Rights group voices concern over pressure on Karakalpakposted on: 2007/01/11

Wednesday, 10 January 2007

Uznews.net – The Front Line international foundation for defending human rights activists today expressed concern with Uzbek President Islam Karimov over the summons of Karakalpak human rights defender Salijon Abdurahmanov to police in Nukus and described this move as intimidation of a human rights activist.

“Front Line expresses concern over reports that Salijon Abdurahmanov, the chairman of the Karakalpak branch of the Committee for Defending Individual’s Rights, was summoned to the deputy head of the Nukus town police department and that police officers examined his flat the same day,” Mary Lawlor, director of Front Line, said in a letter to President Karimov.

The international foundation for defending human rights activists urged the Uzbek authorities to take measures to “enable Salijon Abdurahmanov and other human rights activists in Uzbekistan to carry out their lawful activities to defend human rights freely and without restrictions or intimidation”.

“Front Line reminds you about the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998,” Mary Lawlor wrote to Karimov.

Iraqi and Syrian Human Rights Defenders meet in Jordanposted on: 2007/01/10

Front Line hosted a workshop in Jordan, from 5 - 8 December with human rights defenders from Syria and Iraq. The participants discussed the very dangerous conditions in which they endeavor to work to improve the human rights situation in their respective countries, as well as measures to enhance the security of their work. Front Line Deputy Director, Andrew Anderson, paid tribute to the courage of the human rights defenders who continue to work for the rights of others in spite of the extremely hostile conditions they face.

OSCE Chairman urges states to protect human rights defendersposted on: 2007/01/10

The OSCE Chairman, Belgian Foreign Minister, Karel De Gucht, marked Human Rights day by calling for increased awareness of the difficulties many human rights defenders face. "Protecting those who, in civil society or within their governments, promote human rights on a daily basis must be a duty for us all," said Minister De Gucht. "All too often, human rights defenders face harassment, persecution, and even death as a result of making the very same statements that us more fortunate take for granted. This situation is, sadly, deteriorating." Read full press release.

Iraqi and Syrian Human Rights Defenders meet in Jordanposted on: 2007/01/10

Front Line hosted a workshop in Jordan, from 5 - 8 December with human rights defenders from Syria and Iraq. The participants discussed the very dangerous conditions in which they endeavor to work to improve the human rights situation in their respective countries, as well as measures to enhance the security of their work. Front Line Deputy Director, Andrew Anderson, paid tribute to the courage of the human rights defenders who continue to work for the rights of others in spite of the extremely hostile conditions they face.

Front Line fact finding mission and training in Indiaposted on: 2007/01/10

Front Line fact finding mission and training in India Front Line in association with Save the Children Foundation and a local partner, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, organized a two-day security training workshop for Human Rights Defenders. There was over 20 participants from India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The fact finding mission was led by Caitriona Rice, Front Line’s, South Asia Researcher and Krishna Pahadi, leader of the Citizen’s Movement for Democracy and Peace in Nepal. They visited Delhi and Tamil Nadu between 22 November and 6 December to meet human rights defenders working in India.