Archive for the 'human rights' Category

« Older posts
Newer posts »

Human Rights Defenders and LGBT persons

June 29, 2011

Most of you will have noticed that on 17 June 2011 the UN Human Rights Council (on the last day of its session)  adopted a exceptional resolution dedicated to advancing the basic and fundamental human rights of LGBT persons (stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered). This historic vote marked a major victory for defenders of human rights, not just the gay movement. It sent a clear message that abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity must end. And for the first time ever, it commissioned a UN report to investigate the challenges that LGBT persons face. The vote marks the beginningsof universal recognition that LGBT persons are endowed with the same inalienable rights as all human beings and entitled to the same protections as all human beings, but it will be a long struggle especially if one sees how small margin of the ‘victory’ in the UN was: despite opposition from Russia as well as many African and Arab countries, the resolution passed narrowly, with a final tally of 23 to 19, with three abstentions. South Africa was the country that submitted the resolution to the Human Rights Council, and the country’s delegate, Jerry Matthews Matjila, presented the resolution saying: “The resolution before us today does not seek to impose values on other states” …”It seeks to initiate a dialogue which will contribute to us ending discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Only one month before, in May, the UN NGO Committee voted to deny UN accreditation to the Belgium-based International Lesbian and Gay Association.  ECOSOC this July could overturn that decision overturn.

MEA 2011 Laureate Kasha – a Lesbian Human Rights Defender from Uganda – and her colleagues around the world still have a hard long road ahead of them.

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , ,

Italian award to life-long Human Rights Defender from Vietnam

June 27, 2011

The FIDH in Paris reported that Dr. Vo Van Ai, a life-long independent Vietnamese human rights defender, has been awarded the 2011 Special Prize for Freedom (Premio Speciale alla Liberta) by the Italian organisation Società Libera. The Prize was presented in Lucca on June 24, 2011. Dr. Vo is the President and founder of the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR), a member organization of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). The Vietnam Committee aims to monitor human rights in Vietnam, mobilise support for victims of human rights abuses and promote efforts to advance democracy in Vietnam.  The Special Prize is a deserving recognition of Dr. Vo’s tireless efforts to demand greater respect and protection of human rights and to lend a strong voice to the silent majority in Viet Nam where the mere exercise of, and aspirations for, fundamental freedoms is stifled or, even worse, criminalised, the FIDH added.

Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, organisations | 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

test – please ignore

June 21, 2011

please ignore this message

Posted in human rights | 1 Comment »

Emad Baghi, Laureate 2009 of the Martin Ennals Award, released from prison

June 21, 2011

Yesterday we received the good news that Emad Baghi (Iran), MEA Laureate 2009, has been released from prison. He had started a hunger strike again which may have contributed to him having been released ‘normally’ at the end of his one-year term.

 

 

With the liberation of Muhannad Al-Hassani (Syria) on 3 June, this is most encouraging news and the postcard campaign for them is suspended for the time being.

Posted in Emad baghi, human rights, MEA | 4 Comments »
Tags:

Papuan Human Rights Defender at risk

June 20, 2011

According to a press release issued by Amnesty International on 19 June 2011 Papuan human rights activist Yones Douw, in the Indonesian province of Papua, was beaten by military officers on 15 June and has been denied medical treatment. He fears for his health and safety, as he has previously been detained and assaulted as a result of his human rights activities. A protest took place at the 1705 District Military Command (Kodim) base in Nabire, Papua province, on the morning of 15 June, to call for accountability for the stabbing and killing of Papuan Derek Adii on 14 May 2011, reportedly by military officers from the 1705 District Military Command. At about 9am on 15 June, Yones Douw , a 42-year-old human rights activist, heard that a protest, which included family members of Derek Adii, was about to take place, and he went to the base to monitor it. Thirty minutes after he arrived, a group of protesters turned up in three trucks, broke into the front entrance of the base and started to shatter the windows and throw objects. Yones Douw immediately rushed into the base to calm the protesters. In response, the military fired shots into the air and started hitting the protesters. Yones Douw was struck on the head with pieces of wood many times. He also sustained injuries on his shoulder and wrists from the beatings. As he was beaten he heard the military threaten to shoot the protesters saying “these animals should be taught a lesson”. A military officer also hit the father of Derek Adii, Damas Adii, with a piece of wood. After the beatings, Yones Douw travelled to the Siriwini hospital for treatment and to obtain a medical report, but was told by medical staff that he required a letter from the police before they could treat him. He then decided to go home and is still suffering from the injuries. He fears for his health and safety. Yones Douw is a respected human rights activist in Papua and has been documenting human rights violations by the police and military over the last decade. For the more information and suggestions on whom to write to please go to: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1106/S00429/papuan-activist-at-risk-following-beating.htm

Posted in Amnesty international, human rights | 3 Comments »
Tags: , ,

The Observatory starts with videos on Human Rights Defenders

June 16, 2011

As someone who has always championed the increased use of film images for Human Rights Defenders (one reason to start True Heroes, films for HRDs, in 2006), the reader will understand my joy to share the following announcement:

On June 14, 2011, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), released a series of video testimonies on the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Observatory is – finally ! – developing audio-visual testimonies as a tool to widen the mobilisation and to increase impact on the media and public opinion. This new tool also aims at increasing the awareness of activists, national authorities, national, regional and international institutions and agencies and their mechanisms.

You can see the first series of such testimonies on the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the DRC by following the links on the website of FIDH and OMCT. For more information please contact:

FIDH: Karine Appy, Arthur Manet: + 33 1 43 55 25 18
OMCT: Delphine Reculeau: + 41 22 809 49 39

Posted in human rights | 3 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

Tiananmen Commemoration by the Visual Arts Guild Highlights Modern Rights Defenders

June 14, 2011

Tiananmen Commemoration Highlights Modern Rights Defenders 22 years later. Victims and witnesses of the 1989 TiananmenMassacre shared the way they saw and experienced the demonstrations, the massacre, and the long-term effect it has had on the Chinese psyche at a commemoration held by the Visual Arts Guild. Two contemporary rights defenders, Ai Weiwei and Zhao Lianhai, both currently detained in China, were honored at the event. 

One of those recognized was Ai Weiwei. The world-renowned artist/activist is currently detained by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for his political expressions, which include a recent video (Without Fear or Favor by Ai Weiwei on TED).  Zhao Lianhai was also recognized for his efforts in bringing to light the melamine-tainted milk scandal in 2008. Zhao was sentenced by the CCP to 2 1/2 years in prison after he set up a website, Kidney Stone Babies, to advise parents of the toxic milk after his own child suffered from kidney illness from the tainted dairy. He was released on medical parole last December, then again taken into custody on May 26, apparently because of his public demand for the release of Ai Weiwei that same week.

The keynote speaker, Perry Link, a professor of Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages at UC Riverside, is one of the West’s top experts on China, its language, culture, and people. His report on how China is good at “forgetting” massacres and how also the media quickly lose interest in worth reading in full on http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/tiananmen-commemoration-highlights-modern-rights-defenders-57592.html

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tags: ,

Bahrain misinformation about the UN exposed and – hopefully – it backfires

June 8, 2011

Amidst the many reports on violations of human rights in Bahrain, especially the vulnerable situation of human rights defenders, a surprising announcement caught my eye on 8 June: the GULF DAILY NEWS – The voice of Bahrain stated under the headline “UN raps lies about Bahrain” that:  “A top UN official yesterday admitted it received false information about what happened in Bahrain during the unrest. “Certain information which we received about the developments in Bahrain was untrue,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Dr Navi Pillay said as she held talks with Social Development Minister and Acting Health Minister Dr Fatima Al Balooshi, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Children’s Rights Committee in Geneva. Dr Pillay acknowledged that the situation in Bahrain is by far different, and is thus incomparable to ongoing unrest in other countries in the region….Dr Al Balooshi briefed Dr Pillay on the current situation in Bahrain, stressing that things had returned to normal {sic}.”

So I was very relieved to read just now that UN rights chief slams ‘blatant distortion’ in reports of her meeting with Bahrain officials (AP, UPI and many others).  The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, sharply criticizes Bahrain for inaccurate reports by its state-run news agency on her meeting with government officials in Geneva last week and flatly denies telling Bahrain officials that her office received “misinformation” about Bahrain’s crackdown on anti-government protesters. Her spokesman, Rupert Colville, says that the High Commissioner “made no such statement and is disturbed by this blatant distortion of her words” and that she will formally request government officials who attended the meeting to issue a correction.

And I now see that the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) declines responsibility referring to the report it received from the Ministry of Social Development, but this statement contains no such quote from the High Commissioner, see for yourself on http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/459935!

Posted in human rights, UN | 1 Comment »
Tags: , , ,

Confirmed: MEA Laureate 2010 Muhannad al-Hassani freed

June 3, 2011

It is now official: MEA Laureate Muhannad Al-Hassani (or al-Hasani), who spent the last 22 months in jail, was released today 3 June. He was among a large number of other ‘political prisoners’ which the Syrian regime has been releasing over the last days. He thanks all of you who have continued to support him while he was in detention.

Posted in Al-Hassani, human rights, MEA | 3 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

MEA Laureate Muhannad Al-Hassini soon free?

May 31, 2011

There is good reason to think that Muhannad Al-Hassani will finally be out of jail soon!. Let’s see what the morning brings…

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 1 Comment »
Tags:

« Older posts
Newer posts »