Archive for the 'MEA' Category
April 24, 2012
Today the nominees of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders 2012 are announced in Geneva. The ann0uncement was made by the new Chair of the Martin Ennals Foundation, Mrs Micheline Calmy Rey, until last year the President of and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. Each nominee deserves its own post! One of the 3 nominees is the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR).
BCHR is a nongovernmental organization that conducts research, documents human rights abuses, provides information to international NGOs and the diplomatic community in Bahrain and advocates locally and internationally. Several of its leaders have been arrested wihout cause. BCHR has continued its human rights activities despite a hostile environment, in particular the numerous threats issued by the Government, warning that further ‘legal’ action will be taken against the members should they continue their activities. Through its website (www.bahrainrights.org) BCHR struggles to promote democracy and human rights in accordance with international norms, encourages and supports individuals and groups to be proactive in the protection of their own and others’ rights. BCHR has emerged as a model NGO in the region on how to continue to operate and leverage national and international advocacy despite a repressive national context. It is only the second time in the 20-year history of the MEA that an organisation is one of the nominees.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA, nominees | Leave a Comment »
Tags: 2012 nominee, arab awakening, Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, BCHR, Geneva, human rights, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, Micheline Calmy Rey
April 24, 2012
Today the nominees of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders 2012 are announced in Geneva. The ann0uncement was made by the new Chair of the Martin Ennals Foundation, Mrs Micheline Calmy Rey, until last year the President of and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. Each nominee deserves its own post! One of the 3 nominees is Nasrin Sotoudeh from Iran.
Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights lawyer and a member of the now closed Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC); she was imprisoned for “spreading propaganda against the State”, “collusion and gathering with the aim of acting against national security” and “membership in an illegal organisation”. She worked for Shirin Ebadi‘s law firm, and represented imprisoned opposition activists following the June 2009 presidential elections. In this regard, she represented Shirin Ebadi after she left Iran and her assets were confiscated. On September 4, 2010, Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested, and later sentenced to 6-year of prison and a 10-year ban on practising as lawyer. She remains detained in Evin prison and on several occasions subjected to solitary confinement. Unlike fur common criminals her family visits and furlongs are limited. Despite real danger for her security and liberty, Nasrin Sotoudeh has relentlessly defended those most vulnerable. As started by Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi “Ms. Sotoudeh is one of the last remaining courageous human rights lawyers who has accepted all risks for defending the victims of human rights violations in Iran”. After Akbar Ganji (2006) and Baghi (2009) this is the third human rights defender from Iran chosen by the Jury in the last seven years. The Government will surely portray this as a bias, but the rest of the world will understand that Iran is one of the worst when it comes to respect HRDs.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 3 Comments »
Tags: Akbar Ganji, Baghi, Evin Prison, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Iran, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, Micheline Calmy Rey, Nasrin Sotoudeh, nominee 2012, Shirin Ebadi
April 24, 2012
Today the nominees of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders 2012 are announced in Geneva. The ann0uncement was made by the new Chair of the Martin Ennals Foundation, Mrs Micheline Calmy Rey, until last year the President of and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. Each nominee deserves its own post!
One of the 3 nominees is the venerable Luon Sovath from Cambodia. In Cambodia forced evictions remove families from their homes and lands with little or no notice, without genuine consultation, and often without compensation. Despite threats of violence, arrest and disrobing, the venerable Luon Sovath, a non-violent, innovative human rights defender, firmly supports and documents at-risk rural and urban communities, mainly by advocating to stop forced evictions, documenting their struggles with videos (the venerable Sovath is also known as the ‘Multimedia Monk’ as he is never without his camera, his mobile phone and his laptop), poems and songs, defending their right to housing, as well as for adequate compensation and alternative housing, organizing public forums to educate communities on how Buddhism, human rights and democracy are in the same line. His peaceful, non-violent approach (the venerable Sovath also composes songs to unite and inspire – regularly distributing the songs on CDs to the communities) is crucial in the nascent grassroots mobilization of affected communities nationwide; his increasingly prominent role has drawn the reaction of the authorities, and his advocacy against forced evictions touches powerful economic interests. The threats against the venerable Sovath are very real, from powerful businessmen, from the authorities and even from some of the conservative clergy.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 2 Comments »
Tags: award, Buddhism, Cambodia, Eviction, Geneva, Human rights defender, Luon Sovath, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, Micheline Calmy Rey, monk, multimedia, nominee 2012
April 24, 2012
It took almost 20 years but I finally have been able to step down as Chair of the Martin Ennals Foundation. Yesterday the Board accepted my resignation and selected Micheline Calmy Rey as my successor (now that is upgrading!). In an hour from now she will be announced as such at the press conference in Geneva which is being streamed on http://www.martinennalsaward.org.
My departure has been carefully crafted since November last year but we have been most fortunate that in the meantime Micheline Calmy Rey left her government position and accepted the challenge to lead the MEA to its destiny as the most influential human rights award in the world. I realize that this is not a modest thing to say but I think that facts speak for themselves:
The MEA has a Jury composed of the world’s leading international human rights organisations, a unique cooperation among sometimes competing NGOs. The Laureates over the last twenty years have been outstanding examples and have all claimed that the recognition of the award has helped them in continuing their work.
The growth of the impact of the award has a lot to do, not only with its longevity, but also with the joining of forces by other entities, in the first place the City of Geneva which is now the main organiser of the ceremony at Victoria Hall.
I am sure that the foundation will be able to pursue the increased use of multimedia techniques for protecting the HRDs. As this is often a question of resources, I will continue to advise the MEA in particular with regard to fundraising and publicity.
So, I am not really retiring; there are simply too many Human Rights Defenders out there who need support. This year’s nominees, who will be introduced to you in a few hours, illustrate the need for international recognition and protection.
Geneva, 24 April 2012
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 2 Comments »
Tags: City of Geneva, Geneva, hand over, Hans Thoolen, human rights, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, Martin Ennals Foundation, MEA, Micheline Calmy Rey, Non-governmental organization, press conference, streaming
February 15, 2012
Further to my post from yesterday I am glad to report that MEA Laureate Kahsa is for the moment safe. But I cannot resist to provide some quotes from the Guardian article which speak for themselves in demonstrating the state of mind of the minister concerned which is, to use an understatement, confused and, when invoking terrorism, even dangerous :
“Simon Lokodo, the minister for ethics and integrity, was accompanied by police to a hotel where he told activists their workshop was an “illegal assembly” and ordered them out. Defending his actions later, Lokodo told the Guardian: “You should not allow people to plan the destruction of your country. You cannot allow terrorists to organise to destroy your country. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists are reportedly referring to the shutting down of Tuesday’s workshop at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe as a “Valentine’s massacre”. But Lokodo expressed no regrets. “It was an illegal meeting because we were not informed,” he said. “We found out the meeting was being organised by people from within and without. People from Europe and other African countries outside Uganda. They were recruiting people to go out and divulge the ideology of LGBT. In Uganda, the culture, tradition and laws do not support bestiality and lesbianism. They were illegally associating.” He added: “We tolerate them, we give them liberty and freedom to do their business, but we don’t like them to organise and associate.”
The minister also tried to order the arrest of Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, a prominent LGBT rights activist. The winner of the 2011 Martin Ennals award for human rights defenders was forced to flee the hotel. “I wanted to arrest a lady who was abusing me and calling me a liar,” Lokodo said. “I want to subject her to a court of law. She must be arrested. This is hooliganism. You cannot be insulted in this country. We must be a civilised country. This particular one was talking like she came from the bush.”
Ugandan minister shuts down gay rights conference | World news | The Guardian.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | Leave a Comment »
Tags: arrest, award, freedom of association, gay rights, Guardian, Human Rights Defenders, Kasha, LGBT, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, Uganda
October 23, 2011
At the luncheon in honor of MEA Laureates of the MEA Kasha J. Nabagesera and Muhanad Al-Hassani on 13 October in Geneva, Robert Fulghum, well-known author and Patron of the MEA, asked me to read what he would have said if he could have come to the event. I think it is so beautiful and pertinent to human rights defenders and their supporters worldwide that I share it with you here. I am sure Robert Fulghum would have no problem with anybody using it as long as credit is given:
Please do not bow your heads, but allow your eyes to look around the room and notice those present.
Know that the finest blessing a meal can have is the presence of great company.
With such companions as these this meal could not be more blessed.
What the gods may do is often difficult to discern or understand.
What people like you do and continue to do is clear :
to lift and set free the human spirit
to keep alive the flame of basic rights
and to support those men and women are willing to live and to die for the sake of human freedom.
May the meal sustain your bodies as your values sustain meaning in your lives.
May those who are not here to share this meal know that bread is being broken here for their sake.
May the cause of human rights never end, but go on as long as human beings are on the earth.
Let us continue . . .
Amen.”
Posted in Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 1 Comment »
Tags: al-Hassani, Kasha, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, prayer, Robert Fulghum, support
October 10, 2011
With a bit of delay, I am immensely glad to announce that at the eve of the ceremony for Kasha (on 13 October) the MEA has a completely re-designed website up and running as from tomorrow morning (Tuesday). This joomla-based site was designed for us – free of charge – by a team from Pacosoft (Paul, Ivo, Goice) with additional input from Nat Daudrich and I would like to thank them most warmly. Completely new are the biographies of all previous Laureates (in English, French and Spanish), while some other information was also re-written and translated. Some features (such as the Forum) are still under construction. Any comments or suggestions for improvement would be most welcome: please let me have your feedback: http://www.martinennalsaward.org.
Posted in human rights, MEA | 1 Comment »
Tags: Joomla, Kasha, MEA, Pacosoft, website
August 24, 2011
As an illustration of how ill-conceived or ill-executed immigration policies can affect Human Rights Defenders, the following:
Last week Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera – who is the Laureate of the 2011 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, – was denied entry to the UK where she was invited to attend as a special guest the Northern Ireland Pride festival in Derry this weekend. The visa denial was apparently based concerns over her financial status. Foyle Pride chairwoman Shay Gillespie said at the time: “I can’t understand why the UK is the only country to deny her entry and deny the opportunity for the people of Derry and Northern Ireland as a whole the chance to hear this inspirational woman speak.”
A petition was set up to challenge the decision while Amnesty UK invited her to give a speech on Thursday. Then on Monday – within minutes of filing a second application- Kasha was granted permission to attend
Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Programme Director of Amnesty International said: “In the face of ongoing threats and attacks for her work, she has continued to speak out on behalf of Uganda’s LGBT community. She constantly has to shift from house to house, never staying too long in the same place, yet her voice for human rights in Uganda has never been dimmed…..Kasha is here to tell people in Northern Ireland the real stories behind our reports and to explain how people here can support gay people in Uganda.”
Other Human Rights Defenders or other travelers with a legitimate purpose to come to Europe may not have the public status or international support needed to overturn such decisions.
Posted in Amnesty international, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 4 Comments »
Tags: freedom to move, LGBT, Northern Ireland, UK, visa
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 