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Dublin: Open letter to President of the Republic of Tunisia expressing concern regarding the adoption of an amendment criminalising contacts between Tunisian human rights defenders and EU institutionsposted on: 2010/07/22

A coalition of international human rights organisations, including Front Line, today (Thursday 22 July 2010) called on the Government of Tunisia expressing their deep concern regarding a newly adopted amendment to the Criminal Code of Tunisia that risks to further hinder the work carried out by Tunisian human rights defenders and undermine the protection and promotion of human rights in the country.

Uganda: 'Anti-Homosexuality' Bill endangers human rights defendersposted on: 2009/10/19

The Parliament of Uganda is considering the introduction of legislation which, if approved, would severely curtail the rights and freedoms of human rights defenders in Uganda. The proposed 'Anti-Homosexuality' Bill introduces harsher penalties for homosexuality, which is already criminalised in Uganda, and imposes severe limitations on the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. The bill threatens the existence of human rights organisations working on sexual minorities issues as well as the safety and liberty of human rights defenders and civil society activists.

Uganda: Anti-Homosexuality Bill endangers human rights defendersposted on: 2009/10/19

The Parliament of Uganda is considering the introduction of legislation which, if approved, would severely curtail the rights and freedoms of human rights defenders in Uganda. The proposed 'Anti-Homosexuality' Bill introduces harsher penalties for homosexuality, which is already criminalised in Uganda, and imposes severe limitations on the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. The bill threatens the existence of human rights organisations working on sexual minorities issues as well as the safety and liberty of human rights defenders and civil society activists.

Further Information

The bill was tabled before parliament on 14 October 2009. Its provisions reaffirm the prohibition of homosexuality making it punishable with a maximum of ten years of imprisonment and a fine of up to 10 million shillings (approx 3,500 euro). The bill introduces in the penal code a new provision criminalising any form of "promotion of homosexuality", thus banning the work of any human rights organisations advocating for the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people (LGBT) or, for example, addressing issues around sexuality in education.

Ethiopia: Charities and Societies Bill threatens the work of human rights defendersposted on: 2008/12/22

Front Line is deeply concerned about the provisions of the forthcoming Charities and Societies Proclamation (draft law) which according to reports received is scheduled for discussion in the Ethiopian parliament on 24 December 2008. This is the fifth draft of a law to regulate all domestic and international civil society organisations (CSOs) operating in the country. The provisions of the new law would seriously curtail the already-limited work of human rights defenders in Ethiopia and would drastically reduce their ability to criticise or act independently of the government, through the imposition of arbitrary restrictions on their work, complex bureaucratic procedures, severe criminal penalties and escalated government surveillance of their activities.