FIDH Annual Report 2014

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A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 4


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A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 4

Cover: Demonstrators in front of police forces protest against a third term of President Pierre Nkurunziza in Musanga, in the suburbs of Bujumbura (Burundi).


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04 Our Fundamentals

05 A Universal and Federalist Movement

06 178 Member Organisations

07 International Board

08 International Secretariat

10 Priority 1 Supporting Human Rights Defenders

20 Priority 2 Promoting and Protecting Women’s Rights

27 Priority 3 Promoting and Protecting Migrants’ Rights

33 Priority 4 Promote the Administration of Justice and fight against Impunity

44 Priority 5 Strengthening Respect For Human Rights in the Context of economic Globalisation

51 Priority 6 Conflicts, Closed and Transition Countries: Defending Democratic Principles and

Supporting Victims of the Most grave Violations

51 > Maghreb and the Middle East

57 > Sub-Saharan Africa

65 > The Americas

70 > Asia

76 > East Europe and Central Asia

82 FIDH Organisational Implications

90 Financial Report 2014

91 Acknowledgements


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4 — F IDH ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Our FundamentalsOur mandate: Protect all rightsThe International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) is aninternational NGO. It defends all human rights – civil, political,

economic, social and cultural – as contained in the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights.

Our commitment: Three pillars of actionFIDH acts in conjunction with its member and partner

organisations. Its actions are founded on three strategic pillars:

securing the freedom and capacity to act for human rights

defenders, the universality of rights and their effectiveness.

Guiding principle: The accountability of allFIDH’s work is directed at States as primary human rightsguarantors. However, it also addresses non State actors such

as armed groups and multinational corporations. FIDH is

committed to holding individual perpetrators of international

crimes to account through the international criminal justice

system.

Ethics: Independence and objectivityFIDH is a non partisan, non sectarian, apolitical and not for profit

organisation. Its secretariat is headquartered in France, where

FIDH is a recognised NGO. FIDH’s independence, expertiseand objectivity are the hallmarks of its credibility. It maintains

this by acting with complete transparency.

Interaction: Local presence - global action As a federal movement, FIDH operates on the basis of

interaction with its member organisations. It ensures that

FIDH merges on-the-ground experience and knowledge with

expertise in international law, mechanisms of protection

and intergovernmental bodies. This unique combination

translates through joint actions between FIDH and its member

organisations at national, regional and international levels to

remedy human rights violations and consolidate processes ofdemocratisation. It makes FIDH highly representational and

legitimate.

A system of governance: Universality and transparencyFIDH’s structure and operations place its member organisations

at the heart of the decision making process, and reflect its

principles of governance.

FIDH Congress, May 2013, support to detained human rights defenders Ales Bialiatski (Belarus) and Nabeel Rajab (Bahrein) © FIDH


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FIDH ANNUAL REPORT 2014 — 5

A Universal and

Federalist MovementThe Congress• Is composed of the 178 member organisations of FIDH since

the end of the FIDH Congress in Turkey in 2013;

• Meets every three years;

• Discusses the FIDH thematic and geographical priorities and

decides on the policy orientations of FIDH.

The International Board• Comprises 22 volunteers from FIDH member organisa -

tions. The Board is elected by the Congress and consistsof the President, the Treasurer, 15 Vice-Presidents and 5

Secretaries-General;

• Determines FIDH’s main strategic goals and orientations,

according to the policy orientations set by the Congress

and approves the annual accounts;

• Meets three times a year and reports to the Congress.

The Executive Board• Is composed of the President, the Treasurer, 5 Secretaries

General and 5 Deputy Secretaries General;

• Prepares and organises the meetings of the International

Board;• Meets once a month and reports to the International Board.

The International Secretariat• Based in Paris, it is composed of a team of professionals

managed by a Chief Executive Officer and an Executive

Director, who sit as non-voting advisory members of the

International and the Executive Boards. The team is

structured by regions, action priorities, and delegations.

The International Secretariat has permanent delegations at

the United Nations in New York and Geneva, at the European

Union in Brussels, before the International Criminal Court

in The Hague; regional offices in Tunis and Pretoria; andoffices in conjunction with member organisations in Conakry,

Abidjan, and Bamako. It also comprises a Communications

and Public Relations department, and an Administrative and

Financial Support department.

• In permanent contact with the actors in the eld, the

International Secretariat implements the decisions of the

FIDH policy-making bodies in conjunction with the member

organisations, the chargés de mission, and members of the

International and Executive Boards.

Fact-finding

reports

and

position

papers

40

International

missions

62

Material

support

to defenders

at risk

60

Advocacy

missions

before inter-

governmental

organisations

100

K e y ac t i v i t i e s

2 0 14 Alerts

on the

situation of

defenders

240

Judicial

actions

on behalf

of victims

110


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178 Member Organisations AFGHANISTAN, ARMANSHAHR/OPEN ASIA / ALBANIA, ALBANIAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP (AHRG) / ALGERIA, COLLECTIF DES FAMILLES DE DISPARU(E)S EN AL-GÉRIE (CFDA) / ALGERIA, LIGUE ALGÉRIENNE DE DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (LADDH) / ANGOLA, ASSOCIAÇÃO JUSTIÇA PAZ E DEMOCRACIA (AJPD) /

ARGENTINA, LIGA ARGENTINA POR LOS DERECHOS DEL HOMBRE (LADH) / ARGENTINA, COMITÉ DE ACCIÓN JURÍDICA (CAJ) / ARGENTINA, CENTRO DE ESTU-DIOS LEGALES Y SOCIALES (CELS) / ARMENIA, CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE (CSI) / AUSTRIA, OSTERREICHISCHE LIGA FUR MENSCHENRECHTE (OLFM) / AZERBAI-JAN, HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER OF AZERBAIJAN (HRCA) / BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIETY (BHRS) / BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS(BCHR) / BANGLADESH, ODHIKAR / BELARUS, HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER VIASNA / BELGIUM, LIGA VOOR MENSCHENRECHTEN (LVM) / BELGIUM, LIGUE DESDROITS DE L’HOMME - BELGIQUE / BENIN, LIGUE POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME AU BÉNIN (LDDHB) / BOLIVIA, ASAMBLEA PERMANENTE DE DERE-CHOS HUMANOS DE BOLIVIA (APDHB) / BOTSWANA, THE BOTSWANA CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS – DITSHWANELO / BRAZIL, MOVIMENTO NACIONAL DEDIREITOS HUMANOS (MNDH) / BRAZIL, JUSTIÇA GLOBAL (CJG) / BURKINA FASO, MOUVEMENT BURKINABÉ DES DROITS DE L’HOMME ET DES PEUPLES (MBDHP)

/ BURMA, ALTSEAN BURMA / BURUNDI, LIGUE BURUNDAISE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (ITEKA) / CAMBODIA, CAMBODIAN HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (ADHOC) / CAMBODIA, LIGUE CAMBODGIENNE DE DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (LICADHO) / CAMEROON, MAISON DES DROITS DE L’HOMME(MDH) / CANADA, LIGUE DES DROITS ET DES LIBERTÉS DU QUÉBEC (LDL) / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, LIGUE CENTRAFRICAINE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME(LCDH) / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, ORGANISATION POUR LA COMPASSION DES FAMILLES EN DÉTRESSE (OCODEFAD) / CHAD, LIGUE TCHADIENNE DESDROITS DE L’HOMME (LTDH) / CHAD, ASSOCIATION TCHADIENNE POUR LA PROMOTION ET LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (ATPDH) / CHILE, OBSERVATO-RIO CUIDADANO / CHILE, CORPORACION DE PROMOCION Y DEFENSA DE LOS DERECHOS DEL PUEBLO (CODEPU) / CHINA, CHINA LABOUR BULLETIN (CLB) /CHINA, HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA / CHINA (TIBET), INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET (ICT) / COLOMBIA, CORPORACION COLECTIVO DE ABOGADOS JOSÉ

ALVEAR RESTREPO CCAJAR / COLOMBIA, INSTITUTO LATINOAMERICANO DE SERVICIOS LEGALES ALTERNATIVOS (ILSA) / COLOMBIA, ORGANIZACIÓN FEMENINAPOPULAR (OFP) / COLOMBIA, COMITE PERMANENTE POR LA DEFENSA DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS (CPDH) / CONGO, OBSERVATOIRE CONGOLAIS DES DROITSDE L’HOMME (OCDH) / COSTA RICA (ASEPROLA), ASOCIACIÓN DE SERVICIOS DE PROMOCIÓN LABORAL (ASEPROLA) / IVORY COAST, MOUVEMENT IVOIRIEN DES

DROITS HUMAINS (MIDH) / IVORY COAST, LIGUE IVOIRIENNE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (LIDHO) / CROATIA, CIVIC COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (CCHR) / CUBA, COMISION CUBANA DE DERECHOS HUMANOS Y RECONCILIACION NATIONAL (CCDHN) / CZECH REPUBLIC, HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE (HRL) - LIGA LIDSKYCH PRAV / DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, LIGUE DES ÉLECTEURS (LE) / DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, GROUPE LOTUS / DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OFCONGO, ASSOCIATION AFRICAINE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (ASADHO) / DJIBOUTI, LIGUE DJIBOUTIENNE DES DROITS HUMAINS (LDDH) / DOMINICAN REPU-BLIC, CND COMISIÓN NACIONAL DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS, INC / ECUADOR, FUNDACIÓN REGIONAL DE ASESORIA EN DERECHOS HUMANOS (INREDH) /ECUADOR, CENTRO DE DERECHOS ECONOMICOS Y SOCIALES (CDES) / ECUADOR, COMISIÓN ECUMÉNICA DE DERECHOS HUMANOS (CEDHU) / EGYPT, CAIROINSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES (CIHRS) / EGYPT, HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION FOR THE ASSISTANCE OF PRISONERS (HRAAP) / EGYPT, EGYPTIAN INI-

TIATIVE FOR PERSONAL RIGHTS (EIPR) / EGYPT, EGYPTIAN ORGANIZATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (EOHR) / EL SALVADOR, COMISION DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DELSALVADOR (CDHES) / ETHIOPIA, HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (HRCO) / EUROPE, ASSOCIATION EUROPÉENNE POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (AEDH) / FINLAND, FINNISH LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (FLHR) - IHMISOIKEUSLIITTO / FRANCE, LIGUE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME ET DU CITOYEN (LDH) / FRANCE (NEWCALEDONIA), LIGUE DES DROITS ET DU CITOYEN DE NOUVELLE CALÉDONIE (LDHNC) / FRANCE (FRENCH POLYNESIA), LIGUE POLYNÉSIENNE DES DROITS HU-MAINS (LPDH) / GEORGIA, HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER (HRIDC) / GERMANY, INTERNATIONALE LIGA FUR MENSCHENRECHTE (ILMR) / GREECE, HELLENIC LEAGUEFOR HUMAN RIGHTS (HLHR) / GUATEMALA, COMISION DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE GUATEMALA (CDHG) / GUATEMALA, CENTRO DE ACCIÓN LEGAL EN DERE-CHOS HUMANOS (CALDH) / GUINEA-BISSAU, LIGA GUINEENSE DOS DIREITOS HUMANOS (LGDH) / GUINEA-CONAKRY, ORGANISATION GUINÉENNE DE DÉFENSEDES DROITS DE L’HOMME ET DU CITOYEN (OGDH) / GULF, GULF CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (GCHR) / HAITI, CENTRE OECUMENIQUE DES DROITS HUMAINS(CEDH) / HAITI, RÉSEAU NATIONAL DE DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (RNDDH) / HONDURAS, CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y PROMOCIÓN DE LOS DERECHOSHUMANOS (CIPRODEH) / HONDURAS, COMITÉ DE FAMILIARES DE DETENIDOS-DESAPARECIDOS EN HONDURAS (COFADEH) / INDIA, COMMONWEALTH HUMANRIGHTS INITIATIVE (CHRI) / INDONESIA, KONTRAS / IRAN, DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER IN IRAN (DHRC) / IRAN, LIGUE POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS

DE L’HOMME EN IRAN (LDDHI) / IRELAND, FREE LEGAL ADVICE CENTRES LIMITED (FLAC) / IRELAND, IRISH COUNCIL FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES (ICCL) / ISRAEL, B’TSE-LEM / ISRAEL, ASSOCIATION FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN ISRAEL (ACRI) / ISRAEL, PUBLIC COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE IN ISRAEL (PCATI) / ISRAEL, ADALAH / ITALY, LEGA ITALIANA DEI DIRITTI DELL’UOMO (LIDU) / ITALY, UNIONE FORENSE PER LA TUTELA DEI DIRITTI DELL’UOMO (UFTDU) / JAPAN, CENTER FOR PRISONERS’RIGHTS (CPR) / JORDAN, AMMAN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES (ACHRS) / KAZAKHSTAN, KAZAKSTAN INTERNATIONAL BUREAU FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

AND RULE OF LAW (KIBHR) / KENYA, KENYA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (KHRC) / KOSOVO, COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS(CDHRF) / KUWAIT, HUMAN LINE ORGANISATION (HLO) / KYRGYZSTAN, HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT (BIR DUINO-DYRGYZSTAN) / KYRGYZSTAN, KYRGYZ COM-MITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (KCHR) / KYRGYZSTAN, LEGAL CLINIC ADILET / KYRGYZSTAN, KYLYM SHAMY / LAOS, MOUVEMENT LAO POUR LES DROITS DEL’HOMME (MLDH) / LATVIA, LATVIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (LHRC) / LEBANON, PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION (PHRO) / LEBANON, CENTRELIBANAIS DES DROITS HUMAINS (CLDH) / LIBERIA, REGIONAL WATCH FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (LWHR) / LIBYA, HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION FOR RECORDING ANDDOCUMENTING WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY / LIBYA, LIBYAN LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (LLH) / LITHUANIA, LITHUANIAN HUMAN RIGHTS

ASSOCIATION (LHRA) / MALAYSIA, SUARA RAKYAT MALAYSIA (SUARAM) / MALI, ASSOCIATION MALIENNE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (AMDH) / MALTA, MALTA ASSO-CIATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS/ FONDATION DE MALTE / MAURITANIA, ASSOCIATION MAURITANIENNE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (AMDH) / MEXICO, LIGA MEXICANAPOR LA DEFENSA DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS (LIMEDDH) / MEXICO, COMISION MEXICANA DE DEFENSA Y PROMOCION DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS(CMDPDH) / MOLDOVA, PROMO-LEX / MOROCCO, ORGANISATION MAROCAINE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (OMDH) / MOROCCO, ASSOCIATION MAROCAINE DESDROITS HUMAINS (AMDH) / MOZAMBIQUE, LIGA MOCANBICANA DOS DIREITOS HUMANOS (LMDDH) / NICARAGUA, CENTRO NICARAGUENSE DE DERECHOSHUMANOS (CENIDH) / NIGER, ASSOCIATION NIGERIENNE POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (ANDDH) / NIGERIA, CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANISATION (CLO)

/ NORTHERN IRELAND, COMMITTEE ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (CAJ) / PAKISTAN, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN (HRCP) / PALESTINE, AL MEZAN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (AL MEZAN) / PALESTINE, PALESTINIAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (PCHR) / PALESTINE, AL HAQ / PALESTINE, RAMAL-

LAH CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES (RCHRS) / PANAMA, CENTRO DE CAPACITACIÓN SOCIAL DE PANAMÁ (CCS) / PERU, ASOCIACION PRO DERECHOSHUMANOS (APRODEH) / PERU, CENTRO DE DERECHOS Y DESARROLLO (CEDAL) / PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINE ALLIANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES (PAHRA) /PORTUGAL, CIVITAS / ROMANIA, THE LEAGUE FOR THE DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (LADO) / RUSSIA, ANTI-DISCRIMINATION CENTER MEMORIAL (ADC MEMO-RIAL) / RUSSIA, CITIZENS’ WATCH (CW) / RWANDA, COLLECTIF DES LIGUES POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (CLADHO) / RWANDA, ASSOCIATIONRWANDAISE POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE LA PERSONNE ET DES LIBERTÉS PUBLIQUES (ADL) / RWANDA, LIGUE RWANDAISE POUR LA PROMOTION ET LADÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (LIPRODHOR) / SENEGAL, ORGANISATION NATIONALE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (ONDH) / SENEGAL, RENCONTRE AFRICAINEPOUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (RADDHO) / SENEGAL, LIGUE SÉNÉGALAISE DES DROITS HUMAINS (LSDH) / SERBIA, CENTER FOR PEACE ANDDEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT (CPDD) / SOUTH AFRICA, LAWYER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (LHR) / SPAIN, ASOCIACION PRO DERECHOS HUMANOS DE ESPANA(APDHE) / SPAIN, FEDERACION DE ASOCIACIONES DE DEFENSA Y PROMOCION DE LOS DERECHO (FDDHH) / SUDAN, SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS MONITOR (SUHRM)

/ SUDAN, AFRICAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE STUDIES (ACJPS) / SWITZERLAND, LIGUE SUISSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (LSDH) / SYRIA, DAMASCUSCENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES (DCHRS) / SYRIA, SYRIAN CENTER FOR MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION (SCM) / SYRIA, COMMITTEES FOR THEDEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY FREEDOMS AND HUMAN RIGHTS (CDF) / TAIWAN, TAIWAN ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (TAHR) / TAJIKISTAN, TAJIK « BUREAUON HUMAN RIGHTS AND RULE OF LAW » (BHR) / TANZANIA, THE LEGAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE (LHRC) / THAILAND, UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES (UCL) / THENETHERLANDS, LIGA VOOR DE RECHTEN VAN DE MENS (LVRM) / TOGO, LIGUE TOGOLAISE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (LTDH) / TUNISIA, LIGUE TUNISIENNE DESDROITS DE L’HOMME (LTDH) / TUNISIA, FORUM TUNISIEN POUR LES DROITS ÉCONOMIQUES ET SOCIAUX (FTDES) / TUNISIA, ASSOCIATION TUNISIENNE DESFEMMES DÉMOCRATES (ATFD) / TUNISIA, DOUSTOURNA / TUNISIA, CONSEIL NATIONAL POUR LES LIBERTÉS EN TUNISIE (CNLT) / TURKEY, INSAN HAKLARI DER-NEGI (IHD) / DIYABAKIR / TURKEY, HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF TURKEY (HRFT) / TURKEY, INSAN HAKLARI DERNEGI (IHD) / ANKARA / UGANDA, FOUNDATION

FOR HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE (FHRI) / UNITED KINGDOM, LIBERTY / UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS (CCR) / UNITEDSTATES OF AMERICA, CENTER FOR JUSTICE & ACCOUNTABILITY (CJA) / UZBEKISTAN, ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE DE DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME« CLUB DES CŒURS ARDENTS » / UZBEKISTAN, HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIETY OF UZBEKISTAN (HRSU) / UZBEKISTAN, LEGAL AID SOCIETY (LAS) / VIETNAM, COMITÉ

VIETNAM POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME (CVDDH) / YEMEN, HUMAN RIGHTS INFORMATION AND TRAINING CENTER (HRITC) / YEMEN, SISTERS’ ARAB FORUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (SAF) / ZIMBABWE, ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION (ZIMRIGHTS).


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International Board

Juan Carlos CAPURROArgentine

Zohra YUSUF

Pakistan

YUSUF ALATASTurkey

Aliaksandr BIALIATSKIBelarus

Noeline BLACKWELLIreland

Rosemarie R. TRAJANO

Philippines

Katherine GALLAGHERUnited States of America

Drissa TRAORÉ

Ivory Coast

Sheila MUWANGA

Uganda

Dismas KITENGE SENGA Democratic Republicof Congo

Tolekan ISMAILOVA Kyrgyzstan

Shawan JABARINPalestine

PAULINA VEGA GONZALEZ

Mexico

Elsie MONGEEcuador

Dimitris CHRISTOPOULOSGreece

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Karim LAHIDJIIran

Jean-François PLANTINFrance

PRESIDENT TREASURER

Debbie STOTHARDBurma

Pierre ESPERANCEHaiti

Paul NSAPU MUKULUDemocratic Republicof Congo

SECRETARIES GENERAL

Souhayr BELHASSENTunisia

Patrick BAUDOUINFrance

Daniel JACOBYFrance

Michel BLUMFrance

HONORARY PRESIDENTS

Artak KIRAKOSYANArmenia

Florence BELLIVIERFrance

Khadija CHERIFTunisia

Nabeel RAJABBahrain

Alice MOGWEBotswana

DEPUTY SECRETARIES GENERAL

Luis Guillermo PEREZ CASAS before the Organizationof American States (OAS)

Mabassa FALLbefore the AfricanUnion (AU)

PERMANENT DELEGATES

Amina BOUAYACHMorocco

Dan VAN RAEMDONCK Belgium

Sidiki KABA Senegal

Dobian ASSINGAR before the Economic andMonetary Communityof Central African States

and in cooperation with:


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I n t e r n

a t i o n a l S

e c r e t a r i a t

U p d a t e d J a n u a r y 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

H E A D Q U A R T E R S

( P A R I S )

M i c h e l l e K I S S E N K O E T T E R

D i r e c t o r , A s i a

N a t a l i a Y A Y A M A R T E L L O

P

r o g r a m m e O f fi c e r , A m e r i c a s

L é a S A M A I N - R A I M B A U L T

( u n t i l M a y 1 4 )

C o o r d i n a t o r ,

B e l a r u s P r o g r a m m e

A l e x a n d r a K O U L A E V A

( N a d i a Y A K H L A F u n t i l M a y 2 0 1 4 )

D i r e c t o r , E a s t e r n E u r o p e

a n d C e n t r a l A s i a

J o a n n a H O S

A

A s s i s t a n t , E a s t e r n

E u r o p e

a n d C e n t r a l A

s i a

A n t o i n e B E R N A R D

C h i e f E

x e c u t i v e O f fi c e r

J u l i a n e F A L L O U X

E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r

E X E C U T I V

E D I R E C T O R A T E

D E P A R T M

E N T D I R E C T O R S

C o r i n n e B E Z I N

D i r e c

t o r , F i n a n c e a n d

A d m i n i s t r a t i o n

A n t o i n e M A D E L I N

D i r e c t o r , I n t e r n a t i o n a l

A d v o c a c y

I s a b e l l e C H E B A T

D i r e c t o r , C o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d

P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s

M a r c e a u S I V I E U D E

D i r e c t o r , O p e r a t i o n s

A D M I N I S T R A T I O N , F I N A N C E S A N D H U M A N R

E S O U R C E S

S e r g u e ï F U

N T

D i r e c t o r , F i n a n c i a

l C o n t r o l

S a m i a M E R A H

F i n a n c e O f fi c e r

N i n a N O U Y O N

G O D E

D i r e c t o r , A c c o u n t i n g

T o n y M I N E T

A c c o u n t a n t

K a t e C O L E S

D i r e c t o r , F u n d r a i s i n g

N a t h a l i e L A S S L O P

F u n d r a i s i n g O f fi c e r

M a r i e - F r a n c e

B U R Q

D i r e c t o r , H u m a n R

e s o u r c e s

M a t h i l d e H a m o n

A s s i s t a n t t o t h e E

x e c u t i v e

D i r e c t o r a t e

C O M M U N I C A T I O N A N D P U B L I C R E L A T I O N S

N i c o l a s B A R R E T

O D I A Z

D i r e c t o r , I n f o r m

a t i o n

S y s t e m s

C y r i l M A R I O N

D e p u t y D i r e c t o r I n f o r m a t i o n

S y s t e m s

A r t h u r M A N

E T

D i r e c t o r , P r e s s R e l a t i o n s

A u d r e y C O U P R I E

P r e s s O f fi c e r

C é l i n e B A L L E R E A

U T E T U

D i r e c t o r ,

P u b l i c a t i o n

s

C h r i s t o p h e G A R D A I S

P u b l i c a t i o n s

O f fi c e r

L i d y a O G B A Z

G H I

E x e c u t i v e A s s i s t a n t

S e c r e t a r y

J e a n - B a p t i s t e P A U L H E T

D i g i t a l C o m m u n i c a t i o n

O f fi c e r

R E S E A R C H A N D O P E R A T I O N S

F l o r e n t G E E L

D i r e c t o r , A f r i c a

H a s s a t o u B A

P r o g r a m m e O f fi c e r , A f r i c a

M a r i e C A M B E R L I N

D i r e c t o r ,

N

o r t h A f r i c a a n d M i d d l e - E a s t

N a n c y D E M I C H E L I

P r o g r a m m e O f fi c e r ,

N o r t h A f r i c a a n d M i d d l e - E a s t

G e n e v i è v e P A U L

D i r e c t o r , G l o b a l i s a t i o n

a n d H u m a n s R i g h t s

M a r i o n C A D I E R


G l o b a l i s a t i o n a n d H u m a n R i g h t s

K a t h e r i n e B O O T H

D i r e c t o r , W o m e n ’ s R i g h t s

a n d M i g r a n t s ’ R i g h t s

D a i s y S C H M I T T

A s s i s t a n t , W o m e n ’ s R i g h t s

a n d M i g r a n t s ’ R

i g h t s

K a r i n e B O N N E A U

D i r e c t o r ,

I n t e r n a t i o n a l J u s t i c e

D e l p h i n e C A R L E N S

D e p u t y D i r e c

t o r ,

I n t e r n a t i o n a l J u

s t i c e

A l e x a n d r a P O M E O N

D i r e c t o r , O b s e r v a t o r y

f o

r t h e P r o t e c t i o n o f H u m a n R i g h t s

D e f e n d e r s

H u g o G A B B E

R O

P r o g r a m m e O f fi c e r , O b s e r v a t o r y

f o r t h e P r o t e c t i o n o f H u

m a n R i g h t s

D e f e n d e r s

T c h é r i n a J E R O

L O N

D e p u t y D i r e c t o r ,

A f r i c a


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D E L E G A T I O N S , R E G

I O N A L O F F I C E S A N D J O I N T O F F I C E S F I D H / L

E A G U E S

P R E T O R I A

T U N I S

M O B I L I S A T I O

N O F I N T E R G O V E R N M E N T A L O R G A N I S

A T I O N S

G a e l l e D U S E P U L C H R E

R e p r e s e n t a t i v e t o t h

e E U

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D e l e g a t e t o t h e E

U

S t é p h a n i e D A V I D


e U N

( f r o m A p r i l 1 4 )

C a t h e r i n e A B S A L O M

L i a i s o n O f fi c e r ,

D e l e g a t i o n t o t h e E U

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N i c o l a s A G O S T I N I


e U N

B R U S S E L S

G E N E V A

N E W Y

O R K

C O M M U N I C A T I O N

A N D

P U B L I C R E L A T I O N S

J o s é C a r l o s T H I S S E N

C o n s u l t a n t – C o m m u n i c a t i o n

O f fi c e r o n L a t i n A m e r i c a

a n d t h e C a r i b b e a n

L I M A

R E S E A R C H A N D O P E R A T I O N S

C l é m e n t M A V U N G

U

C o o r d i n a t o r A f r i c a n C

o u r t

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E C Q

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a n d G u i n e a

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R R Y

P r o g r a m m e O

f fi c e r ,

O G D H / F I D H j o i n t p

r o g r a m m e

M a m a d o u B o u s s o u

r i o u D I A L L O

P r o g r a m m e O

f fi c e r ,


r o g r a m m e

A b o u b a c a r S

Y L L A

A c c o u n t a n t S e c r e t a r y ,


r o g r a m m e

D r i s s a T R A O R E

P r o g r a m m e O

f fi c e r ,

A M D H / F I D H j o i n t p

r o g r a m m e

W i l l y N E T

H

D e p u t y C o o r d i n a t o r ,

M I D H / L I D H O / F I D H

j o i n t p r o g r a m m e

L a l l a T O U R E

P r o g r a m m e O

f fi c e r ,

A M D H / F I D H j o i n t p

r o g r a m m e

A B I D J A N

G U I N E A

B A M A K O

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T H E H A G U E

J i m e n a R E Y E S

D i r e c t o r , A m e r i c a

s

E l e n a C R E S P I


W e s t e r n E u r o p e

B R U S S E L S

Y o s r a F R A W E S

C o n s u l t a n t -

F I D H D e l e g a t e T u n i s

M a t h i l d e C H I F F E R T

C o o r d i n a t o r G

u i n e a

P r o g r a m m

e


10/92


are the target of violence or criminalisation campaigns. Such

treatment is especially observable in Latin America (Brazil,

Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru),Asia (Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,Thailand) and Africa (Cameroon, Liberia, Uganda, the DRC,

Sierra Leone).

Moreover, human rights defenders standing up for marginalised

or discriminated against segments of society are particularly

repressed. Defenders of women’s rights, LGBTI rights, migrant

rights, indigenous peoples’ rights and the rights of religious

minorities often face discrimination, criminalisation and

sometimes hate crime.

Defenders’ activities render them often subject to surveillance,including through the use of new technologies. Personal data,

phone conversations, emails and social network discussions can

be spied upon or pirated. Surveillance therefore becomes yet

another means of repressing human rights defenders, together

with ridicule, threats, legal harassment, attacks and assassinations

– all frequently carried out with complete impunity. This is theprecarious situation in which these defenders exist, their abusers

including both agents of the State and non-state actors, such ascompanies.

FIDH vice-president, Ales Bialiatski, was freed in Belarus one

year before the end of his sentence in June 2014. Nevertheless,whilst FIDH’s Assistant Secretary General, Nabeel Rajab, wasalso freed in 2014, he was subsequently subjected to yet another

judicial prosecution and rearrested in Bahrain. At the end of

2014, many representatives from FIDH’s member and partner

organisations remained in arbitrary detention in countries suchas Iran, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Syria, Egypt and Azerbaijan.

Defenders subject to judicial harassment are often the target

of rushed trials or extremely long procedures that become

punishments in themselves, preventing them from pursuing their

human rights activities.

The political context in which they operate, their isolationand their lack of nancial resources render many NGOs and

defenders weak in trying to counter risks to their personal safety

Context and challenges

In closed and totalitarian countries like Eritrea, North Korea orTurkmenistan, the defence of human rights remains virtually

impossible, forcing defenders to go underground or seek exile.

Many defenders active in authoritarian countries in 2014,

have sought to draw attention to the oppression prevalent in

their home states, including through institutions like the UnitedNations. However, many of them have been subject to intense

pressure and repression. In these countries, authorities place

considerable limits on freedoms for civil society by controllingthe justice system and introducing rules to curb freedom,

especially regarding NGO access to funding, NGO registration,

control over activities and freedom of assembly. This legalisedoppression is now being exported from country to country withthe intent to silence any denunciation of human rights violations.

This is particularly the case in Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain,

Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the Democratic

Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, the Russian Federation,

Vietnam, and Turkey, amongst others.

The situation of human rights defenders is also particularly

precarious in conict zones and areas affected by violence

from non-state groups. Here, defenders documenting violationsor ghting impunity are the targets of attack, kidnapping or

assassination, often being seen to support one or other of thewarring parties, as is the case in Libya, the Philippines, the DRC,

and Syria.

In other countries beset by extremist religious movements,

this year has also seen defenders of the rights to freedom of

expression, freedom of religion and women’s rights subjected to

particularly serious acts of violence, including in Saudi Arabia,India, Libya, Mauritania and Pakistan.

The repression of defenders of land or environmental rights

continues to escalate in line with the growing number of disputes

over fundamental rights and natural resources. More and moredefenders, peasant leaders or indigenous community leaders,

journalists and NGO activists, who are committed to these causes

Priority 1

Supporting Human Rights Defenders


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or take protective measures. Material support to strengthen their

capacity for action, with training in how to document and detect

violations, as well as advocacy before local, national, regional

and international institutions, remained FIDH’s core task in 2014,

whilst also seeking to strengthen co-operation with international

and regional bodies to protect defenders.

FIDH and its member organisations and partnersin action

In line with its multi-year strategic plan of action, FIDH with its

member organisations and partners implemented many activities

to protect defenders in danger and strengthen their capacity to act.Protective activities were undertaken within the framework of theObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights (the Observatory), a

joint program created by FIDH in 1997 with the Global Organisation

Against Torture (GOAT).

> Protecting defenders in situations

of insecurity or repression

Establishing the facts and alerting on a daily basis

Urgent interventions constitute one of the main tools for protect-

ing defenders. They consist of mobilising all available lever-

age among state and non-state actors, including armed groups

or companies, as well as the media and decision-makers. Suchmobilisation seeks to halt or expose any threat or harassment

directed at defenders or groups of defenders. These interventionsdescribe the threat as experienced by those targeted, making a

series of recommendations to the competent authorities to guard

against these violations. Each case or situation is the subject ofdiscussion with the defender concerned, his family, local part-

ners and FIDH’s geographic teams, so as to determine the mostappropriate strategy.

FIDH aims to respond to defender threats in the shortest pos-

sible time on the basis of trustworthy and veried information

gathered and compiled by its member organisations. It does soin the most useful format and language, and seeks to ensure

constant follow-up as the situation develops. In many cases thishas brought an end to the violation, and has helped improve thesituation or working conditions of the defenders concerned, as

well as preventing new violations. These urgent interventions

also serve as a basis for developing advocacy actions, targetedmobilisation or emergency assistance at a later date where a

violation persists or worsens.

In 2014, FIDH undertook 243 emergency interventions (urgent

appeals, press releases and open letters to authorities) involving

51 countries. These interventions particularly focused on certain

countries where violations are especially serious or systematic, or

where they took place in the context of conict, crisis or political

transition: for example, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burma,

Burundi, Cameroon, Colombia, Djibouti, Cambodia, Egypt,

Guatemala, Haiti, Iran, Mauretania, Mexico, the DRC, Russia,

Rwanda, Syria, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

Throughout the year, FIDH has been extremely sensitive to theproblems faced by defenders of land and environmental rights.2014 saw it issue 36 related emergency alerts, publish an annual

report on the matter (see below), and consolidate an information

network with NGOs specialising in the area, including Global

Witness and the International Land Coalition (ILC). Based on

these emergency interventions and other information compiled,FIDH produced an interactive map indicating the different types

of violations against land rights defenders by country. This is

proving to be a highly valued educational outreach tool for de-cision-makers, available at: www.wearenotafraid.org.

Lastly, to alert and mobilise agents of change on the particularsituation of arbitrarily detained defenders, FIDH launched an

international campaign called #ForFreedom: The more you talkabout it, the sooner they’ll be out. The campaign focuses on

emblematic cases of human rights defenders in detention.

BAHRAIN: “Thank you for all your help and support

which helped me feel stronger and showed the world I was not

alone”.

Message from Nabeel Rajab, FIDH Assistant Secretary

General and President of the Bahrain Centre for HumanRights (BCHR), following his release in May 2014.

BELARUS: “It’s the support from all of you, all the

national and international mobilisation since the day I was

arrested, that led to my release today”.

Message d'Ales Message from Ales Bialiatski, FIDH Vice-

president, following his anticipated release in June 2014.

FIDH campaign calling for the release of detained human rights defenders. Credits : FIDH


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FOCUS

Turkey – Human rights lawyer Muharrem Erbey freed after

1,570 days in preventive detention

On 12 April 2014, a Turkish court ordered the provisional release

of Muharrem Erbey, vice-president of the Turkish Human

Rights Association, a FIDH member organisation. It found a

“lack of proof” in Muharrem Erbey’s case after over four years

of preventive detention. Muharrem Erbey had been arrested

in December 2009 for his alleged afliation to the Union of

Kurdish Communities (KCK) and was accused of being “a

member of an illegal organisation”. Within the framework of

the Observatory, FIDH issued numerous urgent appeals about

his case and led a vigorous campaign via #ForFreedom, as

well as holding advocacy meetings with the highest Turkish

authorities to demand his release. Muharrem Erbey’s continuinglegal harassment was clearly aimed at repressing his legitimate

activities in defence of human rights. FIDH reiterates its call to

drop all charges against him.

FOCUS

Vietnam – Nguyen Huu Cau freed after 20 years detention

In March 2014, Nguyen Huu Cau was released after several

decades in arbitrary detention. He was sentenced to life

imprisonment in May 1983 after being falsely accused of“harming the regime’s image” and for writing poems that

denounced corruption and the abuse of power. FIDH and its

member organisation, the Vietnam Committee for the Defence

of Human Rights (VCHR), highlighted Nguyen Huu Cau’s

case, including by producing a document that outlined the

particularly worrying situation of 17 political prisoners. Thisdocument was handed to Vietnamese authorities as part of

an active mobilisation designed to obtain the release of these

detainees.

Strengthening the protective capacity of intergovernmental

organisations

In 2014, all the Observatory’s emergency interventions contin-ued to be systematically directed to international and regional

mechanisms for the protection of defenders. These mechanisms

included special procedures of the UN, the African Commission

for Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), the Inter-American

Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Commissioner for

Human Rights at the Council of Europe, the focal point of the

Bureau for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (BDIHR)at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe

(OSCE), and EU mechanisms. Such referrals prompt further

interventions and investigations by competent authorities.

FIDH also used other organs of these intergovernmental organi-

sations to lobby on behalf of cases of defender repression (e.g.before the European Parliament, UN Human Rights Council etc.)

and to this end organised meetings/interfaces between repre-

sentatives of its member organisations and these institutions.

FIDH organised a 5th “inter-mechanism” meeting in November

2014. This meeting addressed the issue of strengtheninginteraction and co-ordination between UN mechanisms and

regional mechanisms for defender protection. The event

brought together representatives from the UN, the InternationalOrganisation of La Francophonie (OIF), the African Commission

for Human and People’s Rights, the Inter-American Commission

on Human Rights, the Bureau of the Commissioner for HumanRights of the Council of Europe, the BDIHR and the EuropeanUnion, as well as international NGOs. Participants discussed

ways of strengthening their co-operation when it came to

referrals and public declarations concerning violations against

defenders, as well as in following up individual communications

and recommendations subsequent to country visits. They alsodiscussed best practice and strategies relevant to arbitrary

detention, especially in emblematic cases. The meeting set aside

time for an exchange on the denitions of reprisals and impunity,

and the interaction between the two (e.g. how combatting

impunity by establishing responsibility can contribute to

reducing drivers for reprisals). Finally, NGO nancing, including

from overseas, as well as the protection of land rights defenders,

were also discussed, echoing the Observatory’s annual reports

from 2013 and 2014. A 6th meeting is planned for 2015.

Providing emergency assistance in case of threats and risks

Responding to intimidation and threats of physical or psychologi-cal violence against defenders, FIDH offered material help to 44defenders and/or their family members and 3 human rights NGOs

in 9 countries. This met needs in terms of prevention (securing

© IHD


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ofces and homes: Cameroon), protection (temporary or perma-nent relocation costs: Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Mauretania, CAR, DRC,

Sudan, Syria, Tunisia), legal costs (Cameroon, India, the DRC,

Rwanda) and medical costs (Cambodia, Burundi).

In certain cases, this assistance was extended in co-operation and/

or co-ordination with international NGOs providing the same type

of support. This ensured the fastest and most appropriate response.

FOCUS

Rwanda – relocating the “legitimate” president of LIPRODHOR, under threat following a takeover of the league

The situation of the Rwandan League for Promotion and Defence of Human Rights (LIPRODHOR) is emblematic of the

harassment suffered by human rights defence organisations in Rwanda, where the authorities seek to silence or control suchorganisations. Since July 2013, LIPRODHOR has undergone a political takeover by elements of the Rwandan Patriotic Front

(FPR), who illegally ousted members of the current management board. The “legitimate” members of LIPRODHOR, above

all its president Laurent Munyandilikirwa, have gone to court seeking the nullication of the decisions that led to the organisa -tion’s takeover. Since then threats against these members have escalated.

Having been subjected to particularly violent threats since lodging his complaint, LIPRODHOR’s president received assistance

from FIDH to cover the costs of his relocation.

Under the auspices of judicial observation missions, the Observatory has further mandated the presence of a representative at

six of the seven hearings listed, and at the end of 2014, undertook to continue the defence of the civil case during the appealprocess.

Cambodia – paying a defender’s medical costs after an attack

On 2 May 2014, Cambodian journalist, LM, was beaten with batons and kicked by six to ten members of the security forces

during a demonstration he was covering. The attack was prompted by the fact that he had taken photos of a monk who had beenattacked by members of these same forces. LM had to be evacuated for an operation on his face.FIDH offered nancial support to meet his medical expenses.

“We are so incredibly grateful for the support you

have given us during the enquiry into Eric’s assassination. The

whole team sends you their good wishes”.

Message from the President of CAMFAIDS after FIDH

provided funding to cover the legal costs for the enquiry

into the murder of Cameroonian LGBTI defender, Eric

Lemembe.

“It’s been six months now since you relocated me

to a safer place after the Ugandan parliament passed itsanti-homosexuality law, which left me in an unsafe situation.

I’m very happy where I am now: my accommodation, my

surroundings and my neighbours are all very pleasant. Thank

you so much to FIDH for the support you have given me”.

Message from a Ugandan LGBTI rights defender,

relocated after threats to his safety in Uganda.

Responding to judicial harassment

In 2014, many defenders fell victim to judicial harassment or were

forced to seek legal redress when their rights were violated.

Confronted with the instrumentalisation of justice to hamper or

criminalise defender actions, FIDH organises judicial observa-

tion, defence and solidarity missions. Such missions have various

objectives: providing expert legal assistance to support victims;

bringing solidarity and international attention to bear on proceed-

ings to ensure a fair trial; highlighting procedural violations tomobilise the international community.

From January to December 2014, FIDH mandated 11 judicial ob-

servation missions dealing with cases in Algeria (one observation),

the Russian Federation (one observation), Rwanda (six observa-tions) and Turkey (three observations). It also published a reportin English and French on the judicial observation mission for thetrial of Pinar Selek before the Turkish courts (see Focus).


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FOCUS

Turkey – The Supreme Court revokes Pinar Selek’s life

sentence

After 16 years, four trials and an untold number of procedural

errors, the life sentence of famous Turkish sociologist, Pınar

Selek – known for her advocacy of the rights of minorities inTurkey – was quashed by the Supreme Court, which found theaccusations against her unproven. In 1998, Pınar Selek had been

accused of supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) andterrorism.

FIDH undertook several judicial observation missions to expose

the procedural errors in Pinar Selek’s case and took part in

mobilising the international community against her ongoing and

unjustied judicial harassment. This led to a 5th trial, which was

also won by Mrs Selek at the beginning of 2015.

Establishing responsibility

In line with its multi-year strategic plan, FIDH continued to

develop legal action before national courts and regional and

international mechanisms protecting human rights. In doing so,

it has continued to seek the attribution of responsibility, eitherstate or individual, in emblematic cases of defenders’ rights

violations, while supporting victims in their right to justice and

contributing to the prevention of these violations, including

via the consolidation of jurisprudence on the protection of

defenders’ rights.

In 2014, FIDH lodged four complaints or referrals to judicial orquasi-judicial bodies (Egypt, Iran, the DRC). It also continued

to pursue two complaints lodged with the African Commission

for Human and People’s Rights: the rst in 2009, following

the torture of three human rights defenders in Sudan; and

the second in 2013, after the right to freedom of association

was denied to the Human Rights Council, an FIDH member

organisation in Ethiopia. Similarly, in 2014, FIDH sought theresolution of a complaint lodged with the UN Committee on

Forced Disappearances (CFD) involving the disappearance

of two female defenders in Mexico, and several referrals

to UN working groups on arbitrary detention and forced

disappearances (see below).

FOCUS

DRC – Senegalese justice authorities called upon to hear

charges against Paul Mwilambwe in the Chebeya/Bazana

case

Legal proceedings will be opened in Senegal on the basis of

universal jurisdiction against former Congolese (DRC) policeofcer, Paul Mwilambwe. This individual is alleged to have

witnessed the murder of human rights defenders, Floribert

Chebeya and Fidèle Bazana, in June 2010.

Following a judicial enquiry mission deployed by FIDH's legalteam decided to le a civil suit to claim for damages against

the charge ofcially brought by the families in the Senegalese

courts on 18 June. At the subsequent press conference, lawyersunderlined the importance of this case in the struggle against

impunity in Africa.

Photograph by Aude Coquin

Floribert Chebeya

Demonstration against the Tumulos Bill (Guatemala). © Diario La Hora de Guatemala


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Examples of submissions of complaints to quasi-judicial bodies in 2014

COUNTRY DEFENDER/

ORGANISATION

REVIEWING BODY DATE OF REVIEW DETERMINATION LATEST SITUATION

IRAN MohammadSeizadeh WGAD April 2014 No information todate Still in detention

DRC Abedi Ngoy et

Gervais Saidi

WGAD April 2014 May 2014 (« the

detention is

arbitrary ») – FIDH

was informed in

July 2014

Freed in May2014

EGYPT Yara Sallam WGAD August 2014 No information to

date

Still in detention

AZERBAIJAN Hilal Mammadov

(suivi)

WGDA (follow-up/

reponse)

Follo-up November

2013

November 2013

(« the detention is


was informed in

March 2014

Still in detention

MEXICO Marcial Bautista

Valle et Eva Alarcón

Ortiz

CED (follow-up/

reponse)

October 2014 Review underway Still disappeared

CAMBODIA Yorm Bopha WGAD October 2013 "No information to

date

Libération provisoire

(novembre 2013)

BANGLADESH Adilur Rahman

Khan

WGAD August 2013 No information to

date

Provisional release

(October 2013

BURMA Ko Htin Kyaw WGAD August 2013 November 2013



was informed in

February 2014

Amnesty 31

December 2013

IRAN Khosro Kordpour et

Massoud Kordpour

WGAD August 2013 November 2013



was informed in

February 2014

Still in detention

ETHIOPIA Human Rights

Council

ACHPR April 2014 No information to

date

Complaint regarding

violation of the

right to freedom of

association

IRAN Nasrin Sotoudeh WGAD April 2014 No information to

date

Provisional release

(October 2013)

SRI LANKA Sinnavan Stephen

Sunthararaj

WEGEID April 2014 No information to

date

Still disappeared

SUDAN Osman Hummaida,

Abdelmoneim Aljak

et Amir Mohamed

Suliman

ACHPR Follow-up 2009 Decison Adopted Complaint regarding

torture and ill

treatment


16/92


> Reinforcing defenders’ capacity to

act

Action for a favourable political and normative framework

for defenders

FIDH conducted two fact-finding missions in 2014. Onemission addressed harassment and threats against LGBTI rights

defenders in Cameroon; the other, the surveillance of defenders

and land rights defence movements in Brazil. The respective

reports are due for release in 2015.

FIDH and its member organisations have also denounced

legislative reform plans aimed at curbing freedom of association,

especially NGO access to foreign financial support, or

criminalising LGBTI rights defenders.

In addition, FIDH participated in the strengthening of the

regional and international judicial framework through initiativespursued at the United Nations, the ACHPR and the OSCE.

Throughout 2014, FIDH played a special part in working groups

charged with drafting and tabling OSCE/ODIHR guidelines

on defender protection, aimed at States participating in the

organisation. FIDH further made a written contribution on

the matter, with a follow-up in late 2014 at the OSCE Human

Dimension Implementation Meeting. Here, FIDH called for

the establishment of a body to oversee the application of theseguidelines. FIDH also contributed to devising joint guidelines

for the ODIHR and the Venice Commission on the Freedom of

Association, focusing on the inclusion of provisions coveringaccess to nance, including foreign-sourced, as a component of

the right to freedom of association. These joint guidelines werelaunched at the beginning of 2015.

FIDH likewise extended its participation in the Study Group

on Freedom of Association (SGFA), set up by the ACHPR to

produce an analytical document examining the main obstacles

to the creation and operation of NGOs in Africa, and to develop

recommendations for ACHPR member States dealing with

freedom of association and assembly. The SGFA completed itswork in 2014 and its report was to be adopted at the next session

of ACHPR (twice postponed because of the Ebola crisis). FIDHcontinued to lobby the ACHPR to adopt a resolution for the

protection of LGBTI rights defenders.

Lastly, FIDH has lobbied for the establishment of a specic

UN mechanism to ensure respect for privacy. This mechanism

should be given a special mandate to denounce the harmful

effects of surveillance or the interception of communications,

including from outside national territory, as well as the large-

scale collection of personal data, on the exercise of one’s human

rights.

FOCUS

“We are not afraid !” 2014 Annual Report of the

Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

On 2 December 2014, FIDH released the 2014 Annual Reportof the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights

Defenders. This year’s theme was land rights defenders.

The report addresses the situation of defenders in 29 countries:

Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Uganda, SouthAfrica, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia,

Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia, Egypt,

the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Canada, Brazil, Chile,

Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua

and Peru.

The document was compiled with contributions from FIDHmember and partner organisations, and the OMCT. It presents

the global context in which defenders operate, with principle

forms of repression illustrated in 79 cases from 29 countries.The report goes on to detail existing institutional protective

mechanisms, and makes specic recommendations to States,

private donors and investors, companies, and intergovernmental

organisations, in order to improve the working environment for

these defenders.

Problems faced by land rights defenders are not new.

However, the number of victims of land rights violations and

the repression suffered by their defenders renders their plightparticularly fundamental.

The report aims to become an advocacy tool and awareness-

raising device for States, lenders/investors, companies,

intergovernmental bodies and public opinion. It calls upon allparties to better recognise the legitimate role and important

work carried out by these defenders in respect of rights for

all, peace, stability and lasting development. It also calls

for better protection for defenders in particularly vulnerable

situations, including ghting against impunity for the attacks

and violations they suffer.

Since its publication, the report has been the subject of

discussions and presentations at press conferences, seminars,

meetings, and other events (Geneva, Mexico, Puebla, Quezon,

Cape Town, Marrakesh, Paris).

By December 2014, the website www.wearenotafraid.org,

together with the publicity campaign accompanying the

launch of the report saw at least 4,676 visitors access the siteto nd out more. On Facebook, the report generated 31,196

interactions (Likes, Comments & Shares), and managed to

reach 782,459 people.


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Material support and training for NGOs and defenders

In April 2014, FIDH organised a training seminar in Brussels for

representatives of the NGO ADC Memorial. This civil society

organisation had been dissolved in Russia following the refusalof its directors to agree to a ruling demanding that it register as a

“foreign agent”, following the enactment of severely oppressivelegislation. Having been dissolved in Russia, ADC Memorial

decided to register its ofce in Belgium in order to continue

its activities. At the seminar, FIDH provided participants with

training in IT security, defender protection mechanisms and

advocacy at the European Union. In addition, two representatives

of other FIDH member organisations, the Electors’ League

(DRC) and the International Campaign for Tibet, gave examples

of organisations working wholly or partially from overseas.

The seminar allowed the representatives from ADC Memorial

to draw up a multi-year strategic plan and to develop a set of

actions to be used in the event that repression intensies.

FIDH also continued to implement its specic program to

strengthen the Fraternity Center’s capacity for action. The

Fraternity Center is an independent NGO created with FIDH

support in 2013 to promote human rights and democracy in theKurdish area of Hassakeh near the Turkish border. Activities

to strengthen the organisation’s capacity included training and

support for initiatives raising human rights awareness, as well

as providing secure means of communication.

Furthermore, in line with the express wishes of member

organisations, and keeping in mind the surveillance risk faced

by independent NGOs, FIDH and the Euromed Foundation haveinitiated an assessment mission to survey the security needs of six

Egyptian human rights organisations in the areas of IT equipment

and communication. The mission was followed up by the arrivalof two experts to train the staff of these organisations in securitytechniques and the use of appropriate equipment and software.

Through a specic program of support for civil society in

Belarus, FIDH also provided secure ICT equipment to several

NGOs and local human rights defenders. Further, psychological

clinics were set up with the help of the French association

TRACES allowing the follow-up of 18 defenders and their

training in the psychological aspects of their work with victimsof human rights violations.

Lastly, FIDH set up the rst platform for Burmese defenders to

gather information on their situation in the country. In 2015,

FIDH will organise training workshops for members of this

platform on protection mechanisms for defenders.

Visibility of defenders’ situations

In 2014, several activities generated a better awareness of the

situation of defenders and how important it is to protect them.- The campaign #ForFreedom, centred on the website www.

freedom-defenders.org, which presents emblematic cases ofdefenders in detention. In doing so it helped alert and mobilise

actors of change and the general public on the particular

situation of defenders in prison.

- The website site freeales.dh.net allowed all information on

Ales Bialiatski’s situation to be pooled. President of the Human

Rights Centre Viasna and FIDH Vice-president, Ales was

sentenced to four and a half years’ in prison following a political

trial. The website brings together all the mobilisation actions

undertaken on Ales’ behalf by civil society, intergovernmentalorganisations and rights protection mechanisms promoting hisrelease.

- The website www.wearenotafraid.org provided the general

public with a concrete, easily-understood overview of the

harassment experienced by land rights defenders, using photos,

key facts and gures, videos and an interactive map.

- Interviews conducted with defenders for the Annual

Observatory Report enabled direct access to testimony from

defenders who had been victims of violations.

- Tweets on defenders’ situations enabled real-time updates on

violations against defenders and developments in individual

cases.

- Interfaces with intergovernmental organisations (see above)

raised the prole of defenders before these entities, enabling

them to benet from greater follow-up regarding their action

and participation.

Examples of outcomes

FIDH has enabled or contributed to the following:

Release, end of judicial harassment and progress towards

justice

• The release of 44 defenders in arbitrary detention in

Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Burma, Burundi, Djibouti,

Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),

Rwanda, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Thailand, Turkey

and Vietnam.

FOCUS DRC

• The conviction by Senegalese courts, following an FIDHcomplaint, of Paul Mwilambwe, a former major in the

Congolese National Police, for his alleged involvement in

the murder of Congolese human rights defenders, Chebeya

and Bazana.

FOCUS Turkey

• The quashing by the Supreme Court of the life sentence

imposed on Pinar Selek, a famous Turkish sociologist

known for her involvement in minority rights in Turkey.The ruling came after 16 years of proceedings, 4 trials and

an untold number of procedural errors.

Material protection and safety of defenders

• Securing the safety of 44 defenders, their families and

their NGOs through material help in 24 situations (support


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with temporary or permanent relocation, securing NGO

ofces, covering defender medical costs incurred as a

result of mistreatment for their human rights activity, etc).

Decisions and declarations of intergovernmental protection

mechanisms• Mutliple declarations or resolutions by the European

Union, the United Nations, the ACHPR, the OSCE and

the Council of Europe, calling for the release of defenders

and respect for freedom of association.

• Adoption by the African Commission for Human and

Peoples’ Rights at their 55th session of a resolution on

"Protection against violence and other violations of human

rights against people on the basis of their real or presumed

sexual identity or orientation", which emphasises States’obligations to protect the rights of LGBTI defenders in

Africa. FIDH, which initiated and drove the adoptionof this resolution, has been battling for several years to

have the voice of LGBTI rights defence associations

heard at the ACHPR and urged this body to make a public

pronouncement on the question of the rights of LGBTI

people.

FOCUS Azerbaijan

• A statement by the United Nations Working Group on

Arbitrary Detention concluded that “the accusations of

treason and incitement to national, racial, social and

religious hatred and hostility levelled against Mr Hilal

Mammadov are no more than the rightful exercise of hisright to freedom of speech”, demanding his immediate

release with compensation. Mr Mammadov is a defenderof Talysh ethnic minority rights and the head of the Tolishi-

Sado (Voice of the Talysh) newspaper. He was arrested on

21 June 2012 and sentenced to ve years’ imprisonment

after an unfair trial. His case was examined by the Working

Group on the basis of information provided by FIDH.

FOCUS Belarus

• On 24 September, the UN Human Rights Committee

rendered a decision on the detention of Ales Bialiatski

(FIDH Vice President and President of CHR Visana)following a joint appeal by FIDH and Mr Bialiatski’s wife.

The decision found Mr Bialiatski’s detention to be arbitrary

and held that the action of the Belarussian authorities had

violated his rights to freedom and safety, justice, a fair trial

and freedom of association. The Committee demanded that

the authorities re-examine Viasna’s previous application

for ofcial registration, withdraw Bialiatski’s criminal

record and pay him adequate compensation.

FOCUS Iran

• A statement by the United Nations Working Group on

Arbitrary Detention concluded that the detention of the

brothers Khosro and Massoud Kordpour, chief editor andcorrespondent respectively for the Mukrian News Agency,

was arbitrary and demanded their immediate release withcompensation. The case was examined by the Working

Group on the basis of information provided by FIDH.

Improvement of legislative frameworks at the national level

• Abandonment of plans to curb freedom or reversal of

repressive laws, in Bangladesh, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan,

Uganda and Ukraine.

Prizes awarded to defenders for whom FIDH campaigned

• Adilur Rahman Khan (Bangladesh): Robert F. Kennedy

Human Rights Prize, Gwangju Prize and International

Bar Association Prize• Anar Mammadli (Azerbaijan): Vaclav Havel Human

Rights Prize of the Council of Europe

• Leyla Yunus, Anar Mammadli, Rasul Jafarov and IntigamAliyev (Azerbaijan): Andrei Sakharov Freedom Prize of

the Norwegian Helsinki Committee• Mutabar Tadjibayeva (Uzbekistan): Engel Dutertre Prize

of the ACAT Foundation• Muharrem Erbey (Turkey): Pen International Award for

Freedom of Thought and Expression


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FIDH INTERACTING WITH ITS MEMBER AND PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

16 international fact-nding, judicial, advocacy and solidarity missions (Cameroon, Egypt, Brazil, Senegal,Indonesia, Panama, Cambodia, France, Burma)

11 judicial observation missions involving four areas of concern (in Algeria, the Russian Federation, Rwanda

and Turkey)

243 urgent appeals – ENG/FR/ESP/RU/TUR/PERS

Referrals and judicial and quasi-judicial follow-up :

Before Senegalese courts: monitoring the procedure begun against a presumed perpetrator of the murder of

Congolese (DRC) defenders Chebeya and BazanaBefore the Human Rights Committee: communication against Uzbekistan in the Mutabar torture case

Before the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances: follow-up of the communication against

Mexico

Before the UN Working Groups on Arbitrary Detention: deposition of communications against Iran, Egypt

and the DRC, follow-up of communications against Azerbaijan and Iran

Before the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances: follow-up of a communication against Sri Lanka

Before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: follow-up of the communication against Sudan

(arbitrary detention and acts of torture against defenders); follow-up of the communication against Ethiopia (curbs

on freedom of association)

Advocacy support for defenders before IGOs, relevant regional and international mechanisms and representatives

of inuential States

Strategic seminars :

Egypt: Training on secure data storage and communication

Belarus: Training local NGO representatives on psychological aspects

of gathering victim testimonySyria: Train the trainers seminar on human rights promotion

Burma : Meetings of the Forum for the Protection of DefendersRussia: Training seminar on data security, protective mechanisms for

defenders and advocacy at the European Union

Partnerships: OMCT in the framework of the Observatory and 400

members and partners

Fact-nding reports

2014 Observatory Annual Report : "We are

not afraid"

Turkey: International Judicial Observation

Mission Report on the 16-Year Long

Judicial Harassment faced by Ms. Pınar

Selek

Russia 2012-2013 : Attack on FreedomEastern Europe : Disputed Entities in

Eastern Europe: Human Rights Sacriced


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Priority 2

Promoting and protectingwomen’s rights

Context and challenges

As the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination AgainstWomen (CEDAW), now ratied by virtually all States, celebrat-

ed its 35th anniversary in 2014, the rights of women and thosedefending them were under serious threat. Some countries hadeven witnessed signicant regression.

Profoundly discriminatory laws remain in force in many coun-tries, particularly in areas such as marriage, nationality, owner-ship of property and inheritance. Family laws in Burkina Faso,Egypt, Gabon, Indonesia, Morocco and Senegal, allow men to

have several wives. In Kenya in 2014, the adoption of a new mar-

riage law further endorsed such discrimination. In Afghanistan,

Saudi Arabia, Burundi, Guinea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Yemen,the law requires women to obey their husbands. Many laws con-

tain discriminatory provisions on the minimum marriage age,

such as those in force in Cameroon or Democratic Republic ofCongo (DRC). In several countries, such as Bahrain and Leba-non, the law prohibits women from passing their nationality onto their foreign spouse or their children. Legislation on property

ownership and inheritance rights remain discriminatory in all

countries in North Africa and the Middle East, as well as in

Chile, where a woman’s share of inherited wealth is only half that

of a man’s,. In Iran, the testimony of a man in legal proceedings

equates to that of two women.

In 2014 domestic law in many countries remained deeply awed

as regards preventing and responding to violence against women.

Many states, such as Lebanon, Armenia, DRC, Ivory Coast, Ga-bon, Egypt, Haiti and Niger, have still not adopted legislation that

specically punishes domestic violence, and perpetrators thus con-

tinue to enjoy virtual impunity. Marital rape is not a crime in theCentral African Republic (CAR), DRC, Egypt, Haiti, Cameroon,Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco or Senegal. In Tunisia, thelaw allows a rapist to avoid any punishment by marrying his vic-tim. In Egypt and Syria, the law provides for a lesser sentence for

men who kill their wives in the name of honour. In several states,

almost all women and girls are victims of female genital mutila-tion with no measures in place to eliminate the practice. 98 % ofwomen in Somalia, 96 % in Guinea, 93 % in Djibouti, 91 % in

Egypt and 89% in Mali are victims of this practice.

Women and girls are targeted in many conict situations. In the

DRC, Darfur, South Sudan and Somalia, rape and other crimesof sexual violence continue to be committed on a massive scale.

Victims rarely have access to justice, and perpetrators enjoy total

impunity. In 2014 the world witnessed the rise of fundamental-ist groups, such as Daech in Iraq and Syria, and Boko Haram inNigeria. These groups promote the exclusion of women and girls

from public life and perpetrate rape, abduction, forced marriage

and sexual slavery. Despite growing international commitment in the past fteen

years towards promoting the participation of women in peace and

transition processes, and the United Nations Security Council’s

adoption of a series of resolutions concerning “women, peaceand security” in particular, women in 2014 continued to be side-

lined in these processes. The developments that took place in

2014 in Afghanistan, particularly the gradual withdrawal of in-ternational troops and the holding of presidential elections, pose

serious threats to women’s rights.

Whilst in the Middle East and North Africa, the “Arab Spring”created opportunities for promoting equality in law and in prac-

tice in many countries, it has also seen a rising risk of regression.

In Egypt, the participation of women in the transition process

is threate

Documents

FIDH Annual Report 2014