Front Line News Archive

A new report by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran documents how the Iranian authorities have systematically thwarted peaceful and legal civil society efforts to advocate for women’s rights in Iran, abusing the legal system and gravely violating internationally protected civil rights in the process.  

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the trial of human rights defender, Hu Jia, on 18 March 2008 and the charges of subversion against him. Hu Jia works for the rights of those suffering from HIV/ AIDS in rural China. He is the co-founder of the Beijing Aizhixing Institute for Health Education, a non-governmental organisation which promotes public awareness and education on the issue of HIV/ AIDS.  

Parvin Ardalan, one of the founding members of the One Million Signatures Campaign, and a longtime women's rights activist has been awarded, the Olof Palme Prize for 2007, in honor of her achievements and activism designed to achieve equal rights for women.  

On January 30 Front Line, with the support of the American Ireland Fund, launched an exciting new initiative, Friends of Front Line USA in New York .The event hosted by Brian Jacobs, was attended by more than 100 guests. Friends of Front Line will work to build a constituency of committed supporters who will help to build awareness of Front Line's efforts to protect human rights defenders whose vital work for human rights puts them in danger.  

The Main Directorate for the Administration of Punishment under the authority of the Interior Minister of Uzbekistan ordered the release of a prominent Uzbek human rights activist and journalist Umida Niyazova on February 2, the Uzbek website Newsuz.com reported. Several other prominent human rights defenders were also released.  

Phnom Penh - Hundreds of Cambodians joined a peaceful march Tuesday in memory of murdered unionist Chea Vichea. The march, which was sanctioned by the government and attended by politicians, unionists and ordinary citizens, marked the fourth anniversary of the shooting of Vichea in broad daylight on a busy city street as he read the newspaper.  

The Vidzeme District Court of the city of Riga convicted Jānis Dzelme of hooliganism today, January 15, sentencing him to 100 hours of compulsory labour. Dzelme, who is a businessman, a member of the “New Generation” church congregation, and an assistant to MP Dainis Turlais of the First Party of Latvia (LPP), was convicted of gross public disorderliness as manifested in an obvious lack of respect toward the public by ignoring universally accepted norms of behaviour.