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Front Line News Archive

Libya: Human rights defenders Jamal Al Haji and Faraj Humaid released after 2 years in prison.posted on: 2009/03/18

Front Line welcomes the release in Libya of two human rights defenders, Jamal Al Haji and Faraj Humaid after 2 years in prison.

DRC: Human rights defenders Floribert Bahizire, Dolly Inefo Mbunga and Donat Tshikay releasedposted on: 2009/03/18

Human rights defenders Floribert Bahizire, Dolly Inefo Mbunga and Donat Tshikaya who were arrested on 15 March 2009 were released on the evening of the 17 March.

Dublin: Front Line Launches Annual Report - Dispatches 2008posted on: 2009/03/13

Front Line has launched its annual report, Dispatches 2008 which gives an overview of the challenges facing human rights defenders on the ground. It also documents the different ways in which Front Line is working with human rights defenders to help them reduce the risks they face. "Human rights defenders bring hope – and hope is always stronger than fear. Hope is the light by which they live, realising that their efforts may be long and hard, cultivating justice brick by brick", said Mary Lawlor, Executive Director of Front Line.

You can read the report online by linking to Dispatches 2008

Kenya: Statement by Kenyan civil society groups re situation of escalating violenceposted on: 2009/03/12

The recent killings of Oscar Kamau King'ara and John Paul Oulu in the context of a general climate of impunity have prompted a joint statement by the representatives of Kenyan civil society. The statement issued today in Nairobi states "Kenya civil society in its various formations across the country has assessed the state of the nation in the wake of the brutal broad-day light gunning down of our members Oscar Kamau King’ara and John Paul Oulu (GPO) by people believed to be police officers on a mission to assassinate the two on Thursday March 5, 2009 on State house road near the university of Nairobi Halls of residence. We condemn the cynical and brutal assassination of our brothers and vow to take all the necessary steps to ensure their killers are brought to justice. We also condemn the barbaric murder of an innocent university student, Godwin Ogato Gisairo, the same night by a police officer".

Egypt: 11 human rights organisations declare their support for human rights defenders in Bahrainposted on: 2009/03/12

In a statement issued in Cairo on 10 March 2009 11 human rights organisations in Cairo declared their support for human rights defenders in Bahrain. "Human rights organisations signing this statement declare their support and solidarity with the human rights activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawajah the ex director of Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and the regional representative of Front line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. Al-Khawajah is brought to court for his brave stand defending rights and freedoms in the Bahraini kingdom".

Israel: Supreme Court upholds decision to ban Palestinian human rights defender Shawan Jabarin from travelling - UPDATEposted on: 2009/03/11

The Israeli Supreme court decided on Tuesday to uphold a decision to ban Palestinian human rights defender, Shawan Jabarin, from travelling to Amsterdam in the Netherlands to receive the Geuzenpenning Award.

Bahrain: Human Rights Defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja trial adjourned - UPDATEposted on: 2009/03/11

The hearing case against human rights defender and Front Line Protection Coordinator, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, has been adjourned until 14 April 2009. The travel ban preventing him from carrying out his human rights work has however not been lifted.

Belarus: Death of human rights defender Yana Paliakovaposted on: 2009/03/09

Front Line has received with great sadness news of the death of human rights defender Yana Paliakova in Belarus on 7 March 2009. Yana Paliakova was sentenced to two and a half years of "restraint of liberty" on 3rd of March after a Salihorsk District Court found her guilty of violating article 400, part 2 of Criminal Code -- "deliberate false accusation."

Sudan: Statement by SUDO on the dissolving of the Sudan Social Development Organisationposted on: 2009/03/06

On Thursday 5th March 2009 around 17:30 Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) received a letter signed by the General Commissioner of the Humanitarian Assistance Commission (HAC), that the Commission had decided to dissolve the organisation with immediate effect and handover all its 10 offices and all its properties and resources to a committee from HAC.

To read the full text of the statement issued by SUDO see Link to PDF below.

UAE: Sharjah Sharia Criminal Court commutes death sentence on Hassan Al-Diqq to ten years in prisonposted on: 2009/03/06

The Sharjah Sharia criminal Court decided on the 4th of March 2009, to replace the execution sentence which imposed on Hassan al-Diqqi on the 30th of June 2006, to a 10 years imprisonment. The state authorities had previously offered to release him if he gave up his human rights work. He refused this offer.

Dublin: Front Line launches new manual of security strategies for women human rights defenders - Insiste, Persiste, Resiste posted on: 2009/03/05

To mark International Women's Day 2008 and to Celebrate 30 years of CEDAW, Front Line launches new manual of security strategies for women human rights defenders. The publication is called - Insiste Persiste Resiste Existe and is presented by Front Line, the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights and Kvinna Till Kvinna.

Jerusalem: Open letter to the Defense Minister and the Commander of Military Forces in the West Bankposted on: 2009/03/05

Today [3 March], 10 human rights organisations in Israel wrote to the Defense Minister and the Commander of Military Forces in the West Bank, sharply protesting against the denial of freedom of movement of Shawan Jabarin, Executive Director of the Palestinian human rights organisation al-Haq. Since Jabarin was appointed, in 2006, Israel has not allowed him to leave the West Bank. The organisations called for the prohibition on Jabarin’s exiting the West Bank be lifted. Otherwise, he will be prevented from obtaining a prestigious award for al-Haq’s work in advancing human rights.

Zimbabwe: Jestina Mukoko, Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project released from three months of detentionposted on: 2009/03/03

Jestina Mukoko, Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, was released from three months of detention on Monday 2 March, though she will still have to face charges of attempting to remove President Robert Mugabe from power.

Zimbabwe: WOZA members released on bailposted on: 2009/03/03

Front Line welcomes the release of the five WOZA members arrested on 27 February 2009 during a demonstration organised by WOZA outside the Ministry of Education, in Harare. The five defenders have been released on bail on 2 March 2009 after three nights in police custody. Charges under Section 37(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act - "disturbing the peace, security or public order" are still pending. The five defenders are due to appear in court on 19 March.

Honduras: Killers of murdered lawyer human rights defender, Dionisio Díaz García, convictedposted on: 2009/03/03

Front Line welcomes the news from Honduras that Judge Mario Rolando Díaz has declared a guilty verdict in the case against Ramón Eusebio Solís and César Amador for the killing of human rights lawyer and member of the /Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa, /Association for a more Just Society (ASJ), *Dionisio Díaz García* on Friday 27 February 2009.

This is an important step in the fight against impunity however there are still concerns that those who ordered the killing have not yet been found.