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Human rights defender Ms Mahboubeh Karami was arrested on 2 March 2010. Mahboubeh Karami is a member of the One Million Signature Campaign, a movement which aims to end discriminatory laws against women in Iran. Front Line previously issued an appeal in relation to the arrest and detention of Mahboubeh Karami on 2 April 2009. 

Human rights defender Mr Edwin Nebolisa Nwakaeme, in detention since his arrest on 1 March, was denied bail today 10 March. Edwin Nebolisa Nwakaeme is the founder and program director of Africa in Democracy and Good Governance (ADG), an organisation which works to promote human rights, democracy and good governance in Africa. 

Human rights defender Mr J.C. Weliamuna, the chairperson of Transparency International in Sri Lanka (TISL), faces arrest on fabricated charges in the near future. 

Human rights defenders Mr Edward Chileka, Mr Howard Jimu and Mr Awonenji Chimera were on 4 March 2010 denied bail by a court in Lilongwe. They had been arrested on 24 February 2010 but only appeared for the first time in court on 2 March. 

The daughter of human rights defender Mr Pedro Brizuela , Ms Claudia Larissa Brizuela , was murdered on 24 February 2010. Pedro Brizuela is a member of the Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular - FNRP (National Popular Resistance Front). Claudia Larissa Brizuela was also a FNRP supporter. 

Human rights defender Mr Konstantin Baranov received a written warning from the office of the prosecutor in Rostov-on-Don on 19 February 2010 in relation to what is referred to as his “extremist behaviour”, which may lead to legal proceedings against him and his organisation. 

Front Line is concerned by reports of an increasing trend to restrict the activities of human rights organisations and to challenge the legitimacy of their work in Israel. Following a series of statements made by Israeli officials against the work of human rights organisations, an attempt is now under way to introduce legislation that will restrict their activities. 

Margarita Guadalupe Martínez Martínez, the wife of human rights defender Adolfo Guzmán Ordaz, was violently attacked and received death threats on 26 February 2010, less than 35 hours before the reconstruction of events in relation to a raid on their home in Comitán de Domínguez, Chiapas, in November 2009. 

Human rights defender Mr Aftab Alam received death threats and was the subject of harassment and intimidation on 9 February 2010. Aftab Alam is a weaver by trade and is associated with the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). 

Human rights defender Mr Vakhtang Komakhidze received death threats on 10 February 2010 and has recently been the subject of harassment as a result of his human rights activities. Vakhtang Komakhidz is an investigative journalist and a member of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders. 

Human rights defenders Mr Roberto Malini and Mr Dario Picciau were informed on 12 February 2010 that they had been sentenced, on 5 November 2009, to the payment of a fine for disturbing a police operation in Pesaro in December 2008. Roberto Malini and Dario Picciau are co-presidents of EveryOne Group, a non-governmental organisation supporting Roma people and refugees. 

A media harassment campaign has recently been launched against human rights defenders Mr Nabeel Rajab, Mr Mohamed Al-Maskati, Dr Abduljalil Al Singace and Mr Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar. Nabeel Rajab is the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Mohamed Al-Maskati is the president of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, Dr Abduljalil Al Singace is head of the human rights unit of the Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy and Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar is the spokesperson for the National Committee for Martyrs and Victims of Torture. 

Human rights defender Mr Okay Machisa received threats by email on 16 February 2010. Okay Machisa is the National Director of Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), one of the main human rights organisations in the country, counting more than 700,000 members. 

Human rights defenders Ms Ingrid Vergara and Mr Juan David Díaz Chamorro have repeatedly received threats against them, and Ingrid Vergara was the subject of an assassination attempt on 5 February 2010. Ingrid Vergara is the spokesperson for Movement of Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) in Sucre and Juan David Díaz Chamorro is a member of the same organisation. MOVICE has recently denounced several politicians for having links with paramilitary groups. Its work in this respect has lead to the arrests of several high level politicians.