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Issue No 28 |
September 2007 |
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
PALESTINE: Civil society under occupation
BURMA: CIVICUS urges official restraint, respect for rights
BURMA: Appeals for restraint and solidarity
GOOD NEWS
UAE: Decree decriminalises defamation
AUSTRALIA: Police seek costs from protester
BELARUS: Human rights organisation denied re-registration
EGYPT: Official closes human rights group
ETHIOPIA: Anti-poverty activists to receive verdict
FIJI: Emergency law re-imposed
GUATEMALA: Children of activists killed
IRAN: Critical website closed
KYRGYZSTAN: Women activists targeted
NEPAL: Police injure and detain protesters
PAKISTAN: Opposition protesters arrested
RUSSIA: OSCE excludes vocal Russian human rights NGO
SAUDI ARABIA: Activist faces unfair trial for protest
SERBIA: Work of human rights defenders seriously impeded
SOMALIA: Media activist threatened
SUDAN: Anti-dam activists arrested and detained
TUNISIA: Office of critic of the judiciary vandalised
USA: Protesters stop reproductive health clinic from opening
UZBEKISTAN: Human rights defenders detained incommunicado
ZIMBABWE: Trade unionists and women's rights activists detained RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS
CHRI: Report on policing and terrorism released
HREA:
Online human rights courses offered
GCAP:
Stand Up and Speak Out on October 17th
CIVICUS: What do you think?
Have your say on the CIVICUS Blog
PALESTINE: Civil society under occupation
An interview with Rifat Kassis, human rights activist and President of DCI Palestine
In June, the Palestinian government issued a presidential decree, ordering a review of all licenses of civil society organisations. Then, in August, authorities arbitrarily dissolved 103 organisations. At the same time, a number of organisations' offices were broken into and vandalised, and civil society leaders were threatened. Are civil society organisations in Palestine facing a new era of restrictions? Human rights activist and President of the International Executive Council of Defence for Children International (DCI) in Palestine, Rifat Kassis, speaks with CSW about these and other challenges facing civil society in Palestine.
Read the full interview, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/FRONTPAGE_PALESTINE.htm
BURMA: CIVICUS urges official restraint, respect for rights
25 September - CIVICUS wrote to Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council in Burma, urging him to use restraint in dealing with the ongoing protests led by Buddhist monks, and reminding him of the country's obligations as a member of the UN to uphold human rights.
http://www.civicus.org/csw/Myanmar_Letter_of_Appeal_25.09.07.pdf
BURMA: Appeals for Restraint and Solidarity
The peaceful protests in Burma that began in August to voice public frustration over sharp fuel hikes have in the last couple of weeks gained momentum and supporters around the world. Led by Burma's Buddhist monks, the protests were at first tolerated by the military regime, but in the last few days officers have opened fire on protesters, reportedly killing over 10 people and injuring many others. Monasteries have been raided and hundreds of monks are thought to be in detention. CSW has compiled a list of information and ways to take action.
Click here for more information and to take action: http://www.civicus.org/csw/ANALYSIS_BURMA.htm
UAE: Decree decriminalises defamation
26 September - International press freedom organisations welcomed a decree by the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammad Bin Rashid All Maktoom, stating that journalists should not be jailed for their work, reports the International Federation of Journalists. He reportedly said that there are procedures to be taken against any journalist committing an offence, but jailing is not one of them.
AUSTRALIA: Police seek costs from protester
7 September - The police in Tasmania are seeking costs for lost policing time against a forest protester, reports The Australian. Activists have reportedly accused the police of trying to deter protests.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22376849-5006788,00.html
BELARUS: Human rights organisation denied re-registration
31 August 2007 - Belarusian authorities have refused to re-register the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. The decision goes against a July communication from the United Nations Human Rights Committee, recommending the organisation's registration.
http://www.omct.org/index.php?id=&lang=eng&articleId=7240
EGYPT: Official closes human rights group
18 September - Cairo governor Abd al-Azzem Wazeer issued a decree on 4 September shutting down the Association for Human Rights Legal Aid (AHRLA), allegedly for receiving foreign funds without permission, although the organisation claims it has consistently notified the authorities, reports Human Rights Watch. AHRLA has appealed the decree and a hearing has been set for 21 October.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/09/18/egypt16898.htm
ETHIOPIA: Anti-poverty activists to receive verdict
28 September - Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, coordinators of the Global Call to Action against Poverty in Ethiopia who have been in detention while on trial for almost two years, are due to receive their verdict on 8 October.
FIJI: Emergency law re-imposed
25 September - Fiji's interim government reactivated emergency laws on 7 September which could potentially curb Fijians' rights to freedom of expression and free media, among other human rights infringements, reports the International Federation of Journalists.
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=5338&Language=EN
GUATEMALA: Children of activists killed
6 September - The Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has issued a new report, investigating the 17 August murder of Pepe Mendez, the son of Amilcar Mendez, founder of the Human Rights Centre Rujunel Junam and the Strategic Alliance for Human Rights in Guatemala. In addition, the report examines five murders of the sons and daughters of other activists.
IRAN: Critical website closed
24 September - After seven months of conflict with the government, officials finally closed the website Baztab.com on 19 September, writes Reporters Without Borders. The website carried reports on Iran's nuclear industry and on corruption in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was criticised.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23740
KYRGYZSTAN: Women activists targeted
13 September - Kyrgyz women who are active in promoting human rights have been increasingly targeted by law enforcement officials for their work in the past year, reports Freedom House.
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=70&release=551
NEPAL: Police injure and detain protesters
4 September - In two separate demonstrations, Badi women activists, part of a small Dalit community in Nepal, were beaten and detained by police while denouncing the violations of their human rights, including gender and racial discrimination, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
PAKISTAN: Opposition protesters arrested
26 September - Pakistani police detained 50 - 125 opposition party leaders and activists in Islamabad after breaking up a protest outside the Supreme Court, which was hearing a case challenging the constitutional validity of General Musharraf's dual role as president and Army chief, reports the Christian Science Monitor.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0925/p99s01-duts.html
RUSSIA: OSCE excludes vocal Russian human rights NGO
13 September - The Russian-Chechen Friendship Society was excluded from a meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) concerning “Victims of Terrorism” on 13 September 2007, at the request of the Russian Federation, reports the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights.
http://www.ihf-hr.org/documents/doc_summary.php?sec_id=3&d_id=4436
SAUDI ARABIA: Activist faces unfair trial for protest
7 September - Amnesty International fears that writer and former professor, Abdullah al-Hamid will not be given a fair trial and may receive harsh punishment. The trial, which began on 10 September, is based on his involvement with a protest in July 2007.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGMDE230342007
SERBIA: Work of human rights defenders seriously impeded
25 September - Human rights defenders face stigmatization and hostility, leading to their portrayal as enemies of Serbia, reported Special Representative Hina Jilani, following her visit. She said implementation of laws protecting activists is still lacking and activists also do not have access to detention centres and police stations, seriously impeding their work.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=23964&Cr=serbia&Cr1=
SOMALIA: Media activist threatened
4 September - Unidentified gunmen threatened to kill a leader of the National Union of Somali Journalists, Ali Moallim Isak, on 3 September 2007, writes Reporters Without Borders. In the past few months, Mogadishu's intellectual and media elite has reportedly been the target of a new wave of killings.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23519
SUDAN: Anti-dam activists arrested and detained
14 September - Over a dozen members of the Committee Against the Building of the Kajbar Dam were arrested and detained between 27-29 August, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. On 13 July, Sudanese security forces reportedly broke up a rally against the dam, killing and injuring civilians.
http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article4727
TUNISIA: Office of critic of the judiciary vandalised
4 September - The office of prominent Tunisian human rights activist Abbas Homamy was vandalised on 31 August, reports the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo). Homamy has reportedly been repeatedly harassed by security services in response to his criticism of the independence of the judiciary.
USA: Protesters stop reproductive health clinic from opening
20 September - A U.S. district court judge denied a request from Planned Parenthood of the Chicago Area to allow a new health centre in Aurora, Illinois, to open its doors on schedule, reports Planned Parenthood. Hundreds of protesters have rallied in front of the clinic blocking the entrance throughout the past month.
http://www.auroraplannedparenthood.org/
UZBEKISTAN: Human rights defenders detained incommunicado
26 September - After requesting access to a case filed against him on 19 September, Sobir Tulaganov, the Director of the Tashkent branch of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan was arrested and has since been detained incommunicado, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
ZIMBABWE: Trade unionists and women's rights activists detained
21 September - Members of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) were arrested, detained and harassed for their involvement in the organisation of a planned “stay away” on 19 and 20 September, to peacefully protest against the deterioration of living conditions, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
http://www.protectionline.org/Zimbabwe-Congress-of-Trade-Unions.html
CHRI: Report on policing and terrorism released
Every two years the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) reports on a particular issue affecting human rights in the Commonwealth. This year's report to the Commonwealth heads of government looks at the impact of anti-terrorism legislation on civilian policing, highlighting the need for police reform and greater police accountability.
For more information, visit http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/chogm/chogm_2007/chogm_report_2007.pdf
HREA: Online human rights courses offered
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is calling for applications for e-learning courses on human rights advocacy, human rights litigation, human rights monitoring (in French), introduction to human rights education (in German), monitoring children's rights, rights-based programming and the United Nations human rights system.
For more information, visit http://www.hrea.org/courses/
GCAP: Stand Up and Speak Out on October 17th
The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is mobilising people around the world to Stand Up and Speak Out on 17 October against poverty and inequality. Stand up for the rights of civil society in your country - get involved! To speak out in solidarity with detained civil society leaders, such as Ethiopia GCAP Coordinators Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, contact cswatch@civicus.org.
Visit www.standagainstpoverty.org
CIVICUS: What do you think? Have your say on the CIVICUS Blog
Have your say, visit http://civicus.civiblog.org
CONTACT US
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CIVICUS is an alliance of members and partners in over 100 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
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.