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Human Rights Defenders

Take action to protect women human rights defenders in Zimbabweposted on: 2007/06/12

Front Line is concerned about ongoing attacks and harassment of members of WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) and is calling for immediate action on their behalf.

Front Line is particularly concerned about escalating levels of ill-treatment and violence. All seven members of WOZA were arrested while conducting a peaceful demonstration on 6 June in Bulawayo. Five of them were released from detention on 8 June and were charged under Section 46 (2v) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which reads “employs any means whatsoever which are likely materially to interfere with the ordinary comfort, convenience, peace or quiet of the public or any section of the public, or does any act which is likely to create a nuisance or obstruction.” . On 9 June the remaining members of WOZA in detention, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu were released on bail.

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Report on Human Rights Defenders in the East and Horn of Africaposted on: 2007/05/16

The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project submitted a report highlighting the situation for human rights defenders in the East and Horn of Africa to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Commission in Kapala on 15 May 2007

Ongoing harassment of human rights lawyers in Zimbabweposted on: 2007/05/11

In Zimbabwe Human rights lawyers and their families have faced a surge in violent harassment, including arbitrary arrests, detention and violent physical assaults during April and May 2007.

2007 Martin Ennals Award winners announcedposted on: 2007/05/08

Front Line as one of the members on the Jury of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders is delighted to announce that the 2007 Martin Ennals winners are: Rajan Hoole and Kopalasingham Sritharan from Sri Lanka and Pierre Claver Mbonimpa from Burundi. Martin Ennals Press Release

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India: Peaceful protesters arrested and detainedposted on: 2007/04/18

Seven human rights defenders and fifty other participants in a peaceful protest marking World Water Day were violently arrested in New Delhi, on 22 March 2007.

The protestors were arrested at the Planning Commission Office where they had requested an appointment with the Deputy Chair of the Planning Commission. Members of the police and Rapid Action Force reportedly used excessive force to arrest the protestors, which resulted in the tearing of some of the female protestors' clothes. The protestors were then taken to the Parliament Police Station where they were told to sign blank arrest memos. All of the male protestors and only two of the female protestors were presented before the judicial magistrate that evening, and were remanded in custody until 5 April 2007.

Philippines: A spate of violence against three human rights defendersposted on: 2007/04/12

On 12 April 2007, in Iloilo province, the Philippines, unidentified gunmen ambushed the car in which three human rights defenders were travelling, leaving one man seriously injured.

Reportedly, the gunmen opened fire at the pick-up and then dragged Nilo Arado and Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado to their van and drove off. Jose Ely Garachico was taken to a hospital in Iloilo city where he remains in a critical condition awaiting an operation to remove a bullet, which is lodged in his chest. The pick-up used in the abduction of Nilo Arado and Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado was reportedly found in a burned-out state in a secluded area in Barangay Guadalupe, Janiuay, and 30kms northwest of Iloilo City.

Nilo Arado, is a member of the Peasant Movement of the Philippines and Chair of Bayan - Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, an alliance of human rights organisations which promote and defend the rights of peasants, workers, women, students and minorities. Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado is an active campaigner for women's rights and a member of Selda, the Society of Ex-Detainees for Liberation, Against Detention and for Amnesty.

Somaliland: Front Line welcomes human rights defenders releaseposted on: 2007/04/03

Yusuf Abdi Gabode, the editor- in -chief and Ali Abdi Dini, the editor of Haatuf Media Network detained in Mandera jail for allegedly insulting the President of Somaliland and his wife have been released following a visit to the prison by an international delegation, including the head of the European Union for Africa on 29 March 2007.

Armed police stormed the headquarters of Haatuf Media Network, in Hargeisa city, Somaliland on 2 January and arrested the Editor-in-Chief, Yusuf Abdi Gabobe and the Editor, Ali Abdi Dini.

Sri Lanka: Ongoing persecution of journalists and human rights defendersposted on: 2007/03/29

Front Line welcomes the release on 22 March 2007 of journalist and human rights defender Parameswaree Munusamy detained without charge in the Terrorist Investigation Unit in Colombo since 24 November 2006 but is deeply concerned about the continued detention of Dushyantha Basnayake.

Dushyantha Basnayake is the financial director of Standard Newspapers Private Limited, which publishes Mawbima. TID officials arrested him on 26 February 2007 at his office in Colombo. His bank accounts were frozen on 13 March. It has been reported that he has been held incommunicado and has not been granted access to his legal counsel since his arrest. Dushyantha Basnayake had been questioned several months before his arrest by the Criminal Investigations Division (CID), but had been released without charge and the authorities allegedly apologized for any inconvenience caused to him.

Parameswaree Munusamy is the only Tamil speaking journalist working for Mawbima, the Sinhalese-language weekly. Reportedly, her arrest is related to the publication of articles in Tamil, which highlighted human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

Front Line statement to UN Human Rights Councilposted on: 2007/03/26

On the occasion of the fourth session of the UN Human Rights Council,held in Geneva between 12 March and 5 April 2007, Front Line has issued a statement on on the dangers to human rights defenders in Iran and Uzbekistan Iran and Uzbekistan

Human Rights Defenders - Too Dangerous For Human Rights

Front Line the International Foundation For the Protection of Human Rights Defenders was established to provide urgent protection to human rights defenders at risk. Front Line is concerned that while the the Human Rights Council debates the situation in Iran and Uzbekistan behind closed doors – on the ground, human rights defenders risk imprisonment, torture and even their lives.

Will the HRC seriously address the issue of the dangers to HRD in Iran and Uzbekistan?

On 4 March thirty-three women were violently arrested in Tehran – their offense - taking part in a peaceful protest against discriminatory legislation. The arrests were planned to ensure that there were no demonstrations to mark International Women's Day.

Russian human rights defenders face on going harassmentposted on: 2007/03/22

On 22 March 2007, police officers arrived at the office of the Nizhny Novgorod Foundation to Support Tolerance in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia with the suspected intent of detaining two of its leaders, Stanislav Dmitrievsky and Oksana Chelysheva.

The two human rights defenders managed to obstruct the police officer’s plans by immediately contacting international human rights organizations and western diplomats in Moscow officers. The attack on the office is the latest in a series of police actions against the leaders of human rights organizations over recent days. Both Stanislav Dmitrievsky and Oksana Chelysheva have been subjected to heavy police surveillance, and uninvited visitors have presented themselves at their residences.

On January 23, the Federal Supreme Court of Russia denied an appeal of a lower court's order to close the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS). The RCFS, based in Nizhny Novgorod, was one of the few remaining organizations in Russia that was reporting on human rights conditions in Chechnya and the North Caucasus.

The Russian-Chechen Friendship Society has since reconstituted itself as three new organizations and moved the legal entity to Finland.