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Across the globe human rights defenders face various forms of persecution in their everyday struggle for human rights
Artillery shells are fired at radio studios in Mogadishu injuring two journalists. Fariba Davodi Mohajer is sentenced for campaigning on behalf of women in Iran. In the Philippines, gunmen ambush a car in which three human rights defenders are travelling, leaving one man injured. In Mexico, a journalist is abducted and six days later his body is found.
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Had it not been for Front Line, who would have been my refuge and safety?"
- - Thompson Ade Bayor, lawyer and human rights defender, Liberia
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Urgent Cases
 Front Line is concerned following reports that human rights defenders Hemid Valai, Sejjad Radmehr and Vedud Esedi have been arbitrarily detained and subjected to ill-treatment and torture. Hemid Valai is a human rights lawyer. Hemid Valai, Sejjad Radmehr and Vedud Esedi are all activists working to promote the rights of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran. 
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arrest and restricted movement of human rights defenders Zakia Dhifaoui, member of the Kairouan section of the Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'Homme (Tunisian League of Human Rights) (LTDH); Ali Ben Salem, president of the Bizerte section of the LTDH; Mohamed Ben Saïd, member of the Bizerte section of the LTDH; Othman Jmili and Faouzi Sadkaoui of the Association internationale de soutien aux prisonniers politiques en Tunisie (International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners in Tunisia) (AISPP).
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of death threats received via SMS text message by José Suasnavar over a three-day period beginning 27 July 2008. José Suasnavar is the Deputy Director of the Fundación de Antropología Forense de Guatemala (Foundation of Forensic Anthropology in Guatemala – FAFG), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to investigating human rights violations through the application of forensic and social sciences, with a view to strengthening the respect and the protection of human rights. Front Line has previously written to you in relation to threats to members of the FAFG, most recently on 21 May and 15 February 2008.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arbitrary detention and torture of Usaam Mukwaaya, a human rights defender working on issues of sexual health and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Uganda on 25 and 26 July 2008. Front Line previously communicated with you on 11 June 2008 in relation to the detention of Usaam Mukwaaya, together with two other human rights defenders, during a peaceful protest at the HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting on 4 June 2008.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the alleged kidnapping and beating of human rights defender Zurab Tsetchoev in Ingushetia on 25 July 2008. Zurab Tsetchoev is a member of Autonomous Non-Commercial Organisation (ANCO) Mashr, the Republic of Ingushetia's Association of Relatives of Missing Persons.
Front Line is concerned following reports received about the harassment of the family of human rights defender Akifa Aliyeva, in particular of her husband Nusrat Aliyev. Akifa Aliyeva is Coordinator of the Ganja branch of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly of Azerbaijan, an organisation which protects human rights, promotes democracy in the region, and peace-building in the Southern Caucasus. Front Line previously wrote to you in relation to the harassment of human rights defender Javid Aliyev, Akifa Aliyeva's son, on 25 April 2007.
Osman Ibrahim is Secretary of the Kajbar Dam Committee, who are protesting at the construction of dam, which will flood their villages resulting in forced displacement of local communities. Local people are particularly concerned at the lack of any adequate consultation on the plans to build the dam. <!break-->
Further Information
Posted 18/11/2007 Osman Ibrahim and other committee members including Abdel Aziz Ali Khieri, have been repeatedly arrested and ill-treated while in custody. On 13 June 2007, four people died and thirteen others suffered serious injuries when armed security personnel fired on the crowd during a peaceful demonstration against the dam. Journalists and lawyers attending the protest were arrested. Front Line is concerned that the Kajbar Dam Committee will face ongoing intimidation and arrests.
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Andre Fernandes is a social activist in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Because of his work he has been targeted with death threats, which forced him into “exile” in southern Brazil. He came back to Rio de Janeiro at the end of 2006. Since his return he has again received death threats and has had to leave Rio de Janeiro for his own safety.
Jackeline Rojas is a prominent human rights defender in Colombia. She is the oordinator and legal representative for the Organisation Femenina Popular in Magdalena Medio, Colombia. Jackeline Rojas and the OFP work to empower women and those who say no to war and violence. Human rights defenders are the objects of constant surveillance and attacks in Colombia.
Donny Reyes is the Treasurer of Arcoiris, the Rainbow Association for Lesbians, Gays, Transvestites and Bisexuals in Honduras. He was arrested outside his office, taken into police custody, beaten and assaulted. No one has yet been charged.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the violent dispersal of members of the teachers'union, Action and Solidarity for the Empowerment of Teachers (ASSERT), during a peaceful demonstration aimed at celebrating World Teachers' Day on 5 October 2007. Further concern is expressed about the lack of governmental response regarding accusations of police misconduct.
“Your days are running out f******g REVOLUTIONARY. Today we have your sister under surveillance. She is wearing black trousers and a white shirt. It is going to be easier than we thought”. This is typical of the threats received by Fredy Peccerelli Director of FAFG the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation which carries out exhumations of mass graves to return the victims to their families and to find evidence which will bring the perpetrators to justice.
“You want evidence of people being killed? I will kill your tribe, your family and your children will become only bones..........”. Yan Christian Warinussy is Executive Director of the Institute of Research, Analysis and Development for Legal Aid in Manokwari, West Papua which documents human rights abuses. In recent months Yan Christian has received repeated death threats because of his work.
Lawyer Saleh Kamrani and journalist Sa’id Metinpour are currently being detained in Section 209 of Evin Prison, Tehran. Saleh Kamrani is a lawyer who has represented members of Iran’s discriminated Azerbaijani minority. Both he and Sa’id Metinpour are active in promoting the rights of the Azerbaijani minority in Iran.
“Do you think it would be a problem to kill you? It is not, we have already killed two people today”.
Justine Masika Bihamba works in Northern Kivu, in east Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) documenting sexual violence against rural and urban based women, as well as evidence of war crimes. She continues to receive regular death threats.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of renewed threats against the Espacio de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de Derechos Humanos – ETTDH (Space of Human Rights Workers), a platform of human rights organisations based in the city of Barrancabermeja and the region of Magdalena Medio, which includes the Organización Feminina Popular – OFP (Women's Popular Organisation), the Corporación Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos – CREDHOS (Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights), the Programas de Desarrollo y Paz – PDP (Programmes for Peace and Development), the Unión Sindical Obrera – USO (Workers' Labour Union), the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de Empresas Operadoras, Contratistas, Subcontratistas de Servicios y Actividades de la Industria del Petróleo, Petroquímica y Similares – SINDISPETROL (National Trade Union of Workers of Petroleum, Petrochemical and Related Contractors, Services Subcontractors and Activities), and the trade union of the company Colombian Fertilisers – FERTICOL. Front Line previously expressed its concern regarding threats made against these organisations in an urgent action of 25 June 2008.
Front Line is concerned following reports that a number of human rights defenders from the Djizak region have been denied exit visas or have had exit visa applications delayed for a number of months.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of a search of the home of Zhanna Popova and of the arbitrary detention of Viacheslav Andreev and Olga Karatch. Zhanna Popova is executive director of the Vitebsk Kurier (Vitebsk Courier) Publishing House, which publishes the Vitebsk Courier M newspaper. Viacheslav Andreev and Olga Karatch are human rights defenders involved in the Our House Campaign for promotion of human rights. Olga Karatch is the leader of the campaign and of the women's rights organisation Female Centre "Adliga".
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the abduction of human rights defenders José Arcos and María Antonia Amaya on 11 July 2008. José Arcos and María Antonia Amaya are both community leaders in the department of Nariño, José Arcos is also the vice-president of the community council in the municipality of Policarpa.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arbitrary detention of woman human rights defender Mary Akrami on 14 July 2008. Mary Akrami is a member of the Afghan Women's Skills Development Centre (AWSDC) and is an advocate for women's rights in Afghanistan.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the formal arrest and detention of human rights defender Huang Qi. Huang Qi is a human rights defender, based in Chengdu City in Sichuan province and founder of the Tianwang Human Rights Centre, who had been advocating on behalf of parents whose children were killed when their schools collapsed following the earthquake of 12 May 2008. Huang Qi previously spent five years in prison on charges of ''inciting subversion of state power," in connection with articles posted on his website www.64tianwang.com, and was released from jail in 2005.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that three family members of human rights defender, Ilyas Timishev, have been detained, questioned and ill-treated in Chechnya since 15 July 2008. Ilyas Timishev is a human rights lawyer who has brought a number of cases before the European Court for Human Rights and is currently working to defend the rights of members of the Chechen police force who have not been paid.
Front Line is deeply concerned following the detention of human rights defender Pavel Levinov. Pavel Levinov is a human rights lawyer and a member of the Helsinki Committee in Belarus. Front Line previously expressed its concern regarding the case of Pavel Levinov in an urgent appeal dated 4 April 2008.
Front Line is deeply concerned following the sentencing of detained human rights defenders Hassan Abdelnabi Hassan, Maytham Badar Jassim Al-Sheikh, Naji Ali Fateel, Mohammed Abdallah Al Singais and Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali to between one and seven years' imprisonment. Hassan Abdelnabi Hassan, Maytham Badar Jassim Am-Sheikh, Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali, members of the Unemployment Committee; Naji Ali Fateel, member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), and Mohammed Abdullah Al Sengais, head of the Committee to Combat High Prices, were arrested between 21 and 28 December 2007 on charges of participation in an ‘illegal gathering and rioting’ and of ‘theft of a weapon and ammunition and possession of a weapon and ammunition without permission’.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arbitrary arrest and detention of human rights defender Bahrouz Yousif on 3 May 2008 by Airforce Intelligence in the Harista district of Damascus. No reason has been given for his arrest and his whereabouts are as yet unknown. He was under interrogation from 23 April 2008 until his arrest. Bahrouz Yousif works in the defence of human rights in Syria.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that the Syrian authorities have refused to confirm the whereabouts of human rights defender and writer Hammam Haddad, who was arbitrarily detained on 5 May 2008. Hammam Haddad has been active in publicising cases of human rights violations in Syria and has also worked to support victims of human rights violations and their families.
Front Line is deeply concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of human rights defender Mutabar Tadjibaeva following reports that she is being denied access to adequate medical treatment. Mutabar Tadjibaeva is the Chairperson of the human rights organisation “Plammenoe Serdtse” (Fiery Hearts Club) in the city of Ferghana. On 2 June 2008, she was released from Tashkent Women's Prison, where she was serving an 8-year sentence following a trial in which she was accused of slandering government bodies, holding unauthorized rallies, setting up illegal organisations, fraud, extortion, embezzlement, tax evasion and distributing material that poses a threat to public security and order. She is now serving a 3-year suspended sentence.
Front Line is deeply concerned by reports of police harassment of human rights defenders Anouar Kousri and Samir Dilou. Anouar Kousri is a board member of the Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'Homme – LTDH (Tunisian Human Rights League) and Samir Dilou is a board member of the Association internationale de soutien aux prisonniers politiques en Tunisie – AISPP (International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners).
Front Line is deeply concerned following the recent sentencing of human rights defender Mohammed Badih al-Bab to 6 months in prison in Damascus. Mohammed Badih al-Bab is a member of the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria.
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the delay in proceedings in the case of human rights defender and lawyer, Mr P. Uthayakumar. He continues to be deprived of his required prescription medication for diabetes and is suffering from a number of diabetes related illnesses. Mr P. Uthayakumar is a human rights lawyer working to defend the rights of the ethnic minority Indians and an active Legal Advisor of Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF). He was arrested on 13 December 2007 for organising a peaceful demonstration.
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