Posts Tagged ‘Maina Kiai’

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Annual Report 2013 of the Observatory focuses on the issue of funding of NGOs

April 24, 2013
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In its  2013  Annual Report, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders focuses on a new setback impeding the work of human rights defenders. Access to funding, in particular foreign funding, is increasingly being hindered by governments, whose primary intentions are to silence human rights defenders. The Report of the Observatory, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), provides a global review of the violations of NGOs’ right to funding via various forms of restrictions imposed by States. It provides a detailed picture of this as yet insufficiently studied problem. This analysis is illustrated by concrete cases in 35 countries.
As also highlighted by Maina Kiai, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, in the Foreword to the Report, “The topic of this year’s Report is most pertinent as lately we have witnessed increased stigmatization and undue restrictions in relation to access to funding and resources for civil society organizations, in an attempt to stifle any forms of criticism […]”.
Based on the legal framework surrounding the right to access to funding and the embryonic jurisprudence on this subject, the Report seeks to foster an in-depth analysis of the negative impacts of these restrictive measures, and addresses recommendations to all stakeholders – beneficiaries, donors, governments and intergovernmental organisations.
Two of the three Final Nominees of the MEA this year (in Egypt and Russia) have to deal with these kind of restrictions.

For those who missed the publication when announced in February: Annual Reports : OBS Annual Report 2013: Violations of the right … – FIDH.

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Kenyan Star reports Increasing Threats to Human Rights Defenders

January 16, 2013

There have been increased threats on human rights defenders and journalists in the last 6 months. Kenyan Human Rights Commission (KHRC) Director Atsango Chesoni says among those who have been threatened are Maina Kiai, Hassan Omar, Ndungu Wainaina and Makau Mutua. She says the threats are directed at those who have spoken out on issues such as the ICC and integrity.

via INCREASING THREATS ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AND JOURNALISTS | The Star.

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UN Rapporteurs call for end to persecution of human rights defenders in Bahrain

August 23, 2012

It is not often that three different UN Rapporteurs jointly take such a strong position on a particular country, but in the case of Bahrain that is exactly what happened today 23 August 2012:

A group of independent United Nations experts today voiced serious concerns about the “campaign of persecution” by the Bahraini authorities against those working to promote human rights in the country, and called for the prompt release of a prominent human rights defender recently sentenced to three years imprisonment.“It is time for the Bahraini authorities to comply with the rights to peaceful assembly and expression and immediately release those arbitrarily detained for exercising their legitimate freedoms,” the experts said in a news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).They also called for the immediate release of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab, who was convicted on three charges of illegal assembly related to his participation in peaceful gatherings in favour of fundamental freedoms and democracy, including a peaceful protest to denounce the detention of fellow defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja. Mr. Rajab was recently sentenced to three years imprisonment. The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is one of the nominees for the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders to be decided on 2 October in Geneva. Mr. Rajab is also currently serving three months imprisonment for alleged libel through a social networking site. After a series of postponements, a decision by Bahrain’s Higher Appeal Court on that sentence is reportedly due to be announced today, but this will not make much difference of his 3-year sentence referred to above.

“The sentencing of Nabeel Rajab represents yet another blatant attempt by the Government of Bahrain to silence those legitimately working to promote basic human rights,” said the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya. “The Bahraini Government must immediately cease its campaign of persecution of human rights defenders in the country”.

The Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, stressed that “the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly should not be subject to prior authorization from the authorities.” He noted that the criminalization of people participating in peaceful assemblies for the sole reason that they did not seek the approval of the authorities to hold such assemblies contradicts international human rights law.

“The continuing repression of free speech in Bahrain runs counter to international law and standards that individuals will not be prosecuted for peaceful political speech,” said the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue. He added, “The authorities must take all measures to guarantee the free expression of all individuals in Bahrain, whether through social media or otherwise.”

for the full text: Independent UN experts call for end to persecution of rights defenders in Bahrain.

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UN Special Rapporteurs urge Cambodia not to go ahead with draft Law on Associations and NGOs

September 28, 2011

According to a UN press release (issued 28 September 2011) the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Surya Subedi, together with colleague-rapporteurs on freedom of  assembly and association, Mr. Maina Kiai, and on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Margaret Sekaggya,urged the Cambodian authorities to take fully on board the concerns raised during the consultation process before enacting the law, especially the onerous requirements for registration and the lack of clear criteria on which registration applications will be considered. The draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations, in its current form, “may hamper the legitimate work of NGOs in the country.”
“The Government of Cambodia should not proceed with the draft NGO law in its present form,” Mr. Subedi said presenting his annual report on the situation of human rights in Cambodia to the UN Human Rights Council. “Of course, as a sovereign country, Cambodia is entitled to enact a law on NGOs, but the decision to adopt a law to regulate NGOs and associations is a critical initiative which requires careful attention, given its long-term implications for the development of Cambodian society – and in turn the country – itself.”  The UN expert drew attention to the fact that many of the civil society organizations in Cambodia have been playing a complementary role to that of the State in helping or delivering key social services in the areas of education, health, rural development, sanitation, social welfare and the protection of natural resources and the environment.

Mr. Subedi acknowledges that the overall situation of human rights had improved over the years in Cambodia, but that there still was “a great deal of work to be done to strengthen the rule of law, to accelerate the process of democratisation and to enhance the capacity of parliament to hold executive to account.”

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