Issue No 38

August 2008

 

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
The Crisis in Georgia: Reflections from Civil Society

Interview with Mr. Irakli Vacharadze and Ms. Anna Tabidze, Georgian civil society activists

 

CIVICUS ALERTS

ETHIOPIA: Draft law threatens to criminalise civil society
ZIMBABWE: African civil society calls for peace and justice
JORDAN: King urged to reconsider NGO bill

 

CIVIL SOCIETY BEHIND BARS

SYRIA: Human Rights Commitments at International Forums, Deep Repression at Home
UZBEKISTAN: Seventeen Years of Independence, Still Little Hope for Civil Society
INDIA: Civil Liberties and Draconian Laws, India 60 Years On

 

ANALYSIS

Fair comment and free speech: NGO participation in the UN's Universal Periodic Review

An article by Gareth Sweeney, International Service for Human Rights

 

GOOD NEWS

SINGAPORE: Government pledges to ease restrictions on films, public rallies

 

COUNTRY UPDATES

AFGHANISTAN: Aid workers killed

ANGOLA: Authorities threaten to ban human rights group

BANGLADESH: Massive abuses during state of emergency

BURMA: Relief workers arrested

COLOMBIA: Three trade unionists murdered

CHINA: More than 50 websites blocked for Beijing Games

GHANA: Controversial anti-terror law passed

GREECE: Minority rights defenders under attack

HONDURAS: Acts of intimidation against human rights group

KYRGYZSTAN: Amendments to assembly law passed

KUWAIT: Internet law aims to silence critical bloggers

MOROCCO: Student arrested for criticising authorities

RUSSIA: Facing harassment, website editor flees

SUDAN: Authorities block YouTube

THAILAND: 400 websites blocked

UGANDA: Charges dropped against LGBT activists

ZIMBABWE: Despite lifting of ban, NGO activity still limited

 

RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS

ACHR: The South Asia Human Rights Index 2008

 

FRONTPAGE

 

The Crisis in Georgia: Reflections from Civil Society

Interview with Mr. Irakli Vacharadze and Ms. Anna Tabidze, Georgian civil society activists

Following months of increased tensions, the conflict between Georgia and the breakaway region of South Ossetia escalated into war on 8 August 2008. This was followed by a Russian large-scale counter-attack into Georgian territory. A preliminary ceasefire was signed on 14-16 August 2008. In this interview, Georgian civil society activists discuss the impact of the conflict, and reflect on the gradual disintegration of civic space in their country.

Read the full interview: http://www.civicus.org/csw_files/FRONTPAGE_Georgia_No38.htm

 

CIVICUS ALERTS

 

ETHIOPIA: Draft law threatens to criminalise civil society

21 August  - Under a draft law, Ethiopia could see severe restrictions on civil society and even closures of organisations working on contentious issues, such as human rights and governance, cautioned CIVICUS in a recent analysis.

Read the full statement, visit: http://www.civicus.org/index.php/csw/csw-take-action/4/446-ethiopiapressrelease210808

 

ZIMBABWE: African civil society calls for peace and justice

17 August - In an open letter coordinated by CIVICUS and Amnesty International, over 80 African civil society organisations have called for an end to the political violence in Zimbabwe.

Read the full letter visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw_files/SundayTimes-ZimAd.pdf

 

JORDAN: King urged to reconsider NGO bill

13 August - A draft law, currently awaiting the approval of Jordanian King Abdullah II, could curtail the activities of the country's civil society groups, warned CIVICUS.

Read the full statement, visit: http://www.civicus.org/index.php/csw/csw-take-action/4/439-jordan-pr-130808

 

CIVIL SOCIETY BEHIND BARS

 

As part of the CIVICUS Civil Society Behind Bars campaign, which profiles civil society activists imprisoned because of their work, the CSW Monthly Bulletin presents a series of articles focusing on the repression of civil society in their countries. 

 

SYRIA: Human Rights Commitments at International Forums, Deep Repression at Home

To read the article, visit http://www.civicus.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=452:csbb-syria-270808&catid=4

 

UZBEKISTAN: Seventeen Years of Independence, Still Little Hope for Civil Society

To read the article, visit http://www.civicus.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=441:csbb-uzbekistan-aug08&catid=4

 

INDIA: Civil Liberties and Draconian Laws, India 60 Years On

To read the article, visit http://www.civicus.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=438:csbb-senarticle&catid=4

 

ANALYSIS

 

Fair comment and free speech: NGO participation in the UN's Universal Periodic Review

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process of the UN Human Rights Council reviews the human rights records of all member states. Gareth Sweeney of the International Service for Human Rights discusses the participation of civil society in the first two sessions of the UPR.

To read the article, visit http://www.civicus.org/csw_files/ANALYSIS_UNHRC_No38.htm

 

GOOD NEWS

 

SINGAPORE: Government pledges to ease restrictions on films, public rallies

20 August - Singaporeans are abuzz yet cautious about government pledges to ease restrictions on free speech and public assembly in the city state, reports the Southeast Asian Press Alliance. The country's prime minister has promised to allow more issues to be publicly aired in the notoriously restrictive political environment of Singapore - subject to certain ideals of factuality and non-partisanship.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/96289/

 

CSW COUNTRY UPDATES

 

AFGHANISTAN: Aid workers killed

15 August - An attack that killed three aid workers has raised concerns that the Taliban is attempting to force the expulsion of all foreign humanitarian workers, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Nineteen aid workers have been killed this year.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0815/p06s01-wosc.html

 

ANGOLA: Authorities threaten to ban human rights group

10 September - On 4 September, the Association for Justice, Peace and Democracy (AJPD), one of the most active human rights organisation in Angola, was informed by the Angolan Constitutional Court that legal action had been initiated by the General Prosecutor in order to ban it, reports OMCT. Three months ago, authorities reportedly closed the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Angola.

http://www.protectionline.org/Attempt-to-ban-the-AJPD,7456.html

 

BANGLADESH: Massive abuses during state of emergency

28 August - Since the start of the State of Emergency on 11 January 2007, human rights defenders and organisations have been monitored, threatened and intimidated by the country's armed forces and intelligence agencies, reports the Asian Legal Resources Center.

http://us.oneworld.net/article/357162-bangladeshis-suffer-extended-state-emergency
 

BURMA: Relief workers arrested

12 August - The chairman and two members of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters group have been arrested because of their assistance with relief efforts for the victims of Cyclone Nargis, reports the Asian Human Rights Commission.

http://www.protectionline.org/U-Myint-Aye-Myo-Min-Ko-Thant-Zaw,7325.html?pmv_nid=1

 

COLOMBIA: Three trade unionists murdered

29 August - Three trade unionists were murdered in August, bringing the number of trade unionists assassinated in 2008 up to 38 (34 men and four women), reports the International Trade Union Confederation.

http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?rubrique51

 

CHINA: More than 50 websites blocked for Beijing Games

19 August - More than 50 websites related to news, human rights, and pro-Tibet groups were blocked in Beijing and in the Olympics' Main Press Center as the Games were about to begin, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/96307

 

GHANA: Controversial anti-terror law passed

23 July - The parliament of Ghana has passed an anti-terrorism bill which critics fear encroaches upon freedoms of speech, association, assembly and the right to protest social, political and economic injustice, reports Modern Ghana.

http://www.modernghana.com/news/175630/1/socialist-forum-opposes-anti-terrorism-law.html

 

GREECE: Minority rights defenders under attack

17 August - The Greek Helsinki Monitor has released an extensive report documenting serious acts of harassment, defamation and prosecution of minority rights defenders in Greece.

http://cm.greekhelsinki.gr/index.php?sec=194&cid=3331

 

HONDURAS: Acts of intimidation against human rights group

22 August - The premises of the Committee of Families of Disappeared-Detainees in Honduras (COFADEH) have been broken into on two occasions and Bertha Oliva de Nativí, General Coordinator of COFADEH has been followed, reports Front Line.

http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/act

 

KYRGYZSTAN: Amendments to assembly law passed

Amendments and additions to the Law on Assembly was signed by the President on 6 August. One its main new provisions is that the local government bodies may object to holding any public events through seeking a court ban or changing the terms of conduct, reports AKI Press.

http://kg.akipress.org/news/60275

 

KUWAIT: Internet law aims to silence critical bloggers

13 August - The Public Prosecutors Office is set to finalise a bill that will punish "internet offenders" in the country. Penalties for breaking the law could involve a one year prison sentence and monetary fines, reports the World Association of Newspapers.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/96097/

 

MOROCCO: Student arrested for criticising authorities

12 August - The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information calls on the Moroccan authorities to release Jadda Boubkar, a student who was allegedly arrested because of his student activism.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/96019/

 

RUSSIA: Facing harassment, website editor flees

7 August - The editor-in-chief of the independent news website Ingushetiya has fled Russia after facing harassment and attacks, as well as criminal prosecution by Ingush authorities, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists.

http://www.cpj.org/news/2008/europe/russ07aug08na_2.html

 

SUDAN: Authorities block YouTube

29 July - The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information has expressed concern over the government's decision to block the YouTube website. YouTube has reportedly become a key tool for political activists.

www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/95871/

 

THAILAND: 400 websites blocked

8 September - A Thai court has issued three orders to shut down 400 websites, 344 of which carried material that was allegedly disrespectful to the country's royal family, reports the Southeast Asian Press Alliance.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/96814

 

UGANDA: Charges dropped against LGBT activists

18 August - The state has dropped charges against three Ugandan LGBT and HIV/AIDS activists, who were arrested as they were peacefully protesting against statements made by a Ugandan Government official that no funds would be directed toward HIV programmes benefiting to men who have sex with men, reports OMCT.

http://www.omct.org

 

ZIMBABWE: Despite lifting of ban, NGO activity still limited

8 September - Despite the 29 August lifting of a ban on the operations of NGOs in Zimbabwe, civil society is still unable to operate freely, reports IPS.

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43827

 

RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS

 

ACHR: The South Asia Human Rights Index 2008

The Asian Centre for Human Rights' index found that Sri Lanka (with 52 points) is the worst human rights violator in South Asia followed by Bangladesh (45), Bhutan (43), Pakistan (41), Maldives (23), Nepal (21) and India (21).

To read the report, visit http://www.achrweb.org/reports/SAARC-2008.pdf

 

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

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.