Front Line News Archive

A new Position Paper published by Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem, “The Right to Demonstrate in the Occupied Territories”, has criticised recent measures adopted by the Israeli authorities which have a severe impact upon the rights of residents in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank to carry out peaceful demonstrations. 

Front Line welcomes the declaration on behalf of the EU by High Representative Baroness Ashton which strongly condemns the sentencing of Mr. Haitham Al Maleh and Mr. Muhannad Al Hassani, two Syrian lawyers, to three years in prison respectively, "on charges that appear to be in breach of their fundamental rights and freedoms". 

Front Line has learned with concern that journalist Mr Bahaman Ahamadi Amoee, who is serving five years in prison for charges related to pro-reform articles, has been deprived of normal family visitation rights. In particular, he has been restricted from receiving visits by his wife, Jila Baniyaghoob. 

Human rights defenders Mr Lovemore Ndlovu, staff member of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) was acquitted on 14 July 2010. He was on trial on charges of convening a public meeting without notifying the police, under Section 25 of the Public Order and Security Act. The court ruled that Lovemore Ndlovu had only facilitated and not convened the meeting. 

The independent Uzbek journalist and human rights defender Dilmurod Sayid, sentenced in July 2009 to 12 and a half years in prison, has addressed an open letter to the UN Secretary General and international human rights organizations. Front Line previously issued an urgent appeal on Dilmurod Sayid regarding his sentence on 4 August 2009. 

After 39 days of detention, human rights defender Farai Maguwu was finally released on bail on 12 July 2010. The High Court granted bail on conditions of the payment of $1,500 bail deposit, daily reporting to Mutare Central police station, that he resides in his home in Mutare and that he does not travel more than 40 km from Mutare, except for court hearing in Harare. 

Front Line is very sad to learn of the death of a good friend and true human rights defender, Patrick Rice. 'He was motivated solely by his desire to seek justice for the "disappeared" and their families and was a genuine, gentle man untainted by money or power' said Mary Lawlor, Executive Director of Front Line.