Archive for the 'human rights' Category

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Iran ‘continues’ its good cooperation with the UN………

August 8, 2011

According to the official iranian students news agency (ISNA) on 6 August, Iran continues to work with the UN Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as it used to do. “We have good relations with the UN Human Rights Council and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. We are sorry that some countries use the issue of human rights as an instrument and this time the US and some western states have employed human rights as an instrument to press Iran, but these pressures will go nowhere,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in a press conference referring to reports that a special United Nations human rights reporter has called for travel to Iran.

see: ISNA – 08-06-2011 – 90/5/15 – Service: / Foreign Policy / News ID: 1821676.

On 20 July I reported already in this blog that Mohammad Javad Larijani, Iran’s secretary general of the high council for human rights, had rejected the appointment of a rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran and that  Iran “will not accept the decision”; so the Minister of Foreign Affairs is not totally aware of the position taken by the SG of the High Council for Human Rights.

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Groups support West Papuan rights appeals

August 8, 2011

 

 

 

further to my blog 20 June re a Papuan HRD, I am happy to report that over 50 international and local NGOs are supporting a call for justice: please see the statement in full: Groups support West Papuan rights appeals.

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LGBT community in Ghana decides to speak out more forcefully against homophobic attacks

August 8, 2011

 

 

This long quote from a statement by the Coalition Against Homophobia in Ghana (CAHG) is worth reading in full as it cogently puts the case for tolerance and respect, not just in Ghana but in all countries. The MEA Laureate 2011 Kasha from Uganda would be pleased with the language:

“CAHG vehemently denounces these types of sensationalist, unfounded, and bigoted attacks against LGBT Ghanaians, who are brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, daughters and sons of Ghanaian families just like any other Ghanaians. LGBT people are in every conceivable walk of life and have existed throughout history. Contrary to unsubstantiated and speculative remarks that homosexuals are “evil”, “filthy”, and “ungodly”, LGBT people are our family members, co-workers, worshippers, taxpayers, voters, media people, pastors and lovers who deserve the same rights and protection under the Ghanaian Constitution as anyone else.”

 “Unfortunately, a few people with religious, political, and institutional power continue to use their privilege to perpetuate hate and violence against homosexuals with the support of the criminal code 1960, Act 29, which criminalizes “unnatural carnal knowledge”–ironically a “western” concept imported to Ghana during British colonization of the country. If these anti-homosexual forces care about the future of Ghana, then the coalition calls on them to do something about issues that actually pose a threat to Ghana’s future such as poverty, women’s rights, class inequalities, environmental destruction, educational rights, and job opportunities. Addressing such issues would be more productive for the country than utilizing fear- mongering tactics to divide Ghanaian people from their LGBT family members and colleagues.”

“Although the international community has not said much on the issue to date, HIV prevention experts and human rights activist from different parts of the world have come out to allay the attacks against LGBT people. The Coalition urges Ghanaians harbouring hostility against LGBT people to “judge not lest ye be judged” and set aside their animosities for the good of the country and its diverse citizenry.”

source: In Ghana, LGBT community forges an alliance of allies to fight homophobic attacks | San Diego Gay and Lesbian News.

Posted in human rights, MEA | 1 Comment »
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‪Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China Worsens: EP Hearing‬‏ – YouTube

July 21, 2011

interesting video of (part of the) session of the European Parliament 

 

 

 

Conditions for Chinas Rights Defenders Worsens: Hearing‬‏ – YouTube.

New Tang Dynasty Television

NTDTV’s Channel

Posted in EU, films, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 4 Comments »
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Iran: non-cooperation with the UN seems to be the norm

July 20, 2011

On 28 March this year I reported some good news in the ‘crime-should-not-pay series”: the UN decided to finally establish an Iran investigator. But  that joy seems to have been a bit premature as Iran has now announced that it will not permit the UN special rapporteur assigned with investigating its record of human rights to enter the country. Ahmad Shaheed, a former foreign affairs minister of the Maldives, was appointed by the UN as the monitor in June. According to the Tehran Times, a government sponsored English-language newspaper, Mohammad Javad Larijani, Iran’s secretary general of the high council for human rights, said: “The western-engineered appointment of a special rapporteur for Iran is an illegal measure”, adding that “this unilateral action makes no sense and if they want to send a special rapporteur to Iran, they should take the same measure in the case of other countries.”

The appointment of the rapporteur was the result of concerted warnings by various human rights organisations against Iran’s current record of human rights. In recent years, rights groups have expressed concerns over the arbitrary arrests of political activists, the sharp rise in the country’s rate of execution and claims of torture and rape inside Iran’s prisons. According to the organisations that have been monitoring Iran, in the first six months of this year an average of almost two people a day were executed. Dozens of journalists, several lawyers, political activists, members of different ethnic minorities and many political figures remain in jail with poor legal representation and little access to the outside world (see e.g. my blog from yesterday on the position of Norway). In his remarks about Shaheed, Larijani objected that the countries behind the appointment of the special rapporteur had remained silent over the human rights issues surrounding “Guantánamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and Israeli jails”. “Iran has no problem with the individual who has been appointed as the special rapporteur, but the appointment of a rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran is unacceptable and Iran will not accept the decision,” he added.

The big question remains whether the systematic non-cooperation by Iran and similar regimes pays in the end or not. It would be of little use to make new norms or procedures if the most basic existing ones can be flaunted.

For more details see http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/18/iran-refuses-un-human-rights

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Norway bravely criticizes Iran for persecution of human rights defenders

July 19, 2011

 

 

 

On 13 July 2011 the State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gry Larsen, commented in very clear terms on the situation in Iran, saying inter alia: “Iran’s groundless persecution of people connected to Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi’s Defenders of Human Rights Center give cause for serious concern.”

A number of Iranian lawyers have recently been given, or can expect to be given, severe prison sentences. Two of the founders of the Human Rights Centre set up by Shirin Ebadi, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah and Mohammad Seifzadeh, have been sentenced to nine and two years’ imprisonment respectively. Another prominent lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani is still waiting for his case to be tried more than two years after he was arrested, and Shirin Ebadi’s own lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment earlier this year.

“The legal proceedings against these lawyers seem to have focused solely on their work to promote and defend human rights in Iran. They are in violation of both national and international principles of the rule of law. For example, the defendants were denied proper legal assistance,” said Ms Larsen.

The Iranian authorities have systematically persecuted people connected to the Defenders of Human Rights Center and confiscated property and materials relating to their work over a period of time in an attempt to stop the centre’s activities.

“Norway urges Iran to fulfil its obligations under international human rights conventions. We particularly urge Iran to stop its campaign against the Defenders of Human Rights Center and to safeguard the rights of people who are themselves working diligently to promote the rule of law in the country,” said Ms Larsen.

Groundless prison sentences for human rights defenders in Iran.

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Human Rights First to podcast human rights stories on iTunes

July 19, 2011

Human rights and new media being one on my main interest, readers will not be surprised that I am happy to promote the launch of ‘FirstCast‘, by HRF (Human Rights First). It is an audio podcast on iTunes which plans to bring compelling human rights stories from around the world as. This week’s FirstCast features Shehrbano Taseer, the daughter of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer who was assassinated by his bodyguard for publicly condemning the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Shehrbano is continuing her father’s work and has become an international voice for the victims of extremism and religious intolerance.

Subscribing is easy: from FirstCast page, launch iTunes on your desktop by clicking “View in iTunes.” Once the iTunes app opens, you’ll see our page with all of our podcasts. Under the Human Rights First logo, click “Subscribe Free.” And voila! You’re all set. You can also listen to past shows about the ongoing crackdown in Bahrain, LGBTI rights in Uganda, and the return of the torture debate post-Bin Laden.

If there are any question please address them to Sharon Kelly McBride, HRF’s Communications Director

Posted in HRF, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
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Human Rights Awards can get it really wrong

July 16, 2011

As chair of a human rights award I report this event mostly because I want to remember to be careful. No glee!

The Werkstatt Deutschland organisation had planned to give Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin the private Quadriga Award that recognises “role models for enlightenment, dedication and the public good.” Under immense pressure the Quadriga Panel has now revoked its decision. The Quadriga panel voiced “great regret” that it is was forced to retract the prize, but said “the growing pressure was becoming increasingly unsustainable and risked escalating further”. According to  AFP, former Czech president Vaclav Havel, who received the same award in 2009, welcomed the German panel’s decision: “The award should be given to people like Anna Politkovskaya or Sergei Kovalov or Liu Xiaobo — people who devoted their lives to protection of human rights and freedoms and promoting democracy”.  The prize has been awarded every year since 2003 on October 3, the anniversary of German unification.

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 2 Comments »
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Cyprus: Charges against human rights defender Doros Polykarpou | Front Line

July 12, 2011

 

 

 

From the NGO Front Line comes the following case. As I am a resident of Greece and many if not most Greeks show unashamedly open sympathy for the Cypriots, I wonder what they make of this (follow the link below):

Cyprus: Charges against human rights defender Doros Polykarpou | Front Line.

Posted in Front Line, human rights | 1 Comment »
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From the Sri Lanka Guardian: The problems of human rights defenders under repressive states

June 29, 2011

Sri Lanka Guardian: The problems of human rights defenders under repressive states.

A long but excellent piece by Basil Fernando, one of the most experienced HRDs in Asia

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