Front Line

Zimbabwe – Abduction of human rights defender, Ms Jestina Mukoko

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports received of the abduction of Ms Jestina Mukoko by Zimbabwean security forces from her home in Norton Harare in the morning of 3 December 2008, at approximately 5:00 am. Jestina Mukoko is the Project Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), an organisation monitoring and documenting violence and human rights abuses across the country through a network of peace observers.

Zimbabwe

Cameroon – Charges pending against human rights defender, Mr Mamsour Hamadou

Front Line is concerned following reports of charges of “impersonating a lawyer” and “threats” pending against human rights defender Mamsour Hamadou, following his arrest on 22 November 2008 in Maroua, Far North Province. Mamsour Hamadou is a member of the Mouvement pour la Défense des Droits Humains et des Libertés – MDDHL (Movement for the Defence of Human Rights and Liberties).

Cameroon

Yemen - Travel ban on journalist and human rights defender, Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani

Front Line is concerned following reports that human rights defender and journalist, Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani, was banned from travelling to a human rights conference on 30 November 2008 despite receiving a presidential pardon on 25 September 2008 for all charges held against him. Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani is the former Editor-in-Chief of the pro-democracy online newspaper, Al-Shoura, and a campaigner for the right to freedom of expression in Yemen.

Yemen

Egypt - Ongoing detention and deterioration in health of human rights defender

Front Line is deeply concerned for the continued detention and the deteriorating in health condition of Mosaad Soliman Hassan Hussein (a.k.a. Mosaad Abu Fagr) who has been in detention in Borg Al Arab prison in the Alexandria desert since his arrest on 26 December 2007. Mosaad Abu Fagr is a human rights defender, blogger and writer working on behalf of the rights of the Sinai community in Egypt. Front Line previously issued an urgent appeal concerning his arrest on 10 January 2008.

Egypt

Democratic Republic of Congo - Murder of human rights defender and journalist, Didace Namujimbo

Front Line strongly condemns the murder of human rights defender, Didace Namujimbo. Didace Namujimbo was a journalist with Radio Okapi in Bukavu, the capital of Southern-Kivu Province. Radio Okapi is jointly run by the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) and the Hirondelle Foundation, a Swiss non-governmental organisation (NGO), to promote access to information as part of the peace building efforts in the region.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Sri Lanka - Journalist and human rights defender J.S. Tissanayagam wins RSF award

Update

J.S. Tissainayagam has been nominated for a media freedom award for defending the freedom of information by the international media rights group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF). J.S. Tissainayagam is one of six journalists to be nominated for the award for "journalists who through their work, their principled stand or their attitude have displayed support for freedom of information." J.S. Tissainayagam remains in detention in Magazine Prison, Colombo.

Sri Lanka

Armenia: Attack on human rights defender and journalist Edik Baghdasaryan

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports received of an attack on human rights defender Edik Baghdasaryan in Yerevan, on 17 November 2008. Edik Baghdasaryan is the chairperson of the Armenian Association of Investigative Journalists, the editor of the Yerevan-based on-line magazine HetqOnline, and an award-winning journalist known for his investigative reporting on Armenian politics, crime and corruption.

India - Human rights defender, Advocate Parvez Imroz, severely beaten and arrested

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports received of the severe beating and arrest of human rights defender Advocate Parvez Imroz on 17 November 2008 by Indian security forces, before being released without charge late in the evening. Advocate Parvez Imroz is the co-convener of the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-administered Kashmir, and the co-founder and president of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS). Front Line previously wrote to you on 1 July 2008 concerning the attempted assassination of Advocate Parvez Imroz.

India

Exceptional Uzbek woman honored in Geneva on 20 November

Mutabar Tadjibeva, released from prison on the 2nd of June and for the first time allowed to travel abroad, will receive the 2008 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) on Thursday 20th November, 18h00, during an international ceremony in Geneva at the prestigious Musée Ariana. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will present the award and opera star Barbara Hendricks will perform. This year’s event is covered by Swiss Television for the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) which will broadcast a news flash on Euronews.

Uzbekistan

Launch of the new website of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project

The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project/Network has launched a new website at http://www.defenddefenders.org. The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (EHAHRDP) seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders (HRDs) throughout the region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights.

Africa

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