambodia, detention, human rights, LICADHO, Luon Savath, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, release
May 24, 2012
The 2012 nominee of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, the ‘multimedia’ monk Luon Savath, was this morning ‘arrested’. In fact, senior members of the monastic community were involved in detaining him after he took photos of protesting Boeung Kak lake villagers outside Phnom Penh municipal court. As can be seen on http://youtu.be/0sG6iLwj95o, some monks, police and unidentified plain-clothed men forced him into a Land Cruiser and ushered him away from the scene as more than 60 protesters, flanked by about 100 police, called for the release of 13 Boeung Kak women who where being questioned inside. The Venerable Loun Savath was already banned from all pagodas in Phnom Penh last year by Supreme Patriarch Nun Nget. It seems that the Venerable Loun Savath was driven to Pagoda Botum, where police and officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Cults and Religion barricaded him inside, sealing off entries so even pagoda boys could not enter. According to Buddhist internal rules, a committee of monks needs to meet and express whatever they think he has done wrong, then the monk in question is supposed to be able to respond to committee. Afterwards, the committee can decide to ‘advise’ him of ‘misconduct’ or ask ‘permission’ to defrock. With unusual and uncommon speed this has happened all within the same day! Luon Savath was able to make one call and then his mobile phone was cut off and no one has been able to reach him since. There is serious reason to worry and the international community should be mobilized.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012052456374/National-news/activist-monk-loun-savath-detained.html
To stay up to date check with Twitter @witnessryan.
Posted in human rights | 1 Comment »
Tags: Asia, Buddhism, Cambodia, defrocking, detention, freedom of expression, Luon Savath, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, monk, Phnom Penh, unlawful arrest
May 23, 2012
The visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Zimbabwe this week got a good amount of media exposure and the report below filed by allAfrica.com gives what seems a fair reflection of her meetings with civil society. BUT why the writer has to stress in the opening line that it concerns “WESTERN-sponsored civil society organisations” which yesterday presented a damning report, is a mystery. If there were many China or Russia supported NGOs I doubt that this would have been added. What matters is whether the sponsorship affects the independence of the organisations. IF that were the case it should certainly be stated clearly but now it is only implied..
allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: Civil Society Groups Present Conflicting Reports.
Posted in books, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, UN | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Civil society, human rights violations, Navanethem Pillay, Non-governmental organization, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, visit, Zimbabwe
May 22, 2012
At the session of the Universal Periodic Review on Bahrain in Geneva this week, a large number of countries (such as France, the UK and USA) and NGOs (such as Human Rights Watch and Frontline) confronted the government of Bahrain with its flagrant shortcomings in respecting its human rights obligations and in implementing the recommendations of its own investigation.
The Bahraini Human Rights Minister, Salah Bin Ali Mohamed Abdulrahman, in response said “radical measures and progressive steps” had been taken to overcome the “sad and unfortunate events” of March 2011. Some of the recommendations required legislative amendments and this “may take some time,” he said. The minister told the meeting Bahrain held no prisoners on charges relating to freedom of expression. “Any such charges have been withdrawn. The only cases (remaining) are criminal cases” ..and …”These cases are being looked at by the judiciary therefore the government cannot interfere”.
No further questions your honor….
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=52376
Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, France, Frontline, Geneva, human rights, Human Rights Watch, Non-governmental organization, United Nations Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, USA
May 22, 2012
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) welcomes the strong stand taken by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) on the political, security and humanitarian confllicts and crises raging on the continent, at its 51st Session. FIDH now urges African Union (AU) Member States to give immediate effect to the recently adopted resolutions. The document published by allAfrica.com refers to the recent conflict between Sudan and South Sudan the unconstitutional changes of government that lately occured in Mali and Guinea-Bissau, the territorial integrity of Mali and a West African region where several armed groups, like in Nigeria, still perpetrate violations. On HRDs the document of FIDH states the following:
“The African Commission considered with a particular attention the civil and political rights’ violations happening in several countries. The Commission condemned the recurring impediment to Human rights defenders’ action in countries like Ethiopia – where the Charities and Civil Societies Proclamation adopted in 2009 continues to place excessive restrictions on Human rights organisations’ work – Swaziland – where authorities keep opposing the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association – and Somalia, where journalists are taken in the grip of the ongoing armed conflict and are openly murdered. The FIDH welcomes the African Commission’s clear call for the amendment of the Ethiopian Charities and Civil Societies Proclamation, for the respect of the rights to fundamental freedoms in Swaziland and for justice to be rendered to the murdered journalists in Somalia. All these recommandations were supported by our organisation.”
Posted in books, FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Africa, African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, African Union, Ethiopia, FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, International Federation for Human Rights, Somalia, Swaziland
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 