Bahrain: Arbitrary detention of human rights defender Abdul-Redha Hassan Al-Saffar

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that the Bahrainian authorities have refused to disclose the whereabouts of human rights defender, Mr Abdul-Redha Hassan Al-Saffar, who was arbitrarily arrested, early in the morning of 21 December 2008, from his residence in Mahooze village by state security forces despite there being no arrest warrant against him. No reason has been given for his arrest and his whereabouts are as yet unknown.  Read More

Baghdad: Front Line launches "Iraq - The Untold Story" a new collection of testimonies by Iraqi human rights defenders

On Wednesday, 31 December 2008 in the Petroleum Cultural Club, Front Line launched "Iraq - The Untold Story," a collection of personal testimonies by 13 Iraqi human rights defenders. The report was launched in co-operation with the Iraqi Journalist Rights Defense Association (IJRDA). The lunch was attended by many human rights defenders, journalists and some Iraqi officials.  Read More

Security for Human Rights Defenders key to protecting and helping civilian victims in Gaza

Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, is gravely concerned for the safety of human rights defenders and humanitarian workers who are operating in the field in Gaza; monitoring and reporting on the horrific outcome of the continuous air raids by the Israeli armed forces and providing much needed help to victims. Human rights defenders include activists and workers in human rights groups, press and media, health services and humanitarian aid workers.  Read More

Update: Jestina Mukoko, Pascal Gonzo and Broderick Takawira from Zimbabwe Peace Project alive and held in police stations

On Tuesday 23 December 2008, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) began to receive piecemeal information that various individuals, including civil society activists and members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) who had been abducted over the last 7 weeks, were believed to be held in various police stations around Harare.  Read More

Journalist, Mr Lotfi Hidouri, arrested and lawyer, Mr Mohamed Abbou prevented from travelling to Arab Free Press Forum

Front Line is concerned following reports that journalist Mr Lotfi Hidouri was arrested on 10 December 2008 at Tunis' Carthage airport as he prepared to leave for Beirut to attend the Third Arab Free Press Forum. Mr Mohamed Abbou, was also prevented from leaving the country and attending the conference in Beirut after he intervened to determine the reason for Lotfi Hidouri's arrest. Lotfi Hidouri is the sub-editor of Kalima newspaper and a member of L'Observatoire pour la Liberté de Presse – OLPEC (The Observatory for the Freedom of the Press). Mohamed Abbou is a lawyer and a member of the Conseil National pour les Libertés en Tunisie – CNLT (National Council for Liberties in Tunisia).  Read More

Ethiopia – Charities and Societies Bill threatens the work of human rights defenders

Front Line is deeply concerned about the provisions of the forthcoming Charities and Societies Proclamation (draft law) which according to reports received is scheduled for discussion in the Ethiopian parliament on 24 December 2008. This is the fifth draft of a law to regulate all domestic and international civil society organisations (CSOs) operating in the country. The provisions of the new law would seriously curtail the already-limited work of human rights defenders in Ethiopia and would drastically reduce their ability to criticise or act independently of the government, through the imposition of arbitrary restrictions on their work, complex bureaucratic procedures, severe criminal penalties and escalated government surveillance of their activities.  Read More

Colombia – Killing of Mr Edwin Legarda Vazquez, husband of human rights defender, Ms Aída Quilcué

Front Line and Human Rights First strongly condemn the murder of Mr Edwin Legarda Vazquez, husband of human rights defender, Ms Aída Quilcué, Chief Counsel of the Consejo Regional Indígena de Colombia - CRIC (The Indigenous Regional Council of Cauca), on 16 December 2008. We ask that you urge the Colombian Government to undertake a prompt, impartial investigation into the murder and to protect Ms Quilcué and her family.  Read More