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Welcome to Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin, an e-newsletter of updates and analyses concerning civil society's rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression around the world. The Bulletin is compiled by the staff at Civil Society Watch, a programme of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. Please feel free to forward the Bulletin to friends and colleagues. We welcome your comments and contributions!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
FRONT
PAGE An interview with activist Jennifer Latheef
ZIMBABWE: African Solidarity Team urges regional action
ANALYSIS
CSW
Monthly Bulletin Evaluation - your responses GOOD NEWS
CANADA: Parts of anti-terror law declared unconstitutional
KAZAKHSTAN: NGOs submit draft media law to government
USA: Judge strikes down presidential order on terrorism AZERBAIJAN: Freedom of assembly law too harsh, says commission
BELARUS: Another activist sentenced for work with 'illegal' NGO
CONGO: Anti-corruption activist detained
CUBA: Activist arrested, but released
ECUADOR: Anti-mining activist harassed
ERITREA: Two more international NGOs expelled
GEORGIA: New report documents repression
INDIA: Restrictive law on foreign grants passed
MALAWI: SADC chastises government minister for threatening activist
PAKISTAN: Women's NGOs fear new law puts them in danger
PERU: Draft NGO law could restrict freedoms PHILIPPINES: Human
rights NGOs accused of propaganda
RUSSIA: Chechnya NGO denied registration
SAUDI ARABIA: Women's rights activist harassed
SINGAPORE:
Proposed amendments
could restrict expression and assembly RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS
Martin
Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders: Call for Applications CIVICUS: What do you think? Have
your say on the CIVICUS Blog |
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16 Days of Activism feature: A voice from the Maldives An interview with activist Jennifer Latheef
This year's 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence focuses on the challenges facing women human rights defenders. It honours women who have suffered intimidation and violence for their courageous activism.
CSW had the opportunity to interview Maldivian activist and journalist Jennifer Latheef. Civil society activists in the Maldives frequently face strict government controls on their expression, arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, as well as the threat of baseless criminal charges. Latheef is among those targeted. After only recently being pardoned for 'terrorism' charges, she has been travelling and speaking about the situation in the Maldives.
To read the full interview, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/FRONTPAGE_J.Latheef.htm
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CIVICUS ALERTS! | |||||||
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ZIMBABWE: African Solidarity Team urges regional action From 27 November to 1 December, in an African solidarity visit to Zimbabwe, civil society leaders from across the continent spoke with local NGOs, trade unions, women’s movement, churches, students, and individuals in businesses and government on the challenges facing civil society in the country. In the team’s communiqué, they expressed concern about the ongoing crackdown on freedoms of expression, association and assembly; and the Zimbabwean government’s apathy towards the spiralling poverty in the country. They also emphasised the importance of renewed and ongoing pressure on Zimbabwe by African states and civil society. The Visit was jointly organised by CIVICUS and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition. To read the full alert, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/Zim_Press_Release_1.12.06.doc To read the communiqué, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/Zim_communique_30.12.06.doc To get involved, contact: cswatch@civicus.org
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CSW Monthly Bulletin Evaluation Your responses We are extremely grateful to all of our readers who took the time to complete the evaluation of CSW Monthly Bulletin. As this was our first evaluation, we were pleasantly surprised to see your dedication to the Bulletin and, overall, your positive and constructive comments. Your feedback will help us make valuable changes to the Bulletin's look and content. To read more, visit: http://www.civicus.org/csw/ANALYSIS_CSW_Survey.htm
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CANADA: Parts of anti-terror law declared unconstitutional 3 November - Sections of the Canadian anti-terror law, introduced shortly after 11 September 2001, were declared unconstitutional in two different court cases in late October, reports the Jurist. On 19 October, a provincial (Ontario) Superior Court dismissed secrecy-related provisions of the Security of Information Act as unconstitutional. In a separate decision on 24 October, the same court ruled that a section of the act that defines "terrorism" is unconstitutionally vague and contradicts several provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The government has stated it will not appeal the first ruling, but will instead consider future legislative options to address the constitutional issues raised by the court's decision. The government is reviewing and considering appealing the latter ruling. http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/11/canada-justice-minister-declines-to.php
KAZAKHSTAN: NGOs submit draft media law to government 17 November - The Kazakh Lower Chamber of Parliament has accepted a draft media law submitted by media advocacy organisations on 8 November, reports Adil Soz. This is reportedly the second attempt by NGOs to submit the bill to Parliament. They were rejected in their first attempt in June. The proposed law is designed to promote the right to freely receive and distribute information, prohibit any attempt to monopolise the media, and limit legal grounds for the suspension and closure of media outlets. The most significant provision of the proposed law decriminalises insult and defamation. It also reduces the period for filing a lawsuit "for protection of the honour and dignity" against media outlets and sets a maximum amount that can be sought for damages in such lawsuits. Media groups are not celebrating a victory just yet, however, as the law must still be reviewed and amended by state officials. http://www.ifex.org/eng/layout/set/print/layout/set/print/content/view/full/79144/
USA: Judge strikes down presidential order on terrorism 29 November - A federal court has ruled that a presidential order blocking financial assistance to terrorist groups are unconstitutional, reports the Washington Post. The judge found that two provisions of the 23 September 2001 order are impermissibly vague because they allow the president to unilaterally designate organisations as terrorist groups and broadly prohibit association with such groups. Twenty-seven groups and individuals were initially named as "specially designated global terrorists" under the order -- including the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Tamil Tigers -- and hundreds more since have been added to the list. The case was brought forward by the Humanitarian Law Project. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/28/AR2006112801438.html
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AZERBAIJAN: Freedom of assembly law too harsh, says commission 25 October - The law on freedom of assembly is too harsh and prescribes disproportionate responses, said the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe in their assessment of the law. The Commission advised that the "philosophy" of the law be radically altered, to see freedom of association as something to be protected, rather than restricted. http://www.venice.coe.int/docs/2006/CDL-AD(2006)034-e.asp
BELARUS: Another activist sentenced for work with 'illegal' NGO 2 November - The court of the October district of Minsk, headed by vice-chairman Ala Bulash, sentenced youth activist and Young Front leader Dzmitry Dashkevich to 18 months in prison for violating art. 193-1 of the Criminal Code (organisation of or participation in the activities of an unregistered association), reports the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. His sentencing follows the imprisonment of four activists of the organisation Partnership on similar charges in August. http://www.ihf-hr.org/viewbinary/viewhtml.php?doc_id=7119
CONGO: Anti-corruption activist detained 15 November - Christian Mounzéo, a leading anticorruption campaigner in oil-rich Congo-Brazzaville, was arbitrarily arrested and detained by authorities upon his return to the country allegedly because of his criticism of the government's misuse of oil revenues, Human Rights Watch reports. On 13 November, immigration police arrested Mounzéo at the airport in the capital Brazzaville when he returned from an advocacy trip in Europe. http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/11/15/congob14603.htm
CUBA: Activist arrested, but released
21 November - Maura Iset González, President of the
Federation of Latin American Rural Women (FLAMUR) was released during the early hours of 17 November following her detention
and 12 hours of interrogation by the police, reports the
Cuban American National Foundation. González was reportedly
arrested for her involvement in a campaign dubbed "with the same
currency," demanding that all government establishments sell goods in a
single currency - pesos. Currently, Cubans with access to US dollars live
far better off than those earning state salaries. http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=50180&cat=Politics+News&more=%2Fpolitics%2F
ECUADOR: Anti-mining activist harassed 3 November - In late October, the police raided the home of Carlos Zorrilla, a mining activist in the Intag cloudforest region of north-western Ecuador. For over a decade, Carlos and his organisation, DECOIN, have been working to protect the biodiverse Intag region from large-scale copper mining, reports Global Response. Activists have faced intimidation and harassment by mining proponents, including death threats and a public smear campaign. http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/earthworks/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=5751
ERITREA: Two more international NGOs expelled 7 November - The Eritrean government has asked two organisations to leave the country - the emergency relief organisation, the International Rescue Committee and Samaritan's Purse, based out of Kenya, reports IRIN News. Since an NGO law was put into effect in June 2005, the number of NGOs working in the country has dropped significantly. The latest expulsions bring to six the number of international organisations Eritrea has kicked out in 2006. http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56273&SelectRegion=Horn_of_Africa&SelectCountry=ERITREA
GEORGIA: New report documents repression Since the coming into power of Mr. Mikhaïl Saakaschvili during the so-called “rose revolution”, local and international organisations have observed regular deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Georgia, says FIDH in a new report. There is impunity and an excessive use of violence by law-enforcement bodies, repression and harassment against journalists, and human right defenders, among others. http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=3724
INDIA: Restrictive law on foreign grants passed 11 November - The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to repeal the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act and in its place bring in a new legislation under which any organisation of a political nature would be debarred from receiving money from abroad, reports the Hindu. The legislation would reportedly specify which organisations could give and receive foreign contributions, the purposes for which foreign contributions could be accepted, and only allow up to 50 per cent of foreign grants to be used for administrative expenses. One of India's largest NGO networks, Voluntary Action Network India has developed a petition, available at: http://www.petitiononline.com/fc291106/petition.html. http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/11/stories/2006111102381200.htm
MALAWI: SADC chastises government minister for threatening activist 31 October - The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Human Rights Defenders forum has written the Malawian Information Minister condemning the threats of criminal investigations she issued against the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation executive director Undule Mwakasungura, reports the Nation Online. The minister accused Mwakasungura of removing a road sign named after Robert Mugabe. The SADC rights body said that the evidence is tenuous and is extremely concerned over the public attempt to use the sanction of the law “to undermine the freedom of speech and the work of legitimate human rights defenders”. http://www.nationmalawi.com/articles.asp?articleID=19329
PAKISTAN: Women's NGOs fear new law puts them in danger 26 November - Women's NGOs in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, are fearful of the effects of a recently passed morality law that threatens to further subjugate women and minorities. An NGO in Peshawar working for the social welfare of women was reportedly attacked in mid-November by three gunmen, in the fifth attack on women's NGOs this year. Women's activists who work in conservative pockets of the province, say they get threats on the phone almost everyday. http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=NWFP+Assembly+passes+law&id=96999
PERU: Draft NGO law could restrict freedoms 24 November - A law regulating the work of non-governmental organisations in Peru, now awaiting the signature of President Alan Garcia, has sparked concern that the government is resorting to illiberal means to silence its critics, reports Open Democracy. The law would make it obligatory for NGOs to register with a government agency (the Agencia Peruana de Cooperación Internacional) and allow it to outlaw those NGOs it deems not to be working towards the stated goals of the government's development plan. http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-protest/peru_ngos_4117.jsp#
PHILIPPINES: Human rights NGOs accused of propaganda 17 November - In what appears to be a concerted attack on the entire human rights movement in the Philippines, army, civilian and police officials have all made scathing statements describing the work of rights groups there as "propaganda," reports the Asian Human Rights Commission. Both Amnesty International and the local human rights group Karapatan have reportedly been accused of spreading lies in an effort to discredit authorities. http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2006statements/825/
RUSSIA: Chechnya NGO denied registration 27 November - Authorities have refused to register the Dutch organisation Stichting Russian Justice Initiative that has represented Russians in Europe's top human rights court in cases of abuse in Chechnya, reports the Moscow News. Citing improper paperwork, the Federal Registration Service notified the organisation on 15 November that it had refused to register the organisation's representative office in Moscow. The NGO joins a number of foreign groups denied registration under a controversial law. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/11/27/012.html
SAUDI ARABIA: Women's rights activist harassed 31 October - Saudi Arabia's secret police detained activist and writer Wajeha al-Huwaider on 20 September and interrogated her for six hours about a women's rights protest she was organising before coercing her to sign a statement agreeing to desist from all human rights activities, reports Human Rights Watch. Al-Huwaider is a member of the group Human Rights First in Saudi Arabia, the country's only independent human rights group, which the government has refused to license. http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/31/saudia14483.htm
SINGAPORE: Proposed amendments could restrict expression and assembly 15 November - The Singapore government has proposed amendments to greater restrict freedom of expression on the Internet, as well as place stricter limits on "unlawful assembly," reports IFEX. Outdoor gatherings of more than four people reportedly already require a police permit. The amendments would give the government more power to act against public gatherings as it would no longer have to prove in court an intention to cause a disturbance.
TUNISIA: Human rights organisation under heavy surveillance 13 November - During the past month, security officials have kept the office of the National Council for Liberties in Tunisia (CNLT), a leading NGO that is being denied legal registration, under particularly heavy surveillance, apparently to deter or prevent access to it by former political prisoners and prisoners' families, reports Amnesty International. Some who did succeed in visiting the CNLT are reported to have been arrested afterwards, taken to nearby police stations and made to sign statements that they will not visit the CNLT’s office again. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE300172006
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Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders: Call for Applications The Martin Ennals Foundation invites individuals or organisations working in the field of human rights to submit nominations for the 2007 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. The award, worth 20,000 Euros (US$25,400), is given annually to an individual or an organisation in recognition of their commitment to the defence and promotion of human rights. Special consideration is given to those who use courageous and innovative means to defend human rights and who are in need of protection. The award winners are chosen by an international jury made up of 11 non-governmental organisations. The deadline for submitting nominations is 9 December 2006. For more information, visit: http://www.martinennalsaward.org
CIVICUS: What do you think? Have your say on the CIVICUS Blog Civil society must regularly confront controversial issues which affect both what we do and how we do it. Here is an opportunity to share your thoughts on these topics, to speak out and to make a difference! Help CIVICUS develop its vision of a global community of active, engaged citizens committed to the creation of a more just and equitable world. Have your say, visit http://civicus.civiblog.org/
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| We hope you enjoyed the Bulletin! If you would like to send an appeal or share information with us regarding issues affecting civil society in your region, please contact the Civil Society Watch (CSW) team at, cswatch@civicus.org To subscribe or unsubscribe please e-mail , cswcommunity@civicus.org CIVICUS House, 24 Gwigwi Mrwebi Street, Newtown, Johannesburg, 2001, PO Box 933, Southdale, Johannesburg, 2135, South Africa, tel +27 11 833 5959 / fax +27 11 833 7997, info@civicus.org
| CIVICUS is an alliance of approximately 1000 members in 105 countries, dedicated to strengthening civil society and citizen action around the world. Civil Society Watch is a programme of CIVICUS, which seeks to expose, address and prevent threats to civil society's rights to freedom of association, expression and assembly. For more information, visit www.civicus.org and www.civilsocietywatch.org
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| DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this bulletin are a reflection of those contained in the original reports to which they are linked here, and are not necessarily those of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. |