Video testimonies on the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Video testimonies on the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the Democratic Republic of Congo 3 pages / 224 KB

Paris-Geneva, June 14, 2011. 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), releases today a series of video testimonies on the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Harassment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, acts of torture and ill-treatment, threats, etc. In 2011, a number of human rights defenders are still facing serious hindrances to their activities.

The Observatory is developing audio-visual testimonies as a new tool to widen the mobilisation on some specific cases, and to increase impact on the media and public opinion. This new tool, more dynamic and “visually expressive”, also aims at increasing the awareness of activists, national authorities, national, regional and international institutions and agencies and their mechanisms.

You can see the first series of such testimonies on the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the DRC at the following links:

BELARUS: Ales Bialatski, Chairman of the Human Rights Centre Viasna, about searches conducted at his home, and the Prosecutor General’s Office official warning against himself	BELARUS: Ales Bialiatski, Chairman of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, about the repression on civil society since December 19, 2010, the day of the presidential election
COLOMBIA: Soraya Gutiérrez, abogada del CCAJAR, sobre el hostigamiento y desprestigio en contra de la Comisión Justicia y Paz	COLOMBIA: Soraya Gutiérrez, abogada del CCAJAR, sobre el asesinato de un integrante del MOVICE, capitulo Sucre
KYRGYZSTAN: Aida Bayjumanova, Executive Director of the Human Rights Centre “Citizens Against Corruption” in Kyrgyzstan, about Azimjan Askarov	TURKEY: Pinar Selek, sociologist and Turkish human rights defender, about acts of torture, ill-treatment and judicial harassment against her since 1998
REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO: Marie-Josée Bazana, veuve de Fidèle Bazana, membre de la Voix des sans voix disparu le 1er juin 2010	REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO: Justine Masika Bihamba, Coordinatrice de la SFVS (Goma), témoigne des menaces à son encontre
SEE ALL THE VIDEOS FROM THE OBSERVATORY FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (FIDH-OMCT) ON DAILYMOTION

"Since its creation in 1997, the Observatory has not only been protecting human rights voices, it has also aimed at bringing their messages to a wider audience. Such video testimonies contain concrete recommendations to national authorities and the international community that should be considered with utmost importance by the authorities concerned and, more widely, by all "actors of change"", FIDH President Souhayr Belhassen said today.

“Those testimonies from Belarus, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the DRC remind us that human rights defenders from all over the world continue to face reprisals because of their vital work to defend and protect human rights, and that we need to stay more vigilant than ever to ensure they are able to carry out their peaceful activities without hindrances and they remain a rampart against arbitrariness and abuses”, added Eric Sottas, OMCT Secretary General.

For more information please contact:

FIDH: Karine Appy, Arthur Manet: + 33 1 43 55 25 18

OMCT: Delphine Reculeau: + 41 22 809 49 39