Kenya: Le gouvernement kényan “hostile” aux défenseurs des droits de l’homme

le 3 mai, 2017

Le parti au pouvoir fait preuve depuis quatre ans d’une “hostilité” affichée envers les défenseurs des droits de l’homme, selon un rapport conjoint de plusieurs ONG qui s’inquiètent de la sécurité de ces militants à l’approche des élections générales du 8 août.

“Ces quatre dernières années, l’administration (du président Uhuru Kenyatta) a montré une hostilité ouverte envers les défenseurs des droits de l’homme, considérés comme des ennemis de l’État au service d’intérêts étrangers afin de déstabiliser le pays”, écrit l’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits de l’homme (OBS) dans ce rapport publié mercredi.

…

http://www.voaafrique.com/a/le-gouvernement-kenyan-hostile-aux-defenseurs-droits-de-l-homme/3835737.html

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/Nothing-can-justify-rights-violation/440808-3914684-oa595sz/ (ENGLISH)

India: Anything you can do…Karnan J issues non-bailable warrant against SC judges

May 3, 2017

The Justice CS Karnan saga goes on, as he continues to pass “orders” from his residence. And this time, he has issued a non-bailable warrant against the seven senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.

Even as the apex court on Monday directed a medical evaluation of the Calcutta High Court judge, Karnan J seems to be headstrong in pursuing his vendetta against the judges.

Last month, he had passed an order directing the judges to appear before him at his ‘Rosedale Residential Court’. When the judges predictably refused to show up, he ‘reposted’ the matter to May 1.

Finding that the judges were not taking his orders seriously, Karnan J has now issued a non-bailable warrant against the seven “accused”. He has directed the Registrar General of the Calcutta High Court to issue the warrant through the DGP or the Commissioner of Police, New Delhi.

…

https://barandbench.com/another-day-another-order-karnan-j-issues-non-bailable-warrant-sc-judges/

https://barandbench.com/cic-judiciary-memorandum-procedure/

Cameroon: Common Law Lawyers Disavow Bar Council President on Court Resumption

May 4, 2017

Lawyers of the Common law extraction in the North West and South West regions have not heeded to the call by the Bar Council President Barrister Jackson Ngnie Kamga, to go back to court on May 2, 2017.

Courts were empty as Lawyers boycotted sessions in continuation of the strike action which began in October, 2016.

At the Mezam high court in Bamenda, only about four Common Law Lawyers are reported to have appeared in court,described by their peers as ‘black leg’.

At the Limbe court of First Instance, it was complete black out just like in Kumba and Buea.

Common Law Lawyers have argued that they can only go back to courts if their colleagues arrested within the context of Anglophone crisis are released.

They complain that the Batonnier Ngnie Kamga cannot behave today as if he has Lawyers at heart when he practically abandoned them when the crisis began.

The President of the Cameroon Bar Council had set aside May 2,2017 as the day of court resumption after meeting with some Lawyers on April 1 and 8 this year. However the decision received unpopular support from the actors concerned who felt that they were not sufficiently involved in the negotiating process.

 

http://www.cameroon-info.net/article/cameroon-common-law-lawyers-disavow-bar-council-president-on-court-resumption-287994.html

http://journalducameroun.com/en/bar-presidents-scheme-anglophone-lawyers-resume-work-may-2-fails/

OHCHR: Enforced disappearances: UN expert group to review more than 600 cases from 29 countries

May 4, 2017

The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances will meet in Geneva from 8 to 17 May to examine more than 600 cases of disappearances from 29 countries.

During its 112th session, the Group of five independent human rights experts* will also meet relatives of those who have disappeared, civil society representatives and State authorities from different countries to exchange information on individual cases and the situation of this heinous crime.

The expert panel will discuss, among other issues, the problem of enforced disappearances in the context of migration, which will be the topic of a thematic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council in September 2017.

The Working Group will also adopt during the session its annual report as well as the report related to the country visit to Albania, which took place in December 2016. It will also discuss the follow-up reports to the recommendations made upon the visits to Chile (2012) and Spain (2013).

In addition, the group of experts will examine general allegations received regarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons From Enforced Disappearance.

The Working Group’s 112th session is held in private.

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21579&LangID=E

Iran: Video: Demand the Judiciary to #FreeNarges Now

May 3, 2017

The Appeals Court has upheld the 16-year prison sentence against prominent human rights activist Narges Mohammadi. She was sentenced to 10 years for “membership in the [now banned] Defenders of Human Rights Center,” five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and one year for “propaganda against the state.” She will become eligible for release after serving 10 years in prison.

(Center for Human Rights in Iran Facebook)

https://www.iranhumanrights.org/

(N.B. Narges Mohammadi is also a human rights lawyer)