What's New at Front Line?

The Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU) and Front Line presented a joint letter in Geneva on 15th December calling for the release of 14 imprisoned human rights defenders and 4 imprisoned family members. Abdujalil Boymatov, Deputy Chair of the HRSU presented the letter to the office of Margaret Sekaggya, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, and also met with representatives of six of the other special procedures. The visit coincided with the Human Rights Council discussing the Universal Periodic Review of Uzbekistan.

Read the joint letter to Margaret Sekaggya, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders

On 7-8 October 2008, in a major inter-institutional initiative, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the United Nations marked the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by convening a high-level conference in Brussels, entitled "The Defenders take the floor". It was an occasion to review the international and regional support mechanisms that have been developed in favour of human rights defenders. Front Line Director, Mary Lawlor, gave a keynote speech, available here.