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Iran: Human rights defender Ms Mahnaz Mohammadi arrested and held in incommunicado detentionposted on: 2011/07/06

Human rights defender and filmmaker, Ms Mahnaz Mohammadi was arrested at her home in Tehran, on 26 June 2011, by agents believed to from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Ms Mohammadi, who is currently being held at Evin Prison, Tehran, has been denied access to her family and a lawyer since her arrest. Ms Mohammadi is a prominent human rights defender and filmmaker who uses film as a tool to advocate for greater respect for women's rights in Iran.

Bahrain: Attack on the medical profession as doctors and nurses are arrested, detained, abducted and ill-treatedposted on: 2011/05/26

The medical profession in Bahrain has been targeted by the authorities following the recent protests calling for political reform in the Kingdom. On 3 May 2011, the Military Public Prosecution charged 24 doctors and 23 nurses and paramedics of various offences based on "investigation results" and "confessions of some of the defendants". Serious violations against the medical profession in contravention of Bahraini and international standards have included arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, abduction, beating and verbal abuse. Scores of medical personnel have been held in incommunicado detention during which they were reportedly tortured and ill-treated apparently to force them to confess to charges leveled against them.

2007 Gégé Katana winner of 2007 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Riskposted on: 2011/03/04

Gégé Katana is a leading human rights defender working in Uvira, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Gégé Katana is the president of Solidarite des Femmmes Activistes pour la Defense des Droits Humains, SOFAD (Solidarity Movement of Women Human Rights Activists) an organisation that works through a grassroots network of 625 women to research and campaign against sexual violence, and provide counselling and help to rape survivors. SOFAD also educates local communities on women and children’s rights, and lobbies the government to deliver justice and reform discriminatory laws.

Gégé Katana has worked with several non-governmental organisations including; IDEA/Afrique - Institut pour le developpement et l’education des adultes. She is a network member of the Global Fund for Women and Coordinator for the Synergie des Femmes Defenseurs des Droits de le l'Homme du Sud-Kivu en RDC.

Zimbabwe: Human rights defender Ms Jenni Williams arrested posted on: 2010/09/22

Human rights defender Ms Jenni Williams has been arrested in Harare outside a court house following the release of 83 protesters from police detention. She was released later the same day amidst emerging reports that the 83 protesters had been ill-treated whilst in detention.

Russia: LGBTI human rights defender Mr Nikolai Alexeyev arrested and prevented from travelling abroadposted on: 2010/09/21

LGBTI human rights defender Mr Nikolai Alexeyev was reportedly arrested at Domodedovo airport in Moscow on 15 September 2010. He was released in the city of Tula on the morning of 18 September.

Belarus: Human rights defender Mr Raman Kislyak arrested and detainedposted on: 2010/09/01

On 30 August 2010, police in the western Belarusian city of Berastse (Brest) detained prominent human rights defender Mr Raman Kislyak, while his distributed leaflets to mark the International Day of the Disappeared. Raman Kislyak is a human rights lawyer.

United Arab Emirates: Young activists arrested for organising peaceful protest via BlackBerryposted on: 2010/08/03

At least four young activists in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been arrested or have been dismissed from their jobs after attempting to organise a peaceful protest march using BlackBerry devices, in response to increasing oil prices in the region. Other activists have been sought by the police in relation to their participation in the attempted organisation of the protest.

Iran: Abdolfattah Soltani and other prominent human rights defenders arrested during government clamp-down posted on: 2009/06/18

The arrest of human rights lawyer Mr Abdolfattah Soltani on 16 June 2009 during a mass arrest that also included many other human rights defenders raises serious concerns for the security of prominent human rights defenders.

Tunisia: Journalist Lotfi Hidouri arrested and lawyer Mohamed Abbou prevented from travelling to Arab Free Press Forumposted on: 2008/12/18

Front Line is concerned following reports that journalist Mr Lotfi Hidouri was arrested on 10 December 2008 at Tunis' Carthage airport as he prepared to leave for Beirut to attend the Third Arab Free Press Forum. Mr Mohamed Abbou, was also prevented from leaving the country and attending the conference in Beirut after he intervened to determine the reason for Lotfi Hidouri's arrest. Lotfi Hidouri is the sub-editor of Kalima newspaper and a member of L'Observatoire pour la Liberté de Presse – OLPEC (The Observatory for the Freedom of the Press). Mohamed Abbou is a lawyer and a member of the Conseil National pour les Libertés en Tunisie – CNLT (National Council for Liberties in Tunisia).

Attempted assassination of prominent Mexican human rights defenderposted on: 2007/05/18

Lydia Cacho Ribeiro a leading Mexican defender of children’s and women’s human rights narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by means of sabotage of an official vehicle she was traveling in from the city of Juarez in Mexico City on 7 May 2007.