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Mary Lawlor: First Anniversary of the 10 on the 10th Campaignposted on: 2011/12/10

Mary Lawlor, Director of Front Line Defenders updates the 10 on the 10th campaign, one year after it was launched on International Human Rights Day.

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Front Line Defenders Marks 13th Anniversary of UN Declaration on Human Rights Defendersposted on: 2011/12/09

Front Line Defenders Deputy Director Andrew Anderson reflects on the state of affairs for human rights defenders on the 13th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Belfast: Finucane family express their dismay at refusal of British Government to hold independent investigation into security force collusion in the murder of solicitor Patrick Finucaneposted on: 2011/10/14

The Finucane family met the British Prime Minister David Cameron and NI Secretary Owen Paterson at 10 Downing Street today to hear the Government’s decision on an inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane in Belfast in 1989.

Dublin: Front Line Defenders celebrates the Awarding of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize to 3 outstanding women human rights defendersposted on: 2011/10/07

Front Line Defenders today celebrates the awarding of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize to 3 outstanding women human rights defenders - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Bbowee of Liberia - and Tawakul Karman of Yemen who attended the 2007 Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders.

London/Bahrain: British Foreign Secretary William Hague expresses UK Government's concern at "disproportionate sentences"posted on: 2011/10/03

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that he is concerned about sentences handed out by a Special Tribunal in Bahrain describing the sentences as disproportionate and as undermining the process of national dialogue.

Full Statement on Bahrain by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague

The Foreign Secretary said:

“I am deeply concerned, that after the briefest of hearings, a Bahraini Special Tribunal has sentenced a group of medics to between 5 and 15 years in prison, upheld life sentences against Bahraini opposition leaders and passed one sentence of the death penalty.

“These sentences appear disproportionate to the charges brought. These are worrying developments that could undermine the Bahraini Government’s moves towards dialogue and the reform needed for long-term stability in Bahrain.

“I call on the Bahraini judicial authorities to follow due process carefully and transparently, and to revoke the decision to impose the death penalty.

“Cases before the Special Tribunals should be transferred to regular civilian courts.

Washington: Human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire honoured posthumously with Democracy Service Medal by National Endowment for Democracyposted on: 2011/08/08

The National Endowment for Democracy honoured Floribert Chebeya Bahizire with its Democracy Service Medal in a ceremony Tuesday at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The medal presentation was an emotional end to a half-day conference, “Voices from the Congo: the Road Ahead,” co-organized by NED, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Eastern Congo Initiative.

Statement from National Endownment for Democracy

Floribert Chebeya, a longtime grantee of NED and a pillar of Congo’s civil society, was awarded the medal posthumously for his work as founder and president of Voix des Sans Voix (Voice of the Voiceless), a leading Congolese human rights organization that works to defend and empower citizens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“To countless people in the D.R.C., as well as in other African countries, Floribert was a savior,” NED President Carl Gershman said at the ceremony.

Geneva: Human Rights Council Passes First-Ever Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identityposted on: 2011/06/17

(Geneva, June 17, 2011) In a groundbreaking achievement for upholding the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the United Nations Human Rights Council has passed a resolution on human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity (L9/rev1).

Full Text of Press Release Issued by International Coalition LGBTI Organisations

Historic Decision at the United Nations: Human Rights Council Passes First-Ever Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

(Geneva, June 17, 2011) In a groundbreaking achievement for upholding the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the United Nations Human Rights Council has passed a resolution on human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity (L9/rev1).

The resolution, presented by South Africa along with Brasil and 39 additional co-sponsors from all regions of the world, was passed by a vote of 23 in favour, 19 against, and 3 abstentions. A list of how States voted is attached.

Brussels: Front Line raises the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja at European Parliament hearing on the Arab Peninsulaposted on: 2011/05/26

On 26 May 2011, the Head of Front Line's EU Office, Mr Vincent Forest, was invited to open an exchange of views on the situation of human rights in the Arab Peninsula at the meeting of the European Parliament sub-committee on human rights. He raised the specific case of former Front Line Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Mr Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, and responding to representatives of the Bahraini authorities, he stressed that investigations into the acts of torture faced by Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and other defendants have been denied by the Military Court Judges.

Brussels: Front Line raises the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja at European Parliament hearing on the Arab Peninsulaposted on: 2011/05/26

On 26 May 2011, the Head of Front Line's EU Office, Mr Vincent Forest, was invited to open an exchange of views on the situation of human rights in the Arab Peninsula at the meeting of the European Parliament sub-committee on human rights.

Brussels: Igor Kalyapin highlights lack of effective investigation of disappearances in Chechnya to representatives of EU member Statesposted on: 2011/05/12

On Tuesday 10 May 2011 afternoon, Igor Kalyapin met representatives of EU Member States in the context of the COHOM Task force on HRDs, just before the formal COHOM meeting. COHOM is the Council Working Party on Human Rights, chaired by Mr Engelbert Theurmann (on the right on the picture). Igor Kalyapin summarised the current human rights situation in Chechnya, described the work and technique of the Joint Mobile Group, and referred to the letter received from the Prosecutor’s Office of the Chechen Republic, which confirms the lack of proper and effective investigation into criminal cases and abductions of people. Igor Kalyapin urged the EU to use that letter in their contacts with the Russian authorities at high level in order to enhance the rule of law in Chechnya.Pictured LTR are Mr Vincent forest, Head of Front Line's EU Office, Mr Igor Kalyapin, Head of Joint Mobile Group, Ms Veronique Arnault, Director for Human Rights and Democracy at the European External Action Service (EEAS)and Mr Engelbert Theurmann.

Brussels: Front Line Open letter to President of European Commission highlights risks to human rights defenders in Uzbekistanposted on: 2011/01/21

In advance of the meeting between President Manuel Barroso of the European Commission and President Karimov of Uzbekistan, scheduled for Monday 24 January, Front Line has published an open letter to President Barroso setting out the organisation's key concerns about the dangers to human rights defenders in Uzbekistan.

Further Information

Mr José Manuel Barroso

President of the European Commission

B-1049 Brussels

Dublin, 21 January 2011

Re: Your meeting with Mr Islam Karimov, President of Uzbekistan, on 24 January 2011

Dear Commission President,

Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, has been informed that you will be meeting Mr Islam Karimov, President of Uzbekistan, on Monday 24 January 2011 on the occasion of Mr Karimov's discreet visit to Brussels.

Mr Karimov heads one of the most authoritarian regimes in Central Asia, which systematically targets and harshly represses all courageous voices defending human rights.

Brussels: Front Line's Mary Lawlor highlights protection of HRDs in speech to Public Hearing on Human Rights Defenders of European Parliament.posted on: 2011/01/10

Speaking at a public hearing on human rights defenders of the Human Rights Sub Committee of the European Parliament, Front Line Executive Director Mary Lawlor highlighted the need for "support to human rights defenders, as the silver thread of EU human rights policy". During her speech she highlighted the cases of imprisoned HRDs, Nasrin Soutoudeh in Iran and Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam in Sudan.

Further Information

Ms Lawlor highlighted the cases of Nasrin Soutoudeh and Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam as recent examples of human rights defenders who had been subjected to extreme penalties because of their legitimate human rights work.

Strasbourg: "EU High Representative pays tribute to human rights defenders as she welcomes the European Parliament Human Rights Report"posted on: 2010/12/16

"On Friday we celebrated international Human Rights Day. This year's theme highlighted the work of individuals and organisations worldwide who fight human rights violations, specifically discrimination. Over the past year I have met Nobel prize-winner Shirin Ebadi on Iran and Front Line award-winner Afghanistan's Human Rights Commissioner for Women Dr Soraya Sobhrang and other human rights defenders and will continue to do so. As I have said to you previously, I fully expect colleagues in Brussels and the Heads of the EU Delegations to do the same".

Full Text of The High Representative's Speech

Speech by Catherine Ashton EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission on the Annual Human Rights Report European Parliament, Strasbourg, 15 December 2010 On Friday we celebrated international Human Rights Day.

This year's theme highlighted the work of individuals and organisations worldwide who fight human rights violations, specifically discrimination.

Geneva: Statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rightsposted on: 2010/12/13

To mark International Human Rights Day, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navi Pillay, issued a statement in which she paid tribute to the vital role played by human rights defenders. "We owe the progress we have made to the enormous efforts of hundreds of thousands of largely unsung heroes, known collectively as human rights defenders".

Further Information

Human rights defenders come from all walks of life, ranging from princesses and politicians, to professionals such as journalists, teachers and doctors, to people with little or no formal education. There are no special qualifications. All it takes is commitment, and courage".

To see the whole statement, please refer to :http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2010/12/62855_space.html

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Warsaw: Fair trial standards in case of prominent human rights defender in Kyrgyzstan crucial, ODIHR director saysposted on: 2010/11/12

WARSAW, 11 November 2010 - The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, today encouraged Kyrgyzstan's authorities to ensure full compliance with fair trial standards in the case of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov and other trials related to the June violence in the south of the country.

Further Information

An appeals court yesterday upheld the 15 September verdict of a lower court, which sentenced Askarov to life imprisonment and confiscation of his property on charges of organizing mass disorder and inciting inter-ethnic hatred.

ODIHR monitors at the first instance trial and appeal proceedings noted that the authorities failed to make adequate efforts to address repeated instances of verbal abuse, including death threats, directed at the lawyers and the defendant, as well as an instance of physical attack against one of the lawyers.