Posts Tagged ‘Human rights defender’
December 6, 2012
Most of you are aware that a group of 134 Nobel laureates wrote to Chinese Communist Party chief and future president, Xi Jinping, urging him to release Liu, who won the peace prize two years ago (and to release his wife). China of course maintains that Liu is a criminal and decries such criticism as unwarranted interference in its internal affairs. Remarkable is that Mo, the first Chinese national to win the $1.2 million literature prize – in Stockholm to receive the award – refused to express support for Liu, and defended censorship as sometimes necessary, comparing it to security checks at airports. “I have said this prize is about literature. Not for politics,” said the 57-year-old whose adopted pen name Mo Yan means “don’t speak”[!!].
Now the latest twist according to the Financial Times of 6 December 2012 is that China has excluded Norway – as the only European country – from its visa-free regime for visitors. When asked why Norway was left off the list, Wang Qin, a senior official at the Beijing government travel administration, did not respond directly but said that some countries were not eligible because their citizens or government were “of low-quality” and “badly behaved”.
Chinese-Norwegian ties have been in diplomatic deep freeze ever since imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Immediately afterwards, Beijing suspended negotiations with Oslo over a bilateral free trade agreement and those talks have not yet resumed in spite of the fact that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a committee of five individuals appointed by the Norwegian parliament and that Government has no say in the selection (although it is true that committee members always are Norwegian nationals). China has refused visas to many Norwegian journalists, scientists and businesspeople and cancelled numerous political and diplomatic meetings. According to the same FT article earlier this year senior Chinese diplomats insisted Norway must “recognise its mistakes and take steps to correct them” and Norwegian exports have been affected.
The continued harsh treatment of Norway is a signal that when it comes to human rights China remains extra-ordinarily sensitive. One can only hope that the other (European) will show that they will be not intimidated and show solidarity with Norway e.g. by refusing the visa free offer unless Norway is included.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 12 Comments »
Tags: China, diplomatic pressure, Financial Times, Human rights defender, interference in internal affairs, Liu Xiaobo, Nobel Peace Prize, Norway, politics, Xi Jinping
December 6, 2012
The Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was founded with a commitment to human rights as one of its three key pillars. Sadly, says Dublin-based Front Line Defenders, OSCE member states have not been living up to those ideals and human rights defenders face imprisonment, threats, harassment, defamation and restrictive legislation in countries across the region. “It is time the OSCE backed up fine declarations with effective action,” said
Mary Lawlor, Executive Director of Front Line Defenders, “too often it has been the prisoner of consensus and failed to respond when human rights defenders have been jailed, attacked or killed.”Front Line Defenders will undertake a silent vigil outside the OSCE Ministerial Council in Dublin on Thursday 6th December highlighting
ten cases of human rights defenders from the region:
Vidadi Iskenderov is in prison in
Azerbaijan
Ales Bialiatski is in prison in Belarus
Natalya Estemirova was murdered in Chechnya, Russia in July 2009
Agnes Gereb is under house arrest and facing a prison sentence in Hungary
Roza Tuletaeva is in prison in Kazakhstan
Azimjan Askarov is in prison in Kyrgyzstan
Pat Finucane was murdered in Northern Ireland in February 1989
Osman Isci is in prison in Turkey
Sviatoslav Sheremet was attacked and badly beaten in Ukraine in May 2012
Dilmurod Sayid is in prison in Uzbekistan
Posted in Front Line, Human Rights Defenders | 2 Comments »
Tags: Dublin, Front Line, Front Line Defenders, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE
December 4, 2012
Several Pakistani newspapers reported on Monday 3 December that “Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted in principle a proposal made by the Ministry of Human Rights to appoint Human Rights Defenders in the ministry”.
It all came from a presentation made by the Ministry of Human Rights. There were several welcome announcements (such as including human rights as a subject in educational institutions and plans to effectively implement its international obligations) but the idea to appoint Human Rights Defenders in the Ministry (as civil servants one has to assume) is baffling. It would completely do away with the idea that HRDs ought to be independent and capable of monitoring authorities. If accepted under this title it would surely confuse the current understanding of what are HRDs. The Minister for Human Rights would soon be called Human Rights Defender in Chief.
The Pakistani newspaper Dawn adds: “The basic idea to have human rights defenders in the country was to help those poor victims who could not afford to plead their cases in courts or seek other remedial measures against oppressors. “The number of human rights defenders and their service structure will be worked out by the ministry in collaboration with other ministries,” the official said. However, critics of the government say as elections were just a few months away, new positions are being created to accommodate pro-PPP voters.”
Let’s hope that the Ministry will revert to the more neutral and clarifying title of ‘human rights officers”.
Related articles
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Advocacy Organizations, human rights, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, human rights education, Ministry of Human Rights, non-governmental, Pakistan, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
December 3, 2012
The second portrait in the series of 10 HRDs against Torture is: Igor Kalyapin, founder and chair of Russian NGO Committee Against Torture (CAT).
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The main obstacle we have is the same to the reason of torture: lack of effective investigation and absolute lack of will to investigate. Every case is a challenge and we never know for how many years we have to commit ourselves to deal with each of them.
Do you feel threatened because of your activities? Do you face any interference in your work? If this is the case, can you kindly precise.
Recently, we have started to face threats: our lawyers are targeted, some of them are approached by state agents, some of them were arrested, some of them were insulted. I myself now am facing a real threat to be accused of a crime that I have never committed (speaking out of investigational secret).
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Public campaigns (as illustrated in the picture), support of the victims of torture, write support letters, can play a very important role in the fight against torture.
http://www.omct.org/human-rights-defenders/events/2012/12/d22055/
Posted in Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: human rights, Human rights defender, Igor Kalyapin, impuntiy, Non-governmental organization, Russia, russian ngo, torture, United Nations Convention Against Torture, victims of torture, World Organisation Against Torture
December 3, 2012
For those who did not go to the OMCT website, here is today’s portrait in the series of 10: Pierre-Claver Akolly Amégnikpo DEKPOH, from Lomé in Togo. He has been engaged in the fight for human dignity and social peace and against injustice since 1990; and has been a member of ACAT-Togo since March 1999. He states that his commitment to the fight against torture and ill-treatment is in keeping with his Christian faith.
via Pierre-Claver Dekpoh: Ten Portraits against Torture and Impunity / December 3, 2012 / Events / Human rights defenders / OMCT.
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: ACAT, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, impunity, Lome, OMCT, Pierre-Claver DEKPOH, Togo, torture
November 29, 2012
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The International Service for Human Rights in Geneva calls on all activists working on HRD and women’s issues in Africa, to mark International Women Human Rights Defenders Day – today 29 November – by providing feedback to the Special
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| Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa, who is seeking input for a report on the challenges faced by women defenders in Africa and their protection needs by using the |
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| questionnaire (English). It is also available in French, Arabic andPortuguese. It is open to those working at the national, regional or international levels.The deadline for submitting responses is 31 December 2012. |
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see: International Service for Human Rights | Mark International Women Human Rights Defenders’ Day by sharing your experience.
Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Advocacy Organizations, Africa, Human rights defender, ISHR, Special Rapporteur, Women Human Rights Defenders Day
November 29, 2012
On the occasion of November 29th, Women Human Rights Defenders Day, the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition stands in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of women activists around the world who – with exemplary courage, determination, and strength, uphold women’s human rights, the rights of communities, and of the environment. For the full text go to: http://www.defendingwomen-defendingrights.org/WHRD_WHRDDay2012.php.
The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition is a resource and advocacy network for the protection and support of women human rights defenders (WHRDs) worldwide. An international initiative created out of the international campaign on WHRDs launched in 2005, the Coalition calls attention to the recognition of WHRDs. Their gender or the nature of their work has made them the subject of attacks, requiring gender‐sensitive mechanisms for their protection and support. The Coalition involves women activists as well as all people who defend women’s rights and lesbian, gay, bi‐sexual, and transgender (LGBT) defenders and groups committed to the advancement of women’s human rights and sexual rights.
The Coalition calls on all stakeholders and duty bearers to uphold their national, regional and international human rights commitments to ensure the promotion and protection of the rights of WHRDs regardless of their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, status, age, caste, political opinion, sexual orientation and gender identity as well as on other grounds or contexts.
For more information about the WHRD International Coalition, our work and coalition members please visit: http://defendingwomen‐defendingrights.org.
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Tags: human rights, Human rights defender, LGBT, November 29th, Women Human Rights Defenders Day, Women's rights
November 27, 2012
On 26 November 2012, the Belarusian authorities did the next step in their harassment of HRDs and confiscated the office of Human Rights Centre Viasna.
The seizure is connected to the case of Viasna’s chairman Ales Bialiatski, who in November 2011 was sentenced to 4,5 years in prison and confiscation of property. The office premises were registered on Ales Bialiatski personally, as Viasna for years has been denied legal registration by the authorities.
Viasna has had the office on Nezalezhnastsi Avenue for 12 years. The confiscation is the latest of many acts of harassment by the authorities against the organisation during the years. [Since Viasna has not been able to register and operate legally in Belarus, the organisation was forced to open private bank accounts abroad. In August 2011 Ales Bialiatski was arrested, suspected of serious tax evasion, after Lithuania and Poland had disclosed information about Belarusian individuals’ bank accounts, at the request of the Belarusian authorities. On 24 November 2011, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and confiscation of property.]
On 26 November, a final activity was arranged at the office as Viasna invited journalists, human rights defenders and others to the premises before the doors were to be sealed by the authorities. However, “Viasna will continue activities as usual”, says courageously Valiantsin Stefanovich, Viasna deputy Chairman.
Belarus clearly likes to thumb its nose at the UN Special Rapporteur!
Related articles
http://www.civilrightsdefenders.org/news/viasna-loses-its-office-in-minsk/
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Ales Bialiatski, Belarus, belarusian authorities, Civil Rights Defenders, harassment, Human Rights Centre Viasna, Human rights defender, Lithuania, office premises, Poland
November 27, 2012
My posts tend to be about Human Rights Defenders at risk but this time I want to draw your attention to a great promoter of human rights in the Netherlands who recently passed away at the relatively young age of 60: Kees Bleichrodt.
This Dutchman started in the 70s as an AI volunteer and in 1978 he became their Coordinator for refugees and in 1986 deputy director.
As from 1989, for more than 20 years, he led the University Asylum Fund (UAF) which helps thousands of refugees to study and find jobs. He was a driven, hardworking man who modernised and developed the organisation enormously. He took great pride in the success of ‘his’ refugee students and described his own job as the ‘most beautiful job in the Netherlands’. He was a real networker who stayed active in other NGOs, including Scholars at Risk. Condolences can be left at: http://www.uaf.nl
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 Kees Bleichrodt |
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Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: AI, Human rights defender, Kees Bleichrodt, Netherlands, Non-governmental organization, refugees, Scholars at Risk, UAF
November 26, 2012
On 12-13 November Belarusian HRH hosted the first meeting of the Belarusian human rights defenders with Miklós Haraszti, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus.
Among those who represented Belarus there were Valiantsin Stefanovich, the deputy head of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”; Tatsiana Reviaka, President of the Belarusian Human Rights House; Anna Gerasimova, director of Belarusian Human Rights House; Aleh Hulak, chairperson of theBelarusian Helsinki Committee; Dzmitry Charnykh, the lawyer of BHC; Zhanna Litvina, chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists; Ina Kuley, chairperson ofSalidarnasts (Solidarity), an organisation that provides support to victims of political persecution in Belarus; Liudmila Hraznova, chairperson of the Human Rights Alliance; Alena Krasouskaya-Kaspiarovich, deputy chairperson of a prisoners’ rights organisation Platforma (Platform); Aleh Vouchak, chairperson of Legal Assistance to the Population; Yury Chavusau, the lawyer of the Assembly of NGOs, and Siarhei Ustsinau, Belarusian human rights defender.
Valiantsin Stefanovich as the representative of “Viasna” made a presentation on political prisoners in Belarus, as well as analyzed the situation on the freedom of peaceful assembly in the country.
The decision to renew the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus was adopted on 28 September in Geneva during the 21th session of the UN Human Rights Council. Miklós Haraszti, Hungarian diplomat, was appointed for this position and on 1 November he officially started to work.
Human rights defenders held initial consultations with the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus – Human Rights House Network.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Belarus, human rights, Human rights defender, UN Special Rapporteur, United Nations Special Rapporteur
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 