Paris-Geneva-Copenhagen, March 17, 2010. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), and the Euro-Mediterranean Network for Human Rights (EMHRN) denounce the continued harassment faced by Syrian human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience.

On March 10, 2010, the first public hearing of the trial of human rights lawyer Mr. Muhannad Al-Hassani, President of the Syrian Organisation for Human Rights “Sawassyah”, Commissioner of the ...

Paris-Geneva, March 16, 2010. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its deepest concern about the detention of the Kyrgyz human rights defender Mr. Nematillo Botakuziev.

On February 26, 2010, Mr. Nematillo Botakuziev, a member of the Kyrgyz human rights centre "Justice-Truth", involved in the protection of civil and political rights, was reported missing after he went to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ...

Paris-Geneva, March 16, 2010. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its deepest concern about the detention of the Kyrgyz human rights defender Mr. Nematillo Botakuziev.

On February 26, 2010, Mr. Nematillo Botakuziev, a member of the Kyrgyz human rights centre "Justice-Truth", involved in the protection of civil and political rights, was reported missing after he went to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ...

spanish

Paris-Geneva, March 15, 2010. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), welcomes the release of lawyer Mohammad Oliaïfar but firmly condemns the ongoing arbitrary detention of Ms. Mahboubeh Karami, a member of the "One Million Signatures” Campaign.

On March 2, 2010, Mr. Mohammad Oliaïfar and Ms. Mahboubeh Karami were arrested. Mr. Oliaïfar was released on March 15, reportedly from Evin prison, and it is ...

Saturday 13 March 2010
Martin Ennals Award announces its nominees for 2010:

Human rights defenders from China, Colombia, Ethiopia and Syria

Today Eric Sottas announced the nominees for the Martin Ennals Award 2010 during the closing of the Film festival and forum on human rights in Geneva. Eric Sottas is the Secretary General of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and its representative on the Jury of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA).

The Martin Ennals Award is a unique collaboration of ten international human rights organisations which ...

Joint NGO Statement to the Human Rights Council by Human Rights First and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

13th session

March 11, 2010

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders

[Arabic version, Hebrew version]

Brussels, 10 March 2010

RE: RESTRICTING THE SPACE OF ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AND ORGANISATIONS WORKING IN ISRAEL AND THE OPT

Dear Minister Moratinos,
Dear High Representative Ashton,

Aprodev, CIDSE, Front Line, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network ...

Geneva/Guatemala, March 9, 2010: Several international organisations and networks that presented a report on the Right to Food call attention at national and international levels to the situation of hunger and malnutrition existing in Guatemala. They demand that the Right to Food be declared a national priority. Moreover, they urge to cease violence and threats against social, community, indigenous, peasant and trade union leaders, and to effectively protect human rights defenders.

The mission report on the Right to Food in Guatemala was handed over on March 8 in Geneva to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, ...

[Arabic version in pdf]

General Security Held Nizar Saghieh’s British Passport Until Minister Intervened

(Beirut, March 8, 2010) – The Lebanese government should investigate the seizure of a human rights lawyer’s passport by General Security, a group of 16 Lebanese and international human rights organizations said today.

General Security withheld the British passport for the lawyer, Nizar Saghieh, a dual British and Lebanese ...