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Category: Human Rights

  • ISHR side event: SUPPORTING THE WORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

    Photo: Freedom of Speech Includes The Press by Narih Lee under CC 2.0

    INVITATION to the side event: IN DEFENCE OF CIVIC SPACE AND DEMOCRACY SUPPORTING THE WORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS on Monday 26 February 2024, 1pm – 2pm CET, Room XXII, Palais des Nations, Geneva

    Human rights defenders promote democracy and a vibrant civic space, too often, in dangerous circumstances. This event aims to discuss the crucial work of defenders, how the international community can best support them and how crucial gender equality is for the full realisation of democracy.

    Speakers: 

    Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of democratic forces (Belarus)

    Dr. Sara Abdelgalil, Paediatric Consultant NHS UK, Democracy & Governance Advocate, Active member of Sudanese Diaspora

    Phil Lynch, Executive Director, International Service for Human Rights

    Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland

    Moderator: Imogen Foulkes, BBC Geneva

    A light lunch will be served. The event will be recorded and published as a podcast (Inside Geneva, produced by Swiss Broadcasting).

    Download flyer here

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Kia Ora Gaza organiser condemns ‘open genocide’ in Gaza Strip

    While telling today’s Palestine solidarity rally in Auckland about creative “good news” humanitarian aid plans to help Palestinians amid the War on Gaza, New Zealand Kia Ora Gaza advocate and organiser Roger Fowler also condemned Israel’s genocidal conduct. He was interviewed by Anadolu News Agency after a Freedom Flotilla Coalition planning meeting in Istanbul with his views this week republished here.

    By Faruk Hanedar in Istanbul

    “Women, children, and families have no food. They are trying to drink water from puddles. People are eating grass.”

    — Kia Ora Gaza advocate Roger Fowler

    New Zealand activist Roger Fowler has condemned the Israeli regime’s actions in the Gaza Strip, saying “this is definitely genocide”.

    “The Israeli regime has not hidden its intention to destroy or displace the Palestinian people, especially those in Gaza, from the beginning,” he said.

    “They are committing a terrible act — killing tens of thousands of people, injuring more, and destroying a large part of this beautiful country.”

    The death toll from the Israeli War on Gaza topped 29,000 this week – mostly women and children – and there were reports of deaths from starvation.

    Fowler demanded action to halt the attacks and expressed hope about the potential effect of the international Freedom Flotilla — a grassroots organisation working to end the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.

    He noted large-scale protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza and emphasised efforts to pressure governments, including through weekly protests in New Zealand to unequivocally condemn Israel’s actions as unacceptable.

    A Palestinian mother and family hug the dead body of their child who died in an Israeli attack in Deir al-Balah, Gaza
    A Palestinian mother and family hug the dead body of their child who died in an Israeli attack in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on 18 February 2024. Image: Kia Ora Gaza

    Long-standing mistreatment
    He stressed that the “tragedy” had extended beyond recent months, highlighting the long-standing mistreatment endured by Palestinians — particularly those in Gaza — for the last 75 years.

    Fowler pointed out the dire situation that Gazans faced — confined to a small territory with restricted access to essential resources including food, medicine, construction materials and necessities.

    He noted his three previous trips to Gaza with land convoys, where he demonstrated solidarity and observed the dire circumstances faced by the population.

    “Boycott is a very effective action,” said Fowler, underlining the significance of boycotts, isolation and sanctions, while stressing the necessity of enhancing and globalising initiatives to end the blockade.

    “I believe that boycotting has a great impact on pressuring not only major companies to withdraw from Israel and end their support, but also on making the Israeli government and our own governments understand that they need to stop what they are doing.”

    Fowler also criticised the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) “genocide decision” for being ineffective due to the arrogance of those governing Israel.

    South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel to the ICJ in December and asked for emergency measures to end Palestinian bloodshed in Gaza, where nearly 30,000 people have been killed since October 7.

    Anadolu journalist Faruk Hanedar talks with Kia Ora Gaza organiser Roger Fowler (left)
    Anadolu journalist Faruk Hanedar talks with Kia Ora Gaza organiser Roger Fowler (left) after the recent Freedom Flotilla Coalition planning meeting in Istanbul. Image: Kia Ora Gaza/Anadolu

    World Court fell short
    The World Court ordered Israel last month to take “all measures within its power” to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza but fell short of ordering a ceasefire.

    It also ordered Israel to take “immediate and effective” measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip.

    Fowler said all nations must persistently advocate and exert pressure for adherence to decisions by the UN court.

    Fowler acknowledged efforts by UN personnel but he has concerns about their limited resources in Gaza, citing the only avenue for change is for people to pressure authorities to stop the genocide and ensure Israel is held accountable.

    “It’s definitely tragic and heartbreaking. Women, children, and families have no food. They are trying to drink water from puddles. People are eating grass. This is a very desperate situation. No one is talking about the children. Thousands of people are under the rubble, including small babies and children,” he said.

    Roger Fowler is a Mangere East community advocate, political activist for social justice in many issues, and an organiser of Kia Ora Gaza. This article was first published by Anadolu Agency and is republished with permission.

    kiaoragaza.net

    "Gaza is starving to death"
    “Gaza is starving to death” . . . a banner in today’s Palestine solidarity rally in Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau. Image: David Robie/Asia Pacific Report
    "Blood on your hands"
    “Blood on your hands” . . . a protest banner condemning Israel and the US during a demonstration outside the US consulate in Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau today. Image: David Robie/Asia Pacific Report


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • John Minto: Why is mainstream media in NZ so blatantly ignoring Gaza?

    COMMENTARY: By John Minto

    Why is Aotearoa New Zealand media so silent on the Gaza genocide happening before our eyes?

    Amid unreported-in-Aotearoa media stories of horrific bombings killing dozens of Palestinians in a “heinous massacre” in central Gaza and UN reports of sexual assault allegations against Palestinian women and children by Israeli military forces, New Zealanders will be protesting, rallying and marching again today in 22 centres across the country.

    So much of the Israeli propaganda which is driving the massive assault on the Palestinians of Gaza has been unravelling quickly but this is not being reported to the public in Western countries such as New Zealand.

    Allegations such as beheaded babies, horrendous sexual assault claims and allegations of UNRWA involvement in the October 7 attack have all unravelled but New Zealanders are none the wiser.

    The internationally reported claims that pro-Palestine protesters chanted “Gas the Jews” outside the Sydney Opera house after October 7 have been shown to be the rubbish they always were.


    Political analyst Marwan Bishara analyses the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine.   Video: Al Jazeera

    But despite the initial claims being widely reported by New Zealand media, we are not aware of any corrections, apologies or reporting of the truth to New Zealanders.

    The New Zealand media has been as complicit as most of the media across the Western world in amplifying Israeli lies and racist propaganda while sidelining Palestinian viewpoints.

    Protests this weekend
    The protests this week continue to demand that our government:

    • Condemn the Israeli slaughter and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians;
    • No attack on Rafah;
    • Reinstate funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians;
    • Call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza;
    • Withdraw from the war on Yemen; and
    • Close the Israeli Embassy
    "See no genocide" . . . a graphic condemning the US stance over Palestine
    “See no genocide” . . . a graphic condemning the US stance over Palestine and the ongoing support for the genocidal war on Gaza. Image: Visualising Palestine (cc)

    Details of protest events across the country are on the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Facebook event page.

    John Minto is national chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA). Republished with permission from The Daily Blog.

    US blocks ceasefire again
    Asia Pacific Report:     The United States this week vetoed another United Nations Security Council draft resolution on Israel’s war on Gaza, blocking a demand for an immediate ceasefire.

    This was the third US veto against humanitarian ceasefire resolutions in the UNSC over the war in Gaza. The United Kingdom abstained, but all other 13 countries — including the three other permanent members China, France and Russia — voted for it.

    In introducing the resolution on Tuesday, Amar Bendjama, Algeria’s ambassador to the UN, said:

    “This resolution is a stance for truth and humanity, standing against the advocates for murder and hatred. Voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted upon them [the Palestinians].”

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • US Anti-Terror Law Has Stigmatized Palestinians as “Terrorists” Since 1969

    The word “terrorism” first appeared in a U.S. federal law in 1969. Introduced by a Zionist congressman from New York who claimed “terrorists” were training children in refugee camps for the Palestinians forced from their homes by Israel, the provision banned U.S. humanitarian aid from benefiting any refugee who received military training from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) or “has…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Colombian human rights lawyer Meléndez loses security after winning prize

    Haroon Siddique in the Guardian of 15 February 2024 relates the story of lawyer Adil Meléndez Márquez who received a call from his bodyguards 20 minutes after receiving the Sir Henry Brooke award from the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk. Meléndez is no stranger to death threats, but things have just got a lot scarier. With bitter irony, 20 minutes after receiving the Sir Henry Brooke award from the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk, his bodyguards called him to say that they had been stood down from, leaving him without protection.

    In an interview with the Guardian in London, Meléndez said he is a human rights lawyer who hails from among those he represents. He is Afro Colombian and works predominately on cases for Afro Colombians and Indigenous communities, often in areas under the control of paramilitaries rather than the government. He was kidnapped when he was 12 so has first-hand experience of the violence which blights the country and has received threats since becoming involved with Movice (movement of victims of state crimes) in 2006. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2014/02/12/death-threats-in-colombia-on-the-rise-again/

    After receiving threats Meléndez took a case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights – an organ of the Organization of American States – which, in 2009, ordered Colombia to provide him with protection. For the first eight years this amounted to three personal bodyguards and a bulletproof car, then the bulletproof car was removed and later one of the bodyguards, leaving him with two until last week, he says.

    Meléndez describes his work as taking on “politicians, business interests, cattle ranchers, the armed forces and paramilitary groups”.

    He expands: “Rampant corruption and violence is taken advantage of by [foreign] companies. They operate in such a way that it denies the rights of communities because all they’re interested in is the exploitation of natural resources. It means that they don’t have to provide compensation or justice for the communities because the rule of law, the writ of law doesn’t apply.”

    One of the projects Meléndez has been helping to resist is the upgrading of the 115km Canal del Dique in Colombia’s Caribbean region, which he helped to get temporarily suspended. He believes that proper consultation was not carried out prior to the project, as is required by law and it involves “the privatisation of rivers which are the source of life of the Afro-descendent communities”. He said that as a result of the suspension he was called an “enemy of development” by a Colombian minister, words he claims were echoed by the the paramilitary group and notorious drug cartel, Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC), also known as the Gulf Clan.

    While he counts Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, the country’s first leftist head of state, as a friend and acknowledges his lack of control over swathes of the country, at the same time he says disapprovingly: “President Petro speaks in international fora about the protection of the environment but in his own country his government is awarding contracts to a project that is damaging to the environment.”

    Meléndez does not blame Petro for the removal of his bodyguards, believing it was the work of someone lower down the food chain, but he believes it is for the president to ensure they are reinstated. Not doing so would put the government in breach of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, he says. “I have had to stop all my activities at the moment and it’s possible even that I will have to make the decision not to return to Colombia,” says Meléndez.

    However, he hopes that the prize he was presented with in London, which he calls a reward for “the rebellious and those in resistance”, might offer a degree of protection. “This prize raises my profile,” he said. “It provides evidence that I’ve got support from the international community. The organised criminal actors or others who are against me, they calculate the consequences of their actions and so the calculation now includes a much higher level of risk for them if they make a decision to act against me.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/15/adil-melendez-marquez-colombia-interview

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • UNDP report says Thai human rights defenders are targeted by businesses

    A new UN report claims that, between 2001 and 2021, 30% of outspoken Thai activists experienced violence resulting in a loss of life, by the businesses against which they had campaigned. Released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on 11 February 2024, the report says that businesses have used legal action, intimidation and violence to silence human rights defenders.

    The categories of abuse faced by human rights defenders, per the report.

    Activists, affected villagers and attorneys are among the groups considered to be human rights defenders in the report. Over the last 25 years, businesses filed 109 lawsuits against human rights defenders. 68.9% of these were by those with stakes in the mining, livestock and energy industries.

    One anonymous interviewee said the lawsuits are used as strategic roadblocks and that they found themselves “going to court approximately once a month, incurring expenses and losing time.” Outside of the judicial system, human rights defenders were reportedly spied upon, or threatened with violence and job loss.

    “After making a turn in my car, someone fired shots at me,” claims another anonymous interviewee, adding “I was in the orchard, a single home in the orchard. It was dark. Five shots were fired. I did not report the case, thinking it was an act of intimidation.”

    4% of human rights defenders have died or been forcibly disappeared in the 25 years covered by the report, published on February 12th, the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism.

    In 2015, Thailand pledged to work towards the fulfilment of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), alongside other members of the organisation. SDG 16, one of the goals, asks countries to “uphold peace, justice and strong institutions,” and another, SDG 10, aims for “reduced inequalities”.

    The report recommends that government and relevant agencies recognize the status and importance of human rights defenders and develop measures that protect them from violence and harassment.

    https://www.undp.org/thailand/blog/human-rights-defenders-reports

    https://www.thaipbsworld.com/undp-report-says-human-rights-defenders-are-targeted-by-businesses-30-are-victims-of-violence-resulting-in-loss-of-life

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Deadline for nominations Right Livelihood Awards 2024

    With the March 1 deadline swiftly approaching, the window to nominate for the 2024 Right Livelihood Award is closing fast! This is your opportunity to nominate individuals and organisations striving for social and environmental justice. The nomination process is open to the public— we invite you to elevate those making a significant impact through their courageous efforts.
    While submissions are encouraged in English, we also welcome nominations in French and Spanish via our online form. If you have questions about the nomination process, do not hesitate to contact us via email at research@rightlivelihood.org or by phone at +41 (0)22 555 0943. NOMINATE NOW

    Since 1980, Right Livelihood has celebrated the courageous and the visionary with its annual awards. It’s not just an award; it’s a global recognition of those who dare to envision and take action to create long-term social change. The Right Livelihood Award defies categories. This means the Laureates work in diverse fields across the world. Spanning from journalists who have brought truth to light to entomologists safeguarding biodiversity and poets who touch hearts and minds, the Award demonstrates that impactful work can come from anyone, anywhere.

    To date, 194 Laureates from 76 countries have received the Award. See: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/97238E26-A05A-4A7C-8A98-0D267FDDAD59

    See also; https://wordpress.com/post/humanrightsdefenders.blog/25917

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Who is Shamima Begum and what are her prospects of returning to UK?

    Background to the legal battle as the court of appeal decides whether removal of her UK citizenship was unlawful

    The court of appeal’s decision due on Friday on whether Shamima Begum, who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State as a child, was unlawfully stripped of her UK citizenship is the latest step in a long-running battle she has fought against the government. Here is the history of the case and why it has attracted so much publicity.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • ‘National crisis’: PNG women demand MPs act against all forms of violence

    By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Women’s rights advocates in Papua New Guinea are calling for peace and for the men in Parliament to act against the violence in the country.

    The call comes following tribal fighting in Enga Province ended in a mass massacre at the weekend, which has so far claimed more than 60 lives.

    Dorothy Tekwie, founder of Papua New Guinea Women in Politics, said she was heartbroken for the women who’ve have lost their children in the brutal killings.

    “Any woman would be emotional…and I am also calling on women throughout Papua New Guinea to stand up. Enough is enough of violence of all forms.

    “We are asking for accountability from our members of Parliament. It doesn’t matter whether they are in government or in opposition. This is a national crisis.”

    Tekwie said the government needed to return the peace in the Highlands so infrastructure, housing, health and education development could begin.

    On Wednesday, the government addressed a motion to take action on tribal conflicts and violence, specifically in Enga province.

    Mothers mourning
    Another advocate Esmie Sinapa said as gunmen planned their next attack in the Highlands, mothers were mourning the deaths of their children.

    Sinapa said violence had been escalating across the nation for some years.

    “Imagine 60 mothers, wailing, weeping for their sons. As mothers of this country, women of this country, we are very concerned,” she said.

    Dorothy Tekwie said the government needs to return the peace in the Highlands.
    Papua New Guinea Women in Politics founder Dorothy Tekwie . . . the government needs to return the peace in the Highlands. Image: RNZ Pacific/Scott Waide

    Cathy Alex, who was kidnapped last year in the Bosavi region and held for ransom, said PNG was on the verge of being a “failed state”.

    As a woman who herself had experienced similar violence, Alex said the government must act.

    “I don’t know what kind of country we call ourselves,” she said.

    “This is a country . . . that if we look at indicators that shows a failed state. We are already it.

    ‘Individuals stand up’
    “What’s holding this country together is individuals like these individuals who stand up for their communities and hold peace.

    “What happened [in Enga] is completely unprecendented,” she added.

    Tekwie said PNG women want affirmative action taken by government to deal with some of these issues.

    “Starting with early education for one. We are mothers and are finding it so hard to get our kids into school,” she said.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    Esmie Sinapa
    Women’s advocate Esmie Sinapa . . . “Imagine 60 mothers, wailing, weeping for their sons.” Image: RNZ Pacific/Scott Waide

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Efeso Collins . . . ’empowering our rangatahi to think beyond the lines’

    By Lucy Xia, RNZ News reporter

    The family of Green MP Fa’anānā Efeso Collins say they are “devastated” at his loss and have thanked the public for their patience during a “difficult time”.

    Fa’anānā, 49, collapsed and died during a charity event in the Auckland CBD on Wednesday.

    In their first statement since his death, his aiga — which includes wife Fia and daughters Kaperiela and Asalemo — said he was “the anchor of our tight-knit family”.

    “Anyone who knew Efeso, knew that his daughters were at the heart of everything he did. They were his inspiration and drive,” they said.

    Details about the funeral were expected to be announced on Friday, the family said.

    Meanwhile, a notice posted by Tipene Funerals said it was with “heavy hearts” that the family announced Fa’anānā’s death.

    He was a “dear husband, son, brother, uncle and loving father”, the notice said.

    “Words cannot express our gratitude for all the messages of love, support and comfort received since Fa’anānā was called to rest. Thank you for your prayers and wrapping us firmly in your love as we navigate through this difficult time.

    “We respectfully ask for privacy and your patience as we come to terms with the loss and prepare the final celebration of his life.”

    Auckland mayoral race Efeso Collins
    Fa’anānā Efeso Collins . . . his family “respectfully ask for privacy and your patience”. Image: Fa’anānā Efeso Collins/RNZ

    An inspiration for young people
    Fa’anānā was remembered as warm, kind and an inspiration for Māori and Pasifika communities — particularly rangatahi.

    Community members said he left an enduring legacy for his South Auckland community, where he served three terms on the local board and as ward councillor before giving his maiden speech in Parliament just a week ago.

    22-year-old university student Winiata Walker said he saw Fa'anānā Efeso Collins as a role model.
    University student Winiata Walker, 22 . . . saw Fa’anānā Efeso Collins as a role model. Image: Lucy Xia/RNZ

    In Ōtara, where Fa’anānā was born, raised and served his community, his loss was deeply felt.

    University student Winiata Walker, who volunteered his time teaching music to kids in Ōtara, said Fa’anānā was always a role model.

    “Such a humble man, and from South Auckland to Parliament, that’s such a big step for South Auckland.”

    Walker said Fa’anānā’s death was a big loss for the communities that relied on him to have their voices heard.

    “As our community we have to fight harder, because he was the change, he was someone we could look up to for change for our community. But since he passed away, I think we have to work together more and work harder for progress.”

    A valuable mentor
    Twenty-five-year-old Terangi Parima, who ran the Ōtara youth hub and Ōtara Kai Village, said Fa’anānā was a valuable mentor for rangatahi.

    Terangi Parima who runs the Otara Kai Village and Otara youth hub said she will always remember how Fa'anana encouraged youth to become leaders.
    Terangi Parima, who runs the Otara Kai Village and Otara youth hub, . . . she will always remember how Fa’anana encouraged youth to become leaders. Image: RNZ/Lucy Xia

    “Empowering our rangatahi to see themselves in spaces that he sat in, empowering our rangatahi to think beyond the lines that have been drawn out for us . . .  he’s a legend, an absolute legend.”

    Parima said she will always remember how he encouraged youth to consider becoming leaders.

    “He actually was a significant part in supporting our rangatahi, our youngest rangatahi who ever went for a local board role, to actually step into those spaces, and encourage her.”

    Parima said it made a difference to have someone like Fa’anānā, who had been through disadvantaged communities like Ōtara, to be in Parliament.

    She said he bridged the gaps between political spaces and communities.

    Group pay respects where Efeso Collins died - singing waiata led by Dave Letle
    A group pay respects where Efeso Collins died . . . singing a waiata led by Dave Letle. Image: RNZ/Finn Blackwell

    Parima said Fa’anānā departed in a way that embodied what he stood for.

    “He literally passed away [doing] exactly what he’s always done, and what he loves, and that’s serving his community and being purposeful.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    Asia Pacific Report recalls how Fa’anānā Efeso Collins was inspirational with a range of local ethnic communities, including being a special guest at Auckland’s Ethnic Communities Festival in 2022. He also supported local body ethnic election teams with his mahi with the Whānau Community Hub and Centre.

    The Auckland Rotuman Fellowship Group's Rachael Mario with Fa'anānā Efeso Collins
    The Auckland Rotuman Fellowship Group’s Rachael Mario with Fa’anānā Efeso Collins at the Whānau Hub. Image: Nik Naidu/Whānau Hub
    Guest of honour Fa'anānā Efeso Collins at Auckland's Ethnic Communities Festival
    Guest of honour Fa’anānā Efeso Collins at Auckland’s Ethnic Communities Festival in Mt Roskill in 2022. Image: Nik Naidu/Whānau Hub

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Repression in Venezuela intensifying ahead of elections, rights groups say

    Fears Maduro government is trying to shut down scrutiny after lawyer is arrested and UN human rights office shut down

    Human rights groups are calling for the Venezuelan government to halt a crackdown on civil society after it jailed a prominent lawyer and then banished a UN human rights office from Caracas for criticising her arrest.

    The arrest of the 57-year-old lawyer and military expert Rocío San Miguel has shocked observers, who say Venezuela is entering a darker phase of state oppression intended to crush government opposition in the lead-up to elections expected later this year.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Profile in Persecution: Abdulla Hatem Yusuf

    Abdulla Hatem Yusuf was a 15-year-old minor and school student when Bahraini authorities arrested him from his home on 15 May 2015. During his detention, he was subjected to torture, sexual harassment, denial of access to his lawyer during interrogation, and an unfair trial based on confessions extracted under torture. He is currently serving a 13-year sentence in Jau Prison on politically motivated charges.

    On 15 May 2015, plainclothes officers raided Abdulla’s home, conducted a search, and damaged the items inside. They arrested Abdulla while simultaneously beating him, without presenting any arrest warrant or disclosing the reason for the arrest. When the family inquired about his destination, the officers mocked them, stating that they were taking him to the Sitra Police Station. However, Abdulla later made a brief call to his family on the same day, informing them that he was at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) building. Consequently, the family discovered that the officers had lied to them. 

    Abdulla had been arrested twice before. The initial arrest occurred when officers apprehended him from AlFariq Mosque, accusing him of intending to participate in a march on 15 January 2015. He was subsequently released on 29 January 2015. The second arrest occurred on 15 February 2015, when the CID contacted Abdulla’s father, asking him to bring his son to court on charges of harassing a girl by phone. When Abdulla was handed over, it became clear that they were pursuing him for a political case. He was later released on 11 March 2015.

    During Abdulla’s eight-day interrogation at the CID, officers beat him on the jaw and sensitive places of his body, stripped him naked, forced him to stand for extended periods, sexually harassed him, poured cold water on him, and placed him in a cold room. Moreover, they blindfolded him during the entire interrogation period, deprived him of sleep, and insulted him. Abdulla was also denied his right to attorney access, and officers promised his release if he confessed to the fabricated charges against him. Subsequently, he falsely confessed to the charges brought against him. As a result of the torture, Abdulla’s entire body was covered in bruises. On 23 May 2015, eight days after his arrest, Abdulla was transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (PPO), where he was accused of bombing and attempted murder of security personnel. He was later transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center, where he was able to meet his family for the first time one month and a half after his arrest.

    Abdulla was not brought before a judge within 48 hours of his arrest, and he was not given adequate time and facilities to prepare for his trial. Furthermore, the court used confessions extracted from him under torture as evidence against him, even though he denied them before the judge, informing him that they were extracted under duress. On 28 April 2016, the court sentenced him to 3 years in prison on charges of 1) using fireworks to endanger people’s lives, 2) criminal arson, and 3) burning the National Bank of Bahrain’s ATM for terrorist purposes using explosives. Abdulla appealed the ruling, but the Court of Appeal rejected the appeal and upheld the sentence. Subsequently, on 26 May 2016, the High Criminal Court sentenced Abdulla to an additional 10 years in prison on charges of 4) attempted murder of security personnel, 5) arson, and 6) detonating a locally made bomb for terrorist purposes in the AlNoaim area, resulting in a total of 13 years in prison. Abdulla appealed the ruling, but on 13 December 2017, the Court of Appeal rejected the appeal and upheld the ruling. The verdict was subsequently upheld by the Court of Cassation.

    Abdulla’s warrantless arrest, torture, sexual harassment, denial of access to his lawyer during interrogation, and unfair trial constitute violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. Furthermore, the violations he endured as a minor contravene the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Bahrain is also a party.

    Therefore, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Abdulla. ADHRB also urges the Bahraini government to investigate allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture, sexual harassment, and denial of access to legal counsel during the interrogation phase when he was a minor, and to hold the perpetrators accountable. At the very least, ADHRB advocates for a fair retrial for him under the Restorative Justice Law for Children, leading to his release.

    The post Profile in Persecution: Abdulla Hatem Yusuf appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Pro-independence protesters, French police clash in New Caledonia

    By Patrick Decloitre, correspondent French Pacific desk

    Pro-independence militants and protesters clashed with police in downtown Nouméa this week as New Caledonia hosts three French government ministers.

    The crowd — an estimated 2000 according to organisers, 500 according to police — had been called on Wednesday to voice their opposition to a French-planned constitutional amendment process which would include modification of New Caledonia’s electoral roll for local elections.

    As the three French ministers were on official calls in various places, in downtown Nouméa police fired teargas to disperse the crowd.

    Five policemen were reported to have been injured, including one seriously hit by rocks, the French High Commission stated, adding five protesters had been arrested shortly afterwards.

    The protest had been organised by Union Calédonienne’s self-styled “field action coordinating cell” (Cellule de Coordination des actions de terrain, CCAT), which consists of trade union USTKE and UC’s close ally, the Labour Party.

    UC is the largest single party within the mostly indigeous Kanak socialist and nationalist front (FLNKS).

    Later on Wednesday, the crowd was dispersed and it moved out of downtown Nouméa.

    “It’s completely out of the question to ‘unfreeze’ the electoral roll,” UC president Daniel Goa, who was part of the crowd, told local media.

    Pro-France politician Nicolas Metzdorf said in a statement: “This kind of call to hatred, directly from UC . . . must stop. Violent protests will not halt the electoral roll being ‘unfrozen’.”

    Clashes between an estimated 500-strong crowd protesting against electoral roll changes and French police in downtown Nouméa on 21 February 2024.
    Protesters opposed to electoral roll changes and French police clashed in downtown Nouméa on Wednesday. Image: NC la 1ère

    Regular visitor
    French Home Affairs and Overseas Minister Gérald Darmanin, who is now regarded as a regular visitor, arrived on Tuesday and this time was flanked with his newly appointed “delegate” Minister for Overseas, Marie Guévenoux, as well as French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti.

    This is Darmanin’s sixth visit to New Caledonia in the past 12 months.

    In a polarised context, many attempts by Darmanin to bring all parties around the same table in order to all agree on a forward-looking agreement have so far failed.

    His previous visits were focused on attempting to bring about inclusive talks concerning New Caledonia’s political future which could involve an amendment to the French Constitution.

    The amendment contains sensitive issues, including a revision of New Caledonia’s list of eligible voters at local elections, with a 10-year minimum residency period for any French citizen to be able to cast their vote.

    Pro-independence Union Calédonienne President Daniel GOA speaks to local media amidst clashes with French police.
    Pro-independence Union Calédonienne president Daniel GOA speaks to local media amids clashes with French police. Image: NC la 1ère

    FLNKS’ 2 major wings — diverging views
    While the two main components of FLNKS (UC and PALIKA-Kanak Liberation Party) last weekend held separate meetings and announced diverging approaches vis-à-vis France’s proposed reforms, the pro-independence umbrella FLNKS has now rescheduled its Congress for March 23.

    Even though most local parties in New Caledonia have started to exchange views on the sensitive subject, one of the main components of the pro-independence front FLNKS, the largest party Union Calédonienne (UC), has so far refused to take part in the bipartisan round tables.

    After convening UC’s steering committee in Houaïlou, UC vice-president Gilbert Tyuienon earlier this week told a press conference the party intended once again to hold a series of actions through its recently revived “field action coordinating cell” (CCAT).

    “We have asked [the CCAT] and its young members to take all steps on the field,” he said.

    The thinly veiled threat materialised on Wednesday with CCAT militants, including members of the Labour Party and union USTKE, deploying banners opposing to the planned Constitution review being placed in the capital Nouméa, also sometimes with roadside burning of tyres in the suburban town of Mont-Dore.

    Tyuienon also claimed that UC considered French-promoted political talks were “a failure” and labelled Darmanin’s travel to New Caledonia as “yet another provocation” and that the proposed text was potentially “destabilising [New Caledonia’s political] balances”.

    “There is a formal opposition from UC to meet the ministers . . . we know who is responsible for this situation,” Tyuienon told reporters.

    He said UC now demanded that the whole French constitutional amendment project be scrapped altogether — “or else we’re heading for big trouble”.

    UC banners opposing changes to New Caledonina’s electoral roll.
    UC banners opposing changes to New Caledonina’s electoral roll. Image: NC la 1ère

    More nuanced views
    PALIKA, after its own meeting last weekend, expressed more nuanced views: “We are involved in every dialogue venue regarding all the document drafts that have been put on the table,” spokesman Jean-Pierre Djaïwe told a press conference on Monday following its extraordinary general assembly in Canala.

    “We can only regret that every time we are taking part in discussions, not all of New Caledonia’s political groups are represented. Because our objective, from PALIKA’s point of view, is to reach an agreement comprising all political parties,” he said.

    Djaïwe, however, said the current draft document “sided too much in favour of the (pro-French) parties”, which could “be detrimental to the conclusion of an agreement between local players”.

    He indicated that PALIKA’s current stance would remain valid at least until the “end of March” — when the FLNKS Congress takes place — and “after that, it will decide on its strategy”.

    Over the past months, PALIKA and other components of the pro-independence umbrella have consistently advised their members not to take part in UC’s CCAT-organised actions and protests.

    However, Darmanin has already indicated that he did not intend to touch New Caledonia’s institutional and political future as he wanted “the neutral and impartial [French] State to only talk with local political parties once they have reached an agreement”.

    His schedule did not seem to include New Caledonia’s nickel industry crisis either, following the announcement last week that one of its three major companies, in Koniambo (KNS), will now be placed under “care and maintenance” mode (effectively mothballed by its major Anglo-Swiss financier Glencore).

    Glencore earlier this week confirmed it would withdraw after a six-month “transition” period, leaving more than 1200 workers and another 600 sub-contractors without work.

    The company, which owns 49 percent of Koniambo’s stock, justified its move saying this operation over the past 10 years had never been either profitable or sustainable and had accumulated losses to the tune of a staggering 14 billion euros.

    French ministers -right to left- Marie Guévenoux, Gérald Darmanin and Eric Dupond-Moretti follow traditional protocol upon arriving in New Caledonia
    French cabinet ministers (from right to left) Marie Guévenoux, Gérald Darmanin and Eric Dupond-Moretti follow indigenous custom protocol upon arriving in New Caledonia. Image: NC la 1ère

    Climate change agenda
    Instead, Darmanin’s official agenda includes visits to sites affected by climate change and coastal erosion as well as announcements regarding the reinforcement of road safety (with the introduction of new latest-generation speed radars thanks to a 200,000 euro grant, to reduce the high number of road accidents and fatalities in New Caledonia.

    Justice Minister Dupond-Moretti said his visit was focused on meeting the local judiciary and bar, but also New Caledonia’s custom and traditional justice players.

    He will also officially open a new detention centre in Koné and provide more details regarding the construction of a 500 million euro new jailhouse in the suburbs of Nouméa, which is due to replace the overpopulated and ageing Camp-Est prison, where living conditions for inmates have frequently been denounced by human rights organisations.

    After his stay in New Caledonia (February 21-22), Darmanin’s Pacific trip is also to include this time a stopover in Australia later this week (February 23-24), where he is expected to meet cabinet ministers to talk about Pacific “regional cooperation” between the two countries, as well as about this year’s Olympic Games in France.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Namah not happy with Marape’s reply over PNG ‘warlords’ question

    By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby

    Papua New Guinea’s former opposition leader Belden Namah says Prime Minister James Marape never answered in detail the questions he asked in Parliament this week about the Enga massacre

    Namah, the Vanimo Green MP, said he was dissatisfied with the response Marape presented in Parliament yesterday as the death toll from the Wapenamanda killings rose to about 70.

    “He never answered any one of my questions,” he said angrily.

    “I would have expected him to say, yes, we are putting together a special force from the police and the military to go in there and go after the warlords, go after the murderers.”

    “We have funding allocated separately for that. We have the capacity, the policemen and women have enough uniforms, three sets of uniforms, they have allowance, these are the sort of preparedness I was looking for the PM to tell me when I was talking about combat readiness.

    “We are sending the same old people, the soldiers and the police and they are fraternising with the tribal fighters, with the lot of people on the ground and not effecting any arrests.

    “In fact, they are standing around with the warriors carrying their guns, soldiers and police carrying their guns, where are we heading?” he asked.

    ‘I wanted PM to go hard’
    “I wanted the Prime Minister to come to the floor of Parliament and say my government is going to do this and do that, and go hard on these people.

    “The death toll has gone up to 70, it’s not a small number, it’s hit news media everywhere in the world.

    “It is not about this 70 only, it started in his electorate, in his province and I would have expected that he would put in place counter measures for this.

    “He has not. Police have their own intelligence officers, military have their own intelligence, [and] the government has its own.

    “They should be out there penetrating the tribal villages collecting information and then send in special forces — that’s what I mean by having the government ready to counter these kinds of activities.

    “And if the force was in readiness, they would have put [it] forward.”

    Namah said Marape’s response yesterday demonstrated that the government was not interested in sorting out the security issues in the Highlands-affected areas.

    Police chief on notice
    Prime Minister Marape told Parliament that Police Commissioner Davd Manning had been put on notice to ensure the country was secured.

    Marape addressed the pressing issues of lawlessness raised during a parliamentary session this week, singling out that a plan to incorporate all suggestions by MPs –– including the Enga massacre and others.

    Gorethy Kenneth is a senior Post-Courier journalist. Republished with permission.

     

     

     

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • People helping asylum seekers in Europe face rising violence, report warns

    Aid workers being held at gunpoint and having communications monitored, Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner says

    People and groups who assist asylum seekers are reporting a disturbing trend of escalating intimidation, with aid workers facing direct threats including being held at gunpoint and having their phone communications monitored by government authorities, according to a report from the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights.

    Dunja Mijatović has warned of increasing harassment and in some cases criminalisation of people and groups who assist refugees, especially in Hungary, Greece, Lithuania, Italy, Croatia and Poland.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • People seeking asylum in Australia shouldn’t have to trade danger for degradation | Frances Rush

    No one chooses this course of action. It is forced upon them. Australians have always shown humanity and compassion towards refugees. It’s time our politicians did too

    It would be easy, reading the political reaction to the news that more than 40 people seeking asylum have been taken to offshore detention in Nauru after arriving in Western Australia, to forget that we are talking about real people who have faced unimaginable circumstances.

    The lives of people fleeing danger in their home countries were instantly politicised. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, invoked Operation Sovereign Borders; the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, hit back in an attempt to score political points; and commentators marked the political war of words, which often neglect the fact that it is a human right to seek asylum.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Bainimarama slams Fiji’s support for Israeli occupation of Palestine as ‘disturbing’

    RNZ Pacific

    Former Fiji prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama says the country’s intervention at the International Court of Justice over Israel’s occupation of Palestine betrays Fiji’s legacy as peacekeepers.

    Paul Reichler, an attorney representing Palestine at the ICJ revealed this week that Fiji and the United States were the only nations to defend Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

    Fifty countries and three international organisations are calling for self-determination and an end to the Israeli military occupation which has lasted more than half a century.

    Fiji political rivals Sitiveni Rabuka (left), a former prime minister, and Voreqe Bainimarama, the current Prime Minister
    Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka (left) condemned by former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama over Fiji’s stance on military occupation of Palestine . . . “with what credibility will we support the independence of territories like New Caledonia and French Polynesia?” Image: Vanguard/IDN

    Bainimarama said Fiji’s stance “insults the intelligence of every Fijian”.

    The former prime minister and military commander said that that position undid Fiji’s long-standing commitment to neutrality, peacekeeping, and the principles of self-determination and decolonisation.

    “The coalition government’s claim that the occupation of foreign territory by Israel is legal — an argument not even advanced by Israel itself — reveals a disturbing truth that Fiji’s voice to the world is hostage to a demented few who are hellbent on destroying our national reputation,” he said in a statement today.

    ‘Contradicts our stance on independence’
    “This action contradicts our firm stance on the rights to independence and statehood, rights we have championed for our Pacific brothers and for all colonial peoples.

    He said Fiji has stood with Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and others in their pursuit of independence.

    “We must ask ourselves: with what credibility will we support the independence of territories like New Caledonia and French Polynesia? We must not be selective in our support for statehood and independence.

    “Our actions today will define our legacy and our ability to lead in the Pacific and beyond.

    “The world should know that the vast majority of Fijians stand on the side of peace. That is our national character and that is the spirit in which we offer our service on the frontlines of conflict zones around the world.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Report of a UN consultation on law enforcement’s role in peaceful protests

    On 16 February, 2024 Sandra Epal Ratjen & Nicolas Agostini in Global Rights reported on a UN consultation on law enforcement’s role in peaceful protests which brought together practitioners and human rights defenders.

    Over two days in Geneva, the UN special rapporteur on freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, Clément Voule, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) convened a consultation on the facilitation of peaceful protests by law enforcement. The event followed several regional workshops, organized in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 50/21, which requested that the special rapporteur develop “technical and practical tools . . . to assist law enforcement officials in promoting and protecting human rights in the context of peaceful protests.” There was nothing unusual in this format—or in the event’s title. But despite its attractive feel (at least for human rights geeks), it ran the risk of turning into yet another academic discussion replete with theorizing but offering little in the way of practical solutions. 

    It turned out to be one of the most refreshing, engaging, and action-oriented human rights dialogues we’ve attended.

    It’s about the makeup

    What made the event rather unusual was its makeup. In addition to civil society members (public assembly, law enforcement, torture, and rule of law specialists attended), the consultation brought together practitioners from all over the world. By “practitioners,” we mean not just police watchdogs (oversight bodies and disciplinary authorities) but police officers and commanders, all on active duty. 

    While some activists would draw back with a wince, those human rights defenders and organizations who were present engaged with an open mind, as did law enforcement personnel. Participants weren’t going to talk amongst themselves or only preach to the converted. They were going to try to bring about an actionable outcome. After all, their aim was to devise how law enforcement can facilitate peaceful assemblies and protect rights in such contexts.

    Peer pressure was minimal. On all sides, there was nothing to “prove”: no need to adopt an intransigent position, no need to show you’re smart, no need to cajole anyone—there were only incentives to share expertise and experience. 

    Sure, there were precedents. Recent workshops brought together practitioners and outlined best practices. For instance, the “Istanbul Process” meeting on promoting religious tolerance held in Singapore was practitioner-centric. Since then, however, the Istanbul Process has collapsed as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) revived the “defamation of religions” agenda.

    Without naïveté but considering the “real-world” nature of the outputs of this process, we’re confident that the work done under the auspices of Clément Voule, OHCHR, and UNODC will, to some extent, enhance human rights compliance in police practice and benefit both peaceful protesters and law enforcement officials. Notably, the outcome documents are less technical than most human rights documents. 

    It’s also about the substance

    The consultation was also innovative because of its hands-on approach. In addition to the main working document, a “Model Protocol” for the law enforcement facilitation of peaceful protests, the project led by Clément Voule and his team, OHCHR, and UNODC will produce a “Handbook” and a “Checklist” for law enforcement professionals. The latter two will be practical documents guiding police practice. 

    The magnitude and diversity of experiences in the room meant that discussions were light-years away from sterile sloganeering or divisive debates—the kind we see on social media. On civil society’s side, no one advocated “defunding the police.” On the police side, no one advocated for qualified immunity. All participants created a fertile ground for dialogue on how to ensure human rights-compliant, competent, and respected law enforcement that is able to facilitate, not hinder, public assemblies. 

    Civil society participants recognized the need for well-funded, well-trained police. We kept in mind (and were reminded of) the realities of the job—what the average law enforcement officer faces daily. The challenges include understaffing, lack of adequate training, and, quite simply, fear (facing a crowd, even peaceful, will never feel like sitting on your sofa sipping a Whiskey Sour). Law enforcement participants, for their part, recognized the need for accountable police behavior and to confront discrimination and abuses of power. They kept in mind (and were reminded) that to be respectful is a sine qua non to be respected.

    Also reviewed were “prior to protest,” “during protest,” and “after protest” issues, plus the situation of specific groups and accountability for violations. One section addressed police well-being, which is essential to human rights compliance, as strained police officers are much more likely to engage in misconduct. We didn’t shy away from addressing sensitive issues—police brutality, accountability, or budgeting. 

    It wasn’t an echo chamber, but participants agreed on key points. Among others: the role of police vs. the role of prosecution; the need for effective communication between protesters and police, de-escalation, and adequate training for police officers; or the fact that a clear distinction must always be made between peaceful and non-peaceful elements of an assembly. 

    It was a far cry from the way these conversations unfold online, and once again, one can see the toxicity of social media. Instead of fostering healthy discussions (differences aren’t that wide between most people), social media algorithms artificially promote simplistic views, entrench positions, and elevate the most divisive topics. This process distracts those seeking solutions from problem-solving. No one benefits from this situation—certainly not rights-holders. 

    Don’t forget political will 

    Assuredly, the outcomes of this consultation will go unheeded in many countries, where protests are rare or police have total impunity. Elsewhere, not much will happen without political will. 

    But the beauty of this consultation is that political will to facilitate assemblies won’t need to come from the highest level. Once publicly available, the outcome documents—particularly the Handbook and Checklist, with their guidelines on communication, de-escalation, and risk assessment regarding protests—will be available for law enforcement agencies and officers at all levels to use. The ideal scenario, of course, will be governments publicly committing to using the outcome documents.

    The final documents will stem from a dialogue that brought together people with hands-on experience who tried to build bridges and maximize their chances of having an impact on the ground. This model should inform future human rights dialogues.

    The Protocol, Handbook, and Checklist will be presented at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council, February 26–April 5, 2024. Clément Voule will make his last appearance as special rapporteur. For his successor—and for all people of goodwill who want to see peaceful protests proceed without hindrance, as well as rights-compliant law enforcement, joint work will be needed to popularize, operationalize, and implement the documents. 

    https://www.openglobalrights.org/sandra-Epal-Ratjen/Human-rights-dialogue-we-need

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Muslim Americans decry Biden’s support for Gaza ‘genocide’ – Palestinian envoy speaks

    Palestine’s UN envoy Riyad Mansour speaking at the International Court of Justice on Monday.   Video: Dawn News

    Pacific Media Watch

    The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says Muslim Americans are “running out of words” to decry the US president’s support for the “genocide” in Gaza.

    “The latest US veto of a UN ceasefire resolution is shameful,” CAIR director Nihad Awad said in a statement.

    “President Biden should stop acting like Benjamin Netanyahu’s defence lawyer and start acting like the President of the United States,” reports Al Jazeera.

    “We call on the American people to continue expressing their opposition to the Biden administration’s support for the Israeli government’s war crimes by contacting the White House and their elected officials and calling on them to demand a ceasefire, access to humanitarian aid, and the pursuit of a just, lasting peace.”

    Meanwhile, Palestine’s envoy to the United Nations broke down in tears when giving a chilling address to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

    Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, said that the “future of freedom, justice and peace can begin here and now”.

    “A finding from this distinguished court that the occupation is illegal and drawing the legal consequences from this determination would contribute to bringing it to an immediate end, paving the way to just and lasting peace.”

     

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Tuvalu residents fight for their home in face of worsening tides and climate crisis

    By Monika Singh of Wansolwara

    The fourth smallest country in the world with a population of just over 11,000 people —  Tuvalu — fears being “wiped off its place on the map”.

    A report by ABC Pacific states that the low-lying island nation is widely considered one of the first places to be significantly impacted by rising sea levels, caused by climate change.

    According to the locals the spring tides this year in Tuvalu have been the worst so far with more flooding expected with the king tides that usually occur during late February to early March.

    Tuvalu residents are fighting for their home in the face of worsening tides and climate change. Image: Wahasi/ Wansolwara News

    In 2021, Tuvalu’s Foreign Minister, Simon Kofe, addressed the world in a COP26 speech while standing knee-deep in the sea to show how vulnerable Tuvalu and other low-lying islands in the Pacific are to climate change.

    A 27-year-old climate activist from Tuvalu said he loved his home and his culture and did not want to lose them.

    Kato Ewekia spoke to Nedia Daily and said seeing the beaches that he used to play rugby on with his friends had disappeared gave him a wake-up call.

    “I was worried about my children because I wanted my children to grow up, teach them Tuvaluan music, teach them rugby, teach them fishing. But my island is about to disappear and get wiped off it’s place on the map.”

    First youth Tuvaluan delegate
    Ewekia was also at COP26 and made history as the first youth Tuvaluan delegate to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

    Despite only speaking limited English, he took to the global stage to tell the world about his home.

    “Since I was the first Tuvaluan activist, people didn’t really know where Tuvalu is, what Tuvalu is,” he said.

    “It was culture shocking, overwhelming. But the other youth gave me the confidence to just speak with my heart, and get my message out there.”

    Ewekia has been the national leader of the Saving Tuvalu Global Campaign, an environmental organisation that aims to amplify the voices and demands of the people of Tuvalu since 2020.

    “Going out there, it’s not easy. We really, really love our home and we want how our elders taught us how to be Tuvaluan, we want our children to experience it — not when it disappears and future generations will be talking about it (Tuvalu) like it’s a story.”

    He shared that in the four years that he has been advocating for Tuvalu on the public stage, there have been many moments of frustration that are specifically directed towards world leaders who aren’t paying attention.

    “My message to the world is I’ve been sharing this same message over and over again,” he said.

    “If Tuvalu was your home and it [was] about to disappear, and you wanted your children to grow up in your home in Tuvalu — what would you have done? If you were in our shoes, what would you have done to save Tuvalu?”

    Asia Pacific Report collaborates with The University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme newspaper Wansolwara.

    King tide, Funafuti, Tuvalu in February 2024. Image: Wahasi/Wansolwara News

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • High court rejects legal challenge against UK arms sales to Israel

    Campaigners to appeal after court declines to block export licences despite concerns about human rights breaches in Gaza war

    The high court has dismissed a case urging the suspension of UK arms sales to Israel.

    The legal challenge against the UK Department for Business and Trade was launched in December by the Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network (Glan).

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Post-Courier: Stop PNG’s booming death and destruction industry

    EDITORIAL: The PNG Post-Courier

    Some people are literally making a killing in Enga.

    Yes, they really are.

    Hired gunmen are getting rich by the day and picking up women and girls as payments as well, leaving deaths and destruction in their wake in what is apparently becoming a booming industry.

    PNG POST-COURIER
    PNG POST-COURIER

    The news is disturbing, to say the least, for a province that has got so much going at the moment.

    As the illegal industry takes root by the day, we do not see this deadly business which is already stretching the limits of tolerance and the resources of the law and justice sector, ending soon.

    Police Commissioner David Manning promised more manpower will be deployed into the province to assist those on the ground to curb the tribal fighting.

    At the same time, he is asking for help from the provincial leaders to get down to their communities to stop the fighting and killing.

    Grabbed world attention
    The recent massacre in Wapenamanda has grabbed world attention again and this time the Australian government, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing the event as “very disturbing”, promising more technical aid to PNG to address this madness.

    Tribal fighting has always been a curse in Enga for years. What started as bow and arrow affairs in the past have now gone high-tech with the deployment of drones, Google maps and high-powered guns, resulting in the high number of deaths

    Genocide is the word to describe what is happening.

    Horror . . . the bodies of tribesmen killed in Wapenamanda
    Horror . . . the bodies of tribesmen killed in Wapenamanda piled up alongside the Highlands Highway. Image: PNG Post-Courier

    Powerful tribes are eliminating the weak, and leaving the disciplinary forces helplessly watching by the roadsides as the massacre continues to go.

    There is no concern for the lives killed, the injuries or the plight of the hundreds of mothers and children caught up in this mayhem.

    In the words of Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent George Kakas, businessmen, educated elites and well-to-do people fund these activities, hire gunmen and purchase firearms and ammunitions.

    We would like to add politicians to the list because we suspect that they procured the weapons and left them with their supporters during the elections and these guns are now coming out.

    How could they sleep peacefully?
    How could these people find the peace to sleep peacefully in the night when their money, the technology, the guns and bullets they supplied are killing in big numbers and the murderers are uploading images of the dead bodies online for the world to see?

    Prime Minister James Marape recently promised new legislation to curb domestic terrorism and we wait to see whether this law will ever get passed by Parliament.

    This law is needed now to make the facilitators and the killers account for their actions.

    In the interim, the government must declare a State of Emergency in Enga to deploy the full force of the law into the fighting zones to deal with the perpetrators.

    They are known to the police, the leaders and even the Prime Minister.

    What is stopping the police from arresting these culprits? Are they above the law? Are they protected species, vested with the power to end lives of other people in this manner?

    Entire tribes wiped out
    What are we waiting for?

    To see entire tribes wiped out from the face of Enga before we move in to collect the bodies, take the women and children to care centres and keep watching from the roadsides.

    Enough is enough. Declare the SOE in Enga. Enact the domestic terrorism legislation. Arrest those that facilitate and kill.

    So much is going for Enga today and if nothing is done to end this ugly disease, Enga is doomed.

    This PNG Post-Courier editorial was originally published under the title “Genocide in Enga” on 21 February 2014. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Julian Assange risks ‘flagrant denial of justice’ if tried in US, London court told

    Lawyers seek permission at high court to appeal against WikiLeaks founder’s extradition

    Julian Assange faces the risk of a “flagrant denial of justice” if tried in the US, his lawyers have told a permission to appeal hearing in London, which could result in the WikiLeaks founder being extradited within days if unsuccessful.

    Assange, who published thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, could be jailed for up to 175 years – “a grossly disproportionate punishment” – if convicted in the US, the high court heard on Tuesday.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Wapenamanda massacre: PNG leaders angry over tribal war ‘barbarity’

    By Gorethy Kenneth

    Papua New Guinea’s image on the international stage took a battering yesterday when graphic images of dead bodies piled upon each other and displayed on roadsides in the restive Enga province went viral on social and mainstream media in the country and abroad.

    More than 50 men were killed when two tribal enemies engaged in a brutal gun battle on Sunday morning from about 4am until 5pm in the afternoon at Birip 7mile village along the Highlands Highway between Wapenamanda and Wabag districts.

    Local police said the ongoing guerilla warfare between the Saa Walep, Ambulyn tribes and their allies with Kaekin, Palinau and Sikin tribes have claimed hundreds of lives, devastation of land and properties and displacement of more than 20,000 people.

    Graphic images and news of the killings spread swiftly through Australia and other parts of the region yesterday morning.

    Police said very high-powered weapons, including military grade guns, were used in the killings, and that many more bodies were yet to be recovered.

    While the massacre took place on Sunday morning, by 1pm yesterday, Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr said there were “46 hired gunman dead! 3 locals only!” and that
    “This trend of hired gunmen is a build up of more then 15 plus years!”

    Police Commissioner David Manning said: “The multiple deaths that occurred from a tribal clash in the vicinity of Wapenamanda, Enga Province, was a disgraceful act of barbarity.”

    ‘We label this domestic terrorism’
    Prime Minister James Marape said: “We label this as almost domestic terrorism — you [are] terrorising the society, you disturb against a community, that’s terrorism.”

    “As Prime Minister, I am deeply moved and I am very, very concerned, I am very, very angry, in between these many words that you could express in as far as communities not responding to the rule of law.”

    He went on to say: “I just want to appeal to our people in Enga, especially the tribal warriors, there is no prize to be engaged in tribal fights.

    “We have great concern for what is happening in Enga Province, to lose one life, let alone many lives does not evade our consciousness and our concern.”

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also responded to media queries, saying he was very concerned about the fresh spate of violence in Enga, a province that had seen considerable Australian and other investments.

    Graphic news and images of the slaughter, which police said included women and
    children, were shared widely on social and mainstream media all of Sunday evening and yesterday.

    Senior policeman Samson Kua, who is in charge of the western end of the Highlands region, said high powered firearms such as self-loading rifles (SLR), M4 machine guns, AR 15, M16s, pump action shot guns and other weapons were used in the killings.

    ‘Hang their heads in shame’
    “All leaders based outside of Wabag who are related to the conflicting tribes must now hang their heads in shame and assist police on the ground in Enga to stop the tribal fight once and for all,” Kua told the Post-Courier.

    “There has been enough destruction to properties and establishment. Now it has claimed many lives.”

    Kua said policemen could not go between the warring tribes when high-powered firearms are being used.

    “[Sunday’s] mass killings nearly claimed the lives of some policemen and soldiers as well.

    “In any tribal fights when there is massive use of high-powered firearms, there is no winner to the fight. Common sense must apply here, anyone who takes part know the outcome when he is involved. Let’s all try and work together to stop the tribal conflict.”

    East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, who is the opposition’s candidate for prime minister in an impending vote of no-confidence on the government, was stinging in his criticism of the government’s lack of response and quick action.

    “We regret the senseless violence that has resulted in families losing fathers, brothers and sons. We also regret the collateral damage that these situations cause with women and children being assaulted and abused,” he said.

    ‘Deplorable death tally’
    “It is deplorable that the death tally of senseless violence continues to increase under their watch.

    “We need results, not rhetoric. The country is experiencing serious law and order issues — it’s a war zone in some parts of the country.

    “We need our law enforcement agencies to be ready, prepared, and willing to tackle these situations.

    “The country needs strong action now. The government needs to restore law and order for our rural people urgently.”

    But Marape defended his government saying: “Police have been looking into what has been happening in Enga, in terms of contact tracing, finding out who is responsible, I want to relate to our youths who are holding guns out there, people outside who are sponsoring, will not be there to answer to you.”

    Gorethy Kenneth is a senior PNG Post-Courier article. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Fiji human rights group condemns ‘troubling’ support for Israel at ICJ

    Asia Pacific Report

    A Fiji human rights advocacy coalition has condemned Fiji’s “profoundly troubling” stance as being one of only two countries supporting continued illegal occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories.

    The Fiji NGO Coalition on Human Rights (NGOCHR) said the occupation had been widely recognised by the international community — including the United Nations — as a “violation of international law” and an impediment to peace and self-determination of the Palestinian people”.

    It called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s coalition government to withdraw support for Israel and back a “just and lasting peace in Palestine” in its oral submissions before the International Court of Justice hearings in The Hague next Monday.

    Fiji is the only country apart, from the United States, backing Israel after its genocidal war against the Palestinians over the past four months. Fifty countries and three international organisations are supporting Palestine.

    “By supporting the Israeli occupation, the Fijian government not only isolates itself from the international community but also from the very principles of justice and human dignity it purports to uphold,” said NGOCHR chair Shamima Ali.

    “Such a position undermines Fiji’s reputation and casts a shadow over its commitment to the values enshrined in international law.

    “The decision to support the genocidal, violent occupation raises serious questions about the processes and considerations behind Fiji’s foreign policy choices. It is imperative that the Fijian government demonstrates accountability and transparency in its decision-making.”

    Transparency demanded
    The coalition demanded that Prime Minister Rabuka, a former military officer who led Fiji’s first two military coups in 1987 and who is also Foreign Minister, publicly reveals who had drafted the submissions on Fiji and why the country was taking such a position.

    In a statement, the coalition said that NGOCHR “and our allies, as staunch advocates for human rights and justice, expresses its profound dismay and unequivocal condemnation of the Fijian government’s decision to submit a written statement in support of the Israeli genocidal occupation of Palestine, including East Jerusalem.”

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings this week on Israel's continued occupation of the Palestinian Territories
    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings this week on Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian Territories. This case is separate from the South African case before the ICJ accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Image: Al Jazeera/Creative Commons

    “This submission, made to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the context of hearings on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territor[ies], places Fiji alongside the United States as one of the only two countries endorsing such a stance.”

    In September 2023, said the statement, the Israeli occupation, which had been enduring and marked by efforts to annex Palestinian land both legally and in practice, had been unequivocally deemed unlawful by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel.

    In October 2023, the commission concluded that the permanence of the occupation and Israel’s annexation measures rendered it unlawful — a stance echoed by leading human rights organisations worldwide, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

    Fiji supporters protesting in solidarity with Palestine
    Fiji supporters protesting in solidarity with Palestine. Image: NGOCHR

    “The global consensus on this matter, formed by UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 and the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing and a host of international human rights NGOs, underscores the severity of the occupation’s impact on the Palestinian people,” Ali’s statement said.

    “These reports detail egregious violations of human rights and international law, painting a stark picture of the suffering endured by countless individuals under the occupation.

    Serious questions raised
    “The decision to support the genocidal, violent occupation raises serious questions about the processes and considerations behind Fiji’s foreign policy choices.

    “It is imperative that the Fijian government demonstrates accountability and transparency in its decision-making.

    “The public has a right to understand how such positions, which significantly impact [on] Fiji’s standing on the global stage and its moral compass, are determined. We call upon the government to disclose the rationale and any consultations or analyses that led to this stance.

    “This call for clarity is not just about ensuring governmental transparency; it’s about reaffirming Fiji’s dedication to principles that respect human dignity and international law.

    “Without this openness, the trust between the Fijian people and their government risks being eroded, especially on matters of international significance that reflect on the entire nation.”

    The coalition called on the Fiji government to reconsider its position and to align its international engagements with the “principles of human dignity, justice, and respect for international law”.

    ‘Advocate for justice, rights’
    “We urge the Fijian government to demonstrate its commitment to human rights and justice by advocating for the rights of all people, including the Palestinian people, to live in peace, security, and dignity.

    “We stand in solidarity with those advocating for peaceful resolution of conflicts and upholding human rights worldwide. The NGOCHR will continue to monitor this situation closely and support Fiji in adopting a foreign policy that reflects the values of its people and the principles of international law.”

    The Fiji NGO Coalition on Human Rights represents the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC), Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM), Citizens Constitutional Forum (CCF), femLINKPacific, Social Empowerment and Education Programme (SEEP) and DIVA for Equality Fiji (DIVA).

    The Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) is also an observer (PANG).

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Horror and hypocrisy in the wake of Alexei Navalny’s death | Letters

    Bringing the Russian authorities to international justice over the death of the opposition leader is difficult, but not impossible, says Prof Philip Leach, while Robert Frazer wonders what gives the west the right to judge Putin

    The news of Alexei Navalny’s sudden death in an Arctic penal colony has led to numerous calls for the authorities in Russia to be held responsible (Western leaders point finger at Putin after Alexei Navalny’s death in jail, 16 February). They are certainly answerable according to human rights law, but achieving accountability against Russia has become even harder since its expulsion from the Council of Europe in 2022, as a consequence of the invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Navalny’s family cannot now petition the European court of human rights to get to the truth about his death.

    Nevertheless, UN bodies such as the human rights committee still have jurisdiction over Russia, and cases already in the European court pipeline will be heard. Just last month, the court decided that the Russian government had a case to answer in a lawsuit brought by myself and others on behalf of Navalny, his Anti-Corruption Foundation and supporters in response to the punitive steps taken against them in 2019, including absurd criminal prosecutions on charges of money laundering, their designation as “foreign agents”, raids on their homes and offices, and the freezing of bank accounts.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Tories’ Rwanda safety bill is an abuse of the rule of law | Letter

    No amount of tinkering with the government’s proposal for deporting asylum seekers can make it compatible with human rights, says Sacha Deshmukh of Amnesty International UK

    The joint committee on human rights was right to be so strident in its assessment that the government’s Rwanda bill is fundamentally incompatible with human rights (UK’s Rwanda bill ‘incompatible with human rights obligations’, 12 February). No tinkering with this bill can make it fit basic tenets of the UN refugee convention, Human Rights Act and European convention on human rights, and judicial independence.

    This government is attempting to declare Rwanda safe as a matter of law simply because it says so – an abuse of law that one would expect from an authoritarian regime. Human rights are not fair-weather concepts for a government to simply abandon at its convenience, and if our government pursues that course, then others will feel more licensed to do the same, threatening the entire global system of rights and protections and making us all significantly less safe.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Germany to propose new sanctions against Russia after death of Alexei Navalny

    Death of Russian opposition leader imbues EU summit with renewed nervousness over war in Ukraine

    Germany is to propose a new batch of sanctions against Russia over the death of Alexei Navalny as EU ministers meet his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, in Brussels.

    “We have seen the brutal force with which the Russian president represses his own citizens who take to the streets to demonstrate for freedom or write about it in newspapers,” the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said on Monday. “We will propose new sanctions in light of the death of Alexei Navalny.”

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Palestinian foreign minister tells ICJ of ‘besieged, bombed and killed’ Gazans

    Asia Pacific Report

    Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki began his address to the week-long “historic” International Court of Justice hearings into the status of the people and state of Palestine in the Hague saying it was an “honour and great responsibility”.

    “I stand before you as 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza — half of them children — are besieged and bombed, killed and maimed, starved and displaced,” he told the court.

    “As more than 3.5 million Palestinians in West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are subjected to colonisation of their territory and the racist violence that enables it,” he added.

    “As 1.7 million Palestinians in Israel are treated as second-class citizens . . .  in their ancestral land,” he said, reports Al Jazeera.

    “As seven million Palestine refugees continue to be denied the right to return to their land and homes.”

    An unprecedented 52 countries and three international organisations are scheduled to give evidence.

    Five maps of ‘destruction’
    The foreign minister showed five maps to the court which he said demonstrated the ongoing “destruction of the Palestinian people”.

    The first map showed historic Palestine — the territory he said over which the Palestinian people should have been able to exercise their right to self-determination.

    A second map showed the 1947 UN Partition Map, which ignored the will of Palestinians, said al-Maliki.

    The third map shows three-fourths of historic Palestine becoming Israel over 1948-1967.

    “From the first day of its occupation Israel started colonising and annexing the land with the aim of making its occupation of irreversible,” he said.

    The fifth map was one presented by Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly which he described as portraying “the new Middle East”.

    Al-Maliki added: “There is no Palestine at all on this map, only Israel comprised of all the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.”

    End ‘brutal’ occupation
    Meanwhile, Amnesty International has issued a statement saying Israel must end its “brutal” occupation of Palestine — including Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem — “to stop fuelling apartheid and systematic human rights violations”.

    Agnes Callamard, the rights group’s secretary-general, said Israel’s occupation of Palestine had been characterised “by widespread and systematic human rights violations against Palestinians”.

    “The occupation has also enabled and entrenched Israel’s system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians,” Callamard added, noting that the occupation had over the years “evolved into a perpetual occupation in flagrant violation of international law”.

    “Israel’s occupation of Palestine is the longest and one of the most deadly military occupations in the world,” she said.

    “For decades it has been characterised by widespread and systematic human rights violations against Palestinians. The occupation has also enabled and entrenched Israel’s system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians.”

    ‘Join South Africa’ plea to Luxon
    In New Zealand, a full page advertisement in news media presented an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urging the NZ government join the South African case against Israel under the Genocide Convention.

    Sponsored by the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA), the letter in The Post declared that it agreed with the government that a military occupation into Rafah “would be ‘catastrophic’ with appalling humanitarian consequences”.

    It urged the NZ government to join South Africa’s urgent request to the ICJ to “end Israel’s attacks on Rafah”.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • PM Luxon leaves Big Gay Out abruptly after heated Gaza war protest

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.