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Syrian human rights defender sentencedposted on: 2006/12/17

A Syrian human rights defender and leading member of the Arab Organization for Human Rights in Syria, Nazar Al-Rastanawi was sentenced on 19 of November 2006 to four years in prison. His trial lasted sixteen months during which he was allegedly subjected to torture and ill treatment. The charges against him include ‘publishing false news’. Front Line believes these charges are directly related to his work in promoting and protecting human rights in Syria.

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Fear for the safety of Iranian Kurdish human rights defenderposted on: 2006/12/14

Sherko Jihani, correspondent for the Turkish news agency Euphrat in Mahabad and member of the Human Rights Organisation of Kurdistan (HROK) was arrested on 27 November. He is been held incommunicado in an unknown location and at risk of torture and ill-treatment.

Jihani was arrrested in the town of Mahabad, in Kurdistan, northwestern Iran. He was reportedly interrogated about forming an investigative committee to object to the kidnapping on 8 January 2006 of a woman human rights activist, Sarveh Komkar (Kamkar), and for giving interviews to foreign stations about the July 2005 killing by Iranian security forces of Kurdish activist, Showan (Shivan) Qaderi. Sherko Jihani has been arrested and detained on nine occasions since 1999 during which he was allegedly subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

Sherko Jihani staged a hunger strike in protest over his detention on 30 November. Sherko Jihani's family visited him at Mahabad Central Prison, however two days later he was removed from Mahabad Prison and brought to an undisclosed location. Reports claim that he has been denied legal representation.

Fear over torture of Iranian human rights defenderposted on: 2006/10/15

Sayed Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini, a former member of Iran’s Parliament and current Head of the Alumni Association of Iran has reportedly been tortured and ill-treated since his arrest and detention on 12 June 2006. He was arrested with at least 69 others during a peaceful demonstration in Tehran, to call for changes to the legal discrimination against women in Iran.

Minister of Justice and Spokesman for the Judiciary, Jamal Karimi-Rad, stated that 42 women and 28 men had been arrested for participating in what he alleged was an illegal demonstration. When questioned about the reports of beatings by police, he said: "If there was any beating, it will be reviewed."

According to reports Sayed Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini is been held in solitary confinement and has yet to be officially charged. It is reported that he was beaten during his arrest suffered head injuries as a result and according to sources has been denied adequate medical attention for his injuries. Concerns have also been raised regarding his mental health with sources alleging that he has been suffering from sleep deprivation and may have been fed psychoactive drugs.

Mapuche human rights defender imprisonedposted on: 2006/03/05

6 January 2005

A Mapuche chief who was arrested in her home on 4 January 2006 was charged with threatening police officers and obstructing public property at a preliminary hearing on 6 January in Temuco, Chile.

Juana Calfunao Paillalef, lonko (chief) of the indigenous Mapuche community of Juan Pailllalef in the Cunco district in the Araucania region was refused bail on the grounds that she was a security threat and is now incarcerated in the regional state penitentiary for women.

According to local information, the Temuco district Public Prosecutor Alberto Chifelle is in possession of photographs that prove the 47-year-old indigenous leader’s involvement in the alleged crimes. However, Ms Paillalef contends that she is in fact a victim of police brutality and Front Line has acquired photographs of her with severe bruising on her face and body.

The lead up to these events began on 21 December 2005 when members of the Juan Paillalef community staged a peaceful protest against the construction of a road from Los Laureles and Colico; a road that runs through land, that they believe, rightfully belongs to the community.

Death of Tunisian Human Rights Defender Zouheir Yahyaouiposted on: 2005/03/19

Front Line is saddened by reports of the death of Tunisian human rights defender Zouheir Yahyaoui, who died on 13th March 2005 following a heart attack. Zouheir Yahyaoui died at the age of 36, having formerly spent 18 months in prison, during which time he was tortured and detained in degrading conditions. As a result of these conditions, Zouheir Yahyaoui underwent 3 hunger strikes to protest against his imprisonment. In his capacity as a human rights defender Zouheir Yahyaoui ran a website known as ‘Tunezine’ www.tunezine.com which is censored in Tunisia as a result of its reporting of human rights abuses and its provision of forums for open discussion. Zouhair Yahyaoui was sentenced to 2 years in prison on 20 June 2002 following his publication of a letter that his uncle, the judge Mokthar Yahyaoui, had sent to the president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, denouncing the functioning of the legal-justice system in Tunisia. Zouhair Yahyaoui was granted a conditional release in November 2003. In June 2003 he was awarded the ‘CyberLiberty’ award by the Reporters Sans Frontières, who commended his ‘contribution to the freedom of information on the internet’.

Syrian human rights defender Aktham Naisse detained by military security, April 2004posted on: 2004/10/31

Syrian human rights defender Aktham Naisse has not been seen since he presented himself at the department of military security in the city of Latakia, in the west of Syria, Tuesday the 13th April 2004. Front Line believes Aktham Naisse may have been arrested when he presented himself, as ordered, at the department of military security. According to reports received he has been held incommunicado since then. The Department of Military Security in the city of Latakia has reportedly denied having him in custody. According to our reports he is at risk of torture and suffers from an irregular heartbeat and a kidney complaint, both of which require medication. Front Line fears that Aktham Naisse may have been arrested solely because of his work in defense of human rights. He is the President of the Committees for the Defence of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights (CDDLHR).

Uzbeki human rights defender Ruslan Sharipov released on probation, June 04posted on: 2004/10/20

29th June 2004 In 2003, Sharipov was sentenced to four years in prison for homosexuality (under article 120 of the criminal code) and for allegedly having sex with a minor. Under duress he pleaded guilty to these charges on 8 August 2003, however in a letter to UN secretary general Kofi Annan he said he had been forced after undergoing physical and psychological torture. Sharipov has never denied his bisexuality but he claims that he had never met the adolescents who were alleged to have been his victims.

For several years, Sharipov has been target of harassment aimed at getting him to give up his human rights activities and articles criticising the authorities.

Ruslan Sharipov was arrested on 29 May 2003. During the first days of his detention, the arresting officers threatened Sharipov with physical violence and Sharipov has confirmed that he was tortured whilst in prison.

Another Chechen Human Rights Defender in Danger, January 2004posted on: 2004/06/17

Human rights defender Imran Ezhiev, head of the Information Centre of the Society of Russian-Chechen Friendship in Chechnya (SRFC) in the Northern Caucasus, is allegedly at grave risk due to his investigation of the recent kidnapping and assassination of his colleague Aslan Davletukaev, whose dead body was reportedly discovered on 16 January 2004, bearing evidence of torture and mutilation.

On 26 January 2004, it was reported that the house and workplace of Mr. Ezhiev in Ingushetia were being watched by unidentified individuals. It was also reported that he was being followed by unidentified individuals driving four cars without license plates. Cars without license plates have allegedly been used in the past to kidnap Chechen refugees, and there are concerns that when road police don't stop a car without number plates, it because it belongs to the security service of the pro-Moscow president of Chechnya, Akhmad Kadyrov.

Information Centre Society of the Russian-Chechen Friendship -Press release 22 January 2004posted on: 2004/06/17

This is an unoffical translation from the Russian by Front Line

Spokespeople for the federal forces today informed members of the Society of the Russian-Chechen Friendship of the death of their volunteer Aslan Davletukaev, committed between 10th and 16th of January 2004. The certain killing and grievous assault prior to death was well known to the ruling authorities (expressed in abbreviations DV) for some time, however until now a strict decree forbade the release of this information to the widespread community of NGOs, fearing retaliations of the family members. This decree was lifted today.

Human Rights Defenders Under Attack in Aceh, Indonesia, February 2004posted on: 2004/06/17

Human rights defenders have reportedly been arrested in Aceh in Indonesia. On 22 February 2004 at approximately 12.30, Iwan Irama Putra was reportedly arrested by Brimob at a friend's home in Banda Aceh, and has not been seen since. Early on 23 February 2004, police allegedly made a series of raids on the homes of members of ORPAD. At approximately 4.00, it is reported that they detained Ms. Harlina at her home, beat her and then took her away in a Kijang minivan. She was last seen approximately two hours later, when police took her with them to the house of another activist, who was reportedly not at home at the time.

In addition, according to the information received, on 23 February 2004 at approximately 6.00, Nursida was arrested at her home, together with Nova Rahayu. They were reportedly taken away in two trucks. They were subsequently released on 24th February and in their testimony said that Mr. Masrizal (who had been detained on 19th February), Mr. Iwan Irama Putra and Ms. Harlina had been tortured in detention. Mr. Masrizal reportedly remains in detention.