|
Act Now!
Across the globe human rights defenders face various forms of persecution in their everyday struggle for human rights
Artillery shells are fired at radio studios in Mogadishu injuring two journalists. Fariba Davodi Mohajer is sentenced for campaigning on behalf of women in Iran. In the Philippines, gunmen ambush a car in which three human rights defenders are travelling, leaving one man injured. In Mexico, a journalist is abducted and six days later his body is found.
Send an international appeal and you can help protect human rights defenders
Had it not been for Front Line, who would have been my refuge and safety?"
- - Thompson Ade Bayor, lawyer and human rights defender, Liberia
Become a Front Line defender sign up to receive Front Line actions, by email.
Urgent Cases
 Conditions Improve for Mutabar Tadjibaeva
Front Line is gravely concerned following reports of the deterioration in the health of Mutabar Tadjibaeva, human rights defender and Chairperson of the human rights organisation “Plammenoe Serdtse” (Fiery Hearts Club) in Ferghana city. Mutabar Tajibaeva was arrested on 7 October 2005 and subsequently sentenced to 8 years in prison on 6 March 2006. She is currently being detained at Tashkent Prison. Front Line has previously expressed grave concern at the continued detention of Mutabar Tadjibaeva and her deteriorating health, most recently on 28 March 2007. 
Front Line is extremely concerned by reports that the authorities have prevented the below-mentioned human rights defenders of the Human Rights Defenders Alliance of Uzbekistan from participating in a commemorative event on 13 May 2008 to mark the third anniversary of the Andijan massacre. Rasulzhon Tadjibaev, Shurat Ahmadzhonov, Yelena Urlaeva and Saidagzam Askarov were arrested. Lyudmila Mingazova, Karima Kamalova, Akramhodzha Muhitidinov, Shadmanbek Fazilov and Tatyana Dovlatova were reportedly forced to stay in their homes by law enforcement officials. Jana Ignatenko and Alisher Mamadzhanov were prevented from laying flowers at the "Monument of Courage" by the Intelligence Service. In addition, an attempt was made by officials of the Intelligence Service to detain Anatoli Volkov and Victoria Vazhenova at the "Monument of Courage."
Front Line is concerned about the travel ban that has been imposed against Abdul Rahman Al Lahem since 2004. Abdul Rahman Al Lahem is a human rights lawyer who has worked in particular to defend the rights of women. He was recently awarded the International Human Rights Lawyer Award from the American Bar Association but was unable to collect the award in person because of the travel ban against him and the confiscation of his passport.
Front Line is deeply concerned following a gun attack against women's rights organisation, Asuda, on 11 May 2008. Founded in 2000, Asuda is a non-governmental organisation based in Sulaymaniyah that provides protection for women victims of domestic violence.
Front Line is deeply concerned following the re-arrest of human rights defender Sapam Kangleipal Meitei following his release on bail. Sapam Kangleipal Meitei is the President of the Manipur Forward Youth Front (MAFYF), a voluntary civil organisation which works for the protection and promotion of human rights, peace building and social issues at the grass-roots level.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that charges of extremism have been brought against Yury Samodurov, director of the Sakharov Centre in Moscow. The Sakharov Centre is an art museum which is also used for human rights events such as press conferences and seminars, and has extensive literature on human rights in its library.
Front Line is deeply concerned following the arrest of human rights defender Habib Salih on 9 May 2008. Habib Salih is a writer and pro-democracy campaigner. He is a founder of the Tartus branch of the National Dialogue Forum.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arrest of human rights defender Hammoud Iguilid on 10 May 2008. Hammoud Iguilid is a member of the secretariat of the Collectif des Défenseurs Sahraouis des Droits de l´Homme - CODESA (Committee for the respect of liberties and human rights in the Western Sahara) and President of the El-Ayoune branch of the Association Marocaine des Droits Humains - AMDH (Moroccan Association for Human Rights).
Front Line is deeply concerned following the arrest of human rights defender Fahad Al-Qarni on 5 April 2008. Fahad Al-Qarni is a human rights defender and pro-democracy activist who has campaigned for freedom of expression in Yemen through his work as a musician and comedian.
Front Line is deeply concerned following the arrest of human rights defender Sapam Kangleipal Meitei. Sapam Kangleipal Meitei is the President of the Manipur Forward Youth Front (MAFYF), a voluntary civil organisation which works for the protection and promotion of human rights, peace building and social issues at the grass-roots level.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that documents carried by human rights lawyer Dzimbabwe Chimbga were confiscated by security agents at Harare International Airport on 2 May 2008. Dzimbabwe Chimbga works with Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), a non-governmental organisation committed to upholding respect for the rule of law and the unimpeded administration of justice, free and fair elections, the free flow of information and the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms in Zimbabwe.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of an attack against human rights defender, Dr Magda Adly. Dr Magda Adly is a medical professional with the El Nadim Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Victims of Violence, an organisation that assists victims of torture and violence through research, training, counselling and raising public awareness.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the attack against the vehicle carrying Parvez Aslam Choudhry, Aslam Masih, Ijaz Victor and Mubarak Masih, all members of Legal Aid for the Destitute and Settlement (LADS), and of accusations brought against Aslam Masih. LADS provides legal support to poor detainees and works against discriminatory laws in Pakistan.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that human rights defender Myo Thant is being ill-treated whilst in detention. Myo Thant is a member of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Network (HRDP), an organisation dedicated to raising awareness of human rights issues, particularly in the fields of children's rights, women's rights and labour rights.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the sentencing of human rights defender Ennaama Asfari to two months' imprisonment and a fine of 3,000 Dirhams on 28 April 2008. Ennaama Asfari is co-president of the Comité pour le respect des libertés et des droits humains au Sahara occidental - CORELSO (Committee for the respect of liberties and human rights in the Western Sahara). Front Line is also concerned in relation to the expulsion from Morocco of four international observers who were present at the trial of Ennaama Asfari on 21 April 2008.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of threats received by members of the Palestinian Human Rights Foundation (Monitor), a human rights organisation based in Lebanon.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of a raid on the offices of the Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) and of the home of Rindai Chipfunde-Vava, Director of the ZESN, on 25 April 2008. The ZESN is a group of thirty-eight non-governmental organisations which have come together to promote democratic processes in Zimbabwe.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of death threats received by human rights defenders Jean Bedel Kaniki, Dieudonné Sango, Jean-Paul Ngongo Mundala and Sophie Roudil, all of whom are members of a group of independent observers of the trial concerning the killing of Serge Maheshe.
Front Line is extremely concerned following reports of death threats against human rights defender Sifa Bunyere. Sifa Bunyere is the president of the Association des Femmes pour l’assistance aux défavorisés (AFAD), an organisation that defends the victims of sexual violence in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arrest and detention of human rights defender Ennaama Asfari, co-president of the Comité pour le respect des libertés et des droits humains au Sahara occidental - CORELSO (Committee for the respect of liberties and human rights in the Western Sahara), on 13 April 2008 in Marrakesh.Ennaama Asfari was reportedly subject to torture and ill-treatment by police officers before being brought into police custody. He is currently being detained at the Boulemharez Prison in Marrakesh.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the continued ill-treatment and torture of human rights defenders Mohammed Abdullah Al Sengais, head of the Committee to Combat High Prices; Hassan Abdulnabi Hassan and Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh, members of the Unemployment Committee; and Naji Ali Fateel, member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR). They were arrested between 21 December and 28 December 2007 and are being detained in the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB).
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of an attack against human rights defender Radhia Nasraoui by approximately thirty police officers on 18 April 2008. Radhia Nasraoui is a human rights lawyer and works to defend the victims of human rights violations. She is also the President of the Association de lutte contre la torture en Tunisie (Association against torture in Tunisia).
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of a theft from the office of the Movimiento Ecuménico por los Derechos Humanos (MEDH). The MEDH is composed of a group of churches and has been specifically dedicated to the defence of human rights since its creation in 1976.
Front Line is deeply concerned following the sentencing of human rights defender Yusuf Juma to five years' imprisonment on 15 April 2008. Yusuf Juma is a prominent writer and pro-democracy activist in Uzbekistan. He was arrested along with his sons, Bobur and Mashrab, in the Tashkent region in mid-December 2007 and he has been detained in the Otbozor Prison in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of a break-in and robbery at the home of human rights defender Viviana Beigel on 11 April 2008. Viviana Beigel is a human rights lawyer with the Movimiento Ecuménico por los Derechos Humanos - MEDH (Ecumenical Movement for Human Rights) in the region of Mendoza in Argentina. She has defended victims of human rights violations committed during the dictatorship.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of death threats against members of human rights organisations Fedeagromisbol, Sembrar and ElPrograma de Desarrollo y Paz del Magdalena Medio, as well as priests from the region of Sur de Bolívar, received on 10 April 2008. These organisations promote mining and agricultural projects and support local communities in Sur de Bolívar.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of death threats against human rights defender Shirin Ebadi received on 5 April 2008. Shirin Ebadi is a human rights lawyer and founder of the Centre of Defenders of Human Rights. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her work to protect the rights of women and children in Iran.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arbitrary arrest and detention of human rights defender Mohammed Badih al-Bab on 2 March 2008 in Damascus. Mohammed Badih al-Bab is a member of the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that human rights defender and writer Karam Ibrahim Yousef was shot in the head on 20 March 2008. Karam Ibrahim Yousef has written extensively in defence of the human rights of the Kurdish community in Syria.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that the office of the Nizhny Novgorod Foundation to Support Tolerance was raided by police on 20 March 2008. Computers and software were taken as well as the mobile phone of Stanislav Dmitrievsky, a consultant with the Foundation. Stanislav Dmitrievsky had previously been Chairperson of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS), a predecessor to the Foundation, before it was closed down in Russia by the authorities.
|
