surveillance

Honduras: Break-ins at the offices of COFADEH and intimidation and surveillance of COFADEH Coordinator Bertha Oliva

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that the premises of the Committee of Families of Disappeared-Detainees in Honduras (Comité de Familiares Detenidos-Desaparecidos de Honduras – COFADEH) have been broken into on two occasions and that Bertha Oliva de Nativí, General Coordinator of COFADEH has been followed. COFADEH is a non-governmental organisation which works in defence of the rights of the disappeared and prisoners and also on the issue of land rights in Honduras.

Honduras

Kenya: Plan to target Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission Maina Kiai

Front Line would like to express its grave concern in relation to information received in regards to a plan to target the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, Maina Kiai. Front Line has received reports that his life is in danger. Apparently the decision to target Maina Kiai was taken on Sunday 6 January 2008, and members of the security forces were contacted on Monday. Maina Kiai was placed under surveillance on Tuesday 8 January 2008.

Kenya

Human rights defenders defy repression in Western Sahara

11 May 2006

In spite of the release of human rights defenders and others from detention in March and April, the Moroccan authorities continue to try to repress any independent human rights work in Western Sahara. Human rights organizations are denied legal registration and human rights defenders are subjected to heavy surveillance, threats and harassment.

“The Moroccan authorities must move to ensure that human rights defenders are free to undertake their legitimate work in conformity with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,” said Front Line Deputy Director, Andrew Anderson, at the end of a Front Line mission to Western Sahara. “The international community must also play a much stronger role in ensuring that independent civil society can operate freely as a prerequisite for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.”

Front Line met with human rights defenders operating under constant heavy surveillance in Laayoune and Smara. Security agents surrounded private houses in which meetings were being held and people coming to meet with Front Line had their ID cards checked.

Western Sahara

Funds seizure concerns Russian human rights defenders

12 september 2005

Prominent Russian human rights organisations including Memorial and The Moscow Helsinki Group, have collectively expressed their concern in a joint statement, over the seizure of funds by Russian tax authorities from the human rights organisation the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society

Russian Tax authorities (FTE) have demanded approximately 1,000,000 Roubles (approximately $35,000) in back taxes and fines for the alleged failure of the RCFS to pay tax on international grants. The FTE began forcefully withdrawing funds from the organization’s bank accounts on 26 August 2005, although the case is being appealed in arbitration court and no final decision has yet been made. Without these funds, which were raised through grants from the European Commission and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the organization will be forced to close.

Article 251 of the tax code of the Russian Federation states that tax free grants must be dedicated to “education, arts culture and environmental defence fields”. The deputy chief of tax inspection is arguing that the RCFS is using the subsidy for “publishing and diffusing publications”.

Russia

Nobel Peace Prize Winner supports Tunisian human rights defenders

17 November 2005 A press conference, on 16 November attended by Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shirin Ebadi, at the Tunis headquarters of the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH), in effect, became the first unofficial meeting of the Citizens Summit on Information Technology (CSIS) The Tunisian government has systematically blocked the alternative summit’s preparatory meetings and planned workshops and events in flagrant breach of the right to freedom of expression and association. In doing so, the Tunisian Government has demonstrated contempt for the Geneva Principles* and for their obligations under the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and international human rights law.

Leading representatives of International and Tunisian Civil Society committed themselves to continuing the struggle for the basic rights to freedom of expression and association in Tunisia in front of the audience of over 200 journalists, diplomats and NGO members. The Mayor of Geneva, echoing the statements of the President of Switzerland’s comment at the official World Summit, said that rights freedom of expression and assembly were universal and not the domain of one culture

Tunisia

Chinese Human Rights Defender Hu Jia Facing Forced Psychiatric Treatment

Front Line is alarmed over reports that Chinese Human Rights Defender Hu Jia may be placed under forced psychiatric care.

Forced psychiatric treatment has been used in the past by the Chinese authorities as a means of persecuting human rights defenders.

Hu Jia was confined to house arrest before a visit to Henan Province by the U.S ambassador to Beijing, Clark Randt, on 26 May 2004, when Randt was delivering medicine and other emergency supplies to the province of Henan. Henan has one of the highest AIDS/HIV infection rates in the world. Mr. Hu Jia is a Chinese HIV/AIDS activist. Lobbying by non-governmental organizations particularly on controversial subjects like HIV/AIDS in China are rare.

On the 4th of June, Hu Jia and his mother's home was sealed off by a large number of police. Since then it is reported that Hu Jia has been beaten by police on two occasions, and he was detained in police custody for three days. His house has been under surveillance following his release.

Front Line is alarmed that forced psychiatric treatment could be used as a form of oppression on the part of the Chinese authorities, and could cause Hu Jia irreparable damage.

China

Radhia Nasraoui on Hunger Strike in Tunisia, December 2003

Radhia Nasraoui, Human Rights Defender and lawyer from Tunisia ended her hunger strike on 10th December, after 56 days. As a result of her action, there has been some movement on the investigation into the incident in July where she was assaulted. Equipment, books and files that were taken from her office have been returned and the telephone line to her sister, her daughter and her aunt in Paris has been reconnected. Radhia is recovering well and expects to be back working in defence of human rights again as soon as possible.

She went on hunger strike on Wednesday, 15th October. Ms Nasraoui is a prominent member of the Tunisian bar who has represented many political clients. As a result she has been under constant pressure from the Tunisian authorities. The purpose of her hunger strike was to protest the harassment she faces as she tries to carry out her work, which she says has become intolerable.

Tunisia

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