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Welcome to Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin, an e-newsletter of updates and analyses concerning civil society's rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression around the world. The Bulletin is compiled by the staff at Civil Society Watch, a programme of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. Please feel free to forward the Bulletin to friends and colleagues. We welcome your comments and contributions!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
FRONT
PAGE An interview with activist Jennifer Latheef
ZIMBABWE: African Solidarity Team urges regional action
GOOD NEWS
ECUADOR: Government closes mine after citizen protest
UNITED NATIONS: LGTB organisations granted status
BELARUS: European Council withdraws trade privileges BELARUS: Authorities raid only remaining human rights group
BURUNDI: Civil society activists and journalists arrested
CHINA: Regulations restrict lawyers in defence of social activists
EGYPT: Police again crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood
GHANA: Mining activists arrested
INDIA: Human rights organisation searched
PERU: Restrictive NGO law passed
RUSSIA: Office of political organisation raided
SRI LANKA: Anti-terror law to be re-introduced
TUNISIA: Meeting of human rights organisation blocked
TURKMENISTAN: Environmental activist detained PHILIPPINES: Human
rights NGOs accused of propaganda
UZBEKISTAN: Human rights defenders honoured online RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS
Asian Human Rights Commission: 2006 report released CIVICUS: What do you think? Have
your say on the CIVICUS Blog |
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16 Days of Activism feature: A voice from the Maldives An interview with activist Jennifer Latheef
This year's 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence focuses on the challenges facing women human rights defenders. It honours women who have suffered intimidation and violence for their courageous activism.
CSW had the opportunity to interview Maldivian activist and journalist Jennifer Latheef. Civil society activists in the Maldives frequently face strict government controls on their expression, arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, as well as the threat of baseless criminal charges. Latheef is among those targeted. After only recently being pardoned for 'terrorism' charges, she has been travelling and speaking about the situation in the Maldives.
To read the full interview, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/FRONTPAGE_J.Latheef.htm
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ECUADOR: Government closes mine after citizen protest 9 December - Violent confrontations between anti-mining citizens of the region (about 500 people) and pro-mining citizens (about 100) during early December convinced the national government to shut down all activities of Ascendant Copper Corporation in Junin, reports Global Response. In a letter to Ascendant’s general manager in Ecuador, the Deputy Minister for Environmental Protection of the Ministry of Energy and Mines reportedly said the violent conflict generated by the mining operation puts Junin citizens at risk. She said Ascendant must cease all activities until an Environmental Impact Assessment for the mining project wins government approval. http://www.globalresponse.org/
UNITED NATIONS: LGTB organisations granted status 12 December - The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations has approved the application for consultative status of the European section of the International Lesbian and Gay Association , the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians and the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. This is reportedly the first time that LGTB organisations have been recognised at ECOSOC. Through granting the consultative status to these three NGOs, the UN shows strong recognition for LGTB organisations, whose members are often subjected to serious acts of repression. http://www.protectionline.org/spip.php?article1519
BELARUS: European Council withdraws trade privileges 21 December - The European Council has decided to withdraw trade privileges from Belarus, in response to the government's failure to respect trade union rights, reports the International Trade Union Confederation. The trade union movement has reportedly been campaigning for this action, at international, European and national level, since 2003. An International Labour Organisation Commission of Inquiry in 2004 called on Belarus to stop the harassment of trade unions and guarantee freedom of association and the right to organise.
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BELARUS: Authorities raid only remaining human rights group 14 December - In their latest attempt to close down the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC) , the last remaining human rights organisation registered in Belarus, authorities seized office equipment from the Minsk-based human rights group on 5 December, reports Human Rights Watch. Since 2004, the BHC has reportedly been under severe legal pressure as the government has made repeated attempts to fine it for allegedly evading tax payments on tax-exempt EU grants. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/0a4855223e875ba4c606a48a3f49bf83.htm
BURUNDI: Civil society activists and journalists arrested 13 December - The human rights situation in Burundi appears to be deteriorating, with a growing number of civil society activists and independent journalists arrested and harassed in recent months, report Human Rights Watch (HRW), Journaliste en danger, the International Federation of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists. Since May 2006, the government has arrested three journalists and two civil society activists on excessively broad and poorly substantiated charges, reports HRW. http://allafrica.com/stories/200612130902.html
CHINA: Regulations restrict lawyers in defence of social activists 12 December - China has introduced new restrictions on lawyers handling collective disputes and representing protesters, reports Human Rights Watch. The “Guiding Opinions on Lawyers Handling Mass Cases," introduced in March 2006, reportedly allow local authorities interfere in cases involving 10 or more plaintiffs, discourage lawyers from talking to domestic or international media, require that lawyers get their firms’ permission to take on such cases, and hold lawyers liable if disputes "intensify." http://hrw-news.c.topica.com/maafrx3abvjitaBuzu6baeQyvL/
EGYPT: Police again crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood
18 December - In simultaneous predawn raids, Egyptian police 14 December arrested 17 senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood and rounded up at least 140 students on suspicion of being linked to this banned nonviolent organisation following a protest at Cairo's al-Azhar University, Human Rights Watch reports. The Egyptian authorities have arrested at least 1,000 members of the group in a crackdown that began in March. http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=50180&cat=Politics+News&more=%2Fpolitics%2F
GHANA: Mining activists arrested 4 December - Newmont Ahafo Gold Mines and the Ghanan government have been condemned for the unlawful arrest of Ibrahim Aidara, the Programme Officer of the West African Regional Office of Oxfam America and six other activists of Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining, reports the Ghanian newspaper, the Daily Champion. They were reportedly arrested on 27 November, while meeting with the people of Yamfo, on violations of rights since the mining company came into operations. http://allafrica.com/stories/200612050779.html
INDIA: Human rights organisation searched 6 December - The headquarters of a human rights organisation specialising in denoucning torture cases, Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), were searched on 21 November by a police officer from the District Intelligence Branch Department, seeking information about the activities of the organisation, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.The police officer reportedly took the address of the MASUM Secretary General and a national executive member of the Indian branch of Amnesty International, and asked for the registration certificate of the organisation. http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=3880
PERU: Restrictive NGO law passed 12 December - On December 8, the government passed a law that will give them more control over non-governmental organisations, reports the website Upside Down World. The law was approved as a draft in the final days of October, but Congress continued to debate over amendments after warnings from international and national human rights organisations, who were concerned about the law's effects on civil liberties. After some changed vocabulary, the law was passed. Peruvian NGOs are reportedly collecting congressionalists' signatures to present a demand of unconstitutionality against the law.
RUSSIA: Office of political organisation raided 13 December - Russian police and secret service officers raided the offices of the political organisation United Civil Front on 12 December, reports World Movement for Democracy. The officers allegedly searched the premises because the office is suspected of “extremist activity.” The agents reportedly seized books and material promoting the “March of the Unwilling” – a demonstration which was planned for 16 December against the current government. http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2006/12/13/011.html
SRI LANKA: Anti-terror law to be re-introduced 13 December - The government recently announced that the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 was to be re-introduced, reports Tamilnet. The Colombo based Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), expressed serious concern regarding the new regulations, called the Prevention and Prohibition of Terrorism and Specified Terrorist Activities Regulations. The regulations reportedly give sweeping discretionary power to the government over the activities of civil society organisations including those committed to human rights, national reconciliation and also over the media. CPA fears that several of the new provisions are "overbroad, drafted in very wide language allowing for the possible criminalisation of a range of legitimate activities of civil society." http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20597
TUNISIA: Meeting of human rights organisation blocked 6 December – Police surrounded the headquarters of the Tunisian League for Human Rights (Ligue tunisienne des droits de l’Homme - LTDH) on 3 December, preventing a meeting of the former members of the organisation, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. Since 24 April 2006, the police have placed security at all doors of the LTDH, blocking access to the building for everyone except the actual directors. Moreover, the authorities have denied the organisation access to their mail. http://www.protectionline.org/spip.php?article1461
TURKMENISTAN: Environmental activist detained 19 December - Andrey Zatoka, a well-known Turkmen ecologist and environmental activist, was detained on 17 December, the same day he had planned to travel to MOscow to attend a meeting of the International Socio-Ecological Union, reports the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. The reasons for Zatoka’s detention reportedly remain unclear. Zatoka has been involved in civil society activities aimed at improving environmental conditions in Turkmenistan for many years and previously served as the co-chair of the Dashauz Ecological Club, which was closed down by a court in 2003.
www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/
UZBEKISTAN: Human rights defenders honoured online 9 December - Human Rights Watch has published an online "facebook" of Uzbek Human Rights Defenders which catalogues their courageous work and the multiple methods the Uzbek government employs to silence and punish them. The methods reportedly range from intimidation, threats and harassment to physical attacks, imprisonment and torture. In the past year alone, at least a dozen defenders have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms on politically motivated charges. Some have seen their relatives detained, in apparent retaliation of their human rights work. Others have had to stop their human rights work or flee the country altogether following threats to their lives and those of their loved ones. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/eb6200da53106e4e0c95957d5a473049.htm
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Asian Human Rights Commission: 2006 report released Asian Human Rights Commission announces the release of its Human Rights Report for 2006 (345 pages), entitled "The State of Human Rights in Eleven Asian Nations". The report includes in-depth analysis of the situation of human rights in the following countries: Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. For more information, visit: http://material.ahrchk.net/hrreport/2006/AHRC2006HRReport.pdf
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| CIVICUS is an alliance of approximately 1000 members in 105 countries, dedicated to strengthening civil society and citizen action around the world. Civil Society Watch is a programme of CIVICUS, which seeks to expose, address and prevent threats to civil society's rights to freedom of association, expression and assembly. For more information, visit www.civicus.org and www.civilsocietywatch.org
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| DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this bulletin are a reflection of those contained in the original reports to which they are linked here, and are not necessarily those of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. |