hunger strike

Human rights defenders in Azerbaijan stage hunger strike

A group of journalists and human rights defenders launched a hunger strike on 20 October in protest “against the government’s undeclared war on the free press”, since 9 November representatives of all the leading independent media in Azerbaijan are taking part.

“This hunger strike is drastic method of protest that shows how difficult the situation has become for Azerbiajan's independent media,” the press freedom organization said. “We are worried that the state of health of several of the hunger strikers, including Sakit Zahidov's brother Ganimat, the editor of the opposition daily Azadlig, who was adamant in his refusal when asked to stop by the Union of Journalists.”

Sakit Zahidov is a recent victim of the governments crackdown on press freedoms, a prominent independent journalist, he was sentenced on 4 October to three years in prison for “possession of drugs for personal consumption” ensuing a trail described as 'chaotic'. Zahidov has insisted that the police planted the heroin and that the charges are politically motivated. A court will hear his appeal on 1 December. Sakit joined in solidarity with the hunger strikers on 23 November.

Azerbaiján

Concern for the safety of Maldivian human rights defender

Shehenaz Abdulla, a senior Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activist and the coordinator of a demonstration aimed at speeding up democratic reforms in the Maldives, was arrested on 6 November. Since her detention she has been on hunger strike, as she believes she is being held in detention unlawfully. Reports claim she is at risk of torture and ill treatment, a routine measure used against political dissidents in the Maldives.

The Maldivian Democratic Party had planned a week of demonstrations to express opposition to the incumbent President Maymoon Abdul Gayoom, who has been in power for 28 years. Their hopes of a peaceful resolution were quashed. More than 100 people were arrested in connection with the demonstration and according to reports many have been subjected to ill treatment and torture. The demonstration has been cancelled due to concerns for the safety of protesters.

Maldivia

Women human rights defenders on hunger strike

18 May 2006

A group of women lawyers observed a 24-hour hunger strike on Wednesday 17 May in the Bar association building (Maison du Barreau) opposite the Palais de la Justice in the Tunisian capital of Tunis

The women were taking part in a sit in since 9 May, protesting against the Tunisian governments decision to create a law to take the control of the training of barristers away from the independent national Bar association – the Conseil national de l'ordre des avocats (CNOA).

The 32 women went on hunger strike because of police aggression perpetrated against them during the sit in protest.

Tunisian police verbally and physically attacked well-known lawyer, Leila Ben Dabba on the steps of Maison du Barreau as she was attempting to bring food to the protestors on Monday 15 May

The women have demanded a judicial enquiry into the attacks and the CNOA have condemned Government efforts to undermine the independence of the legal profession.

Tunisian lawyer Mohammed Abbou was imprisoned for three and a half years in April 2005 because of his criticisms of the human rights situation in Tunisia

Túnez

Nobel Peace Prize Winner supports Tunisian human rights defenders

17 November 2005 A press conference, on 16 November attended by Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shirin Ebadi, at the Tunis headquarters of the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH), in effect, became the first unofficial meeting of the Citizens Summit on Information Technology (CSIS) The Tunisian government has systematically blocked the alternative summit’s preparatory meetings and planned workshops and events in flagrant breach of the right to freedom of expression and association. In doing so, the Tunisian Government has demonstrated contempt for the Geneva Principles* and for their obligations under the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and international human rights law.

Leading representatives of International and Tunisian Civil Society committed themselves to continuing the struggle for the basic rights to freedom of expression and association in Tunisia in front of the audience of over 200 journalists, diplomats and NGO members. The Mayor of Geneva, echoing the statements of the President of Switzerland’s comment at the official World Summit, said that rights freedom of expression and assembly were universal and not the domain of one culture

Túnez

Fallece el defensor de los derechos humanos tunecino, Zouheir Yahyaoui

Front Line se entristece al conocer la noticia de la muerte del tunecino Zouheir Yahyaoui, que falleció el 13 de marzo de 2005 a los 36 años de edad a causa de una crisis cardiaca. Zouheir Yahyaoui había pasado 18 meses en prisión, durante los cuales fue torturado y retenido en condiciones degradantes. Zouheir Yahyaoui realizó tres huelgas de hambre en protesta contra las condiciones de su encarcelamiento .

Como defensor de los derechos humanos, Zouheir Yahyaoui, mantenía un sitio web llamado “Tunezine” - www.tunezine.com - que fue censurado en Túnez por denunciar los abusos contra los derechos humanos y por proporcionar foros para debates abiertos. A Zouhair Yahaoui le sentenciaron con dos años de prisión el 20 de junio de 2002 tras haber publicado una carta que su tío, el juez Mokthar Yahaoui, había enviado al presidente Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, en la que se denunciaba el funcionamiento del sistema legal y judicial en Túnez. Zouhair Yahaoui obtuvo la libertad condicional en noviembre de 2003. En junio de 2003 Reporters Sans Frontières le otorgaron el galardón “CyberLiberty”, elogiando su “contribución a la libertad de expresión en Internet”.

Túnez

Sudanese human rights defender Dr Mudawi freed, Aug 04

Front Line is delighted to report that all the charges against the Sudanese human rights defender Dr Mudawi were dropped following the last hearing of his trial on 7 August 2004. The Sudanese Minister of Justice withdrew the case by using article 58 of the Sudan Penal Code Procedures on 9 August 2004. Dr Mudawi is no longer in custody.

Human rights activist and Director of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO), Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was arrested at his home in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, on 28 December 2003. He was first held under Article 31 of the National Security Forces Act in the National Security Centre and in the political section of Kober prison.

Dr Mudawi went on hunger strike demanding to be released or charged in February 2004, and ended the hunger strike after two days, when he was brought before the Attorney General. On 8 February he was charged with offences against the state under Articles 50, 51 and 56 of the Penal Code, which carry the death penalty and do not allow release on bail. He was also charged with provoking hatred against or among sects under Articles 63 and 64.

La salud del defensor de derechos humanos sirio, Aktham Naisse, motivo de preocupación grave, junio 2004

Front Line teme mucho por la salud del defensor de los derechos humanos sirio Aktham Naisse. Front Line ha sido informado de que el 20 de junio a la familia de Aktham Naisse, presidente del Comité para la Defensa de las Libertades Democráticas y los Derechos Humanos en Siria (CDF), se le permitió visitarle en la prisión de Saidnaya, donde ha estado preso desde el 22 de abril de 2004. Según la familia del Sr. Naisse, la entrevista fue muy corta. Aktham Naisse está paralítico desde el comienzo de su detención. Fue llevado “a rastras” fuera de su celda por sus carceleros y traído a un lugar donde su familia sólo le vio brevemente. Sólo tuvo tiempo para decir a sus familiares que fue detenido en muy malas condiciones e informarles de que había comenzado una huelga de hambre. Front Line está preocupado por la salud del Sr. Naisse ya que es diabético y necesita rigurosamente tratamiento médico diario.

Siria

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