Posts Tagged ‘Tunisia’
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
October 15, 2013
Almost three years after the onset of its “Revolutions”, the Arab region continues to bear stark contrasts within its democratic track. Whereas a new era has been instigated and elections have been held in five countries Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Libya and Algeria, major violations of human rights persist on multiple levels and by different actors including non-governmental players. On 8 October The Euro-Mediterranean Foundation of Support to Human Rights Defenders (EMHRF) released its Annual report on 2012. Driss El Yazami, President of the EMHRF, notes that “an irreversible process is ongoing and involves emancipating countries from authoritarianism and political despotism. The Arab people have entered a new and decisive era for the future of democracy and human rights. Beyond the complexity of this transition, the initiated process is strongly influenced by the strengthened role played by human rights defenders. They are key players in overcoming new challenges and working peacefully towards the realization of a democratic and citizen-driven model for living together.”
The civil society movement continues to prove to be extremely dynamic and effective in guaranteeing respect for fundamental freedoms and preventing any appropriation of the newly acquired freedoms. Nonetheless, this movement is weakened by significant threats, shortages in human and financial resources and difficulties in joining forces. Particular attention was paid to Syria, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt.
This report is available in Arabic, English and French.
http://www.emhrf.org/en/activityreports.php <http://www.emhrf.org/en/activityreports.php>
Posted in EMHRN, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Algeria, annual report 2012, Arab people, Arab spring, Arab world, Civil society, Driss El Yazami, Egypt, EMHRF, Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for support to Human Rights Defenders, Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, uprising
May 27, 2013
ARTICLE 19 is to launch a programme to protect journalists and human rights defenders in Tunisia, following a series of meetings with media workers and civil society groups in the country. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Article 19, Human right, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, impunity, Journalist, journalists, lawyer, media, north africa, protection, traning, Tunis, Tunisia
March 5, 2013
Margaret Sekaggya (UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré)
Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, presented her report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. She said inter alia that the response of law enforcement authorities in Tunisia to violations against human rights defenders appears ‘unsatisfactory’ and that the lack of independence of the judiciary is also a cause for concern. “I am concerned about the considerable polarization I observed in Tunisian society between secularists and Islamists, including so-called Salafists, a divide which also transpires to civil society. All stakeholders, including the international community, should work together to ensure dialogue, understanding and respect between different parts of society.”
Ms Sekaggya also told the Human Rights Council that she’s particularly concerned about the way human rights defenders are treated in countries in the Gulf region, especially in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. And on recent developments in Egypt she said that the considerable violence suffered by peaceful protesters, including gender-based violence against women human rights defenders, points to a situation that is getting out of hand.
To hear the radio interview of 1’32″ by Nicki Chadwick of UN Radio in Geneva go to http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/2013/03/human-rights-defenders-more-at-risk-in-tunisia-since-the-revolution/ and press LISTEN.
For the full report of the Special Rapporteur in PDF: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session22/A.HRC.22.47_en.pdf
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, UN | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, Egypt, Geneva, Human right, human rights, Human Rights Council, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, Middle East, protection, radio, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UN Radio, UN Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, United Arab Emirate
February 2, 2013
Radhia Nasraoui, human rights defender and lawyer, is awarded the 2012 Olof Palme Prize, for her untiring work against torture and impunity for more than three decades. As a concerned and patriotic citizen, she has under severe pressure defended human rights in Tunisia and challenged authorities under the motto “We must use our voices. Not saying anything makes us accomplices of the oppression”.
Waleed Sami Abu al-Khair receives the 2012 Olof Palme Prize for his strong, self-sacrificing and sustained struggle to promote respect for human and civil rights for both men and women in Saudi Arabia. Together with like-minded citizens and colleagues, Waleed Sam Abu AlKhair does so with the noble goal of contributing to a just and modern society in his country and region.
THE OLOF PALME PRIZE, the Swedish labor movement’s most prestigious award since 1987 when the Olof Palme Fund’s Board decided to establish an annual prize for a particularly significant achievement in the spirit of Olof Palme. The prize consists of USD 75 000.
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Advocacy Organizations, Human right, human rights advocates, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, labour movement, Middle East, Olof Palme, Radhia Nasraoui, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tunisia, Waleed Sami Abu al-Khair
September 27, 2012
On 26 September UPI reports from Geneva that a U.N. rights delegation announced plans to assess the role human rights defenders have played in Tunisia since the country’s Jasmine Revolution in 2010.
Margaret Sekaggya, U.N. special envoy on human rights organizations, leads a delegation to Tunisia for a trip that concludes Oct. 5, a first since the country’s revolution.
“Human rights defenders have played an essential part in the call for democracy, justice and human rights across the region,” she said in a statement. “We are intrigued and excited to observe the working conditions of defenders of all generations in the country that in many ways triggered the Arab Spring.”
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2012/09/26/UN-rights-delegation-heads-to-Tunisia/UPI-29741348668711/#ixzz27fzkoNw1
U.N. rights delegation heads to Tunisia – UPI.com.
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Arab spring, Human Rights Defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, Tunisia, UN, UN Special Rapporteur
March 19, 2012
The newspaper the Zimbabwean comes with the following story: the MDC – although technically part of a unity government – denounces today’s conviction of human rights activist, Munyaradzi Gwisai and five others of conspiracy to commit crime by plotting to topple the government of Zimbabwe. The MDC dissociates itself from claims by the State that the six human rights defenders wanted to topple the government of Zimbabwe through watching video clips.
“We totally condemn the persecution through prosecution of the six in the first place and their conviction today at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts is another assault on democracy and human rights. All the six are innocent victims of a barbaric and senseless Zanu PF dictatorship.”
Gwisai, a former MP for Highfield, is the general coordinator of International Socialist Organisation (ISO). The others who were found guilty today are; Antoinette Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Edson Chakuma, Hopewell Gumbo and Welcome Zimuto. The MDC quite rightly calls it “beyond belief” to assume that people can topple a government by simply viewing old video footage of events from Tunisia and Egypt.
How can anyone be convicted for watching video material that is already in the public domain and can be accessed by anyone from anywhere in the world?
Posted in films, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Egypt, freedom of information, Human rights defender, International Socialist Organisation, MDC, Munyaradzi Gwisai, repression, Tunisia, video clips, Zimbabwe
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 