#FacesofHope: a Testament to the Resilience of Human Rights Defenders
In a world where crises and conflicts are spreading across the globe, we more than ever need the work and dedication of human rights defenders (HRDs). And yet, every day, their rights are denied and threatened. HRDs are unfairly incarcerated, silenced, and subjected to harsh detention conditions.
This is where OMCT and partners’ #FacesofHope campaign comes in.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called on governments to ‘release every person detained without sufficient legal basis, including political prisoners, and those detained for critical, dissenting views’. That is when OMCT decided to intensify its advocacy for the release of arbitrarily detained human rights defenders. Since then, the campaign has continued to give visibility to those defenders, whose only crime has been to stand up for human rights,” explains Giuseppe Scirocco, Human Rights Adviser at OMCT.
At the time, the #FacesofHope campaign’s aim was to remind the world that these defenders and their commitment are not forgotten. Beyond sharing their stories, the campaign has built networks of solidarity, with the goal of making it more “costly” politically for governments to arbitrarily detain defenders.
Since its inception, the campaign’s advocacy has resulted in tangible victories:
- On 23 June 2020, Safoora Zargar, Indian student activist, was granted bail on humanitarian grounds and released the day after.
- On 9 December 2020, Walter Aduviri Calisaya, Peruvian community leader, was released following the suspension of his prison sentence.
- On 28 October 2021, Teresita Naul, human rights defender from the Philippines, was released after the court dismissed all charges against her.
- In 2022, Trinh Ba Phuong was allowed better detention conditions, including access to more regular calls, visits and parcels.
- On 26 April 2022, Ibrahim Ezz El-Din, Egyptian human rights defender, was released after receiving a presidential pardon.
- In October 2022, Cristóbal Sántiz Jiménez, Mexican human rights defender, was released after being acquitted of the charges against him.
- On 9 May 2023, Elchin Mammad, Azerbaijani human rights lawyer, was released after receiving a presidential pardon.
- On 20 July 2023, Mohamed El-Baqer, Egyptian human rights lawyer, was released after receiving a presidential pardon.
- On 7 March 2024, Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba, Indian human rights defender, was released after being acquitted of all charges against him.
- On 28 June 2024, Nariman Dzhelyal, Crimean Tatar human rights defender, was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.
One of the defenders still imprisoned is Mohamed Lamin Haddi, a journalist and activist from Western Sahara, serving a 25-year sentence for his political activities and reporting. Detained since 2010, Mohamed has endured years of solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and repeated harassment of his family.
His sister recalls: “Mohamed Lamin is not an ordinary person; he is loved by young and old alike. He loves helping others, and his face is always cheerful. Even in prison, I never saw him looking gloomy, even with obvious signs of torture on his body. Laughter had a special flavour when he was with us, and laughter disappeared when my brother disappeared behind bars.”
Mohamed began his political activism in school, which at the time led to his expulsion. This did not deter him as he went on to continue participating in demonstrations demanding an end to the illegal Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara and became a correspondent, documenting events in the the de facto capital of the region, El Aaioun.
In 2010, Sahrawis, the ethnic group native to Western Sahara, set up a protest camp called Gdeim Izik, highlighting ongoing discrimination, poverty, and abuse, which saw 20,000 gathering. Mohamed was filing reports and collecting testimonies as the Moroccan police and military tried to dismantle the camp, using violent measure against protesters. As he was on his way to meet two Belgian doctors who had agreed to treat gunshot victims at their homes, he was arrested by Moroccan intelligence agents.
Now, Mohamed has been in isolation for more than eight years, deprived of medical care, and suffering from severe health issues left untreated. His family is also under threat. “This will not deter us from demanding Mohamed Lamin’s release, condemning his captors, and revealing the terrible events he is experiencing in exile. We remain optimistic, as we know that justice will inevitably prevail,” says his sister.
“We are fighting to make the world aware that, in this era of democracy and human rights, Mohamed Lamin Haddi, like all other Sahrawi political prisoners, continues to be subjected to psychological and physical torture. The detainees, exiled from their homeland and imprisoned by force without evidence, have committed no crime other than their true political positions. The world must hear their suffering.”
Why does #FacesofHope matter? The campaign is a testament to the resilience of those risking their lives every day for the rights of all. By amplifying their stories, #FacesofHope not only honours their courage but also strengthens global pressure for their release.
“Although arbitrary detention is often associated with images of despair, the confidence that these HRDs continue to have in the full realisation of human rights gives hope to anyone who believes in a more just world,” added Giuseppe Scirocco.
