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25 April 2019

On 18, 19 and 20 March 2019, three hearings were held in the Istanbul 37th High Criminal Court in the case of 20 lawyers from the People's Law Office, six of them currently in detention. Eighteen human rights lawyers were prosecuted on terrorism-related charges and sentenced to between three and 18 years in prison. The cases of the remaining two human rights lawyers, Oya Aslan and Günay Dağ, remain open due to their absence from all three hearings.

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Open Case
25 January 2017

On 20 January 2017, Israeli occupation forces arrested human rights defenders Ms Lema Nazeeh and Mr Mohammed Khatib – along with four other peaceful protesters -  near the illegal Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Israeli forces then went on to ill-treat Lema Nazeeh throughout her four days in detention at Al-Maskubiyyah prison in Jerusalem. On 23 January 2017, Israeli occupation forces also arrested human rights defender Mr Abdallah Abu Rahma as he attended the court hearing of the two aforementioned defenders.

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Open Case
18 January 2017

On 17 January 2017, the Appeals Court in Al-Ayoun decided to reduce the sentence of Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi and Khalihon Al-Faak from two years to one and a half years. On 5 January, the three Sahrawi HRDs began a hunger strike, in protest to their arbitrary detention, prison sentence, and alleged torture and ill-treatment by Moroccan authorities in Al-Akhal prison in Al-Ayoun in Western Sahara since their arrest on 1 December 2016. On 14 January 2017, the human rights defenders were placed in solitary confinement in response to their peaceful protest in detention.

 

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Open Case
9 January 2017

On 17 January 2017, the Appeals Court in Al-Ayoun decided to reduce the sentence of Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi and Khalihon Al-Faak from two years to one and a half years. On 5 January, the three Sahrawi HRDs began a hunger strike, in protest to their arbitrary detention, prison sentence, and alleged torture and ill-treatment by Moroccan authorities in Al-Akhal prison in Al-Ayoun in Western Sahara since their arrest on 1 December 2016. On 14 January 2017, the human rights defenders were placed in solitary confinement in response to their peaceful protest in detention.

Location 
HRD or Organization 
Open Case
8 January 2017

On 17 January 2017, the Appeals Court in Al-Ayoun decided to reduce the sentence of Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi and Khalihon Al-Faak from two years to one and a half years. On 5 January, the three Sahrawi HRDs began a hunger strike, in protest to their arbitrary detention, prison sentence, and alleged torture and ill-treatment by Moroccan authorities in Al-Akhal prison in Al-Ayoun in Western Sahara since their arrest on 1 December 2016. On 14 January 2017, the human rights defenders were placed in solitary confinement in response to their peaceful protest in detention.

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Open Case
14 July 2023

On 2 September 2023, Branch 1207 of Kachouie Criminal Complex 2 handed the woman human rights defender Sepideh Gholian an additioanl fifteen-month prison sentence on the charge of “disturbing the public opinion” about a reporter at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

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Open Case
9 September 2022

On 22 February 2023, Behnam Mosivand was released from Rajaie Shahr prison after serving two years and eight months. Since 4 February 2023, as part of a general amnesty announced by the Iranian judiciaryon the occasion of 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, hundreds of prisoners including human rights defenders have been released from prison.

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Open Case
16 June 2023

On 13 June 2023, family members met human rights defender Cheng Yuan at the Chishan Prison in the Hunan province. Cheng Yuan said he was subjected to corporal punishment and other ill-treatment when he was placed in a high-security ward of the prison between January and April 2022.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
7 February 2023

Journalist and human rights defender Siddique Kappan remains incarcerated as of 15 December 2022, under money laundering charges. In September 2022, the human rights defender was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India in the case against him under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

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Open Case
24 January 2022

On 20 January 2022, Chechen law enforcement officers physically attacked human rights defenders and lawyers Sergey Babinets and Oleg Khabibrakhmanov and woman human rights attorney Natalia Dobronravova, while they were providing legal assistance for their clients in Nizhnii Novgorod. During the incident, Chechen officials abducted the human rights defenders client, Zarema Musaeva, who is the mother of human rights defender Abubakar Yangulbayev. Front Line Defenders believes that these attacks and the abduction is related to the human rights defenders human rights work.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
21 December 2023

On 5 June 2023, the Higher Court of Uzbekistan upheld the decision of the Bukhara Regional Court to sentence human rights defender and lawyer Dauletmurat Tajimuratov to sixteen years in prison. The human rights defender was tried along with twenty-two other Karakalpak protesters and his was the only sentence that remained unchanged after the appeals trial. Dauletmurat Tajimuratov will spend the first two years of his sentence in prison and the remaining years in a high-security penal colony.

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Open Case
13 November 2023

On 31 October 2023, the human rights defender Jafar Ebrahimi was released on two weeks medical furlough.

On 17 August 2023, the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations (CCITTA) announced that the health condition of human rights defender Jafar Ebrahimi, has significantly deteriorated while under detention in Evin prison.

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Open Case
6 September 2023

On 3 September 2023, the lawyer of human rights defenders Jafar Ebrahimi and Kamyar Fakour announced that they have been charged with “disturbing the public order” and “insulting the prison authorities” at Branch 3 of Evin prison court. Both human rights defenders were forcibly transferred to Qezel Hesar prison from Evin prison on the same day, as part of a group of at least ten prisoners.

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Open Case
26 January 2022

On 23 June 2022, woman human rights defender, Narges Mohammadi, was transferred to hospital after displaying symptoms of heart arrhythmia and shortness of breath. After conducting an echocardiogram, doctors prescribed medication with instructions to take them urgently to alleviate the crisis. The woman human rights defender was returned to Qarchak prison from the hospital on the same day. On 27 June 2022, Narges Mohammadi announced to her family that she has received the most urgent prescription of an injection for her shortness of breath after four days delay.

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Open Case
4 April 2024

On 17 November 2023, human rights defender and journalist from Kashmir, Fahad Shah, was granted bail by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Fahad Shah had been arrested in February 2022 by police in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, on charges of ‘sedition’, ‘making statements causing public mischief’, and ‘unlawful activities’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), India’s counter-terrorism legislation.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
12 May 2021

On 11 May 2021, family members of jailed human rights defender Hany Babu appealed to Indian authorities to provide him with immediate access to medical treatment. In early May 2021, the human rights defender developed a severe eye infection, which has already impaired his vision in his left eye, and has now spread to his cheek, ear and forehead. The human rights defender is in extreme pain, and continues to be denied access to basic facilities including clean water and treatment. Family members fear that the infection, given the rate it has already spread, may impact his vital organs.

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Open Case
10 March 2022

On 11 February 2022, Egyptian human rights defender Abdelrahman Tarek started a hunger strike in protest of his unlawful detention. This is the second time that the human rights defender has gone on hunger strike.

On 17 January 2021, human rights defender Abdelrahman Tarek was transferred to Tora Prison hospital due to a deterioration in his health after being on hunger strike for more than 40 days.

On 3 December 2020, Egypt’s State Public Prosecutor ordered the detention of human rights defender Abdelrahman Tarek for 15 days.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
17 November 2023

On 15 November 2023, woman human rights defender Nasrin Sotudeh was released on bail from Evin prison after being subjected to 17 days of arbitrary detention. Although she has been released, the woman human rights defender still faces charges on national security, and for disregarding the mandatory veiling laws, brought against her by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary court and Branch 1097 of Ershad Judicial Complex, the criminal department II.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
12 March 2021

On 10 March 2021, the Riyadh Appeals Court rejected the appeal that the charge of "communicating with external parties" against woman human rights defender Loujain Al-Hathloul be dropped. The rejection of the appeal and upholding of the charge means that the five year travel restriction against her will remain in place.

Loujain Al-Hathloul was released on 10 February 2021, after spending more than 1,000 days in arbitrary detention.

On 10 February 2021, woman human rights defender Loujain Al-Hathloul was released after being detained for more than 1,000 days.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
24 October 2023

On 23 October 2023 colleagues of woman human rights defender Nasta Loika reported that over the weekend, between 22 and 23 October 2023, prison Authorities transfered Nasta Loika to the Homel Penal Colony #4, where she will be serving her sentence.

On 13 October 2023, the Belarus Committee for State Security (KGB) included Nasta Loika in a list of “persons, participating in terrorist activities.”

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
5 September 2023

On 2 September 2023, woman human rights defender and human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (Imaan Mazari) was granted bail by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad. Imaan Mazari had been jailed since 20 August 2023 on serious offences including sedition and offences under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The woman human rights defender was granted bail by the Anti-Terrorism Court on 28 August 2023, but was re-arrested a few hours later in a separate case, before finally being released on 2 September 2023.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
12 April 2024

Since January 2022, human rights defender and journalist from Kashmir Sajad Gul has been detained under the draconian Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA). In November 2023, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court quashed the PSA proceedings against Sajad Gul, noting that there were no specific allegations against him that could be “prejudicial to the security of the state”. The Court also ordered for his immediate release unless he was wanted in any other criminal proceedings.

 

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10 April 2024

On 29 February 2024, human rights defender and Kashmiri journalist Aasif Sultan was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), India’s counter-terrorism legislation. This arrest occurred merely two days after his release from jail on 27 February 2024. Initially arrested in August 2018 under UAPA and other offences, Aasif Sultan has now been implicated in another case related to an incident of rioting at Srinagar’s Central Jail.

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Open Case
8 June 2023

On 10 June 2023, Vida Rabbani’s lawyer announced that the woman human rights defender was granted a medical furlough of ten days. On 4 June 2023, the husband of Vida Rabbani announced that the results of brain scans carried out on the woman human rights defender have concerned medical experts. However, the authorities at Evin prison, where she is currently being detained, continue to deny her access to thorough medical check-ups.

HRD or Organization 
Open Case
23 January 2023

On the evening of 21 January 2023, Thulani Rudolf Maseko was gunned down at close range, shot through the windows of his home, in front of his wife and children in Luhleko, Mbabane by unknown assailants. Front Line Defenders believes, and is deeply concerned that, the killing of Thulani Rudolf Maseko appears to be a deliberate targeting and silencing of the lawyer and human rights defender, in direct retaliation to his legitimate work in defence of human rights.

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