Posts Tagged ‘Special Rapporteur’
March 4, 2013
It seems that International Women’s Day is increasingly becoming a day on which human rights defenders become a central theme. An example is York University in the UK where 8 international human rights defenders studying at the University of York’s Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) spoke in recognition of International Women’s Day on Saturday 2 March about their experiences as “Women of the Front Line”. Relaying their own backgrounds and the influences that encouraged them to begin defending human rights, the women spoke for over an hour on displacement of women and children in periods of conflict, inequalities of women’s rights in their countries’ legal systems, and on cases of domestic violence including beating and rape. The speakers included, Karak Denyok Miakol, a social worker and the founder of Diar for Rehabilitation and Development Association DRDA, Samira Hamidi, the Country Director of the Afghan Women’s Network, Kultan Sh. Hassan, the human rights officer of the Women’s Action for Advocacy and Progress Organisation in Somaliland and Lineo Tsikoane, a human rights defender from Lesotho. Challenging the traditions and cultures of society presents these women with constant challenges and threats; Lineo Tsikoane admitted how “on many occasions I do not sleep at home” for fear of being arrested by the government. Questioned on the conflict between being a human rights defender and a mother, all acknowledged the challenge, but as Kultan Sh. Hussan stated, they accept that “we have a responsibility more than that”. They also emphasised the importance of engaging men in their campaigns and ensuring that women had equal access to education. They encouraged the use of letter writing, internet petitions and campaigns here in support of their causes as a source of solidarity and inspiration that their plight is being acknowledged 
internationally. Sanna Eriksson, the Centre Coordinator for the CAHR, hoped that the event would foster a better engagement of these International Human Rights Defenders and the local community in York as well as raise awareness of International Women’s Day. The event also showcased poetry by the Human Rights Defenders, depicting personal insights on issues of female genital mutilation and the continuing oppression of women’s voices around the world.
York’s CAHR is planning a special issue of its respected Journal of Human Rights Practice on the topic of the Protection of Human Rights Defenders for the last quarter of this year.
via Showcase of International Human Rights Campaigners | Nouse.
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Tags: Advocacy Organizations, CAHR, Centre for Applied Human Rights, Human right, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, international women's day, protection, Somaliland, Special Rapporteur, United Nations, women human rights defenders, Women's rights, York university
March 1, 2013
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 3 Comments »
Tags: Geneva, Human right, Human Rights Council, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights House Foundation, legislation, Non-governmental organization, Norway, protection, Special Rapporteur, UN Resolution, United Nations, United Nations Human Rights Council
February 15, 2013
The UN Human Rights Council’s 22nd session will be held from 25 February to 22 March 2013 and consider a range of significant thematic and country-specific human rights issues and actions. The ISHR provides timely and expert information especially as for human rights defenders there are several relevant initiatives. Norway will lead negotiations on a resolution focusing on legislation that affects human rights defenders with the goal of improving the protection of human rights defenders and eliminating laws which impair their work. ISHR
has watched the development of this resolution closely. The resolution will build on the report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Ms Margaret Sekaggya, to the UN General Assembly in 2012. This report considered the issue of the ‘criminalisation’ of human rights defenders Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights | 8 Comments »
Tags: criminalization, freedom of demonstration, freedom of expression, human rights, Human Rights Council, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, International Service for Human Rights, ISHR, Margaret Sekaggya, national institutions, Norway, Special Rapporteur, UN, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
February 7, 2013
A draft law to criminalise “homosexual propaganda”, currently being considered by the Russian parliament, flagrantly violates international human rights laws and standards, says the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR). The ISHR is particularly concerned that the law will be used to target, intimidate or harass human rights defenders and those who speak out on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. “States have an obligation not only to respect and protect human rights, but also to respect and protect those who stand up and speak out for human rights. Russia’s draft law is manifestly incompatible with this obligation,” said Ms Collister of the ISHR.
ISHR’s statement comes as three United Nations Independent human rights experts have also called on Russian parliament to scrap the draft Bill. In a joint statement issued by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the right to health, the experts state, “The draft legislation could further contribute to the already difficult environment in which these defenders operate, stigmatizing their work and making them the target of acts of intimidation and violence, as has recently happened in Moscow.”
For further comment, contact Heather Collister, International Service for Human Rights, on + 41 79 920 3805 or h.collister@ishr.ch.
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Tags: draft law, freedom of expression, Freedom of speech, health, homoph, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, International Service for Human Rights, legislation, LGBT rights, Moscow, Russia, Special Rapporteur, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, UN Rapporteurs, United Nations
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.
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Tags: Advocacy Organizations, Africa, Human rights defender, ISHR, Special Rapporteur, Women Human Rights Defenders Day
March 15, 2012
On March 8 and 9, 2012, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), organised the fourth “inter-mechanisms” meeting, which was hosted by the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland. This is a unique informal platform where under Chatham House Rules key actors meet to fine tune standards and mechanisms for Human Rights Defenders.
On this occasion, international and regional mechanisms and programmes for the protection of human rights defenders – operating within the United Nations, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the Council of Europe, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights(IACHR) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – joined by representatives of the European Union, the International Organisation of the Francophonie and various NGOs, discussed the drafting of a joint report on existing standards and recommendations related to the protection of human rights defenders at the international and regional levels. IACHR offered to take a coordinating role in drafting the report, with the back up of the Observatory. This report would be inspired by the 2011 Commentary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and the IACHR Second Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders. Such a document, the first of its kind, will not only be a useful tool to human rights defenders, States and other relevant stakeholders, but will also demonstrate a unity of approaches among mechanisms.
Participants also shared their experiences and lessons learnt in order to identify possible ways tostrengthen the coordination and cooperation among existing mandates on the protection of human rights defenders. In particular, action-oriented discussions focused on how to ensure accountability for human rights violations against human rights defenders, which is a central issue for all mechanisms and programmes in order to combat impunity.
Participants also discussed core policy challenges affecting the protection of human rights defenders in relation to freedom of association, as well as possibilities of cooperation with the newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. A specific focus on the right to receive and access funding, including foreign funding was discussed, reflecting renewed preoccupations by mechanisms on restrictions by States in this regard. These issues should be further discussed during a future inter-mechanisms meeting, to be organised by the Observatory.
For more information, please contact :
• OMCT : Delphine Reculeau : + 41 22 809 49 39
• FIDH : Karine Appy / Arthur Manet : + 33 1 43 55 25 18
Concrete steps towards better protection of human rights defenders / March 15, 2012 / Urgent Interventions / Human rights defenders / OMCT.
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT, UN | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Council of Europe, FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, IACHR, international community, NGOs, Observatory for the Protection of HRDs, OIF, OMCT, OSCE, Special Rapporteur, UN
November 29, 2011
The United Nations announced today that its Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, will launch a fact-finding mission to three European countries which host Iranian diaspora. He will visit France, Germany and Belgium from 30 November – 8 December 2011 to gather information about alleged human rights violations in Iran. As reported in this blog earlier, serial cooperation refusnik Iran (7 July and 8 August 2011), the independent expert has made official requests to the Islamic Republic of Iran for a country visit, without obtaining a positive response from the authorities. “I will continue to make every possible effort to get the Iranian authorities’ support,” Mr. Shaheed said. “A country visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran would have allowed me to gain better understanding of the situation in the country, explore possible areas of cooperation, offer constructive dialogue with the authorities and produce report that reflect the views of all parties concerned, not the least the views of the Government.” … “ I will now study wide range of human rights issues by meeting activists within Iranian diaspora, alleged victims of human rights violations, intergovernmental and civil society organizations,” he explained. “The information collected in France, Germany and Belgium will help shape my report to the Human Rights Council in March 2012.” The human rights expert will hold a press conference on Thursday 8 December 2011 at 10:30 at the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) office in Brussels.
NB. The person the Iranian regime is refusing is Ahmed Shaheed, a Visiting Lecturer at the Maldives National University, a member of the presidential Commission Investigating Corruption and a former foreign policy advisor to the President of the Maldives. Mr Shaheed was Foreign Minister of the Maldives from 2005 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2010.
see also: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/IRIndex.aspx
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Tags: Human Rights Council, Iran, Special Rapporteur, UN
August 10, 2011
You probably have seen already references to this new publication which came out during my leave. I still refer to it simply because a blog on HRDs is not complete without it.
The Commentary to the Declaration on human rights defenders is a 100-page document which maps out the rights provided for in the Declaration, based mostly on information received and reports produced by the two Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights defenders, Hina Jilani (2000-2008) and Margaret Sekaggya (since 2008), during the past eleven years. The ‘Commentary’ analyses what these rights entail and what is needed to ensure their implementation. It also addressesthe most common restrictions and violations faced by defenders, and provides recommendations to facilitate States’ implementation of each right. As should be expected from a UN publication it is fairly dry and does not break new ground but it certainly is well-organised guide to the work done in the last decade. It is arranged in 10 sections, each addressing a right in the Declaration, namely: the right to right to be protected, the right to freedom of assembly, the right to freedom of association, the right to access and communicate with international bodies, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the right to protest, the right to develop and discuss new human rights ideas, the right to an effective remedy and the right to access funding. A final section addresses permissible derogations to these rights.
To access the resource in PDF, please control/click here
Posted in books, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Declaration, Jilani, Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur, UN
August 8, 2011
According to the official iranian students news agency (ISNA) on 6 August, Iran continues to work with the UN Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as it used to do. “We have good relations with the UN Human Rights Council and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. We are sorry that some countries use the issue of human rights as an instrument and this time the US and some western states have employed human rights as an instrument to press Iran, but these pressures will go nowhere,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in a press conference referring to reports that a special United Nations human rights reporter has called for travel to Iran.
see: ISNA – 08-06-2011 – 90/5/15 – Service: / Foreign Policy / News ID: 1821676.
On 20 July I reported already in this blog that Mohammad Javad Larijani, Iran’s secretary general of the high council for human rights, had rejected the appointment of a rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran and that Iran “will not accept the decision”; so the Minister of Foreign Affairs is not totally aware of the position taken by the SG of the High Council for Human Rights.
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Tags: international community, Iran, Special Rapporteur, UN
July 20, 2011
On 28 March this year I reported some good news in the ‘crime-should-not-pay series”: the UN decided to finally establish an Iran investigator. But that joy seems to have been a bit premature as Iran has now announced that it will not permit the UN special rapporteur assigned with investigating its record of human rights to enter the country. Ahmad Shaheed, a former foreign affairs minister of the Maldives, was appointed by the UN as the monitor in June. According to the Tehran Times, a government sponsored English-language newspaper, Mohammad Javad Larijani, Iran’s secretary general of the high council for human rights, said: “The western-engineered appointment of a special rapporteur for Iran is an illegal measure”, adding that “this unilateral action makes no sense and if they want to send a special rapporteur to Iran, they should take the same measure in the case of other countries.”
The appointment of the rapporteur was the result of concerted warnings by various human rights organisations against Iran’s current record of human rights. In recent years, rights groups have expressed concerns over the arbitrary arrests of political activists, the sharp rise in the country’s rate of execution and claims of torture and rape inside Iran’s prisons. According to the organisations that have been monitoring Iran, in the first six months of this year an average of almost two people a day were executed. Dozens of journalists, several lawyers, political activists, members of different ethnic minorities and many political figures remain in jail with poor legal representation and little access to the outside world (see e.g. my blog from yesterday on the position of Norway). In his remarks about Shaheed, Larijani objected that the countries behind the appointment of the special rapporteur had remained silent over the human rights issues surrounding “Guantánamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and Israeli jails”. “Iran has no problem with the individual who has been appointed as the special rapporteur, but the appointment of a rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran is unacceptable and Iran will not accept the decision,” he added.
The big question remains whether the systematic non-cooperation by Iran and similar regimes pays in the end or not. It would be of little use to make new norms or procedures if the most basic existing ones can be flaunted.
For more details see http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/18/iran-refuses-un-human-rights
Posted in human rights | 1 Comment »
Tags: human rights, Iran, Special Rapporteur
internationally. Sanna Eriksson, the Centre Coordinator for the CAHR, hoped that the event would foster a better engagement of these International Human Rights Defenders and the local community in York as well as raise awareness of International Women’s Day. The event also showcased poetry by the Human Rights Defenders, depicting personal insights on issues of female genital mutilation and the continuing oppression of women’s voices around the world.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 