Since 16 February 2010, executive members of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) have received a number of threatening messages. On 17 February, Front Line issued an urgent appeal on the threats against Mr Okay Machisa, ZimRights National Director. On 25 February, Mr Nunurai Jena, Mr Netsai Kaitano and Mr Jabulisa Tshuma also received threats.
Human rights defender Mr Aftab Alam received death threats and was the subject of harassment and intimidation on 9 February 2010. Aftab Alam is a weaver by trade and is associated with the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR).
Human rights defender Mr Vakhtang Komakhidze received death threats on 10 February 2010 and has recently been the subject of harassment as a result of his human rights activities. Vakhtang Komakhidz is an investigative journalist and a member of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders.
A media harassment campaign has recently been launched against human rights defenders Mr Nabeel Rajab, Mr Mohamed Al-Maskati, Dr Abduljalil Al Singace and Mr Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar. Nabeel Rajab is the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Mohamed Al-Maskati is the president of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, Dr Abduljalil Al Singace is head of the human rights unit of the Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy and Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar is the spokesperson for the National Committee for Martyrs and Victims of Torture.
Human rights defender Father Solalinde has recently been subjected to harassment and intimidation as a direct result of his activities in defence of human rights. Father Solalinde is the director of the Albergue del Migrante Hermanos en el Camino de la Esperanza (Shelter for Migrant Brothers on the Road of Hope) and co-ordinator of the Catholic Pastoral Care Centre for Migrants.
On 10 December 2009, indigenous human rights defenders Kopa Kunjam and Alban Toppo were arbitrarily detained and severely beaten. Both Kopa Kunjam and Alban Toppo work with Vanvasi Chetna Ashram (VCA), a human rights and development organisation working with indigenous peoples in southern Chhattisgarh state. Since 2005, VCA has documented human rights abuses committed against the local indigenous peoples by security forces and state-backed militias as part of the ongoing conflict with Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh state.
Front Line is deeply concerned that the BCHR and its president, human rights defender Nabeel Rajab are being subjected to a media harassment campaign which started on the 13th of November 2009 following the publication of a BCHR report in relation to human rights organisations that allegedly are linked to the government of Bahrain.
On 30 October 2009, women human rights defenders Ms Patricia Orozco, Ms Lorna Norori and Ms Ana Eveling Orozco, were subject to police harassment and detention in the city of León. Patricia Orozco is a journalist and leader of el Movimiento Autónomo de Mujeres de Nicaragua – MAM (the Nicaraguan Women's Autonomous Movement), a social and political NGO which works for democracy and equality. She was ill-treated upon arrest. Ana Eveling Orozco is a lawyer and also a member of MAM, while Lorna Norori is a psychologist and member of el Movimiento contra el Abuso Sexual (Movement against Sexual Abuse).
Between 22 and 24 September 2009, human rights defenders from la Asociación Jóvenes en Movimiento - AJEM (The Association of Youth in Movement) have been beaten, harassed, arbitrarily detained, and had possessions damaged and stolen during various instances of police abuse which have followed the recent weeks of unrest in Honduras.
Human rights defenders, Mr Samson Owimba Ojiayo and Mr Godwin Kamau Wangoe, who were abducted by Kenyan security forces and subjected to ill-treatment have received threats and harassment from plain clothes security forces since their release.
