Front Line

Brussels: Mary Lawlor's speech at the EU/UN conference on human rights defenders, 7 October 2008

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.

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Western Sahara: Systematic repression of human rights defenders

Following its recent visit to Western Sahara from 15 to 22 September 2008, Front Line expresses its serious concern in relation to repressive practices against human rights defenders in Western Sahara. These include intrusive surveillance of defenders, the imposition of obstacles to registration of non-governmental organisations, physical attacks and arbitrary detentions, such as the wave of arrests carried out on 21 September following a peaceful demonstration in the town of Smara.

Western Sahara

Germany: Granting Tolerance Prize to Shirin Abadi

International

Shirin Abadi, a lawyer and an Iranian human rights activist, was awarded with the 2008 Tolerance Prize by the Protestant Academy of Tutzing. The prize is granted to people known for their peaceful efforts within political regimes, cultures and religions.

Iran: Women Human Rights Defenders Ronak Safarzadeh, Hana Abdi, and Fatemeh Goftari Sent to Solitary Confinement

According to information received from the city of Sanandaj, Ronak Safarzadeh, Hana Abdi, and Fatemeh Goftari, women human rights defenders, cultural and social council members of Kurdistan Azarmehr Women and members of the One Million Signatures campaign for legislative reform to promote women's rights in Iran, lost three weeks of visiting rights and were transferred to solitary confinement.

Iran

Honduras – Surveillance, intimidation of human rights defenders from Trade Union of Workers of National University of Honduras

Front Line is deeply concerned by information received concerning the surveillance of human rights defenders who are members of the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Universidad Nacional de Honduras – SITRAUNAH (Trade Union of Workers of the National University of Honduras), including its president René Andino, and the existence of a list containing the names of 136 human rights defenders, including trade unionists and members of religious orders.

Honduras

India: Judicial harassment of human rights defender Kirity Roy

Front Line is seriously concerned about the judicial harassment of Kirity Roy, the former president of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), a non-governmental human rights organisation based in Howrah, Kolkata, West Bengal. On 27 September 2008, police entered the offices of MASUM searching for Kirity Roy and affidavits from the People's Tribunal on Torture (PTT), which is organised by the National Project on Preventing Torture in India (NPPTI).

India

Dublin: Front Line Director Mary Lawlor receives the Irish Life Women Mean Business, Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2008.

News about Front Line

Front Line is delighted to announce that the prestigious, Irish Life WMB Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2008 has just been given to Mary Lawlor Co-Founder and Executive Director of the organisation. The Award was announced at the annual O2 WMB Conference and Awards Ceremony which took place today in Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel.

Uganda: Arbitrary detention of George Oundo and Kiiza Brendah and intimidation of other human rights defenders

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that human rights defenders George Oundo and Kiiza Brendah were arbitrarily detained from 10 to 18 September 2008 and that Pepe Juliana Onziema, David Kato, Victor Julie Mukasa and Kasha Jacqueline have been subjected to intimidation by police and the authorities in Uganda.

Uganda

Uzbekistan: Trial of journalist and human rights defender Salijon Abdurahmanov

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that the trial of Salijon Abdurahmanov commenced on 12 September 2008. Salijon Abdurahmanov was arrested on 7 June 2008, after drugs were planted in his car. He is a founding member and leading journalist with Uznews.net, a member of the Real Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan, and a member of the Committee to Protect Individuals' Rights in Karakalpakstan. He has also worked for Radio Liberty and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and has made public statements concerning human rights violations and restrictions on freedom of expression in Uzbekistan. His case was the subject of a Front Line urgent appeal on 20 June 2008.

Uzbekistan

Kenya: Intimidation, threats and attempted attack against woman human rights defender Pouline Kimani

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the recent intimidation, threats and attempted attack against woman human rights defender Pouline Kimani. Pouline Kimani is a member of the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK) and works in defence of the rights of the gay and lesbian community in Kenya.

Kenya

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