Tag Archives: Syria

Thailand: Ensure truth, justice, and reparations for victims of enforced disappearance | Written Statement to the UN Human Rights Council

Sem categoria 30/08/2019 Leave a comment

August 29, 2019

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Joint written statement* submitted by Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, non-governmental organization in special consultative status, and Asian Legal Resource Centre, non-government organization in general consultative status

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), NGO without consultative status, also shares the views expressed in this statement.

Unforgotten in Thailand: Ensure truth, justice, and reparations for victims of enforced disappearance

  1. Introduction: Persistent impunity for enforced disappearances

 A pattern of impunity for enforced disappearances[1] persists in Thailand despite years of promises to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (UNCED)[2] and to pass legislation making enforced disappearance a crime.[3] The United Nations (UN) Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) reports 82 unresolved cases of enforced disappearances since 1980.[4] This number represents a fraction of Thailand’s enforced disappearances since the 1950s,[5] as families and witnesses remain silent for fear of reprisals.[6] Those most vulnerable to enforced disappearances belong to minorities or indigenous peoples. Also at risk are human rights defenders (defenders) or peaceful government critics.[7]Thailand’s current laws foster impunity for enforced disappearance; when a body is not found, murder charges are not laid.[8] No public officials have ever been held accountable for suspected involvement in enforced disappearances. The persistent pattern of impunity for enforced disappearances constitutes a grave violation of Thailand’s obligations under customary international law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Thailand acceded in 1996.[9]

The risk of enforced disappearances is heightened by the practice of incommunicado detention of political opponents, suspects in national security cases, and suspected insurgents in southern provinces.[10]

…

Thailand: Ensure truth, justice, and reparations for victims of enforced disappearance | Written Statement to the UN Human Rights Council

https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/03/11/thai-lawyers-disappearance-unsolved-15-years

15 years since disappearance Somchai Neelapaijit

Thailand: at event marking 15th anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Somchai Neelapaijit, ICJ calls for effective measures to tackle the crime

https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/11/14-years-disappearance-thai-rights-lawyer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somchai_Neelapaijit

https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/sgsm19716.doc.htm

https://www.un.org/en/events/disappearancesday/

https://international.thenewslens.com/article/124112

https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/enforced-disappearance-in-bangladesh-thousand-days-wait-1792822

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/syria-new-testimonies-families-disappeared-mark-day-disappeared

https://iran-hrm.com/index.php/2019/08/29/enforced-disappearances-in-iran-and-the-1988-massacre/

https://www.un.org/fr/events/disappearancesday/ (FRANCAIS)

enforced disappearances

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Syria: The corpse of a lawyer was found in Qubbat al Sheikh village in Aleppo, on Aug 9

Sem categoria 11/08/2019 Leave a comment

August 10, 2019

The lawyer Ahmad al Ahmad, attorney general at the court of Bza’a city in the eastern suburbs of Aleppo governorate, his corpse was found decomposed in a well in Qubbat al Sheikh village in the eastern suburbs of Aleppo governorate, on August 9, 2019. His family confirmed that they recognized him by his clothes and belongings. We note that gunmen kidnapped the lawyer on May 19, 2019, while he was passing the road linking al Bab city and al Ziadiya village in the eastern suburbs of Aleppo governorate and forcibly disappeared him. We are unable to identify the date and the cause of his death and the party responsible for his kidnap as of this writing.

The corpse of a lawyer was found in Qubbat al Sheikh village in Aleppo, on Aug 9

Syria: Factions from armed opposition arrested a lawyer in Izaz city in Aleppo, on July 20

Sem categoria 23/07/2019 Leave a comment

July 22, 2019

Story image for Ahmad al Mohammad from Syrian Network For Human Rights (press release) (blog)

Ahmad al Mohammad, a lawyer from Jarablos city in Aleppo governorate eastern suburbs, was arrested by members of Military Police affiliated with factions from armed opposition on July 20, 2019, from his place in Izaz city in Aleppo governorate northern suburbs and taken to a detention center in the city.

Factions from armed opposition arrested a lawyer in Izaz city in Aleppo, on July 20

Syria: Unknown gunmen kidnapped a lawyer near al Zeyadiya village in Aleppo suburbs, on May 19

Sem categoria 23/05/2019 Leave a comment

May 22, 2019

Ahmad al Ahmad, a lawyer from al Zeyadiya village in Aleppo governorate northeastern suburbs, was kidnapped on May 19, 2019, by gunmen while he was passing a road linking al Zeyadiya village and al Bab city in Aleppo governorate eastern suburbs and taken to an undisclosed location. We are unable to identify the responsible party as of this writing.

Unknown gunmen kidnapped a lawyer near al Zeyadiya village in Aleppo suburbs, on May 19

Syrian Network for Human Rights

http://ar.sn4hr.org/sites/news/2019/05/22/%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%87%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%AA%D8%B7%D9%81-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D9%82/ (ARABIC)

France: Un avocat parisien, défenseur de djihadistes, mis en examen pour “financement du terrorisme”

Sem categoria 18/01/2019 Leave a comment

le 18 janvier, 2019

Un avocat parisien, défenseur notamment de djihadistes français partis rejoindre le groupe État islamique (EI) en Irak et en Syrie, a été mis en examen jeudi à Paris notamment pour “financement du terrorisme” et remis en liberté sous contrôle judiciaire, a-t-on appris de source proche du dossier. Cet avocat, Bruno Vinay, qui vient de passer 48 heures en garde à vue à la Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure (DGSI) est soupçonné d’avoir versé de l’argent à un intermédiaire censé exfiltrer d’Irak Maximilien Thibaut, un djihadiste originaire de la région parisienne.

Présenté à un juge d’instruction, il a été mis en examen pour “financement d’une entreprise terroriste” et “transfert non autorisé d’une somme supérieure à 10 000 euros“, selon cette source. Il est soumis à un contrôle judiciaire qui lui interdit de rencontrer ce djihadiste, porté disparu, et son épouse Mélina Boughedir, ainsi que deux journalistes. En septembre, l’une d’elles, une journaliste spécialiste des affaires de djihadisme avait été placée en garde à vue à la DGSI dans ce dossier avant d’être remise en liberté sans être poursuivie.

En outre, le juge d’instruction va saisir, sur réquisition du parquet de Paris, le conseil de l’ordre des avocats en vue d’une éventuelle suspension de l’exercice de sa profession d’avocat. La décision, susceptible d’appel appartient à l’instance disciplinaire qui peut prononcer une suspension de 4 mois, plusieurs fois renouvelables.

Selon la source proche du dossier, le versement litigieux porte sur une somme de 20 000 euros collectés auprès de l’entourage du jihadiste et qui devait permettre de faciliter sa reddition auprès des autorités irakiennes, mais celle-ci n’est finalement pas intervenue.

…

https://www.laprovence.com/actu/en-direct/5328097/un-avocat-parisien-defenseur-de-djihadistes-mis-en-examen-pour-financement-du-terrorisme.html

https://fr.reuters.com/article/topNews/idFRKCN1PC1MO-OFRTP

http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2019/01/18/01016-20190118ARTFIG00063-un-avocat-de-djihadistes-mis-en-examen-pour-financement-du-terrorisme.php

https://www.europe1.fr/societe/un-avocat-de-djihadistes-mis-en-examen-pour-financement-du-terrorisme-3840845

https://www.leprogres.fr/loire-42/2019/01/17/un-avocat-qui-a-defendu-une-saint-chamonaise-partie-en-syrie-place-en-garde-a-vue

https://www.ledauphine.com/france-monde/2019/01/18/un-avocat-de-djihadistes-mis-en-examen-pour-financement-du-terrorisme

https://www.infoencontinu.com/article/?article=L%27avocat%20soup%C3%A7onn%C3%A9%20de%20financement%20terroriste%20voulait%20sauver%20des%20%22bombes%22%20ses%20clients

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/proche-orient/offensive-jihadiste-en-irak/l-avocat-soupconne-de-financement-terroriste-voulait-sauver-des-bombes-ses-clients_3151719.html

https://canadafreepress.com/article/jihadi-defence-lawyer-arrested-for-financing-terrorism (ENGLISH)

https://888.hu/article-lebukott-a-francia-dzsihadistak-vedougyvedje-terroristakat-finanszirozott (HUNGARIAN)

Syria: We remember Razan, Samira, Nazem and Wa’el five years after their kidnapping

Sem categoria 07/12/2018 Leave a comment

December 7, 2018

On 09 December, people around the world rememberRazan Zaitouneh, Samira Khalil, Nazem Hamadi and Wa’el Hamada, kidnapped in Douma, Syria on this day five years ago. We, the undersigned human rights organisations, call on the United Nations, international and regional actors, and all parties to the Syrian conflict to actively facilitate an investigation into what happened to the four human rights defenders. They are among many Syrians who have been kidnapped, jailed, murdered or exiled for their peaceful human rights activities. We ask all friends and supporters to help remember Zaitouneh and her colleagues by sharing her work.

On 09 December 2013, a group of armed men presumed to be connected to the Army of Islam, a large local rebel faction at the time, broke into the Violations Documentation Centre (VDC) office in Douma city, kidnapped the four human rights defenders and took them to an unknown destination. According to unconfirmed reports, the Army of Islam kept captives, including possibly the VDC staff, at Tawbeh Prison for some time, but it has since been abandoned following the armed group’s departure from Douma in 2017.

Zaitouneh has published dozens of articles and reports on various websites and in newspapers about human rights including freedom of opinion and expression in Syria since 2004. In order to keep her work in the spotlight, her family has now published a website with a collection of her articles, as well as testimonies from people who admire her and worked with her.

Zaitouneh is one of the most prominent human rights defenders in Syria and along with other activists established the VDC, among several human rights NGOs that she helped found. She has played a key role in the promotion and protection of human rights through her brave work as a lawyer, human rights defender and journalist.

…

https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2008?fbclid=IwAR0t28C3WsWWe7F-EuSdeWqQyq_qF7BP39hv07De5jiflyTAyGJ5ZKdrGjs

https://www.ifex.org/international/2018/11/15/day-imprisoned-writer/

https://pen-international.org/news/syria-remember-razan-samira-nazem-and-wael-five-years-after-their-kidnapping

https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2018/8/13/razan-zaitouneh-more-clues-in-search-for-syrian-lawyer

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/waiting-douma-181208095945739.html

http://www.razanwzaitouneh.com/about

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razan_Zaitouneh

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razan_Zaitouneh (FRANCAIS)

https://www.ifex.org/international/2018/11/15/day-imprisoned-writer/es/ (ESPANOL)

https://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2018/11/25/5bf9a57de5fdea3b368b4587.html (ESPANOL)

https://www.freitag.de/autoren/flegel/eine-revolution-adoptieren (DEUTSCH)

Image result for razan zaitouneh

Syria/PEN: 15 novembre • Solidarité avec les plumes réduites au silence

Sem categoria 05/11/2018 Leave a comment

le 4 novembre, 2018

écrivains auteurs

Les journées mondiales se succèdent et rien ne change. Elles n’en sont pas moins utiles pour autant, dès lors où elles sont de réels temps forts pour la solidarité et la réflexion, et non des alibis récurrents pour s’exonérer des résistances quotidiennes.

La “Journée mondiale des écrivains en prison” qu’est-ce donc  ?

Cette journée est organisée depuis 1981 afin d’attirer l’attention mondiale sur des écrivainEs et des journalistes dont le travail leur attire des représailles.

Il n’y a pas si longtemps, le 10 novembre 1995 très exactement, l’écrivain nigérian Ken Saro Wiwa a été pendu pour avoir défendu les droits de son ethnie minoritaire dans une région d’agriculture et de pêche spoliée et dévastée par l’exploitation pétrolière. Ses convictions l’avaient amené à plaider jusque devant la Commission des Droits de l’Homme.

EcrivainEs en danger

Le 15 novembre a lieu la Journée pour les Écrivains en prison, organisée par une dizaine de milliers de membres du P.E.N. International. Pour mémoire, fondée en 1921, l’association mondiale de poètes, de romancierEs et de journalistes s’engage à défendre la libre circulation des idées entre toutes les nations, à promouvoir une littérature sans frontières et à s’opposer à toute restriction de la liberté d’expression. Au siège du P.E.N. International à Londres, le Comité des Ecrivains emprisonnés avait recensé 775 cas de femmes et d’hommes de lettres persécutés et réprimés pour délit d’opinion pendant le premier semestre de l’an 2003 par exemple. Nombre d’entre eux ont été arrêtés, torturés, emprisonnés ou contraints à l’exil. 22 personnes ont été tuées ou assassinées, 13 portées disparues. Le Comité a établi une liste non exhaustive des Etats à haut risque: Algérie, Bangladesh, Chine, Cuba, Iran, Birmanie, Syrie, Turquie, Vietnam… Depuis quinze ans, la liste des Pays et ces cas a explosé en courbe exponentielle

Aussi, cette Journée pour les EcrivainEs en prison, est-elle au fil des années devenue un moment fort de solidarité et de soutien envers touTEs les écrivainEs victimes de l’intolérance et de la dictature, sans oublier leurs familles harcelées, intimidées ou menacées, qui n’empêche pas un soutien continu et actif.

Réduire les gens de lettres au silence, briser leur plume, confisquer et brûler leurs œuvres, c’est la pire des tortures.

Cette année, PEN présente les cas de :

  • Cesario Alejandro Félix Padilla Figueroa, membre de PEN et militant, risque d’être poursuivi en justice au Honduras
  • Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, blogueur purgeant une peine de 10 ans de prison au Viet Nam
  • Ramón Esono Ebalé, caricaturiste et militant primé, actuellement détenu en Guinée équatoriale
  • Razan Zaitouneh, défenseur des droits de l’homme, blogueur et avocat a disparu en Syrie

…

http://www.kedistan.net/2018/11/04/15-novembre-journee-solidarite-ecrivains/

https://pen-international.org/fr/c%C3%A9l%C3%A9brer-la-litt%C3%A9rature

https://globalvoices.org/2018/08/09/four-women-icons-of-the-syrian-revolution/ (ENGLISH)

https://www.ifex.org/syria/2018/09/05/razan-zeitouneh-douma-four/ (ENGLISH)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razan_Zaitouneh (ENGLISH)

https://pen-international.org/celebrating-literature (ENGLISH)

https://www.bndestem.nl/opinie/steun-de-strijd-van-de-arabische-peerkes~a7a44afd/ (NEDERLANDS)