OMCT | Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Archive for the 'OMCT' Category

FIDH and OMCT urge the European Union to establish a directive on the protection and mobility of human rights defenders

April 28, 2026

In a letter οf 27 April 2026, addressed to leaders of the European Parliament, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) within the framework of the Observatory, as part of the Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN), call for the establishment of a European Union (EU) directive aiming at protecting human rights defenders within the EU.

The Human Rights and Democracy Network welcomes the European Commission’s renewed commitment, as part of the EU Civil Society Strategy, to scale up its support to ensure an enabling environment for civil society and human rights defenders across the world. In this context, HRDN urges the European Commission to take a decisive step toward establishing a Directive on the Protection and Mobility of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), creating a coherent and predictable framework for their protection within the European Union.

Across the world, human rights defenders, including journalists, lawyers, environmental activists, women’s rights leaders, and LGBTIQ+ advocates, face increasing risks as a direct consequence of their work. They expose abuses, challenge corruption, and defend communities. Their courage upholds human rights, democracy and the rule of law both within and outside Europe’s borders.

While the EU and its Member States have established valuable relocation and protection mechanisms, these remain fragmented, short-term, unavailable to those most at risk and inconsistent as reports and studies have shown HRDs at risk are currently left with only two main pathways: temporary relocation programmes, often led by civil society or a few Member States, or the asylum system, which is designed for those unable to return home. Between these two options lies a wide and growing gap. Many defenders require temporary protection and mobility to continue their work, but face bureaucratic barriers, inflexible visa systems with indirect discriminatory impacts, and a lack of harmonised procedures.

A Directive on the Protection and Mobility of Human Rights Defenders (providing equal measures to a Temporary Protection Directive, as recommended in the study requested by the DROI Subcommittee of the European Parliament and called for by civil society) would bridge this gap by creating an EU-wide framework for safe entry, residence, and participation. It would introduce fast and flexible visa procedures, temporary but renewable residence permits, and the right to work, study, and continue advocacy while in safety. Such a Directive would also ensure fair responsibility sharing among Member States and foster cooperation with civil society organisations that host and support defenders.

This initiative aligns closely with the objectives of the EU Civil Society Strategy and the European Democracy Action Plan, translating policy commitments into a tangible protection mechanism. It would also complement the Human Rights Defenders Mechanism (ProtectDefenders.eu) by ensuring that the EU provides not only emergency support but also structured mobility pathways that allow defenders to rebuild, reconnect, and continue their work in safety inside the EU.

https://www.fidh.org/en/international-advocacy/european-union/eu-the-european-union-must-establish-a-directive-on-the-protection

Posted in EU, FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: asylum, Directive on the Protection and Mobility of Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights and Democracy Network, Human Rights Defenders, relocation, temporary relocation

Interview with Zaira Navas – a Salvadoran Woman Human Rights Defender in Exile

April 20, 2026

Zaira Navas, woman human rights defender from El Salvador.

In recent years, civic space has significantly reduced in El Salvador, under a state of exception, a state of emergency that suspended several constitutional rights. Human rights defenders have faced increasing threats and criminalisation, forcing many into silence or exile. Zaira Navas is a lawyer and human rights defender at Cristosal, partner of OMCT and the SOS-Torture Network. She is also a member of OMCT’s Latin America litigators’ group, part of four regional litigators’ groups that bring together lawyers and human rights defenders working at the front lines of the fight against torture and ill-treatment. Last year, Zaira Navas was pushed to flee El Salvador, after her colleague, Ruth López, prominent Salvadoran activist, was arrested. In Geneva to attend the Human Rights Council, she tells us about her experience being a woman human rights defender in exile, and where she still finds hope in her work.

What was it like to make the decision to leave El Salvador?

I am currently in exile due to repression under the state of exception in El Salvador imposed by President Nayib Bukele, which intensified in 2025. In May, my colleague Ruth López was detained on absurd corruption charges. That same week, I learned I could also be arrested. Our organisation, Cristosal, asked us to protect ourselves. There was no time to think about it. We left the country believing we would return in 15 days, but I have now been outside El Salvador for nine months.

How has exile affected you, as a woman and as a human rights defender?

The first months were filled with uncertainty. Violence and aggression against defenders increased, and our organisation was forced to close its operations in the country. There was no turning back.

There was a period when I felt depressed. Not only for being away from my country, but because I thought I could not continue my work. I am now separated from my family, but I am working, and that is a very important source of encouragement….

What actions should the international community take to ensure a safe environment for defending human rights in El Salvador?

The international community must closely monitor human rights violations in El Salvador and must pay close attention to what is happening in our country, questioning the anti-democratic methods and internal policies. International cooperation allows us to keep working. It is important that organisations that support human rights groups look for new ways to cooperate so that the work can continue from outside the country.

https://www.omct.org/en/resources/blog/it-is-my-way-of-life-and-my-legacy-interview-with-a-salvadoran-woman-human-rights-defender-in-exile

Posted in films, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Cristosal, El Salvador, exile, Human rights defender, human rights lawyer, OMCT, profile, video clip, woman human rights defender, Zaira Navas

After 16 years of outstanding leadership, Gerald Staberock is stepping down as Secretary General of the OMCT

March 6, 2026

OMCT Gerald Staberock Headshot

After 16 years of leadership, Gerald Staberock is stepping down from his role as Secretary General of the OMCT. The Executive Council has accepted his resignation and will oversee a smooth transition to new leadership to continue advancing the organization’s mission to combat torture and support human rights defenders worldwide.

A good friend and colleague has taken the thoughtful decision to start a managed transition of his own position at the helm of a key international NGO. Forgive me for being biased but he is a remarkable and exceptional person.

Under his leadership, OMCT gained renewed energy, reinforcing its footprint across regions through dynamic regional offices and in country-presence and further expanding the reach and impact of its global network. This was no small accomplishment. With staff, members and partners around the globe, Gerald also aided in “opening roads, working through landslides and filling gaps” so that OMCT could respond more effectively to the needs of people who were subject to torture and serious human rights violations or abuse. He has fostered a model of work that is lean and fitting for purpose in some of the toughest places in the world and has put our network of human rights defenders at the heart of our identity. He has maintained time after time that our true reserves are human – the trust, commitment and courage of our members, partners and staff.

The Executive Council of the OMCT extends special thanks to Gerald for his unwavering commitment to OMCT’s values and philosophy. After 16 years of dedicated service, Gerald has made the personal decision to step down to embrace new challenges and devote more time to his family, and the Executive Council fully supports and respects this decision, sharing his conviction that a leadership transition can be healthy for both him and the organization. We are committed to ensuring that this transition is safe, orderly and well-timed, and that OMCT remains firmly anchored in its values and strategic vision. Gerald has promised in the past that he’s committed to OMCT and the challenge of torture and, in any case, a smooth handover to the next Secretary General.

In this vein, the Executive Council is eager to start the recruitment process for the OMCT’s next Secretary General. You can access here the call for applications. Timing of the new Secretary General will depend on the availability of the candidate selected, and a dedicated transition process will be co-defined between the Executive Council working group, the incoming Secretary General and Gerald.

Gerald’s own Message to the SOS Torture Network and partners is a demonstration of his modesty and foresightedness:

I am writing you today to tell you that I informed our executive board early this year that it is time for leadership transition after 16 years at the OMCT. I can assure you that we will ensure that this is a safe, orderly and well-timed transition so that there will be no gaps. I am also addressing this to all our supporters; this is the time we need you to stay course with us more than ever. The relationship with many of you has been enriching, marked by a shared commitment that has helped us shape our vision. I would particularly like to thank our support committee in Geneva for their support.

For the past years, every time I came back from one of the many trips that are part of this job, I was intrigued by a watch making advertisement at the Geneva Airport. It basically says, ‘you never own this watch, your task is to keep it safe to hand over to a next generation’. Not being the owner of any luxury watches the advert always touched me, and each time I would think about OMCT. And when my decision nourished that after 16 years of leadership, it is time to accept that change is good, I had to look back at this advert.

My task was to take on an incredible gift from the founding fathers (yes, they were male) and a charismatic preceding director whom I call a friend. An organization built around a network, built around people that work in their countries to make them better places, more just, safer – and who sadly often don’t get the recognition for the good they do.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed and continue to enjoy working with amazing staff and members in our network. Human rights are really about people, people we help, serve, support, torture survivors and human rights defenders that make the difference. Our reserves are not financial but these relationships – they are our most important currency. In this, OMCT being able to provide tangible support is a is a meaningful achievement. Human rights work is also collective, it is about a movement, an eco-system. I appreciate our joint work in the Human Rights Defenders mechanism – Protect Defenders – stimulating and effective. I believe that our collective work within United Against Torture Consortium will be crucially important for the future. OMCT will remain about being united because it makes us better and stronger.

…I feel after 16 years it is the right moment to making sure that this incredible gift – not a watch – but an organization called OMCT – is given into the safe hands of a new generation…..

We can only hope that he will continue to be active on one capacity or another in the human rights movement, if only through social media: see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerald-staberock-65a63146/

https://www.omct.org/en/resources/statements/message-from-the-omct-president-on-the-secretary-generals-transition

Posted in Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: anti-torture campaign, call for applications, departure, Geneva, Gerald Staberock, Germany, international human rights movement, NGO, OMCT, OMCT SOS-Torture network, resignation, World Organisation Against Torture

Interview with Jawad Fairooz, a Bahraini human rights defender,

February 25, 2026

Jawad Fairooz is a Bahraini human rights defender, Founder of OMCT’s SOS-Torture Network member organisation SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights. He is also a former Member of the Bahraini Council of Representatives, currently living in exile after years of persecution by the authorities, including detention, torture, and the revocation of his nationality. In Bahrain, severe restrictions on civic space persist alongside widespread impunity and ongoing allegations of torture. As the UN Committee Against Torture reviews Bahrain’s record, Jawad Fairooz reflects on the human rights climate in the country, the personal cost of his advocacy, and the urgent need for accountability, drawing on his experience and the findings highlighted by OMCT and partners’ Global Torture Index.Since the crackdown on the Arab Spring protests in 2011, Bahrain has been marked by grave human rights violations. .. More than 435 people have had their nationality revoked [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2018/02/25/i-am-bahraini-website-launched-in-effort-to-stop-denationalizations/], and over 300 prisoners of conscience remain behind bars, including opposition leaders. Freedom of speech and assembly are criminalised, torture has not been systematically banned, and political and civil rights continue to be restricted. The core violations that began years ago are still continuing today.

What has been the cost of your advocacy in Bahrain?

From the moment I became active in public life, I knew there would be a high price to pay. In 2004, while leading a large protest against the US invasion of Iraq, I was shot in the head with a live bullet. Since then, I have been targeted repeatedly through detention, torture, and eventually the revocation of my nationality.

The Global Torture Index classifies Bahrain as facing a “very high risk” of torture. Why?

Torture is not taken seriously by the authorities. There are no accountability and no clear mechanism to hold senior officials responsible. Victims are denied remedies, redress, and rehabilitation. Even after release, former detainees struggle to regain basic civil and political rights. They face obstacles in obtaining employment, housing, and other services. International recommendations from bodies such as the UN Committee Against Torture have not been implemented. There have been no meaningful legal amendments to fully prohibit torture or establish independent investigations. Semi-government institutions lack independence and cannot be trusted to address these abuses. All of this shows a clear lack of political will.

What are the main obstacles facing survivors of torture when seeking justice?

The government focuses on public relations rather than real reform. Institutions like the National Institution for Human Rights, the Special Investigation Unit, and other bodies exist, but they are not independent. Cases referred to them rarely result in accountability or fair trials. Victims consistently report that justice is denied. Torture has evolved from overt physical abuse to psychological and “soft” methods, including deprivation of rights, travel bans, revocation of nationality, deportation, and denial of documents and services. These practices show that torture continues in different forms, and the authorities are not serious about ending it at its roots…

You have been in exile. How do defenders continue their work despite reprisals?

Human rights defenders in exile pay a heavy price. Many are banned from entering Bahrain or face fabricated cases, Interpol notices, travel restrictions, and harassment of their families. Smear campaigns label activists as terrorists or foreign agents. Despite this, defenders continue out of belief in the cause and responsibility toward victims. It is extremely difficult, but repression cannot last forever, especially under international scrutiny.

What gives you hope to continue your work?

Silence only strengthens repression. The resilience of victims and their families gives me hope. Standing with them is a moral and spiritual duty. I believe oppression has a short life, and that by continuing this work, we help ensure that future generations do not inherit a reality of torture, executions, statelessness, and detention.

https://www.omct.org/en/resources/blog/silence-only-strengthens-repression-interview-with-bahraini-human-rights-defender

Posted in films, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, denationalization, history, human rights, Human rights defender, interview, Jawad Fairooz, news, OMCT, politics, torture, video clip

NGOs such as the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Human Rights Watch declared “undesirable” by the Russia

January 18, 2026

Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

At the end of 2025 the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), one of the world’s oldest human rights movements and Human Rights Watch were declared “undesirable” by the Russian Federation. For FIDH the designation was made by the Prosecutor General of Russia on 13 November, and on 1 December, Russia’s Ministry of Justice included FIDH in its register of “undesirable organizations“, which currently contains 281 entities, including several FIDH members, such as the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR), and Truth Hounds.

“This ignoble move not only further threatens and endangers our Russian members, partners, their staff, and ordinary Russian citizens supporting our human rights work. It also sends a clear message that Russia is no friend of the global human rights movement“, said Alexis Deswaef, FIDH President. “This designation of FIDH as an ‘undesirable organisation’ demonstrates the importance of our commitment to supporting those who defend human rights, whether in Russia or in exile. FIDH will continue to pursue this commitment more than ever.”

Under the “undesirable organisations” law, adopted in 2015 and further tightened in 2021 and 2024, the Prosecutor General’s Office has the power to declare as “undesirable” any foreign or international organisation that is deemed “a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation, the defense capability of the country or the security of the state“.

Concretely, “undesirable organisations” are banned from engaging in any activities inside Russia, including the publication or dissemination of any information, carrying out financial transactions, and providing financial or other assistance to local organisations and individuals. The “participation in the activities” of an “undesirable organisation” is subject to administrative and criminal liability, including up to four years of imprisonment. Any Russian citizen or organisation cooperating with an “undesirable organisation“, even if residing outside Russia, faces administrative penalties and, in the case of individuals, criminal liability. In practice, the vague wording of the law has led to the punishment of individuals simply for reposting information disseminated by an “undesirable organisation” on social media platforms, even if the original posts predated the organisation’s designation as “undesirable“.

https://www.fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/russia/russia-bans-the-oldest-worldwide-human-rights-movement

“For over three decades, Human Rights Watch’s work on post-Soviet Russia has pressed the government to uphold human rights and freedoms,” said Philippe Bolopion, executive director at Human Rights Watch. “Our work hasn’t changed, but what’s changed, dramatically, is the government’s full-throttled embrace of dictatorial policies, its staggering rise in repression, and the scope of the war crimes its forces are committing in Ukraine.”

The Prosecutor General’s Office made the decision to ban Human Rights Watch on November 10, as follows from the Ministry of Justice’s register of “undesirable” organizations updated today. The official reasons for the designation are not known.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/28/russia-government-designates-human-rights-watch-undesirable

and https://ilga.org/news/russia-ilga-world-undesirable/

and now also OMCT https://www.fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/russia/russian-federation-russian-authorities-designate-the-world

Posted in FIDH, HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: FIDH, freedom a, freedom of association, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Watch, ILGA, International Federation for Human Rights, law on undesirable organisations, LGBTI, NGOs, OMCT, Russia

Many NGOs raise alarm over situation of detained human rights defenders in Iran and urge UN Human Rights Council to convene a special session

January 16, 2026

As mass repression of protests and dissent dramatically intensifies in Iran amidst an almost complete communications shutdown, the Free Narges Coalition and more than 30 undersigned organisations (including FIDH and OMCT in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Humans Rights Defenders) called on 15 January 2026 for urgent and concrete actions to circumvent internet censorship, as well as raising alarm regarding the grave threats to existing and newly-arrested detainees, particularly those jailed for their human rights work, journalism, expression, activism, or peaceful assembly.

Iran is facing one of the most severe periods of repression in its recent history. Protests that began in Tehran’s Grand Bazar on December 28 against the collapse of the national currency grew in size and scope until authorities completely turned off Iran’s internet access to the outside world and began a more severe crackdown on January 8. Shocking images of dead protesters, doctors’ reports of overflowing hospitals and the lethal use of military-grade weapons and live ammunition, and the absence of access for journalists and independent media, have led to desperation of families missing loved ones, as well as grave concerns around the safety of thousands of those injured or detained. Human rights organisations and international media have been able to verify the killing of over 2,500 protesters, including children under the age of 18, and thousands injured, some severely while almost twenty thousand confirmed arrested. With the majority of the killings occurring since 8 January, amid a full-blown digital blackout that has made further verification impossible, current reports estimate the number of killings to be much higher, likely amounting to more than 6,000.

Meanwhile, in official statements, Tehran’s Prosecutor General has described protesters as vandals and threatened they will face moharebe (waging war against God), a charge that is punishable by death under Islamic Penal law. State media have also reported mass arrests of individuals they label as “rioters.”

According to NetBlocks, Iran has now experienced more than 140 hours of near-total internet shutdown since January 8. Such communications blackouts severely restrict access to independent reporting and sharing of essential and life-saving information, and create conditions in which grave human rights violations can be committed with impunity. Prior to the shutdown, human rights defenders and known dissidents both inside and outside of Iran had reported receiving threats, as authorities have attempted to suppress expressions of support for the protests online.

In this context, both recent and long-standing detainees–including human rights defenders, journalists, writers, and artists–face an acute and often overlooked risk. Past patterns in Iran demonstrate that periods of widespread unrest are accompanied by heightened abuses inside detention facilities, where these groups are particularly vulnerable to extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment. Those held in solitary confinement and denied contact with the outside world are at especially high risk.

Among those recently detained are prominent figures from Iran’s civil society, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi, Sepideh Gholian, Alieh Motalebzadeh, Javad Alikordi, Hasti Amiri, Pooran Nazemi, and other human rights defenders and journalists. They were violently arrested following the memorial ceremony for lawyer Khosrow Alikordi on 12 December in Mashhad, and have been held in solitary confinement, their whereabouts and condition unknown, for more than one month. Narges Mohammadi has been denied access to legal counsel and contact with her family, apart from a brief phone call on 14 December when she reported severe ill-treatment, including beatings to her head and neck with batons, as well as threats of further violence. On January 6, before the total internet shutdown, journalist and human rights defender Alieh Motalebzadeh, who has been diagnosed with cancer, was able to call her family. Her daughter reported in a video message that she did not sound well, stating that the detainees are under severe pressure. She was released on bail following deterioration of her health on 12 January. The health condition of Pouran Nazemi is reported to be dire while she remains detained. Narges Mohammadi has been hospitalized for three days after her violent arrest and arbitrary detention since 12 December. Due to the ongoing communications blackout, the families and lawyers have not been able to be in contact with them, including to inquire if their 30 day arbitrary detention order has been extended or not.

We, the undersigned organisations, express our deep concern over the escalation of the killing of protesters, as well as the serious risk of arbitrary legal charges, punishable by the death penalty, against those detained. We stress that the lives and safety of those more vulnerable under detention in Iran must not be forgotten. Human rights defenders, journalists, writers, artists, and those prosecuted due their exercise of freedom of assembly and expression are at the forefront of the peaceful struggle for fundamental human rights. They must be protected and immediately and unconditionally released, and we call for immediate actions from the international community to halt the escalating violations of human rights and humanity.

As reports of mass arrests, killings, and widespread violence continue to escalate, we stand in full solidarity with the people of Iran in their legitimate struggle for fundamental freedoms and democratic rights. We urge the international community to take urgent and concrete actions to prevent further loss of life and to ensure that Iran uphold its international human rights obligations, including through:

Immediate and unconditional release of all those jailed in Iran for their peaceful activism or expression, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi, as well as human rights and women’s rights defenders, civil society activists, journalists, lawyers, writers, artists, representatives of religious and ethnic minorities, environmental and labour defenders, students, and all others detained or at risk for exercising their fundamental rights.

Immediate restoration of full and unrestricted access to internet and telecommunications services, and an end to nationwide information blackouts that censor news reporting, facilitate repression, block the transmission of essential and life-saving communications including for medical personnel, and impede documentation of human rights violations.

Independent, impartial, and transparent investigations into killings, torture, lethal use of force by security agents, enforced disappearances, and other serious human rights violations committed in the context of the ongoing protests, with a view to ensuring accountability in line with international law.

As every hour of inaction increases the risk of irreversible loss of human life and gross violations of human rights. The international community must act urgently to protect the detainees, ensure their safety and rights, and prevent further violations under international law.

https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/iran/iran-over-30-ngos-raise-alarm-over-dire-situation-for-detained-human

50 civil society organizations, urge the UN Human Rights Council to urgently convene a special session to address an unprecedented escalation in mass unlawful killings of protesters, amidst an ongoing internet shutdown imposed since 8 January to conceal grave human rights violations and crimes under international law by Iranian authorities. see:

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/iran-calling-the-human-rights-council-to-convene-a-special-session

https://www.article19.org/resources/iran-joint-civil-society-call-for-a-hrc-special-session/

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/01/16/joint-statement-to-member-states-of-the-united-nations-human-rights-council

Posted in FIDH, HRW, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, ISHR, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | 2 Comments »
Tags: Alieh Motalebzadeh, death penalty, demonstrations, history, HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Iran, ISHR, joint statement, Narges Mohammadi, news, NGOs, politics, Pouran Nazemi, special session, UN Human Rights Council

Stronger protection needed for human rights defenders in exile (ODIHR)

October 22, 2025

Panelists discussing the need for stronger protection for human rights defenders in exile. Warsaw, 16 October 2025 (OSCE/Piotr Dziubak) Photo details

As civil society space shrinks and attacks against activists increase in many places, a growing number of human rights defenders are being forced into exile as they seek a safe environment to continue their work freely and securely. This was the focus of an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Araminta, and the World Organisation Against Torture at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference on 16 October 2025.

“Human rights defenders face inherent risks in their work, and relocating does not address all their needs. Adopting robust safeguarding mechanisms is essential to ensure minimum standards for mobility and a safe environment for defenders in exile,“ said Jennifer Gaspar, Araminta Managing Director.

While defenders in exile play a crucial role in promoting human rights, they face serious challenges, from urgent personal and legal issues to long-term barriers such as legal insecurity, restricted mobility and limited opportunities to continue their work. Participants discussed the need to establish minimum standards to protect human rights defenders in exile in the OSCE region, as well as EU legislation to ensure stronger legal and practical safeguards for them, participants discussed.

The discussion drew on both institutional perspectives and the lived experiences of exiled defenders, highlighting the need for coordinated action and policy tools to address these gaps. Participants emphasized that ensuring human rights defenders can continue their work in safety is vital to protect human rights and promote democratic values across the OSCE region and beyond.

https://www.osce.org/odihr/599757

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: araminta, exile, Human Rights Defenders, ODIHR, OSCE, transnational represion

Seven International NGOs demand unconditional release of Indian HRD Umar Khalid

September 17, 2025

On 12 September, 2025 the seven rights groups described Khalid’s prolonged imprisonment as a “violation of his rights” and an instance of “selective persecution”, asserting that he was arrested on “politically motivated and spurious charges” on 13 September 2020.

Alongside Amnesty International, the signatories include: CIVICUS, FORUM-ASIA, Front Line Defenders. International Commission of Jurists, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).

The statement expressed deep concern over the invocation of the anti-terror law UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) and the repeated denial of bail to Khalid.

“These repeated bail denials combined with persistent delays, and the continued absence of trial proceedings, amount to a violation of his right to a fair trial, including speedy trial, guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which India is a state party, as well as under the Constitution of India,” the statement read.

The groups further highlighted the unequal application of bail standards, particularly in cases related to the 2020 Delhi riots and anti-CAA protests, saying:

“We are further concerned about the discriminatory application of bail standards in cases arising from the violence surrounding the CAA protests and more broadly in cases involving the UAPA. While similarly situated accused have been granted bail, Khalid continues to be denied relief. Such unequal treatment violates the principle of equality before the law and sets a deeply troubling precedent.”

The rights organizations also drew attention to the role of the Delhi Police and political leaders during the 2020 Delhi riots, where Khalid and other Muslim activists were implicated.

“Independent investigations, including by Amnesty International India, Human Rights Watch and Delhi Minorities Commission, have documented the role of the Delhi Police in human rights violations during the CAA protests and the ensuing violence,” the statement said.
“Police officers were recorded engaging in beatings, torture and other ill-treatment, and arbitrary arrests, and in some cases standing by as mobs attacked protesters.”

The statement noted that Indian courts have repeatedly criticized the police investigations, describing them as: “Very poor,” “callous,” and “fraught with multiple flaws,” with documented instances of fabricated cases and manipulated records.

It further condemned the role of senior political leaders, who were seen delivering inflammatory hate speeches, branding protesters as “traitors” or “anti-nationals”, and openly inciting violence.

“Despite the existence of video and documentary evidence, no meaningful accountability measures have been taken against implicated political figures or police officials,” the statement added.

The rights groups emphasized that Khalid’s prolonged detention is not an isolated incident, but part of a larger pattern of repression against those exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and association.

“Other students and human rights activists, including Gulfisha Fatima, Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, Shifa-ur-Rehman and Meeran Haider, also remain in detention for their peaceful opposition to the CAA, while police officials and political leaders responsible for incitement or complicity in violence continue to enjoy impunity,” the groups noted.
“This selective prosecution erodes public trust in the justice system, entrenches impunity for state actors, and criminalises free expression.”

The seven international organizations demand:

The immediate and unconditional release of Umar Khalid

The equal application of bail standards

An end to the discriminatory treatment of human rights defenders

Accountability for police officers and political leaders implicated in incitement and violence

The repeal of the UAPA.

https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/india-umar-khalids-five-year-imprisonment-without-trial-exemplifies-derailment-of-justice/

https://thehindustangazette.com/latest-news/selective-persecution-seven-international-rights-groups-demand-unconditional-release-of-umar-khalid-39661

Posted in Amnesty international, FIDH, Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Amnesty International, Human Rights Defenders, illegal detention, India, joint letter, NGOs, Umar Khalid, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)

Henri Tiphagne slams India’s ‘zero accountability’ on torture

June 26, 2025

Human Rights activist Henry Tiphagne at the press meetInstagram/peopleswatch

On 25 June 2025 Azeefa Fathima wrote how – at the release of the Global Index on Torture in Geneva, human rights defender Henri Tiphagne of India’s People’s Watch slammed India for failing to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture and for allowing systemic impunity in custodial deaths.

India’s human rights record on custodial torture came under sharp international criticism at the launch of the Global Index on Torture in Geneva on Tuesday, June 25, with prominent rights advocate Henri Tiphagne accusing the country of “zero accountability” in cases of police brutality and deaths in custody.

Drawing attention to the fifth anniversary of the custodial deaths of Jeyaraj and Benix in Tamil Nadu, Henri said, “The father and son were tortured and died in judicial custody. They were produced before a judicial magistrate after medical examination, having already changed clothes three times due to bleeding. The trial has gone on for five years, across 262 hearings, and is still ongoing, while the family continues to face reprisals.”

Henri, who is the Executive Director of People’s Watch, criticised India for being among eight countries listed in the Global Index for ongoing torture and reprisals against victims and human rights defenders. “We are yet to ratify the Convention Against Torture, despite over 41 countries having recommended it. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has existed for 32 years and has not prosecuted even one police officer responsible for extrajudicial killings or torture,” he said…

He said that India must “bow down in shame” for its continued failure to ratify the UN convention and for its “zero accountability” in cases of custodial torture and deaths.

India is one of eight countries globally, alongside Libya, Honduras, Belarus, Colombia, Turkey, the Philippines and Tunisia, flagged for systemic torture and reprisals against survivors and human rights defenders. [see https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/02/25/looking-towards-2025-blog-post-by-omct-secretary-general-gerald-staberock/]

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), established 32 years ago, has never successfully prosecuted a single police officer involved in torture or extrajudicial killings, Henri noted, and said, “We are the only country with so many human rights institutions, and yet they are not functioning. The NHRC has even been downgraded in Geneva, and this speaks volumes”.

Explained: Why India’s NHRC faces a downgrade from ‘A’ to ‘B’ status

https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/at-geneva-event-henri-tiphagne-slams-indias-zero-accountability-on-custodial-torture

World Organization against torture flags India as “High Risk” Country

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Geneva, global index on torture, Henri Tiphagne, history, Human rights defender, India, Jeyaraj and Benix, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), torture

The Global Torture Index – a new Tool to Combat Torture Worldwide – launches on 25 June 2025

May 26, 2025

The Global Torture Index, a pioneering initiative by OMCT and partners, is poised to revolutionize the global fight against torture. It will be launched on 25 June, during the Global Week Against Torture, organized by OMCT and its partners in collaboration with #UnitedAgainstTorture – an EU-funded consortium of six leading anti-torture organizations.

Despite 175 countries ratifying the UN Convention Against Torture, this grave violation of human rights persists in prisons, public assemblies, armed conflicts, and daily police interventions. Torture remains shrouded in secrecy, making it difficult to detect and eradicate.

The Global Torture Index is an innovative tool, developed in collaboration with over 200 local civil society organizations that form the SOS-Torture Network, human rights defenders, and consulted with international experts, provides robust, data-driven insights and trend analysis into the risk of torture and ill-treatment across countries. The Global Torture Index map will serve as a critical resource for policymakers, governments, media, and activists, offering actionable recommendations, measuring progress and regression on human rights compliance, identifying good practices and fostering global awareness.

Follow us on social media to learn how you can take part in the launch of the Global Torture Index and discover how this powerful tool will empower the global anti-torture movement, bring torture out of the shadows, and drive meaningful change.

The Global Torture Index – An Innovative Tool to Combat Torture Worldwide

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: anti-torture campaign, documentation tools, Global Torture Index, Global Week Against Torture, OMCT

Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards