A new report exposes how politically motivated criminal charges have been used to harass, stigmatize, and endanger human rights defenders in Colombia. Read more. »
Colombia
Release Arbitrarily Detained Colombian Activists
The Colombian Attorney General should reassign the prosecutors responsible for bringing trumped-up criminal charges against Colombian human rights defenders Carmelo Agamez and Winston Gallego.
Read HRF's letter about Gallego (in Spanish)
Read HRF's letter about Agamez (in Spanish)
7/1/2009
President Obama Should Stand Up for Human Rights in Colombia
On Monday, June 29, 2009, President Barack Obama met in Washington D.C. with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, their first official private meeting. Urge President Obama to stand up for human rights defenders in Colombia. Take action now to send President Obama an email with five key human rights messages for the meeting.
Read Joint Press Release
| In Spanish
Read Washington Post article about the meeting
Read Op-Ed by Senior Associate Andrew Hudson in the Boston Globe
6/29/2009
Colombian Community Leader Declared Innocent of Rebellion Charges
After 17 months of unjust detention, a judge declared Miguel Gonzalez Huepa innocent and released him from prison. Gonzalez is the co-founder of a rural land rights association in Colombia (ACVC) and had been the subject of a specious criminal investigation accusing him of links to the Colombia FARC guerrilla group.
Read HRF Press Release (Spanish)
Read HRF Report: In the Dock and Under the Gun: Baseless Prosecutions of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia
6/11/2009 More on Colombia »Cuba
Disappointing Cuba UPR Review Session at the UN Human Rights Council
On June 10, the UN Human Rights Council met to adopt the UPR report on Cuba. Human Rights First prepared a joint statement (see initial statement below) to be delivered in conjunction with other international NGOs calling attention to the precarious situation of human rights activists in Cuba. We were unable to deliver our statement as NGOs friendly to the Cuban government flooded the speakers' list, and signed onto a joint Human Rights Watch statement (see video) at the last minute.
Watch Video of Joint Statement in English |
in Spanish
Read initial joint statement that was not delivered
6/11/2009
Release Ill Cuban Activist from Isolation Cell
Tony Diaz, an instrumental organizer of a civic initiative known as the Varela Project in Cuba, was thrown in jail for his human rights activities in the spring of 2003. This week, Diaz was transferred to a prison isolation cell, seriously endangering his health.
Read More about Tony Diaz's Case
6/8/2009
Join the Ladies in White in Calling for Human Rights in Cuba
On the sixth anniversary of the jailing of 75 activists in Cuba, join their wives, daughters, and others in demanding their release and calling for respect for human rights on the island.
3/26/2009 More on Cuba »
Egypt
Egypt must release Sinai-Based Activist
1/2/2008
Urge Egyptian Authorities to Release Online Activists
1/1/2008
Egyptian Activists Detained for Defending Rights of Religious Minority and Denouncing Torture
10/18/2007 More on Egypt »Guatemala
Guatemalan Congress: Stop Human Rights Violators from Evading Justice
The Guatemalan Congress should approve a bill to amend Guatemala's injunctive relief (amparo) law. Congress has considered the bill for more than four years; the bill would prevent human rights violators from abusing the amparo law to evade justice.
Read HRF's Letter to Guatemala's Congress in English
| in Spanish
7/1/2009
Guatemala at a Crossroads
Before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, hearing entitled ?Guatemala at a Crossroads?, Human Rights First issued a statement urging the rethinking of US foreign policy to Guatemala.
Read HRF Statement
6/11/2009
Coalition Condemns Intimidation in Guatemala
In a letter, eight international organizations, including Human Rights First, condemned the recent death threats against members of two important Guatemalan human rights organizations: Security in Democracy (SEDEM) and the Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala (UDEFEGUA).
Letter in English |
Letter in Spanish
5/12/2009
More on Guatemala »
Indonesia
Munir and the protection of rights defenders
HRF's Matt Easton co-authored an op-ed in the Jakarta Post arguing that the trial of Munir's killers is a key step in improving the situation of human rights defenders in Indonesia.
Read Op-Ed
5/15/2009
Human Rights Should Be a Priority for the U.S. in Asia
In a letter, Human Rights First calls on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to raise human rights defenders, arms transfers to Sudan, and other important human rights issues in Indonesia and China during her visit to Asia.
Read More
2/12/2009
Accountability Needed for Murder of Indonesian Rights Defender
12/29/2008 More on Indonesia »Iran
Iranian Human Rights Defender Wins 2009 Martin Ennals Award
Emad Baghi, a leading human rights defender based in Tehran, founded the Society for the Defense of Prisoners' Rights and has been a vigorous and outspoken opponent of the death penalty in Iran. The Martin Ennals Award, a joint award from ten international rights groups, recognizes his vital work.
Read Press Release
Read More about HRF's Work in Iran
5/20/2009
Iranian Authorities Must End Imprisonment of Women Defenders
Human Rights First and seven other human rights organizations sent a letter to Iranian authorities expressing concern over the imprisonment of women's human rights defender Alieh Eghdamdoost and twelve other women's defenders.
Read Joint Letter in English
In Farsi
4/10/2009
Urge Iranian Authorities to Release Women Human Rights Defenders
The crackdown on Iranian human rights defenders intensifies with the recent arrest of women's rights activists. Your intervention is urgently needed to secure the release of two women currently detained.
Read Human Rights Defenders Director Matt Easton's Huffington Post.
2/2/2009 More on Iran »
Thailand
Disappearance Mystery in Thailand: After Five Years, a Fresh Start or Business as Usual?
Five years ago a human rights lawyer named Somchai Neelaphaijit was forced into a car in Bangkok. He was never seen again, and no-one has been held accountable for disappearance. A new government promises action, but will it be business as usual? Please call on the Thai authorities to solve this case and prevent further disappearances.
Read petition from HRF supporters calling on the Thai government to take action
HRF press release: Petition Calls for Progress in Thai Disappearance Case
3/17/2009
Thai Army Must End Harassment of Human Rights Defenders
Two days after making the strange claim that insurgents might disguise themselves as human rights workers, Thai security forces raided a respected organization. Attempts to intimidate human rights defenders will only further undermine the rule of law in strife-torn southern Thailand.
2/9/2009
Thailand Should Charge or Release Suspected Insurgents
(English) (Thai) 10/28/2007 More on Thailand »Around the World
End Government Harassment of Pakistani Champion of Women's Rights
Mukhtar Mai, a leading Pakistani women's rights activist and gang-rape victim, has faced constant harassment from government officials since her decision to testify in a rape case against her attackers in 2002. Last week, a power company raided her human rights organization, significantly hindering her organization?s ability to carry out its human rights work.
Read HRF's Huffington Post article about Mukhtar Mai
6/19/2009
Drop Charges against Russian Art Curators
In Moscow, Yury Samodurov, a human rights activist, and Andrey Erofeev, a museum curator, are facing criminal prosecution for organizing an exhibition entitled "Forbidden Art 2006" at the Andrei Sakharov Museum. The two men could be sentenced to up to five years imprisonment. The Tagansky District Court in Moscow is scheduled to resume hearing the case behind closed doors on June 5, 2009.
6/3/2009
HRF joins Coalition Protesting Treatment of LGBT Activists in Uganda