News

21/1/2010

Uganda: UN human rights chief urges shelving of “draconian” law on homosexuality

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday urged the Ugandan government to shelve a “draconian” draft bill on homosexuality that is due to be put before the Ugandan parliament later in January, saying it would bring the country into a direct collision with established international human rights standards aimed at preventing discrimination. She welcomed recent statements by the President and other senior members of the Government, suggesting it might intervene to stop the private member’s bill from becoming law.

21/1/2010

Sri Lanka: Government is "guilty of War-Crimes" and "guilty of Crimes Against Humanity."

Dublin war-crimes tribunal, conducted by Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) based in Milan, which held hearings on Thursday and Friday on war-crime charges on Sri Lanka from eye-witnesses and other material evidence, in the preliminary findings issued Saturday said, Sri Lanka Government is "guilty of War-Crimes" and "guilty of Crimes Against Humanity."

20/1/2010

Iran: Two at imminent risk of stoning to death for 'adultery'

The society for human rights in Iran, Southern California, urges Iranian authorities to immediately halt execution of Sarymeh Ebadi. Sarymeh Ebadi, 30 and BoAli Johnfeshani, 32 are at imminent risk of stoning to death after being convicted of “adultery” in the city of Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan province. According to the recent news, their sentences have been approved by the province court on January 6 (Day 16) without representation by a lawyer. Despite the moratorium imposed in 2002, stoning sentences continued to be implemented in Iran.

20/1/2010

Pakistan: HRW calls for Domestic Violence Legislation to be passed

The Pakistani government should quickly reintroduce legislation to protect women and children from domestic violence, Human Rights Watch said today. The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill was passed unanimously by the National Assembly on August 4, 2009, but the bill lapsed after the Senate failed to pass it within the three months required under the country's constitution. "Victims of domestic violence have long faced a double injustice - abuse at home and then no protection from the government," said Ali Dayan Hasan, senior South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The proposed law has widespread support in Pakistan, and the government should make passing it a priority."

19/1/2010

United States: ‘Free Dr Aafia Siddiqui Day’

Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s trial begins today (Tuesday), while representatives of civil society and human rights organisations have decided to observe the day as ‘Free Dr Aafia Siddiqui Day’. On this occasion, different events like protests and candlelight vigils are being arranged across the world including the US, Europe, Australia, Middle East and Pakistan to highlight the plight of Dr Aafia. According to the details, a ‘Stand in solidarity with Dr Aafia Siddiqui’ event would be held in the US in front of Federal Court, 500 Pearl St, in lower Manhattan. On the occasion, members of civil society would fill the Judge Richard Berman’s courtroom. Please seen article below for background to the trial of Dr. Siddiqui

19/1/2010

Somalia: IDPs on the run again after fighting between rival Islamist militias

Thousands of internally displaced in Somalia's central town of Beletweyne are on the move again following 10 days of fighting between rival Islamist militias, amid reports of continuing heavy shelling in parts of the town. According to a humanitarian bulletin covering 8-15 January by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Somalia), at least 30 people have been killed and 50 injured, mostly civilians, with many artillery shells landing on residential areas. OCHA could not confirm the number of displaced.

19/1/2010

Africa: Crackdowns on gays make the 'closet' safer

More than two-thirds of African countries have laws criminalizing homosexual acts, and despite accounting for a significant percentage of new infections in many countries, men who have sex with men tend to be left out of the HIV response. "[They] are going underground; they are hiding themselves and continuing to fuel the epidemic," UNAIDS executive director Michél Sidibé told IRIN/PlusNews recently. "We need to make sure these vulnerable groups have the same rights everyone enjoys: access to information, care and prevention for them and their families." IRIN/PlusNews has compiled a short list of human rights violations against gay Africans:

15/1/2010

Update: Iran: Religious minority members facing 'show trial'

Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities to release seven members of the Baha'i religious minority who appear to be facing a "show trial" in Tehran on a collection of spurious charges. The five men and two women, who were arrested almost two years ago, could face the death penalty if they are convicted of crimes including "espionage for Israel", "insulting religious sanctities" and "propaganda against the system”.

15/1/2010

Saudi Arabia: New Public Defender program

Saudi Arabia's appointed Shura Council has approved establishing a public defender program, a step that will strengthen the criminal justice system, Human Rights Watch said today. The program approved by the council on January 11, 2010 will appoint a lawyer at the state's expense to any criminal defendant who cannot afford one.

15/1/2010

Iran: Green Movement versus the mullahs

Iran is passing through a very critical moment of its history, the credibility of the so called Islamic republic is questioned. Despotism, sexism and tyranny are no more accepted or tolerated. The green movement and presidential elections aftermaths revealed the ugly face of the Black Islam adopted by the black turbaned Ayotallah. In a very informative and impressing talk, Prof. Ziba Mir Hosseini, a distinguished Iranian Anthropologist and one of my great mentors, elaborated on her paper "Broken Taboos in Post-Election Iran", find it on this link:http://www.merip.org/mero/mero121709.html