Home

sexual assault

Bahrain: Human rights defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja receives life sentence after unfair trial marred by serious and credible allegations of tortureposted on: 2011/06/23

Former Front Line Protection Coordinator for the Middle East and prominent member of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja was sentenced to life imprisonment on 22 June 2011 by a military court in Bahrain. Front Line deplores and condemns the life sentence passed and the sentences handed down to the other 20 activists at the same court sitting including the 15 year prison sentence passed in absentia on blogger and founder of Bahrainonline.org Ali Abdulemam and calls for both men to be acquitted. Abdulhadi Al Khawaja was viciously assaulted and arrested on 9 April 2011and since his arrest he has been reportedly subjected to torture, ill treatment and attempted sexual assault. Fair trial procedures have been grossly and continuously violated throughout his detention and court hearings.

  • Read more
  • Share this

Bahrain: Unfair trial and refusal to investigate alleged torture and attempted sexual assault of Mr Abdulhadi Alkhawajaposted on: 2011/05/19

Following reports of torture including an attempted rape against former Front Line Protection Coordinator Abdulhadi Alkhawaja there are grave concerns that his health and even his life may be in danger. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja is currently on trial as part of a group of 21 individuals facing a variety of charges including ”organising and managing a terrorist organisation” and “attempt to overthrow the government by force and in liaison with a terrorist organisation working for a foreign country”. Front Line considers his trial proceedings to fall grossly short of international fair trial standards.

Sudanese human right defender visits the Irish Department of Foreign Affairsposted on: 2006/02/26

1 February 2006

The Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, Mr Conor Lenihan T.D., met with Ms Maha Alsherief of Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO) on 1 February, to discuss the plight of women in refugee camps in Darfur, Sudan.

Ms Alsherief works as a protection officer for SUDO in the refugee camps in Darfur. She works specifically with victims of rape, sexual assault and abduction.

According to the UN, some 3.4 million people continue to be affected by the conflict in Darfur, of whom 1.8 million are internally displaced and approximately 300,000 have fled to neighbouring Chad. This level of internal displacement has exacerbated rates of gender based violence, including rape, sexual assault and abduction.

Speaking after the meeting, the Minister said: "All too frequently we see the brutal rape of women and children used as a weapon of war. Sexual violence is now an integral and devastating part of the ongoing conflict in Darfur."

He added that meeting Ms Alsherief gave his department "invaluable information that can only enhance our understanding of the scale and harrowing affects of this type of violence."