arbitrary arrest

Four human rights defenders, members of the organisation, Amis de Nelson Mandela pour la défense des Droits Humains – Friends of Nelson Mandela for the Defence of Human Rights (ANMDH), have been arbitrarily arrested by the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) on 31 August 2009 in Kinshasa. Mr Robert Ilunga Numbi is the president of the ANMDH, Ms Marie-Thérèse Kalonda is the head of the Woman and Family programme for ANMDH, Mr Jean-Paul Itupa, is the head of public relations of the Kalamu section of ANMDH and Mr Ndumba Toutou is a member of ANMDH, an organisation which promotes conflict resolution and human rights in the DRC. 

Front Line is concerned following reports that human rights defenders, Mr Ali Hassan Salman and Mr Jaafar Kadhim Ebrahim, were arbitrarily arrested on 4 February 2009. Both human rights defenders have worked for the Committee of Activists and Prisoners of Conscience since December 2007 and have helped to organise peaceful marches and protests for the rights of detainees. 

Front Line is deeply concerned following the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders Vadim Borshchevskiy and Pavel Levinov; as well as raids on the apartment of human rights defenders Olga Karatch and Yelena Borshchevskaya and on the offices of the women's rights organisation Female Centre "Adliga". 

Front Line is concerned for the physical integrity of Abdul Raouf Ayadi, after he was attacked by members of the Tunisian security police on 1 November 2007. Members of the security police prevented Abdul Raouf Ayadi from visiting the lawyer Mohamed Ennouri, who is currently on hunger strike. They physically restrained and pushed Abdul Raouf Ayadi to the ground, they then proceeded to verbally insult him and said that he was a traitor as he was ‘sold to the United States’. They then announced to the crowd of onlookers that Abdul Raouf Ayadi was a thief.