Posts Tagged ‘Human Rights Defenders’
November 18, 2013
On 13 November 2013 Ambassador Remigiusz Henczel, President of the Human Rights Council, made his statement to the 68th session of the General Assembly in New York. It contains an important section on the issue of reprisals against human rights defenders which this blog has repeatedly referred to:
“Let me now turn to the role of civil society in the proceedings of the Council. Active participation and contribution of civil society organizations is central to the work of the Human Rights Council and makes it a unique forum among other UN intergovernmental organs. It is therefore essential that representatives of civil society operate in a free, open and safe environment that protects and promotes their own human rights. I have personally condemned acts of reprisals in the context of Council and UPR sessions and have repeatedly stated that any acts of intimidation or reprisals against individuals and groups who cooperate or have cooperated with the United Nations and its representatives are unacceptable and must end. It is the Council’s and its President responsibility to address effectively all cases of intimidation or reprisals and to ensure an unhindered access to all who seek to cooperate with the UN mechanism. In this regard, Council resolution 24/24 adopted last September on cooperation with the United Nations in the field of human rights is of utmost importance. It requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to designate a United Nations-wide senior focal point on reprisals and aims at promoting the prevention of, protection against and accountability for reprisals and intimidation related to cooperation with the United Nations.“
full text on: GA statement – Google Drive
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, UN | 2 Comments »
Tags: Civil society, focal point, GA, Google Drive, Henczel, human rights, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, reprisals, retaliation, UN, UN Human Rights Council
November 16, 2013
In the presence of the UN Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, the MEA Laureates of 2013: the Joint Mobile Group, the family of Werner Lottje (his wife Margit and the children) and some 90 other participants we had on 13 November 2013 the first WERNER LOTTJE LECTURE in Berlin. It was an impressive affair and the organisers, Bread for the World and the German Institute for Human Rights, can look back on a successful launch of this annual event. There were many good tributes to Werner’s life and contribution. Igor Kalyapin of the JMG explained the terrible conditions under which his team has to operate in Russia and Margaret Sekaggya concluded with a wide-ranging overview of obstacles that HRDs all over the world face. A short, impressive film brought the person of Werner to life.
Here I am providing you the full text my own speech on this occasion, not only because I have it handy but because it concerns mostly the international part of his work:
“Thinking outside the box – Werner Lottje as an international networker”
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 4 Comments »
Tags: Berlin, Bread for the World, Diakonie, films, Gallery, German Institute for Human Rights, Germany, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, human rights films, HURIDOCS, Igor Kalyapin, International Alert, International Service for Human Rights, Joint Mobile Group, Julia Duchrow, Margaret Sekaggya, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, Michael Windfuhr, networking, Non-governmental organization, portrait, the international community, True Heroes Foundation, UN Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Werner Lottje, Werner Lottje lecture, World Council of Churches
November 13, 2013
Technology is becoming increasingly important in documenting and preventing human rights abuses. But emerging technologies can also pose a threat to human rights defenders. Two pieces on AI’s blog demonstrate that:
On 11 November Tanya O’Carroll, Technology & Human Rights Project Officer, and Danna Ingleton, Individuals & Communities at Risk Research & Policy Advisor, blogged under the title: “An Invisible Threat: How Technology Can Hurt Human Rights Defenders“while Sami Goswami used the headline: “How Technology Is Helping Us Better Protect Human Rights”.
The piece focusing on the negative aspects says inter alia Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in AI, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 3 Comments »
Tags: Amnesty International, email, Front Line Defenders, Human right, Human Rights Defenders, information technology, internet, Jenni Williams, mobile phones, Non-governmental organization, Norma Cruz, protection, threats, urgent action, USA AI
November 11, 2013
If the coming days I am a bit less prolific with news on human rights defenders (maybe a welcome respite!) there is a good human rights reason: I will be in Berlin where on 13 November 2013 the first annual Werner Lottje Lecture will be inaugurated. It is an initiative by Bread for the World and the German Institute for Human Rights. As a good friend of Werner I am delighted to be allowed to speak about his enormous contribution to the human rights world as it is today: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights | 2 Comments »
Tags: Berlin, Bread for the World, Brot fur die Welt, EKD, film, Foreign Policy, German Institute for Human Rights, German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, human righs, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, HURIDOCS, Igor Kalyapin, International Alert, International Service for Human Rights, Joint Mobile Group, lecture, Margaret Sekaggaya, Martin Ennals, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, UN Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, United Nations, Werner Lottje, World Council of Churches
November 10, 2013
The Assam Tribune Online of 9 November provides us with an interesting illustration of how a combination of: (a) local activism, (b) introduction by an international NGO, and (c) invitation to an EU meeting can have result: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: activism, Assam, Assam State Government, Civil society, EU-NGO Forum on Human Rights, Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Defenders, India, Indigenous rights, international NGO, KMSS, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, meeting, Tarun Gogoi, The Assam Tribune Online
November 7, 2013
The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the detention of ASM Nasiruddin Elan and demands his immediate release. Mr. ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Director of Bangladeshi human rights organization, Odhikar, has been detained in prison by the Cyber Crimes Tribunal of Dhaka, today, November 6, 2013. This detention is part of the continued repression against the whistle-blowers exposing the ongoing State-sponsored gross violations of human rights in Bangladesh. Elan has been charged by the country’s police under the Information and Communications Technology (Amendment) Act, 2013, a draconian law, for publishing fact-finding report on governmental crackdown on the pro-Islamist demonstrators in the early morning of 6 May 2013 in Dhaka. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in AHRC, FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | 1 Comment »
Tags: Adilur Rahman Khan, Asian Human Rights Commission, ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Bangladesh, civil society organisations, Dhaka, Elan, Human right, Human Rights Defenders, human rights in Bangladesh, illegal detention, Information and Communication Technology, judicial harassment, Observatory for the Protection of HRDs, Odhikar
November 6, 2013
The OMCT and the FIDH, in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, made an intervention under agenda item 9: “Situation of human rights defenders” at the at the 54th session of African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights [ACHPR] on 5 November.
Human rights defenders were attacked, received threats or were slandered in the DRC, Senegal and Tunisia. In some cases they were even killed, as in the DRC and in Cameroon, in a climate of impunity. Defenders, and in particular defenders of economic, social and cultural rights, also continued to be subjected to arbitrary arrests and judicial harassment in Angola, Cameroon, the DRC, Egypt, Mauritania and Tunisia. Obstacles to freedom of association were also recorded, as for instance in Angola, Egypt and Rwanda. A summary is as follows: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | 1 Comment »
Tags: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Angola, Cameroon, Death threat, DRC, Egypt, environmental issues, FIDH, foreign funding, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of expression, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, judicial harassment, killing, land disputes, LGBT rights, Mauritania, murder, Non-governmental organization, Observatory for the Protection of HRDs, OMCT, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia
November 5, 2013
The Indian government should vigorously investigate allegations that officials are using the law on foreign contributions to repress groups critical of the government, Human Rights Watch said on 31 October 2013.
The government should amend the 2010 Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act to protect the right to freedom of association and expression. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 4 Comments »
Tags: Civil society, Eurasia Review, Foreign Contribution Act, foreign funding, funding restrictions, Government of India, harassment, harss, HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Watch, India, Non-governmental organization, South Asia, United Nations Special Rapporteur
November 4, 2013
The State of Honduras fails to comply with the implementation of protection measures for human rights defenders (HRD) at risk. For this reason, last Monday 28th October, state representatives appeared in a public hearing before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights in Washington D.C.
This hearing was requested by the Centre for Human Rights Research and Promotion (CIPRODEH), the Committee of the Families of Detained and Disappeared Persons in Honduras (COFADEH), the Team for the Reflection, Research and Communication of the Society of Jesus in Honduras (ERIC-SJ), Protection International (PI) and the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL).
The participating organisations denounced the ineffectiveness of the interim and precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Court and the Commission of Human Rights, after finding many shortcomings faced by the beneficiaries, who continue to be threatened. Likewise, punctual observations were made encompassing the various limitations and loopholes under the draft law named “Law on Protection for Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, Social Communicators and Justice Operators”, pending approval by the National Congress since august 2013. Finally some cases were highlighted, illustrating the risks that human rights defenders continue to face to the date in Honduras. Among others, special mention was made of the recent murder of Manuel de Jesús Varela Murillo, who was receiving protection measures.
The organisations called on national authorities to submit the above-mentioned draft law to a wide dialogue, in a participative and transparent way, for the purpose of establishing a mechanism to protect effectively human rights defenders. Finally, the CIDH was requested to visit Honduras to verify the reported risk situation, in order to provide appropriate recommendations.
via Honduras does not protect human rights defenders | | Protection InternationalProtection International.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Associated Press, disappearances, environmental issues, Honduras, Human right, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, impunity, Inter-American Human Rights Commission, Manuel de Jesús Varela Murillo, murder, PI, Protection International, State of Honduras, threats
November 2, 2013
“Women human rights defenders risk violence, prejudice and exclusion for their courageous work. Through this resolution, we want to contribute to their protection,” says Norway’s Foreign Minister Børge Brende. Norway is coordinating the UN General Assembly’s work in New York on the protection of human rights defenders. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, has on several occasions expressed great concern for the challenging working conditions of human rights defenders. This is the first time a resolution on the situation and significance of women human rights defenders has been put on the table. “We want to send a clear signal of support to women who fight for human rights around the world, and we call on member states to enable and allow for their work to make our societies better,” says Brende. The resolution also calls on national human rights institutions, regional organizations and the UN system to take action. The draft resolution was formally presented on Friday 1 November.
via Norway’s Proposal to Protect Women Human Rights Defenders – The Nordic Page – Panorama.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 3 Comments »
Tags: human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, human rights of women, international protection, Margaret Sekaggya, New York, Norway, UN General Assembly, UN Resolution, UN Special Rapporteur, United Nations, United Nations Special Rapporteur, women human rights defenders
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 