GENEVA / WASHINGTON DC – Ahead of the International Women Human Rights Defenders Day on 29 November, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, called for strengthened protection of women defenders promoting sexual and reproductive rights in the Americas. “It is not an easy job, and sometimes can be plain dangerous. Sexual and reproductive rights defenders seek to ensure that women and men know and exercise their human rights to access services, information and education in the field of sexual and reproductive health. They also unmask multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination and injustice based on gender identity and sexual orientation, and in many occasions they help victims of sexual violence. Women rights activists defending sexual and reproductive rights across the Americas face increased risks and multiple threats, from smear campaigns and stigmatisation to physical and sexual attacks. And these defenders become particularly vulnerable in countries where access to services related to sexual and reproductive health, such as safe abortion or emergency contraception, is extremely restricted or criminalized. Not only do these women rights defenders face the same risks as many other rights activists, but they are further... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, while welcoming the release of Hossam Bahgat, today reiterate grave concern at the situation of fear and intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders which inhibit the legitimate exercise of their rights and the performance of their work in Egypt. “Hossam Bahgat has been a leading member of the human rights community in Egypt for well over a decade, shining a spotlight on abuses through his fact-finding and investigative journalism,” said David Kaye. According to reliable information, Mr. Bahgat was detained by military authorities on 8 November, during investigation solely based on his writing and work as journalist, and was then released today. "Even after his release, his detention sends a signal of disrespect for the very principles of freedom of expression that President Sisi only days ago claimed his government upheld," added the UN expert. "We are deeply concerned that the fear of criminalization and of being detained, even if not ultimately charged, creates an environment that deters reporting and intimidates writers and activists of all kinds," said Michel Forst. “This adds to the already very difficult... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, today condemned the recent prison sentencing of prominent Azerbaijani human rights activists Leyla and Arif Yunus as “manifestly politically motivated and representative of the continuing repression of independent civil society in Azerbaijan.” On 13 August 2015, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Ms. and Mr. Yunus to eight and a half and seven years’ imprisonment respectively on charges of fraud, tax evasion, and illegal entrepreneurship. They also face charges of treason. “The authorities of Azerbaijan must put an end immediately to all forms of persecution against human rights activists in the country,” the experts said. “Leyla and Arif Yunus are two of many activists in Azerbaijan, which include Anar Mammadli, Rasul Jafarov and Intigam Aliyev, who have been targeted because of their legitimate human rights work.” “Criminalization of those working for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country is deeply disconcerting,” the experts said, reiterating a call on the authorities they made one year ago “to reverse the trend of repression, criminalization and prosecution of human rights work in the country.” “Silencing these prominent voices is having a devastating impact on the... Continue reading →
GENEVA / WASHINGTON, DC – A group of United Nations and Inter-American human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, deplored today the attempts to discredit and intimidate human rights defenders on Venezuela’s State-controlled television, in retaliation for their human rights activities and cooperation with UN and regional human rights bodies. “It’s high time to pull the plug on this shameful and televised harassment of rights activists in Venezuela,” the experts said. “We condemn what has become a clear pattern to intimidate and defame human rights defenders for merely promoting human rights in their country and for engaging with international and regional human rights bodies.” The experts drew attention to the systematic targeting of human rights defenders through the weekly TV programme ‘Con el Mazo Dando’, transmitted by the state network Venezolana de Televisión, including by publishing personal information on its website. The programme is hosted by the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, who goes on air to make accusations against rights activists and civil society organisations with an apparent aim to intimidate them. The experts recalled that the UN and Inter-American human rights bodies are charged to monitor Venezuela’s implementation of its... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, today criticised the “relentless prosecution and repression of prominent rights activists in Azerbaijan” and called for their immediate release ahead of the inaugural European Games in Baku which begin on 12 June. “As preparations were in full swing for the Baku Games, the Azerbaijani authorities stepped up their efforts to harass, jail, and surveil human rights defenders, as well as ban them from travel and freeze their assets,” the independent expert said. “Such unjustifiable criminalization has been usually justified with trumped-up or politically-motivated charges of state treason, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion and abuse of office,” Mr. Forst said. “As a result, most Azerbaijani defenders have had to endure prolonged pre-trial detention, imprisonment or exile.” The UN expert drew special attention to the cases of Intigam Aliyev and Khadija Ismail for documenting cases of political prisoners; Anar Mammadli, Bashir Suleymanli and Elnur Mammadov for monitoring the presidential elections in October 2013; Leyla Yunus and her husband, Arif, for criticising the government; and Rasul Jafarov for organising the “Sport for Rights” initiative during the Baku Games to... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations independent experts has urged the Government of Oman to release Said Ali Said Jadad, a prominent human rights defender who has been advocating for democratic reforms in the country and has been repeatedly detained. Mr. Jadad’s latest detention took place on 21 January, without an arrest warrant. Mr. Jadad is scheduled to be transferred from the Police Headquarters in Salalah to appear in court in Muscat in the coming days, on charges of undermining the prestige of the state, incitement to sit-ins and demonstrations, steering up sectarian strife and offending state officials. “This is not the first time that I have been informed about acts of reprisals against Mr. Jadad following my official visit to Oman in September 2014,” the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, said. “Mr. Jadad has been repeatedly detained since 10 December and I am worried that he was arrested for having met with me during my visit.” “I urge the Omani Government to ensure the safety of Mr. Jadad and to guarantee that no human rights defender in the country is subjected to any form of reprisals – including threats, harassment, imprisonment or judicial proceedings,” Mr. Kiai stated. The Special Rapporteur on the... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations independent human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, has urged the government of Bahrain to drop charges against three women human rights activists exercising their rights to free expression and free association. “Deprivation of liberty on the sole ground of having exercised the right to free expression may be considered arbitrary,” the experts warned. Ms. Maryam Al-Khawaja, the co-director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, was sentenced on 1 December, in absentia, for allegedly assaulting airport security officers. Her sister, Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja, a women’s rights and social media activist in Bahrain, was sentenced on 4 December to three years in prison and fined 3,000 BHD (7,900 USD) for tearing a picture of Bahrain’s King during a court hearing in October. Several days later, she was sentenced to an additional year for “insulting a public servant” and is facing further charges for insulting a police officer and trespassing. The two women activists are daughters of Mr. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, the former president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, who has been in detention since 2011 and was the subject of numerous calls by UN experts for his release. Ms. Ghada Jamsheer, head of the Women’s Petition Committee, a network of Bahraini... Continue reading →
GENEVA – United Nations human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, today condemned the growing tendency to prosecute prominent human rights defenders in Azerbaijan, and urged the Government “to show leadership and reverse the trend of repression, criminalization and prosecution of human rights work in the country.” “We are appalled by the increasing incidents of surveillance, interrogation, arrest, sentencing on the basis of trumped-up charges, assets-freezing and ban on travel of the activists in Azerbaijan,” they said. “The criminalization of rights activists must stop. Those who were unjustifiably detained for defending rights should be immediately freed.” The experts highlighted the specific cases of Leyla Yunus, director of the Azerbaijani Institute of Peace and Democracy; Arif Yunus, head of Conflict Studies in the Institute of Peace and Democracy; Rasul Jafarov, coordinator of Art of Democracy and head of Human Rights Club; and Intigam Aliyev, chair of Legal Education Society. “We are alarmed at the wave of politically-motivated repression of activists in reprisal for their legitimate work in documenting and reporting human rights violations,” they noted, reiterating their grave concerns about the deteriorating situation in the country for the third time in less than a... Continue reading →
GENEVA – Two United Nations independent experts on Friday expressed serious concern over the charges brought against three human rights defenders in the aftermath of the 2013 presidential elections in Azerbaijan. Mr. Anar Mammadli and Mr. Bashir Suleymanli, respectively Chairman and Executive Director of the Azerbaijani Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDSC), together with Mr. Elnur Mammadov, President of the Volunteers of International Cooperation Public Union (VIC), are being tried in Baku for conducting business activity by an organized group without registration and abusing official powers, among other charges. They face up to 12 years’ imprisonment. Mr. Mammadli has been in pre-trial detention since 16 December 2013. “We are seriously concerned that the three human rights defenders are being prosecuted in retaliation for their legitimate work in documenting alleged widespread irregularities and human rights violations around the presidential elections of 9 October 2013. All charges brought against them should be dropped and Mr. Mammadli should be released immediately,” urged the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai. Mr. Mammadli was one of the participants in the consultation convened by Mr. Kiai in June... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of UN experts, including Maina Kiai, today expressed their dismay concerning the death of Cao Shunli in hospital on 14 March, and extended their sincere condolences to her family and friends. Ms. Cao was a prominent human rights activist in China who had tirelessly campaigned since 2008 for transparency and greater participation of civil society in the second universal periodic review (UPR) of China’s human rights record by the UN Human Rights Council. On 14 September 2013, Ms. Cao was prevented by Chinese authorities from boarding a flight from Beijing to Geneva where she was to participate in a human rights seminar and observe China’s UPR. Ms. Cao’s whereabouts were unknown until she was charged with the crime of "creating a disturbance." Her health deteriorated while she was in detention and she was transferred to hospital in a critical condition on 19 February 2014. Ms. Cao’s enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, failing health and the fact that she was denied medical care were brought to the attention of the UN experts who transmitted urgent appeals to China. A group of UN human rights experts issued public statement (“UN experts alarmed by reprisals against activists linked to China’s international human rights review”) on 16 October 2013. A... Continue reading →
