The Gambia: Jailed Opposition Members Freed

December 5, 2016

Authorities in the Gambia have on Monday freed the leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) and his supporters who were imprisoned for taking part in an ‘unauthorised’ anti-government protest.

Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and 18 of his supporters namely;  Ousainou Darboe, Femi Peters, Lamin Dibba, Kemesseng Jammeh, Lamin Jatta, Babucarr Camara, Fakebba Colley, Ismaila Ceesay, Momodou Fatty, Dodou Ceesay, Samba Ceesay, Mamud Kinteh, Mfamara Kuyateh, Fanta Darboe, Lamin Njie, Juguna Suso, Momodou LK Sanneh, Yaya Jammeh and Masanneh Lalo Jawla were given a three year jail term in July by a high court judge in Banjul after they took to the street in April to demand justice for their party’s organising secretary, Solo Sandeng, who was arrested two days earlier and killed in detention.

Mr Sandeng had led a brief but peaceful anti-regime protest at the busy Westfield Junction, Serrekunda, calling for proper electoral reforms and the resignation of President Jammeh.

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https://www.jollofnews.com/2016/12/05/gambia-jailed-opposition-leader-freed/

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38210873

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/05/ousainou-darboe-gambian-opposition-freed-from-prison-president-jammeh

Opposition leader Darboe explains time in prison

http://www.jeuneafrique.com/380680/societe/gambie-liberation-doussainou-darboe-opposant-historique-de-yahya-jammeh/ (FRANCAIS)

http://www.agenzianova.com/a/5845a8eab41104.86713236/1465514/2016-12-05/gambia-rilasciato-leader-di-opposizione-ousainou-darboe (ITALIANO)

http://www.expansion.com/agencia/europa_press/2016/12/05/20161205164429.html (ESPANOL)

http://diariodigital.sapo.pt/news.asp?id_news=853370 (PORTUGUES)

Vietnam: Petition to WGAD on Nguyen Van Dai

November 30, 2016

Together with Media Legal Defence Initiative, PEN International, Lawyers Rights Watch Canada and Viet Tan,L4L filed a petition with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) urging it to intervene in the case of lawyer Nguyen Van Dai. Van Dai has been detained incommunicado since being arrested on 16 December 2015 while enroute to meet with an EU delegation.

Nguyen Van Dai is the co-founder of the Vietnam Human Rights Committee and a prodemocracy activist. He has provided legal assistance to government critics and members of religious minorities.

Nguyen Van Dai was arrested on 16 December 2015, when he was on his way to meetings with EU delegates, on charges of “Conducting Propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under Article 88 of the Penal Code. His house was searched, items of property seized, and he was transferred immediately to a detention centre. Since his arrest, Nguyen Van Dai has been held incommunicado. He has been denied access to legal representation and has been denied contact with his family.

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http://www.advocatenvooradvocaten.nl/12064/vietnam-petition-to-wgad-on-nguyen-van-dai/

Turkey: Communiqué de l’Observatoire international des avocats en danger : nouvelles arrestations arbitraires de quatre avocats turcs

le 5 décembre, 2016

L’Observatoire International des Avocats en Danger (OIAD) a été informé de l’arrestation arbitraire de Seher Acay, Ziya Bagi, Mahmut Bingöl et Fevzi Adsiz, avocats turcs, à Mardin, où ils ont été placés en garde à vue il y a plus de douze jours.

Il serait reproché à nos confrères, selon la presse turque, d’avoir été les conseils de la Mairie de Mardin, dont le maire, Ahmet Turk, a été placé en détention le 24 novembre dernier pour ses « liens avec une organisation terroriste, le PKK ».

Seher Acay, Ziya Bagi, Mahmut Bingöl et Fevzi Adsiz sont membres de l’association des Juristes de Mésopotamie (MHD), association interdite depuis un décret exécutif adopté le 22 novembre dernier qui a ordonné la fermeture de 370 organisations de la société civile turque, sous prétexte de leurs liens présumés avec des organisations terroristes.

Les principales associations concernées par ce décret sont kurdes, féministes et progressistes, et s’opposent au régime actuel. Parmi elles, l’association des juristes progressistes (Cagdas Hukukçular Dernegi – CHD), association d’avocats présente dans la majorité des villes de Turquie depuis 1974.

Seher Acay est également la représentante de l’association des droits de l’homme (IHD) à Mardin, dont Ziya Bagi, Mahmut Bingöl et Fevzi Adsiz sont membres.

Nos quatre confrères n’ont pas un accès libre à leurs avocats, seul le bâtonnier, et des avocats choisis par ce dernier, ayant la possibilité de leur rendre visite.

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http://cnb.avocat.fr/Communique-de-l-Observatoire-international-des-avocats-en-danger-nouvelles-arrestations-arbitraires%C2%A0de-quatre-avocats_a2868.html

China: update re lawyer Li Heping

December 5, 2016

The Tianjin Second Procuratorate noted on 5 December 2016 that 709 detained lawyer Li Heping would be indicted by the end of the day; while the cases of his 3 counterparts, lawyers Wang Quanzhang, Xie Yanyi and Li Chunfu would be returned to the police for further investigation.

The Procuratorate has declined to announce the charge(s) to be applied on Li, claiming that the case has not yet been in the stage of court trial. The authorities however suggested interested parties to call 022-88222000 during office hours tomorrow Tuesday or check announcements later on the website.

(Source: Chr Lawyers Facebook)

http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/68871/20161214/china-to-prosecute-missing-christian-lawyers-case-amid-mounting-pressure-from-eu-us.htm

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China/UK: Human rights group calling on Arlene Foster to raise concerns about human rights “including the use of torture” during visit to China

December 5, 2016

A human rights group is calling on Arlene Foster to raise concerns about human rights “including the use of torture” and “the vast number of executions” during her visit to China.

Amnesty was speaking as the First Minister begins a four day visit to China to drum up trade and tourism.

During the visit she will meet with the Chinese Vice Premier, Madam Liu Yangdong in Shanghai to “promote economic, education and cultural opportunities for Northern Ireland”.

First Minister Arlene Foster said: “The links between Northern Ireland and the People’s Republic of China are strong and growing.

“This week’s visit underlines the continued commitment of the Northern Ireland Executive to engage with China, the world’s second largest economy. We may be a small country but we have a compelling proposition in terms of commerce, tourism, education and cultural opportunities.

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http://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/human-rights-group-calling-arlene-12274217

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/northern-ireland-first-minister-visit-china-opportunity-raise-human-rights

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Saudi Arabia: Waleed Abu Al Khair

le 5 décembre, 2016

Pays d’origine : Arabie Saoudite

Profession : Avocat

Causes défendues : Droits de l’Homme, fondateur de « Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia ».

Waleed Abu Al Khair est un avocat militant et défenseur des droits de l’Homme saoudien, né en 1979 à Djeddah. Il débute sa carrière en 2007, et acquiert une certaine notoriété lorsqu’il défend, en 2009, les victimes des grandes inondations de Djeddah. La même année, il crée « Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia », une association de promotion et de défense des droits de l’Homme.

Waleed a défendu de nombreuses victimes de violations des droits de l’Homme devant les tribunaux saoudiens, et a régulièrement plaidé en faveur de réformes allant dans le sens d’une prise en compte accrue des droits fondamentaux en Arabie Saoudite.

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Waleed Abu Al Khair

Fiji: ‘I’ve faced death threats, my home was attacked’ – human rights lawyer on how Fijian security forces have intimidated him

December 5, 2016

Police and military brutality in Fiji has been thrust into the spotlight on the tenth anniversary of the coup.

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https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/ive-faced-death-threats-my-home-attacked-human-rights-lawyer-fijian-security-forces-have-intimidated-him

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/291287/fiji-lawyer-lives-in-fear-as-friends-‘tortured’

http://www.dw.com/en/fiji-police-military-have-culture-of-torture-amnesty-international/a-36638629

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/fiji

Tunisia: Tunisia lawyers set for general strike against austerity budget

December 4, 2016

Lawyers in Tunisia will begin an open general strike in all courts commencing 5 December over disagreements related to Tunisia’s 2017 finance bill, the board of the National Association of Tunisian Lawyers [ONAT] said on Saturday.

The lawyers are demanding that Articles 31 and 32 of the bill be annulled, while also calling for the resignation of Finance Minister Lamia Zribi. He recently suggested that of the country’s 8,000 lawyers, only around half pay their tax.

The new austerity budgest proposes all lawyers pay a tax ranging from roughly $8 to $25 per file presented to court.

The scheduled strike will be a continuation of action taken by the lawyers’ association against the finance bill, after last month saw a number of protests staged against new austerity measures.

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https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2016/12/4/tunisia-lawyers-set-for-general-strike-against-austerity-budget

http://www.zawya.com/mena/en/legal/story/Tunisias_lawyers_to_go_on_open_strike-ZAWYA20161204055121/

http://directinfo.webmanagercenter.com/2016/11/29/tunisie-les-avocats-entament-une-greve-generale-de-trois-jours/ (FRANCAIS)

http://www.webdo.tn/2016/12/04/greve-ouverte-avocats-a-partir-lundi-5-decembre/ (FRANCAIS)