Issue No 17

July-August 2006

 

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
LEBANON:
Civil society taking action under fire

Interview with Ziad Abdel Samad, Executive Director of Arab NGO Network for Development in Lebanon

 

CIVICUS ALERTS!

BELARUS: CIVICUS condemns sentencing of civil society activists

VENEZUELA: CIVICUS urges government to reconsider proposed law

RUSSIA: CIVICUS urges President to fulfil promise to civil society

 

ANALYSIS

UGANDA: Analysis of the NGO Law

 

GOOD NEWS

MALDIVES: NGO finally receives registration

 

CSW COUNTRY UPDATES
ANGOLA: Human rights organisation banned

BAHRAIN: Assembly law ratified, terror law awaits approval

CHINA: Trade unions facing judicial proceedings

EL SALVADOR: Peaceful protesters attacked

GUATEMALA: Repression of activists continues

GERMANY: Government toughens anti-terror law

IRAN: Human rights NGO declared illegal

LATVIA: Gay rights demonstration banned

KAZAKHSTAN: NGOs fear law will lead to loss of independence

RUSSIA: Leading human rights NGO told to pay taxes

SAUDI ARABIA: Women's rights activist arrested

SOUTH KOREA: Trade unionist beaten to death

SRI LANKA: Aid workers murdered

SUDAN: Criminal proceedings started against lawyers

TURKEY: President approves amendments to anti-terror law

TURKMENISTAN: NGOs denied registration

UZBEKISTAN: Another NGO forced to close

 

RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS

Ethiopia Solidarity Campaign: Support the campaign

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report documents violations

Freedom House: Countries at the Crossroads 2006 released

CIVICUS: What do you think? Have your say on the CIVICUS Blog

 

FRONT PAGE

 

LEBANON: Civil society taking action under fire

Interview with Ziad Abdel Samad, Executive Director of Arab NGO Network for Development in Lebanon

 

15 August - The shaky UN negotiated ceasefire is holding on its first day, after a month long war that has claimed the lives of over 1000 people in Lebanon and 143 Israelis, including 104 soldiers.

 

Civil society in Lebanon reacted quickly to the conflict, altering their work and forming alliances to assist internally displaced people, provide urgently needed medical care and engage in advocacy and lobbying to push for a peaceful end to the aggression. International civil society also mobilised and actively supported and organised solidarity activities in Lebanon and all around the world.

 

To read the full interview, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/FRONTPAGE_Lebanon.htm

 

CIVICUS ALERTS!

 

BELARUS: CIVICUS condemns sentencing of civil society activists

8 August - CIVICUS voices deep concern at the prison sentences handed to four civil society activists in Belarus accused of belonging to an unregistered organisation which was planning to observe the 19 March 2006 presidential elections. The four peaceful activists led a Belarusian election observation group, Partnership (Partnerstva), which observed the 2004 parliamentary elections but later was denied registration on several occasions.

To read the full alert, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/Belarus_Alert_08.08.06.htm

 

VENEZUELA: CIVICUS urges government to reconsider proposed law

7 August - CIVICUS expresses concern that Venezuela’s proposed “International Cooperation Law” will endanger the existence of an independent civil society. On 13 June 2006, Venezuela’s National Assembly pre-approved a government-introduced bill to restrict the activities of civil society organisations in the country, despite the existence of current laws and mechanisms which already regulate their work.

To read the full alert, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/Venezuela_Appeal_07.08.06.htm

 

RUSSIA: CIVICUS urges President to fulfil promise to civil society

6 July - CIVICUS welcomes the pledge by President Putin to review the “legal framework” for civil society in Russia. Considering the fact that a number of NGOs are now facing eminent liquidation as some draconian aspects of the new NGO law are being implemented, we however urge President Putin to deliver on his promise as a matter of urgency.

To read the full alert, visit: http://www.civicus.org/new/www.civicus.org/new/media/CIVICUSwelcomesPresidentPutin1.doc

 

ANALYSIS

 

UGANDA: Analysis of the NGO Law

By Uganda National NGO Forum

 

The passage into law of the Non-governmental Organisation Registration (Amendment) Bill 2001 raises critical issues for democratic consolidation in Uganda. The almost total disregard of the NGO Alternative Bill raises serious questions about the Government’s commitment to the basic principles of democracy and good governance such as stakeholder consultation, participation, transparency in decision making, government/civil society partnership and the actual shift to pluralism

 

To read the full article, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/ANALYSIS-Ugandan_NGO_Bill.htm

 

GOOD NEWS

 

MALDIVES: NGO finally receives registration

28 June - The Reporting Network for Persons in Judicial Care in the Maldives, www.maldiviandetainees.net was granted registration in the Maldives on 17 June. The organisation was granted registration over one year after submitting its application. The registration allows the organisation to begin developing a more comprehensive system of independent monitoring of persons in detention in the Maldives.

 

CSW COUNTRY UPDATES

 

ANGOLA: Human rights organisation banned

4 August -  Amnesty International (AI) is gravely concerned about the ban of Mpalabanda (Associação Cívica de Cabinda), a human rights organization operating in Cabinda, Angola. In a case instituted by the Angolan government against Mpalabanda, the Provincial Court of Cabinda ruled on Thursday 20 July that Mpalabanda should be banned. Mpalabanda is appealing against the decision, which was apparently based on the Law of Associations of May 1991, reports AI.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=ENGAFR120062006

 

BAHRAIN: Assembly law ratified, terror law awaits approval

8 August - A new law restricting freedom of assembly was ratified by the King on 15 July, reports Bahraini TV. It forbids non-Bahrainis from taking part in political protests, provides for jail terms of up to six months or fines for those who organize unauthorised protests, and restricts protests in public places. The new anti terror law continues to wait approval by the King. The parliament of Bahrain has already approved the bill and has so far ignored calls to review the law.

http://bahraini.tv/?cat=31

 

CHINA: Trade unions facing judicial proceedings

28 July - Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders express their deep concern over the judicial proceedings against the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, along with Globalisation Monitor and the Neighbourhood and Workers’ Service Centre, two other local Hong Kong labour trade unions. According to reports, these organisations are facing summons from the High Court for damages, following a complaint regarding a joint postcard issued by these organisations, highlighting concerns over work safety.

http://www.omct.org/base.cfm?page=article&num=6177&consol=close&kwrd=&cfid=4018593&cftoken=24844750

 

EL SALVADOR: Peaceful protesters attacked

5 July - Police used extreme force against peaceful protesters on 5 July at the University of El Salvador, killing two people, injuring several others, and arresting 20, reports Las Dignas as part of the group Concertación Prudencia Ayala. The demonstrators were protesting against a 25% hike of public transport costs. According to Las Dignas, “we do not want to return to the past ever again […] men and women who protest for their rights are not terrorists.”

http://www.lasdignas.org/index.htm

 

GUATEMALA: Repression of activists continues

29 July - Throughout June and July the union of public school teachers, the doctors of public hospitals, the movements of victims, public high school students and elderly people have been involved in public resistance actions to demand the rights to education, health, reparation, social security and the end of neo-liberal policies in Guatemala, reports the Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala. Concurrently, a low intensity repression of activists has been occurring. The Unit registered 114 attacks on human rights defenders until June 2006.

 

GERMANY: Government toughens anti-terror law

5 July - The German government has approved updates to its antiterrorist legislation, which gives the police authority to suppress any suspicious terrorist act and the prohibition of organisations formerly supported by religious freedom constitutional regulations.

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B05F24946-DA93-44CE-8201-6250EB5414AE%7D)&language=EN

 

IRAN: Human rights NGO declared illegal

8 August - The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders strongly condemns the serious acts of intimidation and threats made by Iranian authorities against the Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC), an NGO based in Iran. On 3 August, the Iranian Ministry of Interior declared that the activities of the DHRC were illegal and that those who continued its activities would be prosecuted.

http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=3530

 

LATVIA: Gay rights demonstration banned

22 July - Latvian authorities must uphold their obligations to respect and observe human rights law by overturning a ban on a lesbian and gay rights demonstration, reports Human Rights Watch. On 21 July, the Administrative Court of Latvia upheld the 19 July decision of the Riga City Council to deny an application by several lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations for “Riga Pride 2006”, which was scheduled to take place on 22 July.

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/22/latvia13795.htm

 

KAZAKHSTAN: NGOs fear law will lead to loss of independence

1 August - Activists and analysts fear a new Kazak government strategy ostensibly to develop civil society will in practice further curtail the activities of independent NGOs in the country, reports the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. A new legal framework - approved by President Nursultan Nazarbaev on 25 July - marks a significant change in how the authorities deal with NGOs.

http://www.iwpr.net/?p=rca&s=f&o=322916&apc_state=henh

 

RUSSIA: Leading human rights NGO told to pay taxes

25 July - A leading Russian rights group has been given a $180,000 tax claim in what it fears could be the first blow of a campaign to shut down NGOs that annoy the Kremlin, reports MosNews. The International Protection Center reportedly said it had been told on 17 July to pay 5 million rubles in taxes on funds it had received from various foreign institutions between 2002 and 2005. 

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/07/25/ngobacktax.shtml

 

SAUDI ARABIA: Women's rights activist arrested

8 August - The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) condemns the 4 August 2006 arrest of the Saudi writer Wajiha Al-Howaider. She was arrested while walking on the bridge connecting Saudi Arabia with Bahrain, holding a banner that stated "Give women their rights". According to HRinfo, her arrest is only one of many forms of harassment that she has faced, starting with her being banned from writing in any Saudi press outlet, in accordance with the decree passed by the Ministry of Information in 2003.

http://www.hrinfo.net/en

 

SOUTH KOREA: Trade unionist beaten to death

8 August - The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions ( ICFTU) called on the Korean Government to restrain its police force from using brutal tactics in repressing strikes following the death last week of Ha Joong Keun, a striking worker beaten to death by riot police. Joong Keun, a member of the Korean Federation of Construction Industry Unions, was one of thousands of workers who on 16 July held a support rally for the peaceful sit-in which fellow construction workers began on 13 July.

http://www.icftu.org

 

SRI LANKA: Aid workers murdered

9 August -The brutal murder of 17 Sri Lankan aid workers from Action Contre La Faim last week highlights the difficulties faced by relief organisations around the world trying to balance helping people with politics, says Alert Net. The massacre, which took place in the northeastern town of Mutur after days of fighting between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels, was reportedly one of the bloodiest attacks on an aid group in history.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/aid/2006/0809tightrope.htm

 

SUDAN: Criminal proceedings started against lawyers

9 August - Criminal proceedings have been launched against three volunteer lawyers at the human rights organisation Amel Centre, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. The lawyers allegedly received a letter from the National Security Bureau (NSB) notifying them that the Attorney General in Nyala had filed a case against them for “offences against the State”.

http://www.omct.org/base.cfm?page=article&num=6192&consol=close&kwrd=OMCT

 

TURKEY: Presidents approves amendments to anti-terror law

21 July - On 17 July 2006, President Necdet Sezer approved amendments to the Turkish Anti Terror Law despite widespread concern that their implementation would lead to a steep downturn in the state of freedom of expression in Turkey, reports International PEN. On the same day he approved the amendments, President Sezer announced that he would be applying to the Constitutional Court for the annulment of a number of Anti-Terror Law articles, reports PEN.

http://www.internationalpen.org.uk

 

TURKMENISTAN: NGOs denied registration

11 August - A repressive law introduced in 2003, which criminalised unregistered NGO activity, has led to the denial of registration and subsequent closure of many civil society organisations in Turkmenistan, reports the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. The National Chess Committee and the National Artisans Association are reportedly among several seemingly innocuous organisations that have been denied permission to register with the justice ministry - a legal requirement in Turkmenistan.

http://www.iwpr.net/?p=rca&s=f&o=322914&apc_state=henh

 

UZBEKISTAN: Another NGO forced to close

21 July - The Justice Ministry may force another US NGO to close, saying it violated its own charter by providing legal training to women and inviting experts from Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. Under its current charter, Winrock International's mission is to help Uzbekistan's farmers. Winrock International is the latest of a series of NGOs to be shut down since the the government's violent dispersal of demonstrators in May 2005.

http://www.regnum.ru/english/polit/684758.html

 

RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS

 

Ethiopia Solidarity Campaign: Support the campaign

Join CIVICUS in supporting civil society in Ethiopia and advocating for the release of civil society activists currently in prison. The campaign focuses on two activists currently on trial for treason related charges -- Netsanet Demissie, Executive Director and co-founder of the Ethiopian NGO, Organisation for the Social Justice in Ethiopia, and Daniel Bekele, Head of Policy Research and Advocacy Department at Action Aid Ethiopia.

To sign up for the campaign updates email ethiopiasolidarity@civicus.org org, or visit www.civilsocietywatch.org

 

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Report documents violations

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, which has been documenting human rights abuses since 1998, has produced a shocking account of torture and violence perpetrated by the state against its citizens since 1998. Unlawful arrest and detention, torture, political discrimination, and interference with freedoms are the most common violations reported.

The report is available at http://www.hrforumzim.com/special_hrru/analysis_1998_2006.pdf

 

Freedom House: Countries at the Crossroads 2006 released

Countries at the Crossroads provides detailed written analysis and comparative statistics on two sets of 30 states, typically middle-performing countries that qualify neither as failed states nor as clear beacons of democracy. The report evaluates four main aspects of governance: public voice and accountability, civil rights, the rule of law, and anticorruption and transparency.

The report is available at http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=140&edition=7

 

CIVICUS: What do you think? Have your say on the CIVICUS Blog

Civil society must regularly confront controversial issues which affect both what we do and how we do it. Here is an opportunity to share your thoughts on these topics, to speak out and to make a difference! Help CIVICUS develop its vision of a global community of active, engaged citizens committed to the creation of a more just and equitable world.

Have your say, visit http://civicus.civiblog.org 

 

CONTACT US

We hope you enjoyed the Bulletin! If you would like to send an appeal or share information with us regarding issues affecting civil society in your region, please contact the Civil Society Watch (CSW) team at , cswatch@civicus.org.

To subscribe or unsubscribe please e-mail , cswcommunity@civicus.org.

CIVICUS House, 24 Gwigwi Mrwebi Street, Newtown, Johannesburg, 2001, PO Box 933, Southdale, Johannesburg, 2135, South Africa, tel +27 11 833 5959 / fax +27 11 833 7997, info@civicus.org.

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

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.