Zimbabwe: Arrest of human rights defender Pascal Gonzo, member of Zimbabwe Peace Project

Front Line is concerned at the arrest of Pascal Gonzo, staff member of Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP). Pascal Gonzo was arrested on 4 December 2008 in Nyanga.  Read More

Lebanon: Charges of criminal slander dismissed against lawyer and human rights defender, Dr. Muhammad Mugraby

Front Line welcomes the decision of a Lebanese Criminal Court to dismiss charges of criminal slander against Muhammad Mugraby on 27 November 2008. The charges had arisen from a speech that Muhammad Mugraby gave to a European Parliament delegation in Brussels on 4 November 2003 which criticised the Lebanese government for its abuse of the judiciary. Despite the dismissal of charges against Muhammad Mugraby, Front Line is concerned about numerous other legal actions pending against Muhammad Mugraby.  Read More

Sri Lanka - Journalist and human rights defender J.S. Tissanayagam wins RSF award

Update

J.S. Tissainayagam has been nominated for a media freedom award for defending the freedom of information by the international media rights group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF). J.S. Tissainayagam is one of six journalists to be nominated for the award for "journalists who through their work, their principled stand or their attitude have displayed support for freedom of information." J.S. Tissainayagam remains in detention in Magazine Prison, Colombo.  Read More

Zimbabwe – Abduction of human rights defender, Ms Jestina Mukoko

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports received of the abduction of Ms Jestina Mukoko by Zimbabwean security forces from her home in Norton Harare in the morning of 3 December 2008, at approximately 5:00 am. Jestina Mukoko is the Project Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), an organisation monitoring and documenting violence and human rights abuses across the country through a network of peace observers.  Read More

Cameroon – Charges pending against human rights defender, Mr Mamsour Hamadou

Front Line is concerned following reports of charges of “impersonating a lawyer” and “threats” pending against human rights defender Mamsour Hamadou, following his arrest on 22 November 2008 in Maroua, Far North Province. Mamsour Hamadou is a member of the Mouvement pour la Défense des Droits Humains et des Libertés – MDDHL (Movement for the Defence of Human Rights and Liberties).  Read More

Bahrain: Travel ban on human rights defender, Abdulghani Al-Khanjar

Front Line is concerned following reports received of a travel ban imposed on human rights defender, Abdulghani Al-Khanjar who was refused entry to Qatar at Doha Airport on 2 December 2008.  Read More

Yemen - Travel ban on journalist and human rights defender, Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani

Front Line is concerned following reports that human rights defender and journalist, Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani, was banned from travelling to a human rights conference on 30 November 2008 despite receiving a presidential pardon on 25 September 2008 for all charges held against him. Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani is the former Editor-in-Chief of the pro-democracy online newspaper, Al-Shoura, and a campaigner for the right to freedom of expression in Yemen.  Read More

Sudan: Front Line welcomes the release of Osman Hummaida from detention

Case Update

Front Line welcomes the release of Osman Hummaida from detention in the office of the National Security Service (NSS) in Northern Khartoum on 28 November 2008 at around 12.30 am. Abdelmoneim Aljak and Amir Mohamed Suliman, who were arrested with Osman Hummaida and redetained several times, have not been rearrested. Despite the release of the human rights defenders from detention, Front Line condemns the torture and ill-treatment that Osman Hummaida and Abdelmoneim Aljak were subjected to in the course of interrogation.  Read More

Egypt - Ongoing detention and deterioration in health of human rights defender

Front Line is deeply concerned for the continued detention and the deteriorating in health condition of Mosaad Soliman Hassan Hussein (a.k.a. Mosaad Abu Fagr) who has been in detention in Borg Al Arab prison in the Alexandria desert since his arrest on 26 December 2007. Mosaad Abu Fagr is a human rights defender, blogger and writer working on behalf of the rights of the Sinai community in Egypt. Front Line previously issued an urgent appeal concerning his arrest on 10 January 2008.  Read More