Posts Tagged ‘Front Line (NGO)’
March 4, 2014
With the Ugandan anti-gay law signed by President Museveni last week (in spite of the fascinating news that broke only afterwards that his own daughter came out publicly as lesbian opposing the law), attention on LGBTI rights in Africa has been mostly negative. The more reason to point to a small ‘victory’ in neighbouring Zimbabwe where a mostly independent judiciary had the courage to squash the charges against human rights defender Martha Tholanah of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ). Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Civil society, freedom of association, Front Line (NGO), GALZ, gay, gay rights, Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, independence of the judiciary, lesbian, LGBT rights, Martha Tholanah, President Museveni, Private Voluntary Organisation, Uganda, Zimbabwe
February 27, 2014
reports that on 24 February 2014, human rights defender Abdulhakim Al Fadhli was chased by state security cars and then taken to state security headquarters, where he remains in detention. Earlier that day, human rights defenders Mr Nawaf Al Hendal and Ms Hadil Abo Qoreis were summonsed via news broadcasts to appear before state security investigations service. Abdulhakim Al Fadhli had also been unofficially informed of a summons against him. As in a B-film, state security cars, chasing Abdulhakim Al Fadhli, Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Front Line, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Abdulhakim Al Fadhli, Abdullah Atallah, arbitrary arrest, Bedoun, demonstration, detention, freedom of expression, Front Line (NGO), Hadil Abo Qoreis, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, indigenous groups, Kuwait, minority rights, Nawaf Al Hendal, repression, statelessness, woman human rights defender
February 26, 2014
On the heels of my post yesterday on Cao Shunli‘s health (https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/02/25/serious-concern-for-health-of-detained-human-rights-defender-cao-shunli/), exiled, blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng laments that China is cracking down harder than ever on human rights defenders, but says (somewhat unrealistically I should add) that the leadership should brace for a Ukraine-style uprising. “It is possible for the Chinese to have a similar revolution to the one in Ukraine. It could happen any time,” Chen told Nina Larson of AFP on 25 February in Geneva. “There are many, so very man arrests“, mentioning just as an example the arrest late last month of the parents of human rights activist Xue Mingkai, who had spent four years in prison for joining a banned party. While in custody, the father, Xue Fushun, plunged to his death from a window several stories up, in what police said was a suicide.
Frontline Defenders informed us a bit earlier that on 29 January 2014, the verdicts were released in the trials of human rights defenders, Mr Yuan Dong and Ms Hou Xin, both of whom are affiliated with the New Citizens’ Movement and had been facing charges of “gathering a crowd to disrupt public order”. Yuan Dong was sentenced to 18 months in prison, whilst Hou Xin was found guilty but did not receive a sentence. Yuan Dong and Hou Xin were originally detained, along with Zhang Baocheng and Ma Xinli, on charges of “illegal assembly” on 31 March 2013 [http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/22993] after banners with slogans such as “require officials to publicly disclose public assets” were allegedly unfurled during a rally in Xidan Cultural Plaza in Beijing’s Xicheng district. Hou Xin had only been photographically documenting the rally.
Besides the recent sentencing to four years imprisonment of one of the founders of the New Citizens’ Movement, Mr Xu Zhiyong, many more human rights defenders affiliated with the movement remain in detention (https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/xu-zhiyongs-closing-statement-to-the-court-a-remarkable-document/)
On the other hand, on 25 February 2014 it was confirmed that Ilham Tohti (feared disappeared) has now been formally arrested on charges of “splitting the country” and is being held in a detention centre in Xinjiang province. (https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/has-uyghur-professor-ilham-tohti-disappeared-in-china/
For the full interview with Chen: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jLVlcgDJvTALGKEGE8kNJd3E43cA?docId=baf85933-271a-42b9-8e34-8210a195cbee
By the way China’s extraordinary sensitivity to ‘interference’ of any level into what it considers its domestic affairs is well-known. I touched upon this ‘hot’ topic’ in my own 2011 article “The international human rights movement: not perfect, but a lot better than many governments think” in the book ‘NGOs in China and Europe’ (exceptionally also published in Chinese!): Yuwen Li (ed), Ashgate, 2011, pp 287-304 (ISBN: 978-1-4094-1959-4).
Posted in books, Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Foundation | Leave a Comment »
Tags: arbitrary arrest, Ashgate, Chen Guangcheng, China, freedom of expression, Front Line (NGO), Hou Xin, Human Rights Defenders, Ilham Tohti, illegal detention, interference in internal affairs, NGOs in China and Europe, repression, Thoolen, Ukraine, Uyghur, Xu Zhiyong, Xue Mingkai, Yuan Dong, Yuwen Li
February 19, 2014
reports that on 6 February 2014, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Border Police forcibly evicted the entire Palestinian village of Ein-Hijleh and declared the village a closed military zone. During the eviction 19 people, including human rights defenders and journalists were temporarily detained whilst at least 32 villagers were injured. Several of the detained were subject to physical aggression. Amongst the 19 detained were human rights defenders Issa Amro, Mahmoud Zawhara, Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, Bassem Tamimi and Mohammad Al Khatib.
The forced displacement follows a series of raids and attacks which have targeted the local community as well as human rights defenders who peacefully opposed the eviction. The campaign began on 31 January 2014, when the IDF blocked access to the village and prevented the delivery of water and food supplies. On 3 February 2014, the IDF attempted to gain entry to the village. On 4 February 2014 a renewed attempt to enter the village included the use of tear gas against peaceful protesters, but was hindered by locals forming a human chain.
Front Line Defenders has previously issued urgent appeals on Issa Amro: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/IssaAmro.
see also: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/five-un-experts-urge-israel-to-stop-harassment-of-human-rights-activist-issa-amro/
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, Ein-Hijleh, forced displacement, forced evictions, Front Line (NGO), Human Rights Defenders, IDF, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli Defence Forces, Issa Amro, journalists, Mahmoud Zawhara, Palestine, Palestinian Human Rights Defender, Palestinian village
February 17, 2014
reports that on 12 February 2014, human rights defender Didier Kalemba addressed a formal complaint to the public prosecutor’s office in the Democratic Republic of Congo in connection with a series of intimidatory acts that he has recently been subjected to. Didier Kalemba is a lawyer who has been acting as a protection officer for the Association Congolaise pour l’Accès à la Justice – ACAJ (Congolese Association for Access to Justice). His work mainly focuses on following up on cases of arbitrarily detained persons, particularly political prisoners or prisoners of conscience. Didier Kalemba received several calls from the same telephone number demanding him to halt his visits to the Ndolo military prison, or his family would regret his “stubbornness.”
[This is not the first time Didier Kalemba has received threats]
Posted in Front Line, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: ACAJ, Association Congolaise, congo drc, death threats, Democratic Republic of Congo, Didier Kalemba, DRC, formal complaint, Front Line (NGO), Human rights defender, human rights lawyer, intimidation, lawyer, prison visits
February 15, 2014
This is a long but excellent to piece to read over the weekend by Stefania Kulaeva of the remarkable NGO Memorial in Russia:
AT THE TIME of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi it is important to remember the human rights abuse of minorities and their defenders in Russia. This is a question for gay people but also for Roma, immigrant workers and members of other ethnic communities.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: 2014 winter olympics, ADC Memorial, campaign, foreign funding, Front Line (NGO), Human Rights Defenders, human rights violations, LGBT, Memorial, migrants, minorities, non-discrimination, roma, Russia, Sochi, Stefania Kulaeva, woman human rights defender
February 15, 2014
A good example of the interaction of the work of international [human rights] organisations and local media is this piece from El Universal in Venezuela under the title: “Front Line Defenders reject intimidation of human right advocates”. It mentions:
- Front Line Defenders called for prompt and unbiased investigation into the arbitrary detention and assault of human rights activist Inti Rodríguez and defamation of Humberto Prado, a representative of non-governmental organization Venezuelan Prison Watch .
- The UN requests inquiry into involvement of armed gangs in violent events.
- The European Union calls for peaceful dialogue in Venezuela
- USA asks Maduro’s government to respect freedom of expression.
via Front Line Defenders reject intimidation of human right advocates – Daily News.
Posted in EU, Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, UN | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Dialogue on Human Rights, EU, Front Line (NGO), human rights, Humberto Prado, intervention, Inti Rodríguez, intimidation, UN, USA, Venezuela, Venezuelan Prison Watch, violence
February 13, 2014
expressed its concern that the whereabouts of human rights defender and lawyer Roshdy El Sheikh Rasheed remain unknown ten days after his disappearance from the city of Tadmor on 31 January 2014. Mr Roshdy El Sheikh Rasheed is the vice-president of the Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) in Syria, an international organisation with UN consultative status whose objective is to promote adherence to human rights principles in Arab states. The human rights defender was taken from his home to an unknown location by plain-clothes individuals on 31 January 2014. As Tadmor is under control of government forces, it is considered very likely that state actors are involved in the disappearance. Roshdy El Sheikh Rasheed fled from Homs to Tadmur in 2013 in order to seek medical attention for an injury he sustained whilst documenting human rights violations during armed battles in Homs. [The human rights defender had been previously detained twice by authorities in Homs.]
The Syrian conflict has been marked by the targeting and abductions of other human rights defenders, to mention just: Razan Zaitouna, Wael Hamada, Nazem Hamaadi and Samira Khalil, Khalil Matouk (or Matouq).
See earlier: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/human-rights-defender-razan-zaitouneh-still-missing-in-syria-after-one-month/
https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/impressive-coalition-of-ngos-urges-action-for-arbitrarily-detained-human-rights-lawyer-khalil-matouq-in-syria/
Posted in Front Line, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Arab Organization for Human Rights, disappearances, Forced disappearance, Front Line (NGO), Homs, human rights, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, Khalil Ma’touq, Khalil Matouk, Razan Zaitouna, Roshdy El Sheikh Rasheed, Syria, Tadmor, women human rights defenders
February 12, 2014
The family of Uyghur professor Ilham Tohti has had no news of his whereabouts since he was arrested at his home in Beijing on January 15, 2014. Tohti is a leading academic and one of the most prominent commentators on basic rights issues affecting the Uyghur people. The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority—in a country that is 91.6% Han Chinese—that live primarily in the Xinjiang region of China and have been repressed by the government. The Chinese authorities raided Tohti’s home on January 15, arresting him and confiscating his computer. The public security bureau in the capital of Xinjiang released a statement accusing Tohti of inciting separatism, but refused to inform his family where he is being held.
On 21 March 2013 Tohti had been put already under house arrest: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/tag/ilham-tohti/
via:
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/24684
China: HRF Condemns the Arrest and Disappearance of Uyghur Professor Ilham Tohti | News | The Human Rights Foundation.
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Foundation | 1 Comment »
Tags: arrest, China, Forced disappearance, freedom of expression, Front Line (NGO), Human rights defender, Human Rights Foundation, Ilham Tohti, illegal detention, minorities, minority rights, Uyghur
February 12, 2014
(Martha Díaz at the 2013 FLD Platform for Human Rights Defenders)
Death threats abound again in Colombia:
Front Line Defenders report that on 9 February 2014, human rights defender
Martha Díaz received the fifth text message to declare her a military target and threaten her with death within three days. All five threats have come from the same phone number. Martha Díaz is the director and legal representative of the
Asociación de Familiares Unidas por un Solo Dolor (Association of Relatives United by a Single Sorrow – AFUSODO), an organisation for family members of victims of extrajudicial killings, particularly false positives. She is also the technical secretary of the Atlantic chapter of
MOVICE (National Movement of Victims of the State).On Wednesday 12 February, the President of Parliamentarians for Global Action
Ross Robertson has expressed his concern and condemnation of the death threats against a well-known Colombian parliamentarian,
Ivan Cepeda is a well-respected Colombian MP and human rights defender as well as against Bogota Mayor
Gustavo Petro and human rights defender
Alirio Uribe Muñoz (the latter is the 2003 Laureate of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, portrayed here with his wife in 2003).
via:
Colombia: Series of death threats against human rights defender Martha Díaz | Front Line.
MP deplores death threats against Colombian MP | Voxy.co.nz.
Posted in awards, Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: AFUSODO, Alirio Uribe Munoz, Bogota, Colombia, death threats, extrajudicial killings, Front Line (NGO), Gustavo Petro, Human Rights Defenders, intimidation, Ivan Cepeda, Martha Diaz, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA 2003, MOVICE, parliamentarians, Parliamentarians for Global Action, Ross Robertson, woman human rights defender
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 