Yemen
18.04.00
Urgent Interventions
Yemen: Ilaw harassment on human rights defenders
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
YEM 001/0004/OBS 029
Illegal demands on human rights defenders
Yemen
18th April 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests you to intervene with the Yemen authorities with utmost urgency in connection with the following situation.
Brief description of the facts :
The Observatory was informed by the Yemeni Organisation for the Defense of Human Rights and Democratic Freedoms (YODHDF), member of FIDH, and the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists, that Yemeni non-governmental organisations have come under attack from the Ministry of social Affairs.
In a statement published in the local papers 14 October and Al Ayam, the Ministry of social Affairs demanded that 46 non-governmental organisations and associations, including the YODHDF, to submit their financial administrative reports as well as their requests to renew their licenses in accordance with law 11/1963.
It should be noted that this law, adopted in 1963, was issued under the Yemeni Republic of North Yemen. According to the information received, the Union of Yemen Agreement in 1990 stipulates that the laws of the two Yemens are still valid in the half of the nation in which they were issued until a new law be adopted in the framework of the Union; this is the case concerning a new legislation relative to associations and NGOs, which is still in a draft form. Thus, such a demand addressed to associations based in South Yemen, like the YODHDF, created in 1992, is in direct contradiction with the Union of Yemen Agreement.
In all cases, this measure is in contradicton with the Yemeni Constitution that guarantees the right of association.
This demand appears then clearly to be an act of harassment against non-governmental organisations in Yemen, including YODHRF, which may face suspension of their activities.
The Observatory is deeply concerned by this measure, which constitutes a grave violation of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1998.
Action requested:
Please write to the Yemen authorities urging them to:
i. retract all demands on Yemen NGOs to submit their financial administrative reports as well as their requests to renew their licenses, in accordance with the 1990 Union of Yemen agreement;
ii. uphold Clause 57 of the Yemeni constitution which gives the citizens the right to organize themselves politically, professionally and socially;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1999 ("Declaration on the Rights and Responsibility of individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ") and more particularly article 1 which provides that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and Article 5 which provides that "For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully; (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups ;"
iv. more generally abide by the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the regional and international covenants.
Addresses :
H.E. Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of the Republic of Yemen. Fax (+ 967 1) 27 68 03
H.E. Wazir, Ismail Ahmad al, Ministry of Justice, Minister of Justice. Fax (+ 967 1) 25 21 71 or (+ 967 1) 25 21 70
H.E. Ambassador Abdulwahab Abdullah Al-Hajjri, Embassy of the Republic of Yemen, United States of America. E-mail : ambassador@yemenembassy.org or E-mail: webmaster@yemenembassy.org
Geneva - Paris, 18th April 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39
E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
YEM 001/0004/OBS 029
Illegal demands on human rights defenders
Yemen
18th April 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests you to intervene with the Yemen authorities with utmost urgency in connection with the following situation.
Brief description of the facts :
The Observatory was informed by the Yemeni Organisation for the Defense of Human Rights and Democratic Freedoms (YODHDF), member of FIDH, and the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists, that Yemeni non-governmental organisations have come under attack from the Ministry of social Affairs.
In a statement published in the local papers 14 October and Al Ayam, the Ministry of social Affairs demanded that 46 non-governmental organisations and associations, including the YODHDF, to submit their financial administrative reports as well as their requests to renew their licenses in accordance with law 11/1963.
It should be noted that this law, adopted in 1963, was issued under the Yemeni Republic of North Yemen. According to the information received, the Union of Yemen Agreement in 1990 stipulates that the laws of the two Yemens are still valid in the half of the nation in which they were issued until a new law be adopted in the framework of the Union; this is the case concerning a new legislation relative to associations and NGOs, which is still in a draft form. Thus, such a demand addressed to associations based in South Yemen, like the YODHDF, created in 1992, is in direct contradiction with the Union of Yemen Agreement.
In all cases, this measure is in contradicton with the Yemeni Constitution that guarantees the right of association.
This demand appears then clearly to be an act of harassment against non-governmental organisations in Yemen, including YODHRF, which may face suspension of their activities.
The Observatory is deeply concerned by this measure, which constitutes a grave violation of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1998.
Action requested:
Please write to the Yemen authorities urging them to:
i. retract all demands on Yemen NGOs to submit their financial administrative reports as well as their requests to renew their licenses, in accordance with the 1990 Union of Yemen agreement;
ii. uphold Clause 57 of the Yemeni constitution which gives the citizens the right to organize themselves politically, professionally and socially;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1999 ("Declaration on the Rights and Responsibility of individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ") and more particularly article 1 which provides that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and Article 5 which provides that "For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully; (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups ;"
iv. more generally abide by the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the regional and international covenants.
Addresses :
H.E. Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of the Republic of Yemen. Fax (+ 967 1) 27 68 03
H.E. Wazir, Ismail Ahmad al, Ministry of Justice, Minister of Justice. Fax (+ 967 1) 25 21 71 or (+ 967 1) 25 21 70
H.E. Ambassador Abdulwahab Abdullah Al-Hajjri, Embassy of the Republic of Yemen, United States of America. E-mail : ambassador@yemenembassy.org or E-mail: webmaster@yemenembassy.org
Geneva - Paris, 18th April 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39
E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch