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Colombia – Human rights defender Carolina Rubio Esguerra detained by Colombian Criminal Investigation Unit posted on: 2010/11/17

On 16 November 2010, human rights defender Ms Carolina Rubio Esguerra was detained by members of the Seccional de Investigación Criminal - SIJIN (Criminal Investigation Unit) in Bucaramanga City, Colombia, and is currently being held at the SIJIN Headquarters. Carolina Rubio Esguerra is in her ninth month of pregnancy.

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Syria: Human Rights Defender Aktham Naisse's trial postponed a third timeposted on: 2005/07/03

Syrian human rights defender Aktham Naisse, President of the Committees for the Defence of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria (CDF) appeared in court on 24 April 2005. His trial was postponed for a third time until the 26th of June 2005 for sentencing. Two Kurdish human rights activists Shevan Abdo and Massaab Hariri were also due to go on trial the same day but their trials were postponed. Both activists are from the town of Qamishli.

The defence counsel have argued that the charges are unconstitutional and that Aktham is being persecuted due to his democratic principles and his promoting the protection of human rights. There were approximately 200 Syrians protesting outside the Supreme State Security Court in Damascus during the hearing and the area was sealed off by 50-riot police. There were a number of international observers present including Nasser Amin, Director of the Arab centre for Independence of Judiciary who represented Front Line. Representatives of the European Commission delegation in Syria were also present.

Human Rights Defender Lynne Stewart found guiltyposted on: 2005/02/16

Lynne Stewart, a New York based human rights lawyer, was convicted on 10th February 2005 on five charges including providing material support to terrorists and defrauding the government. The charges arose as a result of her legal representation of Sheik Omar Ali Abdel Rahman, who was convicted in 1995 of plotting terrorism against the United States. Anti-terrorism legislation and practices in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks have made human rights defenders in the United States increasingly vulnerable to repressive consequences, especially defense attorneys with a commitment to protecting civil liberties. Front Line is concerned that the prosecution of Lynne Stewart was politically motivated (Attorney General Ashcroft had announced Stewart’s arrest on television as a significant development in the fight against terror) and is intended to intimidate lawyers working to defend the rights of those facing terrorism charges. Lynne Stewart is one of twelve cases featured in Front Line USA: Threats, Attacks, Arrests and Harassment of Human Rights Defenders published in May 2004.

Veteran human rights defender, J B Jeyaretnam -- appeal for a discharge from bankruptcy in Singapore, October 2004posted on: 2004/10/12

Opposition critic and veteran human rights defender J B Jeyaretnam, who participated in the Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders in January 2002, has faced a series of civil defamation suits over a period of several years launched by members or leaders of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP). These have resulted in his bankruptcy. He has now appealed for a discharge from bankruptcy. If he is successful, he will be eligible to contest the next election and thus once again enter the official political arena.

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Brought to Court, November 2003posted on: 2004/06/17

The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) appeared in court on November 12th 2003 in an action which could result in the suspension from duty and expulsion of its board members. Both the organisation and the nine individual members of its board are being charged with offences under the Law of Foundations, particularly attempts to collect donations on the internet and the dissemination of reports about the human rights situation in Turkey to officials from international organisations. This is part of a widespread pattern of harassment of Human Rights Defenders by the Turkish authorities.

The HRFT was founded in 1990 in accordance with the Turkish Civil Code. Since its inception it has been subject to a number of prosecutions aimed at penalising the Foundation for its work. However this is the first time that the prosecution has aimed to depose all nine members of its executive board upon the formal request of the General Directorate of Foundations.

The current charges are, specifically: • That HRFT attempted to collect contributions via the internet;