Dublin: Front Line and The Body Shop launch national campaign for protection of human rights defenders

Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, together with The Body Shop Ireland, launches action campaign “ Protect One, Empower a Thousand” to end the harassment of human rights defenders. On Monday 19 November at 1 pm at The Body Shop on Grafton Street, Front Line and The Body Shop launch their joint national campaign to secure the protection of human rights defenders. Senator David Norris will speak at the launch highlighting how human rights defenders, including gay rights activists, put their lives on the line on a daily basis in defence of the rights of others.

Front Line will be joined by a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights defenders invited by Front Line to Dublin for a personal security training workshop as part of an international conference organised by Front Line. The campaign will highlight twelve cases from around the word - some of which are detailed below.

Among the human rights defenders who will be present is Donny Reyes, a defender of LGBT rights and Director of LGBT rights organisation ArcoIris from Honduras. While he was escorting a colleague to a taxi rank in central Tegucicalpa, Honduras Donny Reyes was arrested, beaten by police officers, taken to a police station and assaulted in March 2007.

From Monday, customers at The Body Shop stores throughout the island of Ireland will be able to take direct action on the cases of human rights defenders in six countries, including Donny Reyes, who are currently being harassed, detained or threatened as a result of their peaceful activities in defence of human rights.

In each store, an action centre will be present where customers can sign postcards to be sent to the relevant authorities, urging them to take immediate action to end the harassment of named human rights defenders in Honduras, Uzbekistan, Serbia, West Papua, Iran and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These postcards will be collected by Front Line and delivered to the authorities in each country.

Background on the other 5 cases that are the focus of the campaign is given below:

Mutabar Tadjibaeva, Uzbekistan Mutabar Tadjibaeva founded the Fiery Hearts club in Uzbekistan to defend the rights of women. She was arrested in October 2005 while on her way to Ireland to participate in the Third Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders, organised by Front Line and sentenced to eight years in prison on fabricated charges. Since her arrest, she has repeatedly been denied access to medical care, her family and to legal representation. She has been held in solitary confinement on a number of occasions.

Justine Masika Bihamba, Democratic Republic of Congo Justine Masika Bihamba works in Nothern Kivu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, documenting sexual violence against women and evidence of war crimes. On 18 September 2007 6 armed men in army uniforms broke into Justine's home, tied up her family, assaulted one of her two daughters and kicked the other daughter in the face. Although Justine's driver and one of her daughters were able to identify four of the perpetrators who participated in the attack, none of them have yet been arrested.

Bijana Kovacevic-Vuco, Serbia Bijana Kovacevic-Vuco is the director of YUCOM, a human rights organisation in Serbia.Bijana Kovacevic-Vuco has worked tirelessly to help bring war criminals to justice in Serbia and as a result has been insulted, assaulted and vilified by sections of the government and media in Serbia. Many other human rights defenders in Serbia are subject to similar forms of harassment and abuse.

Yan Christian Warinussy, West Papua Yan Christian Warinussy is executive director of the Institute for Research, Analysis, and Development for Legal Aid in West Papua which documents human rights abuses. In June 2007 Yan Christian Warinussy met with Hina Jilani, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General on the situation of human rights defenders, during her official visit to Indonesia. Since then he has been subjected to repeated intimidation and harassment.

Saleh Kamrani and Sa'id Metinpour, Iran Lawyer Saleh Kamrani and journalist Sa'id Metinpour are currently being detained in section 209, Evin Prison, Tehran. Both Saleh Kamrani and Sa'id Metinpour have been active in defending the rights of the Azerbaijani minority in Iran. On 18 August 2007 Saleh Kamrani was arrested and his computer and personal documents were confiscated. Since 21 August 2007 he has had no contact with his family or lawyer. Sa'id Metinpour was arrested in the northwestern city of Zenjan on 25 May 2007. Since his arrest he has been subject to torture and illtreatment. Neither Saleh Kamrani and Sa'id Metinpour have been charged, brought to trial or given access to a lawyer.

For further information please contact Front Line's Head of Media Jim Loughran at: Tel +353 (0)1 2123750 or mobile +353 (0)879377586 jimloughran@frontlinedefenders.org

Full details on the campaign can be found on the Front Line web site - www.frontlinedefenders.org