When North Korea, Iran and Kazakhstan start praising your human rights records, it may be time to change tactics. Turkmenistan came under fire at a recent session of the United Nations Human Rights Council where it was questioned by its peers for its torture programs, systematic suppression of free speech and persecution of human rights defenders. Read the rest of this entry »
Posts Tagged ‘human rights’
Arbitrary arrest of human rights defender Kuch Veng in Cambodia
May 27, 2013
(Kuch Veng being arrested)
On 19 May 2013, human rights defender Kuch Veng was arrested by four police officers at Kbal Trach commune in Cambodia. Kuch Veng is a land rights activist and is a member of the Community Peace Network.At 9.30am, four police officers led by Nhoeuk Sophea arrested the human rights defender while he was visiting families of villagers who are effected by the land conflict with Pheapimex, a land development firm owned by a businessman Choeung Sopheap and the wife of the Cambodia Peoples Party Senator Mr Lao Meng Khin. According to an eyewitness, the police did not show the court order and did not state a clear reason for his arrest. During the arrest, Kuch Veng’s sister, Chrep Samuth, was intimidated and harassed. The police told the villagers that if they wanted to know the charges, they would have to go to the district police station. It is reported that Kuch Veng was sent to the Pursat Provincial Court on 20 May 2013. Kuch Veng has been active with the Community Peace Network since 2010. He has been involved in land rights work since 2000 when Pheapimex started to be active in the area. Kuch Veng has been arrested many times before on account of his work on land rights. Front Line Defenders believes that the arrest of Kuch Veng is directly related to his work in the defence of human rights, in particular on land rights, and sees this as part of a pattern of ongoing harassment against the human rights defender.
via Cambodia: Arbitrary arrest of human rights defender Mr Kuch Veng | Front Line.
Double Bind: what to do if perpetrators are themselves being persecuted?
May 25, 2013Meredith Tax, a writer and political activist, has recently addressed in a book a most important and tricky subject: Double Bind: The Muslim Right, the Anglo-American Left, and Universal Human Rights, published by the Centre for Secular Space. Human rights defenders are supposed to protect the rights of those oppressed by the state or by non-state actors. Read the rest of this entry »
Bahrain and human rights: contrasting views
May 23, 2013
Bahrain‘s Human Rights Minister during a visit to Morocco on 22 May stated: “Bahrain Has Presented Itself as a Model in Implementing BICI’s Recommendations”
He said that despite the regretful incidents that happened in 2011, the kingdom of Bahrain has presented itself as a model in its wise dealing with those events, highlighting Bahrain’s bold steps in this regard, including the establishment of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), led by international eminent judges, the acceptance of the recommendations featuring in BICI’s final report and the political leadership’s commitment to implementing them, out of its belief in the importance of protecting human rights. Read the rest of this entry »
Facebook Joins the Global Network Initiative for Human Rights
May 23, 2013
On 22 May 2013 the Global Network Initiative (GNI) announced that Facebook had become the sixth company to join GNI. “Advancing human rights, including freedom of expression and the right to communicate freely, is core to our mission of making the world more open and connected,” said Elliot Schrage, Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Public Policy at Facebook.
GNI brings information technology companies together with NGOs, investors and academics. Founding companies are: Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo!, as well as Evoca and Websense who joined the initiative in 2011. GNI’s principles and guidelines provide companies with a framework for responding to government requests in a manner that protects and advances freedom of expression and privacy. Companies that join GNI agree to independent assessments of their record in implementing these principles and guidelines.
“By joining this important collaboration between companies, human rights organizations, investors, and academics, Facebook is fully embracing its responsibility to protecting the rights of its users and setting an example that other companies should follow,” said Leslie Harris, President and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology.
Contacts: David Sullivan, GNI, dsullivan@globalnetworkinitiative.org
via Facebook Joins the Global Network Initiative | Global Network Initiative.
Amnesty International publishes State of the World 2013, which covers 2012
May 23, 2013
Yesterday, 22 May, Amnesty International published its annual Report 2013 which documents the state of human rights during 2012. In five regional overviews and a country-by-country survey of 155 individual countries and territories, the report shows how the demand for human rights continued to resound in every corner of the globe… Resistance to injustice and repression took many forms, often inspiring acts of courage and determination from the communities and individuals facing seemingly insuperable obstacles. In the face of indifference, threats and attacks, human rights defenders pursued legal challenges at the national and international level to long-standing impunity and endemic discrimination.
Angola: Human Rights Defenders are still facing many obstacles says recent NGO report
May 22, 2013“Angola: From Theory to Practice – Its Time to Guarantee the Capacity of Human Rights Defenders to Act” (original: ANGOLA: Da Teoria à Prática – É hora de garantir a capacidade de atuação dos defensores dos direitos humanos) is the title of the report (preliminary findings) published today by The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture OMCT.
The Observatory carried out a fact-finding mission in Angola, from April 21 to May 1, 2013, to analyse the context in which human rights defenders are operating in the country. The mission delegation met with, amongst others, members of human rights NGOs, journalists, lawyers, artists, along with representatives of national authorities, political parties and foreign diplomatic missions. Read the rest of this entry »
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons addresses Mozambique’s new Human Rights Commission
May 22, 2013
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon met on 21 May 2013 with the newly elected members of Mozambique‘s National Human Rights Commission and stressed the need to communicate with human rights defenders:
“Good governance, justice, human rights and anticorruption are central to the Government’s plans to reduce poverty and accelerate development. You have an essential role to play. Mozambique is faced with a number of human rights challenges. The Universal Periodic Review of Mozambique two years ago highlighted several, including arbitrary detention, torture and extrajudicial killings, access to justice and conditions in places of detention. Another major issue is discrimination and violence against women, especially in rural areas. …… The people of Mozambique expect this new institution to play a critical role in combating corruption and guaranteeing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. You will have the power to investigate alleged human rights violations and issue recommendations. I commend the inclusive nature of the membership of the Commission, and especially that it includes representation from civil society. Your decision to hold periodic open sessions with civil society is commendable and wise, and I encourage you to pursue regular communication with human rights defenders….”
via United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons Statements.
Canadian Lawyers write for detained Human Rights Defender Asma Ahmed in Sudan
May 21, 2013Canada LRWC is a committee of Canadian lawyers and law professors who campaign internationally for advocacy rights and advocates in danger and on rule of law issues. The following is both an illustration of professional solidarity and giving information on a Sudanese woman human rights lawyer, Asma Ahmed: Read the rest of this entry »
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 