Issue No 39

September - October 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
Predicting Threats to Civil Society

CSW programme officer Mandeep Tiwana discusses the pilot study of CIVICUS Early Warning System

CIVICUS ALERTS
UK:
Extension of pre-charge detention rejected - A victory for civil liberties

CIVIL SOCIETY BEHIND BARS
IRAN: Courage in the face of adversity

DIGITAL SECURITY
Bypassing Internet censorship & publishing anonymously on the Web

Wojtek Bogusz, Front Line & Dimitri Vitaliev, digital security consultant  

GOOD NEWS
MOROCCO: Court overturns blogger's sentence

COUNTRY UPDATES
BAHRAIN: Nursing Society accounts frozen
BELARUS: Elections fail to meet international standards
BURMA: Labour activist sentenced
CHINA: Lawyers pressured to quit
ETHIOPIA: Draconian NGO bill submitted to parliament
IRAN: Cyber activists to spend six months in prison
IRAQ: Journalist union leader targeted in bomb attack
KAZAKHSTAN: Draft religious law threatens to ban unregistered groups
KYRGYZSTAN: Human rights defenders attacked
MALAYSIA: Prominent blogger sentenced, blog blocked

MAURITANIA: Trade union march violently repressed
NICARAGUA: Judicial harassment against 17 NGOs
NIGER: Minister threatens to dissolve all media groups
SAUDI ARABIA: Activists remain in prison
SRI LANKA: NGO bill to be introduced
SYRIA: 12 pro-democracy activists on trial
TUNISIA: Activist sentenced for demonstration
UZBEKISTAN: Human rights defenders sentenced to 10 years in prison
VENEZUELA: Human Rights Watch staff members deported
VIETNAM: Growing pattern of repression
ZIMBABWE: Activists detained for peaceful protest

RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS
2008 Reporters Without Borders Press
Freedom Index
Report on Volunteering and Social Activism
Blogging Revolution
Annual U.S. Report on Religious Freedom

 

FRONTPAGE

 

Predicting Threats to Civil Society

CSW programme officer Mandeep Tiwana discusses the pilot study of CIVICUS Early Warning System

CIVICUS and the International Centre for Not for Profit Law (ICNL) along with seven partner organisations in Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Philippines, Solomon Islands, United States and Vietnam are undertaking a six month pilot study as a precursor to putting in place an Early Warning System (EWS) to predict, pre-empt and respond to threats to civil society. To launch the pilot study, a workshop was organised in Johannesburg, South Africa from 27-29 September 2008 in which the project partners discussed and deliberated on the components of the EWS project.

Read the full article: http://www.civicus.org/csw/csw-early-warning-system/4/592-ewsworkshop08

 

CIVICUS ALERTS

 

UK: Extension of pre-charge detention rejected - A victory for civil liberties

16 October - CIVICUS welcomed the 13 October decision by the UK House of Lords to reject the proposal to extend the period of pre-charge detention for terrorism suspects from 28 to 42 days. CIVICUS has consistently opposed proposals to extend the period of pre-charge detention on the grounds that it would not only undermine procedural safeguards in the UK but also set negative trends in other countries.

Read the full statement, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/csw-take-action/4/593-pressreleaseuk161008

 

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. 

 

IRAN: Courage in the face of adversity

While discrimination against women remains institutionalised in Iran, the courage of women's rights activists in the face of adversity and persecution continues to inspire civil society worldwide.

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

 

DIGITAL SECURITY

 

Bypassing Internet censorship & publishing anonymously on the Web

Wojtek Bogusz, Front Line & Dimitri Vitaliev, digital security consultant

Many countries censor and filter certain websites to prevent their citizens from viewing online information. Websites can be blocked both by their name and by the IP address of the web server on which the site resides. Some countries and corporations have also begun blocking certain keywords, either in the user's search request or in the content of a web page. However, it is possible to circumvent these blocks by going through intermediary computers, often called proxy servers, and by using anonymity networks like TOR. This is the sixth article in a CSW Monthly Bulletin series highlighting practical ways you can increase your digital security and privacy.

To read the article, visit http://www.civicus.org/csw_files/DIGITAL_SECURITY_No39.htm

 

GOOD NEWS

 

MOROCCO: Court overturns blogger's sentence

18 September - The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed a Moroccan court decision that overturns a two-year prison sentence and a fine against blogger and journalist Mohamed Erraji. On 9 September, a court in southwest Morocco convicted Erraji in a 10-minute trial¸ sentencing him on charges of "failing to respect the King" in his articles on the Moroccan daily news website HesPress.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200809190084.html

 

COUNTRY UPDATES

 

BAHRAIN: Nursing Society accounts frozen

16 September - The Social Development Ministry has frozen the accounts of the Bahrain Nursing Society account, allegedly without informing the society, reports Gulf Daily News. Human rights groups have criticised the move, urging government to stop interfering in civil society activities.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=229076&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=31180

 

BELARUS: Elections fail to meet international standards

29 September - Despite some minor improvements, the 28 September parliamentary elections in Belarus ultimately fell short of OSCE commitments for democratic elections, international observers from the OSCE concluded.

http://www.osce.org/item/33272.html

 

BURMA: Labour activist sentenced

22 September - Burmese labour activist U Thet Way has been sentenced to two years of hard labour, reports ITUC. U Thet Way was involved in helping to supply the International Labour Organisation with information on forced labour including the military junta’s practise of recruitment of children into the army.

http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?article2397
 

CHINA: Lawyers pressured to quit

1 October - A group of voluntary lawyers seeking redress for child victims of contaminated milk powder have been under growing official pressure to stop their work, reports OMCT.

http://www.omct.org/index.php?id=&lang=eng&articleId=8066

 

ETHIOPIA: Draconian NGO bill submitted to parliament

19 October - The Ethiopian government has submitted to the parliament a controversial draft NGO legislation, reports AFP. The law has been criticised by a number of international and local organisations, including CIVICUS. Among other concerns, if passed, it would prevent NGOs that receive more than 80% of their funding from abroad from working on human rights and other contentious issues.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jayJFD5l2u_Sl3FlTNczCjlGvNcA

 

IRAN: Cyber activists to spend six months in prison

5 September - A Tehran court has handed down six month prison sentences to four cyber-feminists, Parvin Ardalan, Jelveh Javaheri, Maryam Hosseinkhah and Nahid Keshavarz, on charges of "publishing information against the government" under Article 500 of the Islamic Criminal Code, reports Reporters Without Borders.

 http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=26889

 

IRAQ: Journalist union leader targeted in bomb attack

21 September - The International Federation of Journalists vigorously condemned a targeted bomb attack on the President of the Iraqi Union of Journalists in Baghdad only seven months after his predecessor was shot dead by extremists.

http://egypt.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/97159/index.html

 

KAZAKHSTAN: Draft religious law threatens to ban unregistered groups

14 October - Controversial amendments to various laws affecting religion or belief reached the Senate on 29 September after being approved by parliament's lower house. Among other restrictions, the law would explicitly ban unregistered religious activity, reports Forum 18.

http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1202&pdf=Y

 

KYRGYZSTAN: Human rights defenders attacked

20 October - Ahead of the EU-Kyrgyzstan human rights dialogue from 27-28 October, OMCT urges Kyrgyz authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the alleged attack against Mr. Dyryldaev, chairman of the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights and Ms. Omurzakova, also a representative of KCHR.

http://www.protectionline.org/Serious-hindrances-to-the-work-of,7639.html?pmv_nid=1

 

MALAYSIA: Prominent blogger sentenced, blog blocked

23 September - Prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment on charges under the tough Internal Security Act, reports the Southeast Asian Press Alliance. Also, in early September, the prominent blog Malaysia Today was reportedly blocked.

http://canada.ifex.org/alerts/content/view/full/96636

 

MAURITANIA: Trade union march violently repressed

8 October - A trade union demonstration on 7 October, World Day for Decent Work, was violently repressed by the Mauritian authorities, reports ITUC. The national trade union centres have reportedly called for an unconditional return to constitutional order ever since the coup d'Etat two months ago.

http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?article2438

 

NICARAGUA: Judicial harassment against 17 NGOs

16 October - The interior ministry has launched an investigation into 17 non-governmental organisations for alleged "embezzlement" and "money-laundering," reports Reporters Without Borders. The probe is focused on the Centre for Investigation and Communication (Centro de Investigación de la Comunicación), headed by journalist and video programme maker Carlos Fernando Chamorro, and the Autonomous Women's Movement (Movimiento Autónomo de Mujeres), headed by journalist Sofía Montenegro, who have reportedly been the target of a smear campaign by close allies of President Daniel Ortega.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/97666/

 

NIGER: Minister threatens to dissolve all media groups

9 September - On 4 September 2008, Niger's minister of communication threatened to dissolve all media professional groups in the country, reports the Media Association of West Africa. The minister, in an interview on state television said, "I am going to write to the interior minister to request him to dissolve all the media socio-professional associations and the Press Centre".

http://allafrica.com/stories/200809100034.html

 

SAUDI ARABIA: Activists remain in prison

3 October - The Saudi government should free unlawfully detained political activists, including Professor Matrook al-Faleh, one of Saudi Arabia's leading advocates of reform, Human Rights Watch said. Dozens of political activists reportedly remain behind bars or are subject to arbitrary travel bans.

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2008/10/03/saudia19904.htm

 

SRI LANKA: NGO bill to be introduced

12 September - Responding to allegations by the National Freedom Front leader that NGOs are promoting separatism and self-determination, Social Services Minister Lionel Premasiri has said that an NGO Bill would soon be presented in parliament, reports the Daily Mirror.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=26072

 

SYRIA: 12 pro-democracy activists on trial

8 October - Twelve pro-democracy activists, currently on trial in Syria, face up to 15 years in prison for calling for democratic reform and respect for human rights, reports Amnesty International. The activists were arrested in December 2007 and January 2008, after taking part in a meeting of the broad-based opposition coalition, the Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/pro-democracy-activists-in-syria-face-15-years-in-prison-20081008

 

TUNISIA: Activist sentenced for demonstration

16 September - A member of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights, Ms. Zakia Al Difawi has been sentenced to four and a half months in prison for participating in a peaceful demonstration in July to express solidarity with children of prisoners of conscience, reports the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists.

 

UZBEKISTAN: Human rights defenders sentenced to 10 years in prison

24 October - Founder of the human rights organisation Mazlum, Akam Turgunov, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on 23 October on charges of extortion, reports Human Rights Watch. In addition, on 10 October, another Uzbek human rights defender, Salijon Abdurahmanov was also sentenced to 10  years in prison.

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2008/10/23/uzbeki20058.htm

 

VENEZUELA: Human Rights Watch staff members deported

19 September - The government expelled two Human Rights Watch staff on 18 September, hours after they held a news conference in Caracas to present a report that describes how the government of President Hugo Chavez has weakened democratic institutions and human rights guarantees in Venezuela, reports Human Rights Watch.

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/09/19/venezu19853.htm

 

VIETNAM: Growing pattern of repression

23 September - There appears to be a growing pattern of harassment and arrest by Vietnamese authorities of independent journalists, human rights activists, cyber dissidents, religious freedom advocates, and farmers protesting confiscation of their land, reports International PEN.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/97180/

 

ZIMBABWE: Activists detained for peaceful protest, denied bail

27 October - A judge has denied bail to Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza) leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, saying it would not be in the interests of justice. They remain in jail on charges of threatening peace and public order, after peacefully protesting against the humanitarian situation and political impasse in the country.

http://www.wozazimbabwe.org/

 

RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS

 

2008 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index

North Korea, Turkmenistan and Eritrea the worst violators of press freedom, according to the fifth annual Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom Index.

Read the report, visit http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19388

 

Report on Volunteering and Social Activism

CIVICUS, the International Association for Volunteer Effort and United Nations Volunteers programme have released the new study “Volunteering and Social Activism: Pathways for participation in human development.” A key finding of the study is that both volunteering and social activism are important strategies for fostering people’s participation in social change and human development. The paper calls for a shared understanding of the common and interdependent characteristics of volunteering and social activism, so that the vast potential of volunteerism for advancing human development and social change can be released.

Read the press release, available in English, French, Spanish and Russian

 

Blogging Revolution

The Blogging Revolution by Anthony Loewenstein is a colourful and revelatory account of bloggers around the globe who live and write under repressive regimes - many of them risking their lives.

For more information, visit http://www.bloggingrevolution.com/

 

Annual U.S. Report on Religious Freedom

The U.S. State Department has released its annual International Religious Freedom report drawing attention to the repression of religious expression, persecution of believers, and toleration of violence against religious minorities by governments around the world.

For more information, visit http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/index.htm

 

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 visit www.civicus.org/csw/csw-newsletter or email cswcommunity@civicus.org

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.civicus.org/csw

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.