GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, today condemned the killing of Nahed Hattar, a prominent Jordanian journalist and writer who was well-known for his opposition to both the Government and to radical Islam. Mr. Hattar was shot dead on 25 September 2016 as he was about to enter the court in Amman where he was on trial for sharing on social media a caricature deemed blasphemous by the authorities. Mr. Hattar was arrested a number of times in the 1990s, and survived an assassination attempt in 1998. “The killing of Mr. Hattar is appalling, and it is unacceptable that no protection measures had been put in place to ensure his safety, particularly when the threats against him were well known to the authorities,” the expert said. “I am also concerned to hear reports that the authorities have banned the sharing of information about Mr. Hattar’s murder.” Nahed Hattar turned himself in to the police on 13 August 2016, a day after the authorities issued an arrest warrant against him. He was later charged with the crime of ‘insulting religion’ and ‘causing sectarian strife and racism’. In a recent communication to the Jordanian authorities, a group of UN human rights experts raised concern about Mr. Hattar’s arrest and the... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The systematic harassment of the Shia population by the authorities in Bahrain, including stripping many of them of citizenship, is deeply concerning, a group of United Nations human rights independent experts, including Maina Kiai, said today. “The intensified wave of arrests, detentions, summons, interrogations and criminal charges brought against numerous Shia religious clerics and singers, human rights defenders and peaceful dissidents is having a chilling effect on fundamental human rights,” the human rights experts said. “Shias are clearly being targeted on the basis of their religion,” the experts highlighted. “Recently, we witnessed the dissolution of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the shutting of faith-based organizations, restrictions on the practice of religious rites, on Friday prayers and peaceful assemblies, restrictions on movement, restricted access to the Internet and a ban on Shia religious leaders from preaching.” A wide range of charges are brought against the Shias including ‘illegal gathering’, ‘inciting hatred against the regime’, ‘money laundering’ and ‘acts of terrorism’ in relation to their peaceful gatherings and religious congregations and peaceful expression of their beliefs, views and dissenting opinions, which the experts... Continue reading →
GENEVA – Three United Nations human rights experts today urged Israeli lawmakers not to approve the so called ‘NGO transparency bill’ that would, in effect, target non-governmental organizations that are critical of government policy. The experts expressed grave concern that the legislation would chill the speech of human rights NGOs by subjecting them to harsh penalties for violations and delegitimizing them publicly. The stated aim of the legislation is to increase transparency by requiring NGOs that receive more than half of their funding from foreign government entities to disclose certain information, such as the names of their donors in all publications intended for or made available to the public, or in any written appeal to a public employee or public representative. “The promotion of transparency is indeed desirable and legitimate,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye. “However, the pending legislation has the evident intent of targeting human rights and civil rights organizations, which receive a majority of their funding from foreign government entities, while leaving unaffected other organizations that nonetheless receive a substantial amount of foreign funding from individuals.” The proposed legislation is again before the Knesset, after... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, today condemned the sentencing to nine years imprisonment on charges of inciting violence of Sheikh Ali al-Salman, the leader of the Wefaq opposition party in Bahrain. The expert’s call comes after a Bahraini court of appeal on Monday more than doubled his prison term, up from an earlier four years. “The sentencing of Sheik Ali al-Salman seems to confirm a worrying trend of political repression further shrinking the space for any form of dissent in Bahrain today,” the human rights expert said. “The arbitrary sentencing of such a prominent political leader to nine years of detention inevitably has a strong chilling effect for the entire society.” “The fact that the sentence against Ali al-Salman was not only confirmed, but doubled following various statements indicating international concern on his trial, is deeply disappointing,” he said while recalling that last September the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had concluded that his detention was arbitrary. Mr. Kaye’s statement has also been endorsed by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai; the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations experts, including Maina Kiai, expressed outrage today at the recent conviction and sentencing of Narges Mohammadi, a prominent activist and human rights defender, to 16 years’ imprisonment by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran, and called for her immediate and unconditional release. On 18 May 2016, Ms. Mohammadi’s lawyer announced that Iran’s judiciary had sentenced his client to 16 years in prison for her activities on behalf of a grassroots organization calling for the abolition of the death penalty, ‘assembly and collusion against national security’, and for ‘propaganda against the state’. She was allegedly tried behind closed doors. Prior to her arrest on 5 May 2015, the human rights defender was subjected to constant harassment, verbal assaults and interrogations for her peaceful human rights activities. Ms. Mohammadi, who suffers from a critical neurological condition, had previously been sentenced to six years in prison. “There is absolutely no reason why Narges Mohammadi should spend one more hour in prison, let alone 16 years,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmed Shaheed. “I call on all the relevant authorities in Iran, including President Rouhani, to do their utmost... Continue reading →
GENEVA – Three United Nations human rights experts today urged the Egyptian Government to put an end to the disproportionate reactions against the exercise of the rights to assembly and expression in the country. “The worsening crackdown on peaceful protest and dissent in Egypt represents a further setback for an open political environment and a vibrant civil society,” today said the UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression, David Kaye; on freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Maina Kiai; and on human rights defenders, Michel Forst. “The use of force against civil society and against the expression of dissenting views on political issues contribute to a deteriorating climate for the promotion and protection of fundamental rights that form the essential components of a democratic society,” they stressed. The rights experts condemned the authorities’ harsh response to the largest protests in Egypt in the past two years with mass arrests and use of force in a continued clampdown on peaceful protestors, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders. They also criticised the storming of Egypt’s Journalists’ Syndicate by security forces on 1 May 2016, a first since its founding 75 years ago. On 15 and 25 April, protest took place across Egypt and security forces... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, today warned that over a dozen political prisoners in Iran, including some prominent human rights defenders, lawyers and political activists, are at risk of death in detention due to their worsening health conditions and the continued refusal by the Iranian authorities to provide them with medical treatment. “The condition of several prisoners of conscience with serious health problems has been exacerbated by their continued detention and by repeated refusals to allow their access to the medical facilities and treatment they so urgently require,” the experts said. “The denial of medical care, physical abuse, either in overcrowded prisons or in solitary confinement and other forms of torture and ill-treatment exposes prisoners to risk of serious injuries and death,” they said noting that “unfortunately, Iranian prisons are no strangers to such tragedies, many of which could have been avoided if authorities exercised proper care.” The UN experts highlighted the cases of political prisoners Mohammad Hossein Rafiee Fanood and Kamal Foroughi, human rights defender Nargis Mohammadi, lawyer Abdulfattah Soltani, blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, religious figure Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi and experimental... Continue reading →
GENEVA – Three United Nations human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, today raised alarm at the continuing crackdown on human rights defenders and civil society organisations in Egypt. They warned that many NGOs have been closed down, and human rights defenders have been interrogated by the security forces, subjected to travel bans and had their assets frozen in retaliation for their legitimate and peaceful human rights work. “Egypt is failing to provide a safe and enabling environment for civil society in the country,” the UN experts on human rights defenders, freedom of expression, and freedoms of assembly and association said. “The Government must immediately put an end to all forms of persecution and take effective measures to protect civil society.” The rights experts reiterated their call on the Egyptian authorities to amend Law 84/2002 on Non-Governmental Organizations without delay, which remains in force despite widespread criticism. “The recent attempt to forcibly close the Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence demonstrates how Egypt’s NGO Law is being used to obstruct the reporting on human rights issues, such as torture,” explained the experts. The Center was issued with a closing order on 17 February 2016 for publishing reports on torture, which... Continue reading →
GENEVA – United Nations human rights expert David Kaye today expressed grave concern at the growing repression of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia. He noted a string of severe punishments against individuals for the holding and expressing of opinions, including human rights defenders and bloggers, Raif Badawi and Mikhlif al Shammari, and the poet Ashraf Fayadh. “As the world struggles to fight terrible forms of violence, national authorities everywhere should avoid the targeting freedom of expression, especially against those who advocate tolerance, respect and human rights,” the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression said. Several prominent writers and artists have been punished severely for expressing their beliefs in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Badawi, recently awarded the Sakharov Human Rights Prize, is a well-recognized human rights defender sentenced in 2014 and flogged in January, when he received 50 public lashes. His health has since deteriorated and authorities have reportedly transferred him to an isolated detention facility and are considering a new round of flogging. Mr. Al Shammari was convicted this month for ‘stirring up public opinion’ for his work advocating for reconciliation between Shia and Sunni communities via Twitter. And Mr. Fayadh, the... 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 →
