Posts Tagged ‘freedom of expression’
April 19, 2013
(Cambodian human rights defender and journalist Mam Sonando a prisoner of conscience © TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP/Getty Images)
On 12 April 2013 Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam posted on Amnesty‘s Livewire an interesting account of his meeting with the just liberated Cambodian Human Rights Defender Mam Sonando. It is a impressive testimony to the resilience of human rights defenders and how campaigning can help them and therefore I reproduce it below:
It was hot – very hot – as I arrived last week at Mam Sonando’s home and radio station on a dusty street in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh. He welcomed me at the front door. “Thank you,” he said. With a broad smile, he flashed his signature ‘V for victory’ sign with his right hand. After over eight months in prison, he was free and no longer facing 20 years behind bars.
Mam Sonando, 72, is a well-known and popular journalist. He owns Beehive Radio, one of Cambodia’s few independent radio stations. And he heads the Association of Democrats, which promotes human rights and democracy and helps poor communities. On 11 September 2012, his trial began at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. He had been arrested two months earlier after Cambodia’s Prime Minister accused him publicly of being behind a plot for a village in eastern Cambodia to secede – to break away from the country. In fact, the villagers there had been involved in a long-running land conflict with a powerful company, and the so-called secession plot was used as a pretext to forcibly evict them. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in AI, Amnesty international, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: AI, Amnesty International, Amnesty Livewire, Beehive Radio, Born Samnang, Cambodia, campaign, Chea Vichea, Civil society, Democracy, diplomatic pressure, freedom of expression, human rights, Journalist, judicial harassment, land disputes, Mam Sonando, Phnom Penh, radio, Rupert Abbott, Sok Sam Oeun, testimony, Yorm Bopha
April 18, 2013
The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC) strongly condemns the attempted assassination of the Honduran journalist Fidelina Sandoval, who was shot at outside the television and radio station Globo TV where she works on the morning of 8 April, 2013. Fidelina Sandoval was crossing Boulevar Morazán on her way to work when a grey van with two men sitting in the front caught her attention. She turned her face so as not to be looking directly at them, but seconds later heard a shot fired from a gun. The WHRD IC is disturbed by this attack and expresses its concern for the well-being of Fidelina Sandoval, her family and her colleagues, who have also been targeted. Globo TV alone has experienced multiple attacks including raids and the destruction of equipment, as well as threats, persecution, intimidation and other forms of rights violations and violence against the numerous staff members.
The WHRD IC is further disturbed by the escalating violence against WHRDs and widespread impunity in Honduras since the coup d’état in June 2009. As highlighted in a case study on Honduras in the WHRD IC’s Global Report <http://www.defendingwomen-defendingrights.org/pdf/WHRD_IC_Global%20Report_2012.pdf> , repression and denial of rights are not isolated cases but rather demonstrate a general policy of terror and abuse enacted with impunity – particularly towards women.
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Fidelina Sandoval, freedom of expression, Globo, globo tv, Honduras, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, Human Rights Defenders, Journalist, journalists, Rede Globo, threats, WHRD IC, woman human rights defender, Women Human Rights, Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
April 11, 2013
The Human Rights Foundation calls on Venezuelan authorities to dismiss the case against Miguel Hernández, a Venezuelan auto mechanic who has been prosecuted since 2010, for wearing a t-shirt featuring Bart Simpson with the phrase “Hugo: I shit on your revolution” at a baseball game. The Human Rights Foundation published a full legal report on his case, which concludes that Venezuela breached Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights. Hernández’s case is the final case documented in the NGO’s ‘Caracas Nine campaign’ (www.CaracasNine.com). The report concludes that Hernández was arrested and charged by Venezuelan authorities for the alleged crime of “offending the heads of government,” solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression. More than three years later, Hernández remains subject to criminal prosecution that could result in a prison sentence of up to two and a half years. Since February 2010, Hernández has been required to appear monthly in court as a pre-trial measure alternative to imprisonment.
The full report is available at: http://humanrightsfoundation.org/reports/Caracas-Nine-Miguel-Hernández-English-03-04-2013.pdf
Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bart Simpson, Caracas, freedom of expression, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, Human Rights Foundation, judicial harassment, Miguel Hernández, Venezuela
March 29, 2013
Further to my post of 27 March, it now turns out that on 21 March Sultan Qaboos of Oman pardoned 50 people, including several human rights defenders, who had been targeted in a recent crackdown. The 50 had been arrested on charges including insulting the ruler, various cyber-crimes, and taking part in unauthorised protests.
via Oman: Activists and Human Rights Defenders Receive Pardon | Front Line.
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: freedom of expression, Front Line Defenders, Human right, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, Human Rights Defenders, Middle East, Oman, Qaboos bin Said al Said, sultan qaboos
March 29, 2013
The second criminal case against journalist Andrzej Poczobut has been closed, and the charges of “libelling the President of Belarus” have been dropped, reports AI through Protection on Line. He had been targeted for his work as a journalist and for the legitimate exercise of his right to freedom of expression. On 15 March, criminal charges against Andrzej Poczobut were dropped by the Investigative Committee of the Hrodna region, Belarus, due to lack of evidence. The Investigative Committee reached the conclusion that there is no evidence of a crime by Andrzej Poczobut, as the experts fail to agree that he had libelled the President in his articles. Andrzej Poczobut was arrested on 21 June 2012 and released on 30 June under bail conditions. His bail conditions have now been lifted and he can now travel within Belarus. Andrzej Poczobut is a correspondent of the Polish daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza and a prominent activist for the Polish minority in Belarus. Andrzej Poczobut continues to serve a three-year suspended prison sentence – imposed on 5 July 2011 – on similar charges for other newspaper articles. Under this sentence he cannot leave Belarus and has to register with the police.
via Belarus: Criminal charges dropped against journalist: Andrzej Poczobut Amnesty International | | ProtectionlineProtectionline.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Amnesty International, Andrzej Poczobut, Belarus, freedom of expression, Gazeta Wyborcza, Hrodna, Human rights defender, Journalist, judicial harassment, polish minority, Protection on Line
March 27, 2013
On 22 February I reported on a large trial in Oman against several human rights defenders, Front Line now report in an update that some of them were released on bail but others continue in detention.
(Said Al-Hashimi, a HRD amongst those released on bail)
On 17 March 2013, several human rights defenders were granted bail by the Appeals Court during a retrial ordered by the Supreme Court. Amongst the human rights defenders released are writer Said Al Hashimi, lawyer Basma Al Kiyumi, Basima Al Rajihi, Khalid Al Nawfali and Mohammed Al Fazari. The next hearing was adjourned until 24 March 2013. Basma Al Kiyumi, Basima Al Rajihi, Khalid Al Nawfali and Mohammed Al Fazari had been convicted for allegedly publishing insulting and defamatory material on a social media site, while Said Al Hashimi was convicted for alleged participation in an illegal gathering.
While Front Line Defenders welcomes the release of the human rights defenders, it reiterates that the ongoing campaign of judicial harassment and intimidation should be ceased and that all their convictions should be quashed.
Oman: Update – Release of several human rights defenders on bail | Front Line.
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: al hashimi, Appellate court, Basma Al Kiyumi, freedom of expression, Front Line Defenders, Human right, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, judicial harasment, Middle East, Oman, religion, Said Al Hashimi
March 15, 2013
(@SAIDYOUSIF)
The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) presented an oral intervention before the Human Rights Council on 12 March, 2013, in which it expressed its concerns over the continued deterioration in the situation of human rights in Egypt since President Mohamed Morsi took power. The oral intervention was based on the assessment of members of the Egyptian NGO Forum, a collective of 23 independent human rights organizations in Egypt, on the situation of human rights in Egypt during the first 8 months of Morsi’s presidency. It asserted that three major rights-related crises have been seen over this period: undermining of the independence of the judiciary, violations to the right to free expression and media freedoms, and violations to the right to assembly and peaceful protest. http://www.cihrs.org/?p=6159&lang=en
In addition, CIHRS organized a side event at the HRC, on 11 March, featuring representatives of the Egyptian NGO Forum, including Mohammed Zaree, director of the Egypt Roadmap Program at CIHRS, Masa Amir, researcher at Nazra for Feminist Studies, and Nihad Abboud, from the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression. The event was chaired by Ziad Abdel Tawab, deputy director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. He expressed concern for an independent civil society in Egypt, referring to recent attempts by the current government to put in place unprecedented restrictions on the funding and activities of non-governmental organizations.
Next, Nihad Abboud drew attention to the violations which have been committed against journalists and photographers as examples of the threats to freedom of expression and of opinion in Egypt. Ms. Abboud further pointed out that the right to freedom of expression is particularly targeted in the context of the right to protest. She spoke about draft legislation to regulate demonstrations, stating that the draft law contains many restrictions on the right to free assembly by allowing the authorities broad powers to ban or restrict demonstrations. ..Perhaps most worrying is that the new constitution includes provisions which restrict on the right to free assembly for the first time in Egypt. Masa Amir turned to the precarious situation of women human rights defenders in Egypt, reminding the audience of the specific targeting of women through virginity tests and other violations by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The side event was concluded with the call that the international community should reassess its engagement with Egypt, in order to avoid replicating the mistakes of the past, including support for dictatorships which blatantly violate human rights.
As if to demonstrate the precarious situation of HRDs in Egypt Front Line Defenders reports that the Egyptian Human rights defender Hassan Mustafa sentenced to two years imprisonment on 12 March by the Mansheya Misdemeanour Court in Alexandria on charges of allegedly assaulting a member of Alexandria Prosecution Office. Numerous supporters of the human rights defender gathered in front of the Courthouse at the time of the hearing to protest against his trial and demand his release. Hassan Mustafa is a well-known human rights defender in Alexandria who has defended the rights of detainees and campaigned on issues such as police brutality and economic rights. According to Hassan Mustafa’s lawyer, the Court heard only two out of fifteen testimonies, of witnesses who denied that he assaulted the Prosecution Office member.
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/22008
Posted in human rights | 1 Comment »
Tags: Alexandria, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, CIHRS, Democracy, Egypt, freedom of expression, Front Line Defenders, Hassan Mustafa, Human right, human rights, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, human rights organizations, Middle East, Mohamed Morsi, side event, Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, UN Human Rights Council
March 12, 2013
Last Saturday, two distinguished human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia were sentenced to jail in Riyadh for establishing an unlicensed human rights organization. Mohammed Al-Qahtani and Abdullah Al-Hamad (or Hamid) established the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) in 2009. The organization’s mission is to promote human rights awareness within the Kingdom. ACPRA called for political representation of Saudi citizens and creation of laws to protect minorities. The organization also worked on documenting human rights abuses within the Kingdom. Despite multiple efforts to license ACPRA, the organization’s petitions were rejected and the group was eventually banned by Saudi authorities. The two men were sentenced to 10 and 11 years in prison on accusations including the rather illiberal sounding “breaking allegiance to the King”, “disseminating false information through foreign entities” and “forming an unlicensed organization“. This trial and the ensuing heavy sentence are clearly linked to them exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and association.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Abdullah Al-Hamad, Abdullah Al-Hamid, ACPRA, Alkarama, Civil society, freedom of association, freedom of expression, Freedom of speech, Human right, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, human rights organization, illegal detention, independence of the judiciary, jail, Middle East, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Muftah, political prisoners, prison, Riyadh, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, Sentence (law)
March 11, 2013
Front Line report s that on 4 March 2013, human rights defender and prominent radio and television journalist Mr Julio Ernesto Alvarado announced his resignation from presenting the week night news commentary programme Medianoche on national radio station Radio Globo, due to serious fears for his life. Julio Ernesto Alvarado, who is also Director of Mi Nación, an hourly news programme transmitted nightly by television station Globo TV, has been subjected to continuous threats and surveillance since he began presenting the radio programme in 2011, the most recent incidents of which occurred on 1 and 2 March 2013. 
On 1 March 2013, a vehicle prevented him from entering the tunnel which gives access to the car park of the premises of Radio Globo and Globo TV. The journalist was subsequently forced to park elsewhere. Upon entering the building, Julio Ernesto Alvarado was informed by security guards that an unknown man had entered the premises of Radio Globo. When the journalist went to investigate, he was unable to locate the individual. It is believed that the man had entered the building in order to inspect Julio Ernesto Alvarado’s work environment and system of security.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: death threats, Director General of Police, freedom of expression, freedom of information, Front Line, globo tv, Honduras, Human Rights Defenders, Journalist, Julio Ernesto Alvarado, Manuel Zelaya, Medianoche, national radio station, radio, Radio Globo, radio journalist, Rede Globo, Ricardo Ramírez, Tegucigalpa
March 11, 2013
(800 people gathered in front of the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal to support Mam Sonando (c) Clothilde Le Coz)
Arrested on July 15th 2012, Beehive Radio journalist and director, Mam Sonando, was sentenced in the first instance to twenty years in prison in October 2012. He was charged with instigating villagers and peasants to protest against lands expropriation, in Kratie province. He was convicted and sentenced for “aggravating circumstances rebellion, unlawful interference in the performance of public functions, insurrection, inciting people to take arms against the state authority”. After spending already eight months in prison, his appeal started on 5 March 2013.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 4 Comments »
Tags: AI, Amnesty International, Beehive Radio, Cambodia, France, freedom of expression, human rights, Journalist, Kratie, land rights, Lawyers without Borders, Luon Savath, Luon Sovath, Mam Sonando, MEA 2012, Phnom Penh, Protection on Line, radio, Radio broadcasting, radio journalist, trial observation
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 