Posts Tagged ‘Human Rights Defenders’
May 23, 2014
With the introduction: “Human rights defenders are people like you – people who stand up for the right of others in the face of risk. In the U.S., human rights defenders face specific threats that impact their collective ability to work and seek justice“, five NGOs based in the USA and working for human rights in the US call on other human rights defenders to register for a training course on human rights education on Wednesday 28 May 2h00 pm to 3h00 pm (EDT). Dream Defenders, Maryland Legal Aid, the US Human Rights Network [USHRN], the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the Center for Reproductive Rights come together to teach about the work of U.S.-based human rights defenders and the special protections they have under international law; and to have the opportunity to hear from fellow human rights defenders about how they have successfully used these international protections and other forms of international advocacy to protect themselves and their ability to work. Speakers:
- Ejim Dike, Executive Director of the US Human Rights Network
- Sunita Patel, Staff Attorney at Center for Constitutional Rights
- Karla Torres, Human Rights Fellow at Center for Reproductive Rights
- Ahmad Abuznaid, Legal and Policy Director at Dream Defenders
- Reena Shah, Director of Human Rights Project at Maryland Legal Aid
For more information and to download the flyer in PDF: Defending the Defenders | US Human Rights Network.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Centre for Constitutional Rights, Centre for Reproductive Rights, defend the defenders, Dream Defenders, Human Rights Defenders, international human rights, international procedures, Maryland Legal Aid, training course, United States, US Human Rights Network, US Human Rights Network [USHRN], USA
May 21, 2014
FIDH and OMCT, in the framework of their Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, express their grave concern about the situation of human rights defenders in Africa. They do so in a 7-page written statement before the 55th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights [ACHPR] on 20 May in Luanda. It can be read in full on: Situation of human rights defenders in Africa – Contribution to the 55th ordinary session of ACHPR Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | 4 Comments »
Tags: Africa, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Civil society, death threats, detention, FIDH, freedom of association, freedom of expression, Human Rights Defenders, intimidation, judicial harassment, LGBTI, Observatory for the Protection of HRDs, OMCT, statement
May 21, 2014
From 20-21 May 2014 there was in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, a Regional Workshop on Implementing the Human Dimension Commitments and Enhancing the role of Civil Society. An important contribution was the joint statement by six NGOs containing recommendations to protect human rights defenders in Central Asia. The text in its totality follows below: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Central Asia, Club Flaming Hearts, detention, foreign agent law, freedom of association, freedom of expression, human rights activists, Human Rights Defenders, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, ODHIR, OSCE, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, violations
May 20, 2014
Yesterday, 19 May 2014, EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels for the Foreign Affairs Council on Development, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to promoting all human rights, whether civil and political, or economic, social and cultural, in all areas of its external action without exception, as part of working towards a rights-based approach to development coöperation. “The implementation of a rights-based approach to development cooperation should be based on the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the principles of inclusion and participation in decision-making processes; non-discrimination, equality and equity; transparency and accountability. The application of these principles should be central to EU development cooperation, thereby also ensuring the empowerment of the poorest and most vulnerable, in particular of women and girls, which in turn contributes to poverty reduction efforts,” said the Council conclusions. The Council also stressed the need for continued EU support for human rights defenders, capacity-building of local civil society organisations and promoting a safe and enabling environment in both law and practice that maximizes their contribution to development. Being closer to citizens and interacting with civil society, local authorities also play a crucial role in the effective implementation of a rights-based approach.
Moreover, the Council underlined that investment and business activities in partner countries should respect human rights and adhere to the principles of corporate social and environmental responsibility and accountability.
Posted in EU, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Civil society, corporate accountability, Development Cooperation, EU, eu policy, European Union, foreign ministers, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, support
May 20, 2014
Another example of the earlier reported lawlessness in Bangladesh. On 15 May the director of investigation of the NGO Ain o Salish Kendra [ASK], Nur Khan, reported that six to seven people on a microbus tried to abduct him while returning home. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture and the International Federation for Human Rights, and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, issued on 17 May 2014 an appeal to the Government of Bangladesh to impartially investigate the incident to bring the perpetrators to book.
via Attempted Abduction of Nur Khan | Intl rights bodies condemn.
https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/bangladesh-chains-of-corruption-strangle-nation-asian-human-rights-commission/
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: abduction, Ain o Salish Kendra [ASK], Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Bangladesh, Human Rights Defenders, intimidation, NGO Ain o Salish Kendra, Nur Khan, Observatory for the Protection of HRDs
May 19, 2014
Mexico is one of the worst places in the world for human rights defenders. This is brought home again with this news item via Front Line Defenders that on 12 May 2014, human rights defender Ms Sandra Luz Hernandez was killed in Culiacán, Sinaloa. The human rights defender was shot 15 times in the head in broad daylight. Sandra Luz Hernandez was a member of Madres con Hijos Desaparecidos (Mothers of Disappeared Children), an organisation made up of mothers seeking to combat impunity for the enforced disappearances of their children in Mexico. The human rights defender has been searching for justice for her son, Edgar Guadalupe García Hernández, who worked in the State Prosecutor’s Office of Sinaloa, since he was abducted from their home on 12 February 2012 by unknown armed persons.
According to the record of the Red Nacional de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos en México (The National Network of Human Rights Defenders in Mexico), since 2010 to date, there have been a total of 31 killings of human rights defenders, including the shooting of Sandra Luz Hernandez.
[At approximately 4pm, Sandra Luz Hernandez was shot by a man as she walked along Calle Constitución with a friend. The human rights defender was reportedly on her way to meet a person who she had been told had information regarding her son’s case. Sandra Luz Hernandez had stated that, the day before, she was approached by a stranger in a shopping centre who said that he knew someone who could tell her where her son was. On 12 May 2014, the human rights defender reportedly received a call arranging a meeting with the person at the Benito Juarez Colony. The human rights defender had met with the State Prosecutor of Mexico to discuss her son’s case at 11:30am the same day.]
Posted in Front Line, human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: disappearances, Extrajudicial killing, Front Line (NGO), Human Rights Defenders, Mexico, Mothers of Disappeared Children, murder, Sandra Luz Hernandez, The National Network of Human Rights Defenders in Mexico, woman human rights defender
May 19, 2014
On 16 May 2014 the International Service for Human Rights [ISHR] reports that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has designated a high-level focal point to document and follow up on cases of intimidation and reprisals against human rights defenders that cooperate with the African human rights system. The spokesperson of the ISHR, Clement Voulé, welcomed the move and said: ‘The UN and its Member States should take note of the African Commission’s initiative and approve the designation of a high-level UN focal point’…‘Delegations in New York should also heed the call led by Botswana and joined by 56 States in Geneva in March to expedite this process and ensure a comprehensive, system-wide response to reprisals.’ While this is in itself good news and a step in the right direction, some caution is needed:
(1) The tasks of documenting, monitoring and encouraging effective Commission follow up on reprisals has been delegated to the existing African Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Reine Alapini-Gansou [‘By designating me as a focal point, the Commission has acted on the need to strengthen its response to reprisals by monitoring cases and working with States to prevent recurrence and promote accountability’]. However, there is no indication that Commissioner Alapini-Gansou is given additional powers or resources.
(2) Almost all the African countries (except Chad and Morocco) supported the UN Resolution in the General Assembly last year that in fact blocked the creation of a focal point against reprisals in the United Nations. Courageous little Botswana may well have led a large group of countries with a statement in March 2014 at the Human Rights Council [http://www.ishr.ch/news/human-rights-council-has-duty-strengthen-response-reprisals] which favors such a UN-wide focal point, but how the African group will vote next time is far from clear. See more on: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/01/08/un-general-assembly-indeed-defers-un-focal-point-on-human-rights-defenders/
Still, I hope we can all share the ISHR’s passionate statement that “Any other outcome will signal support for impunity for the perpetrators of reprisals and a betrayal of human rights defenders and others who engage with the human rights system”.
via African Commission designates high-level focal point to combat reprisals | ISHR.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, ISHR, UN | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Africa, African Commission, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, anti-reprisals focal point, Clement Voulé, Human Rights Defenders, International Service for Human Rights, Reine Alapini-Gansou, reprisals, retaliation, special rapporteurs, Thoolen, United Nations General Assembly
May 18, 2014
On 8 May 2014 human rights defender and lawyer Ms Shireen Essawi began a hunger strike after learning of the postponement of her trial for nine months and a day. She is charged with cooperating with actors who are working against the state of Israel. Shireen Essawi is a human rights lawyer who has participated in monitoring and documenting human rights violations committed against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, especially children, women, and prisoners from the Gaza Strip. The human rights defender also reported on practices adopted by Israeli authorities for Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli jails that she believes violate human rights, such as preventing visits by lawyers.
The postponement of her trial on 7 May 2014 follows several court appearances by the human rights defender since her arrest on 6 March 2014. It is reported that under Israeli law, a trial may be suspended and detention can continue upon the condition that a final judgment and sentence is issued within nine months and a day of the adjournment. Shireen Essawi began her hunger strike out of solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, and has declared she will continue it in protest at the adjournment of her trial. The human rights defender was arrested at her home in Jerusalem as part of a wave of arrests targeting lawyers. Her colleagues have since been released on bail, pending trials.
Front Line Defenders expresses its concern at the postponement of the trial and continued detention of Shireen Essawi, which is solely related to her peaceful and legitimate human rights work, in particular concerning the rights of Palestinians and Arab Israelis.
via: http://palsolidarity.org/2014/05/hunger-strike-by-human-rights-defender-ms-shireen-essawi-as-trial-postponed-by-one-year/
Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: detention, Front Line (NGO), Human Rights Defenders, human rights lawyer, hungerstrike, Israel, Palestine, release on bail, Shireen Essawi, woman human rights defender
May 18, 2014
In a 28-page report, Under Attack: Violence against health workers, patients and facilities, Human Rights Watch and the Coalition “Safeguarding Health in Conflict” highlight recent attacks in countries around the world. Major examples include the targeted killing of more than 70 polio vaccination workers in Pakistan and Nigeria; the arrests of health workers for providing care to protesters in Bahrain and Turkey; the bombing of hospitals and deaths of hundreds of patients and health workers in Syria; and attacks targeting health workers in South Sudan and Afghanistan. The report is released in advance of a meeting from 19-24 May 2014, of health ministers from around the world.
Posted in books, HRW, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Afghanistan, Bahrain, conflict, HRW, Human Rights Defenders, humanitarian workers, Nigeria, Pakistan, patients and facilities, polio vaccination, right to health, Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, South Sudan, Syria, Turkey, UN, Under Attack: Violence against health workers, war
May 18, 2014
In an excellent piece written for CNN, Tanya Lokshina of Human Rights Watch, on 15 May gives an overview of the different measures that threaten human rights defenders in Russia. While attention is on Ukraine, a vicious crackdown on civil society in Russia itself also escalated with every week brings a new pernicious law or legislative proposal:
- The authorities have blocked or essentially took editorial control over a number of independent news portals and are pushing new laws to stifle freedom of expression.
- A week ago, President Vladimir Putin signed a law requiring Russian bloggers with significant followings to register with the authorities and comply with media regulations.
- The same law requires blogging services and social networks to store user activity for six months.
- Another legislative proposal would introduce administrative and criminal offenses for editors who publish “false anti-Russian” information or offer media support to “anti-Russian extremist and separatist forces.”
- Another new draft law introduces a ban on publishing negative information about the Russian government and military.
- Also, amendments presently under review by the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, would enable the authorities to throw people behind bars for up to five years for repeated participation in unauthorized public protests.
At the same time the infamous Russian law “on foreign agents”, Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Front Line, HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: ADC Memorial, bloggers, Civil society, foreign agent law, freedom of association, freedom of expression, Front Line (NGO), Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Watch, judicial harassment, media, nationalist group, Russia, Tanya Lokshina, Women of the Don
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 