Home

torture

Uganda: Arbitrary detention and torture of human rights defender Usaam Mukwaaya

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arbitrary detention and torture of Usaam Mukwaaya, a human rights defender working on issues of sexual health and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Uganda on 25 and 26 July 2008. Front Line previously communicated with you on 11 June 2008 in relation to the detention of Usaam Mukwaaya, together with two other human rights defenders, during a peaceful protest at the HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting on 4 June 2008.  Read More

China: Torture of human rights defender Liu Jie while undergoing re-education through labour

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that human rights defender Liu Jie has been tortured during her re-education through labour (RTL). Liu Jie is a defender of human rights in rural communities who has campaigned for political and legal reforms in China.  Read More

Bahrain: Detention and torture of seven human rights defenders

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the detention and torture of Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan and Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed of the Unemployment Committee; Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor and Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor of the Committee for Detainees; Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor of the Committee Against High Prices; and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan of the Committee Against One Percent. These human rights defenders are active defenders of labour rights in Bahrain.  Read More

Zimbabwe: Abduction and torture of Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) staff members Charles Thole and James Mushayi

On 13 May 2008, Charles Thole and James Mushayi were reportedly abducted by ZANU PF supporters in Kotwa, Mudzi. They were held hostage and reportedly tortured at a ZANU PF base at the Muzezuru Primary School before being freed with the help of a lawyer and members of the police. MP elect for Mudzi North, Newten Kapecha, is suspected of having instigated the torture. He also reportedly confiscated the accreditation cards and ZESN t-shirts of eight other ZESN observers.  Read More

Uzbekistan:Torture of human rights defender Yusuf Juma, his sons, and threats against human rights lawyer Ruhiddin Kamilov

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the continued torture and ill-treatment of imprisoned human rights defender and writer Yusuf Juma and his sons Bobur and Mashrab Juma. Yusuf Juma is a prominent writer and pro-democracy activist in Uzbekistan. Yusuf, Bobur and Mashrab Juma were arrested in the Tashkent region in mid-December 2007 and are all detained in the Otbozor Prison in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan. Yusuf and Bobur Juma's lawyer, Ruhiddin Kamilov, has been threatened by the prison governor.  Read More

Chinese human rights defender, Chen Xiaoming, dies shortly after release according to statement by HRIC, Human Rights in China.

According to a recent report by Human Rights in China (HRIC) the organisation has learned that Shanghai human rights defender Chen Xiaoming died on July 1, shortly after being released on medical parole. Numerous earlier requests by Chen's family for medical parole had been refused.  Read More

Front Line Indonesia: Murders Death Threats and Other Forms of Intimidation of Human Rights Defenders, 1998-2002

The primary focus of this report rests on the cases of abuse, arbitrary arrest, torture, disappearance, murder and other forms of intimidation perpetrated against human rights defenders in Indonesia. The report is not exhaustive but gives a picture of a pattern of intimidation of human rights defenders. Three regions have been singled out for special consideration: the capital, Jakarta, in the lead up to and following the 21 May 1998 resignation of president Soeharto as well as Aceh and West Papua, which are home to Indonesia's longest and bloodiest separatist movements. Just as human rights violations have escalated in these regions, so too have crimes against human rights defenders.

Front Line mission to DRC, Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya

A Front Line mission visited Rwanda, Burundi, the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kenya between 8 and 16 of April 2007. Front Line Director Mary Lawlor and Protection Coordinator Natacha O’Brien met with human rights defenders at risk and national authorities to discuss the protection and security of human rights defenders in the region  Read More

Torture and ill treatment of human rights defender from Uzbekistan

Front Line is gravely concerned by reports that Ihtiyor Hamroev, a human rights defender and member of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan was subjected to torture and ill treatment while detained in Prison 64/78 in the Djizak region, on 26 and 27 December 2006.

On 26 December 2006, Ihtiyor Hamroev reportedly complained of stomach pains related to an ulcer and asked the prison guard on duty to call for a doctor. The head of the prison was made aware of his condition. On the following day, 27 December 2006, Ihtiyor Hamroev was allegedly handcuffed and severely beaten by prison guards. Reports claim that he was repeatedly kicked in the stomach, and was subsequently dragged by the hair across the floor. He was then transferred to an isolation unit for 24 hours. Ihtiyor Hamroev's health deteriorated considerably after the incident and he was transferred to Zafarabad district hospital where he was given a medical examination.  Read More

Human rights defenders in Bahrain discussed in UK House of Lords

The increasing repression faced by human rights defenders in Bahrain was discussed at a seminar in the UK House of Lords on 18 December 2006. The speakers included; Mrs. Ghada Jamsheer, President of the Women's Petition Committee, who discussed the situation with regard to women's rights in Bahrain. Jamsheer has repeatedly faced fabricated legal charges including "insulting the judiciary" as a result of her work to press for the rights of women in Bahrain's family courts. Front Line Deputy Director, Andrew Anderson, spoke of the pattern of threats, harassment, fabricated legal charges, torture and detention faced by human rights defenders who have dared to speak out about human rights in Bahrain. He stated that it was particularly ironic that Bahrain was repressing human rights defenders and trying to close down the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights at a time when it sits on the UN Human Rights Council.

123next ›last »
Syndicate content