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Bahrain: Front Line condemns life sentence for the organisation's former Protection Coordinator Abdulhadi Al Khawaja posted on: 2011/06/22

Front Line, the Dublin based International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders deplores and condems the life sentence passed against the organisation's former Protection Coordinator for the Middle East and prominent member of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja. Front Line also condemns the 15 year prison sentence passed in absentia on blogger and founder of Bahrainonline.org Ali Abdulemam and calls for both men to be acquitted.

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Today's verdict and the fact that the trial took place before a military court whose procedures fall far short of internationally recognised fair trial standards underlines the determination of the Government of Bahrain to secure a conviction at any cost” said Mary Lawlor, Executive Director of Front Line in Dublin today.

Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and the 20 other defendants were tried before the State of Safety Court which has consistently refused to address repeated and credible allegations of torture in pre-trial detention and during the trial itself.

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Burundi: UPDATE-State prosecutor seeks life sentence against journalist and human rights defender Jean-Claude Kavumbaguposted on: 2011/04/18

On 13 April Burundi state prosecutor, Marc Ndabakeshimana asked a panel of judges to hand down the maximum life sentence to Mr Kavumbagu who was charged with treason following the publication of two articles critical of the country's security forces in July 2010.

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Defence lawyers Gabriel Sinarinzi and Bernard Maingain called for Mr Kavumbagu's release on the basis that a charge of treason was only applicable at times of war. During a previous bail appeal hearing in November 2010, a state prosecutor had already acknowledged that Burundi was not at war, which makes the criminal charge inapplicable. The defence lawyers also argued that charges of defamation against the army and police were not applicable as such charges were restricted by the criminal code to cases in which those allegedly defamed were individuals or groups of individuals and not institutional bodies.

See here the original appeal on behalf of Jean-Claude Kavumbagu

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Take Action to protect two prominent human rights defenders in Ethiopiaposted on: 2007/06/28

Front Line is deeply concerned over the detention and upcoming trial of two human rights defenders, Netsanet Demissie and Daniel Bekele. They have been detained since 2005 and are due in court on 12 July 2007. The charges against them carry a possible life sentence or death penalty.

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