Module 18: Surveillance
Digital Protection Resources
Front Line Defenders Digital Protection programme responds to the digital security environment facing HRDs and develops tools, guides and reosources to complement its training and consultation programming.
On Saturday, 21 October, 2017, Front Line Defenders hosted the first Dublin Human Rights Festival, at the Science Gallery Dublin.
On 15 February 2018, members of the army and plainclothes police arrived at Rangmati Sadar Hospital in Chittagong Division, where Rani Yan Yan and a companion were visiting two sisters who were recovering from a sexual assault. The soldiers and plainclothes police entered the ward, switched off the lights and attacked Rani Yan Yan and her companion. Rani Yan Yan reported that prior to the attack, she had noticed that her movements in the hospital were being recorded by a number of men in plainclothes using the cameras on their smartphones.
On 21 July 2023, Belarusian human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka was released from Belarus State Penal Colony №3 after completing his three year sentence.
On 14 March 2024, Front Line Defenders and a coalition of civil society organisations around the world marked the 10th anniversary of the death in custody of woman human rights defender Cao Shunli at a ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland.
On 7 April 2019, the Aswan Misdemeanour State Security Emergency Court sentenced 25 Nubian human rights defenders who were prosecuted in the case known as the “Dofof Trial”, including Maysara Abdoun and Mohamed Azmy, to a suspended fine of 50,000 EGP (approx. 2,600 euros) each.
On 29 August 2015, four human rights defenders were among those physically attacked by policemen and a number of unidentified individuals in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, in Vietnam, following a celebration to mark the release of human rights journalist Mr Tran Minh Nhat. Among those attacked were human rights defenders Ms Tran Thi Nga, Mr Truong Minh Tam, Mr Chu Manh Son and Mr Le Dinh Luong.
On 25 August 2015, human rights defender Mr Samad Iach was banned from travelling by Moroccan security forces at Mohamed V International Airport. Later the travel ban was lifted.
The human rights defender was to travel to Tunisia to attend a media and journalism training course between 26 August 2015 and 9 September 2015. This follows trumped-up charges that were brought against him on 15 August 2015.
The trial has been postponed for the fifth time to 25 January 2017.
On 26 October 2016, the trial was postponed for the fifth time to 25 January 2017.
On 19 January 2016, Hicham Mansouri completed a 10-month sentence and was released from prison. He reported that he had been subjected to violence while in custody.
On 27 May 2015, the Appeal Chamber of the Rabat Court of First Instance upheld the sentence of 10 months' imprisonment and a fine of 40 000 Dirham (€3734) against human rights defender Hicham Mansouri on a charge of adultery.
Khalafallah Alafif Mukhtar was released on 5 February 2017 after serving a sentence and paying 50,000 Sudanese Pounds; the organization (TRACKS) has been closed down in March 2016
On 4 October 2016, Mr Mohannad Karajah was severely beaten by security forces dressed in plain clothes while participating in a peaceful demonstration in Ramallah. The human rights defender believes that the perpetrators of the attack are affiliated with the Palestinian security forces.
On 25 March 2016, journalist and human rights defender Mr Faisal Mohamed Salih was prevented from traveling from Khartoum International Airport to London by the NISS.
On 24 May 2011, human rights defender Mr Dipal Barua was reportedly abducted by unknown men, ill-treated and interrogated about his human rights work.
On 10 June 2014, Mr Youssef Ahmed Abdel Rasool was summoned by criminal prosecution authorities and interrogated for several hours about his role in the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights(BYSHR). Youssef was later released, but faces ongoing risk of harassment for his work in defense of human rights. During his participation at the 2015 Dublin Platform organised by Front Line Defenders, Youssef received mmore than a dozen phone calls threatening his and his family's safety for speaking about rights violations in Bahrain.
On 9 August 2017, leading member of Human Rights Defenders Palestine, Badie Dweik was summoned for interrogation at Etzion on 14 August 2017 at 9.00 AM. On 4 August 2017, another co-founder of the Human Rights Defenders Group, Imad Abu Shamsiyya was arrested and detained overnight by Israeli forces after participating in a peaceful demonstration.
The first hearing in the trial of 16 human rights defenders who are accused of financing and organizing the Gezi Park protests in 2013 in an attempt to overthrow the government was held on 24 and 25 June 2019. If convicted, the human rights defenders face a possible sentence of life in prison without parole. Two of the defendants, Osman Kavala and Yiğit Aksakoğlu were arbitrarily arrested in November 2017 and November 2018 respectively and have been awaiting trial since then.
On 5 January 2018, an unknown individual forcibly entered the home of Yesica Sánchez Maya, located in Oaxaca, stealing her IT and security materials, including computer, screens, a video camera and a wifi modem.
