LGBTIQ+ rights – The Observatory For Defenders

Seis meses de impunidad: el intento de asesinato contra Yendri Velásquez y Luis Peche exige una respuesta urgente

Yasmine Louanchi — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:14:31 +0000

Organizaciones internacionales de derechos humanos llaman a Colombia y a Venezuela a actuar contra la represión transnacional El 13 de octubre de 2025, dos hombres no identificados dispararon contra el defensor de derechos humanos venezolano Yendri Omar Velásquez Rodríguez y el analista político colombo-venezolano Luis Alejandro Peche Arteaga, cuando ambos salían de un edificio residencial en Bogotá. Hoy, seis meses después, las personas responsables no han sido identificadas ni detenidas. Las organizaciones abajo firmantes expresamos nuestra grave preocupación ante este estado de impunidad y el riesgo persistente que enfrentan las personas defensoras de derechos humanos venezolanas en el exterior. Yendri Velásquez, quien es fundador del Observatorio Venezolano de Violencias LGBTIQ+ y miembro de Amnistía Internacional Venezuela, fue objeto de detención arbitraria, desaparición forzada y tortura en Venezuela el 3 de agosto de 2024, cuando se dirigía a Ginebra (Suiza) para participar en la 113ª sesión del Comité de la ONU para la Eliminación de la Discriminación Racial (CERD). Las autoridades venezolanas anularon su pasaporte ese mismo día. Tras huir a Colombia y solicitar refugio en octubre de 2024, el 13 de octubre de 2025 fue víctima de un atentado. Al momento del ataque, Yendri aún esperaba el reconocimiento de su condición de refugiado, a pesar de que había transcurrido más de un año desde su solicitud y de la evidente necesidad de protección internacional en la que se encontraba. El 10 de diciembre de 2025, la Relatora Especial sobre la situación de las personas defensoras de derechos humanos, la Relatora Especial sobre la libertad de opinión y de expresión y el Experto Independiente sobre orientación sexual e identidad de género enviaron comunicaciones formales a los gobiernos de Colombia y Venezuela solicitando información sobre el caso y la adopción de medidas urgentes para la protección de Yendri Velásquez. A la fecha de publicación de este comunicado, no se han reportado avances en la investigación penal en Colombia. Las circunstancias del ataque apuntan a un posible caso de represión transnacional. Se necesita una respuesta efectiva por parte de la administración de justicia para identificar a las personas sospechosas de ser las responsables por el ataque. La impunidad ante estos ataques genera un efecto amedrentador en los defensores de derechos humanos venezolanos en el exterior y en la sociedad civil en su conjunto. Con base en esta información, las organizaciones firmantes hacemos los siguientes llamados a la acción: Al Gobierno de Colombia:

Avanzar de manera urgente, exhaustiva e imparcial en la investigación del ataque del 13 de octubre de 2025, incluyendo la hipótesis de una posible participación de actores estatales venezolanos, y garantizar la rendición de cuentas de los responsables.
Mantener y robustecer las medidas de protección para Yendri Velásquez y Luis Peche, así como adoptarlas para otros defensores de derechos humanos venezolanos en riesgo.
Dar cumplimiento a la sentencia SU-543/23 de la Corte Constitucional, que ordena implementar una política pública para descongestionar el trámite de las solicitudes de refugio.
Implementar protocolos específicos de protección para personas defensoras de derechos humanos solicitantes de asilo que enfrentan riesgos de represión transnacional.
Fortalecer las capacidades institucionales para prevenir posibles actos de represión transnacional.

A las autoridades en Venezuela:

Cooperar con las autoridades colombianas en la investigación del ataque, incluyendo la indagación sobre la posible participación de funcionarios venezolanos u otros actores asociados.
Responder formalmente a las comunicaciones enviadas el 10 de diciembre de 2025 por los Procedimientos Especiales de la ONU.

La represión transnacional debe ser reconocida como una amenaza para las personas defensoras de derechos humanos y se deben adoptar medidas que garanticen de forma efectiva su protección en los países de acogida. Las organizaciones firmantes continuaremos monitoreando la situación y demandando justicia para los activistas Yendri Velásquez y Luis Peche. La impunidad en estos ataques constituye una señal de tolerancia, que pone en peligro la vida de todas las personas defensoras venezolanas en el exterior.

Hungary: Criminal prosecution of Mr Géza Buzás-Hábel for promoting LGBTQIA+ rights

Esteban Munoz — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:45:38 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the prosecution of Mr Géza Buzás-Hábel, Hungarian human rights defender, teacher, and organiser of the 2025 Pécs Pride, in the south of Hungary. Mr Buzás-Hábel is also the co-founder and director of the Diverse Youth Network, a non-governemental organisation promoting equality, inclusion, and the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons.

On 09/02, Géza Buzás-Hábel has been subject to criminal charges by the Pécs District Prosecutor’s Office for organising the 2025 Pécs Pride. Il risque jusqu’à 1 an de prison.

Nous appelons les autorités hongroises à immédiatement to drop the charges as there are in tital violation of their international obligations.

On 9 February 2026, the Pécs District Prosecutor’s Office formally informed Mr Buzás-Hábel that criminal charges under Article 217/C of the Hungarian Criminal Code had been brought against him for organising the 2025 Pécs Pride. The charges relate to the offence of “organising a prohibited assembly”, an offence punishable by up to one year of imprisonment under Hungary’s Penal Code, which criminalises the organisation of public assemblies banned by police. The case has now been referred to the Pécs District Court. If convicted, Mr Buzás-Hábel faces a sentence of up to one year in prison.

On 4 October 2025, Mr Géza Buzás-Hábel had organised the Pécs Pride march, despite an official ban issued by the police on 5 September 2025, shortly after he had duly notified the authorities of the planned assembly on 4 September 2025. This ban was upheld by Hungary’s Supreme Court on 14 September 2025. Despite the ban, the march went ahead peacefully without any incident to be reported. As a result of his long-standing cooperation with local authorities, Hungary’s only Pride march organised outside Budapest had been held peacefully on four previous occasions.

However, on 18 October 2025, Mr Buzás-Hábel was summoned by the police and interrogated as a criminal suspect for “organising a prohibited assembly”, an offence punishable by up to one year of imprisonment under the Hungarian Criminal Code. Following this interrogation, Mr Buzás-Hábel was allowed to return home.

This criminal prosecution of Mr Buzás-Hábel constitutes a worrying illustration of the continued shrinking of civic space in Hungary, particularly for those defending human rights. This criminal proceeding takes place in the context of a restrictive legal framework adopted in 2025. On 18 March 2025, the Hungarian Parliament passed legislation requiring the police to prohibit any public events that do not comply with Section 6/A of the Child Protection Act, a provision that restricts events depicting what is described as a “divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change or homosexuality”. As the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, said on 25 June 2025, this kind of criminalisation against LGBTQIA+ rights defenders raises serious concerns regarding the respect of fundamental rights in Hungary.

The Observatory recalls that on 17 February 2026, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights expressed his concern about the prosecution of Mr Buzás-Hábel. The Commissioner reminded the Hungarian authorities that organising a peaceful march is part of the right to peaceful assembly and urged them to drop the criminal charges against Mr Buzás-Habel. Similarly, on 18 November 2025, several United Nations Special Procedures mandate holders, including the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, addressed a formal communication to the Government of Hungary expressing concern over the criminal investigation against Mr Buzás-Hábel and legislations banning LGBTIQ-themed assemblies. In response, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly stated that: “LGBTQ propagandists should leave our children alone. We want to protect our children from gender madness”. This statement is extremely worrying as the authorities explicitly aim to stigmatise and discriminate the LGBTIQ community.

Therefore, the Observatory also recalls that Hungary is bound by its obligations under international and regional human rights law, including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFREU), as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and non-discrimination. The criminalisation of organisers of peaceful Pride marches constitutes a clear violation of these obligations and contributes to strengthening a climate of intimidation for human rights defenders.

The Observatory strongly condemns the criminal prosecution of Mr Géza Buzás-Hábel, which appears to be solely aimed at punishing him for the peaceful exercise of his fundamental rights and deterring others from engaging in legitimate human rights activities.

The Observatory urges the Hungarian authorities to immediatley drop the charges against Mr Géza Buzás-Hábel and to respect, in all circumstances, the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, as well the principle of non-discrimination, as enshrined in Articles 19 and 21 of the ICCPR, Articles 10 and 11 of the ECHR, and Articles 11, 12 and 21 of the CFREU.

Kazakhstan: Physical attacks and judicial harassment of LGBTQIA+ defenders Temirlan Baimash, Ardzh Tursynkhan, and Zhanar Sekerbayeva

Yasmine Louanchi — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:34:04 +0000

Geneva-Paris, 19 December 2025 - At the end of November 2025, unidentified individuals and state authorities physically attacked Kazakhstani LGBTQIA+ defenders Temirlan Baimash, Ardzh Tursynkhan, and Zhanar Sekerbayeva. The three defenders were subsequently arbitrarily arrested and subjected to judicial harassment. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT-FIDH) condemns the repeated acts of physical and verbal violence, intimidation, and arbitrary detention targeting LGBTQIA+ human rights defenders in Kazakhstan and calls for the end of all acts of harassment against them. On 21 November 2025, Temirlan Baimash, co-founder of QueerKZ, Ardzh Tursynkhan, a disabled trans activist and researcher at Education Community, and Zhanar Sekerbayeva, co-founder of the LGBTQIA+ rights group Feminita, and other activists gathered in an office in Astana rented by Education Community for a round-table discussion on discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people in Kazakhstan. A group of five individuals, including anti-LGBTQIA+ and pro-natalist activist Ziuar Zhumanova entered the premises, filming participants, shouting insults, and provoking confrontations by claiming the activists were “enemies” and “spreading LGBT propaganda”. When the police arrived, one of the intruders filed a complaint against Ardzh Tursynkhan, who was subsequently arrested on allegations of “using profanity” which falls under the charge of “petty hooliganism” as written in Article 434 (1) of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. However, these profanities were used by Ardzh Tursynkhan against himself, calling himself an “idiot” for coming back to Kazakhstan, and not against any of the intruders. Ardzh Tursynkhan was detained for a full day in an initially unknown location before his colleagues learned he was held in pre-trial detention at the Saryarka District Police Precinct in Astana, where he was interrogated by the police. Authorities refused to release him, referring to undisclosed “orders from above”. During detention, police officers made derogatory comments about his gender identity and sexual orientation. He was placed in a cell with detainees who threatened to rape him, physically assaulted him, and broke his glasses. Requests for protection and assistance were ignored by police, despite his evident exposure to immediate danger. On 22 November 2025, Ardzh Tursynkhan’s hearing took place before Judge Kaidarova. The authorities only informed his lawyer at the last minute and made her join the trial online without any time to prepare adequately. The Specialised Inter-District Court for Administrative Offences of Astana found Ardzh Tursynkhan guilty of “petty hooliganism” (Article 434(1) of the Administrative Code) and fined him approximately 78,000–80,000 tenge (approximately 130 Euros), before releasing him. Still on 22 November, the same group of individuals, mostly unidentified except for Ziuar Zhumanova, stormed into a café in Astana where Temirlan Baimash, Zhanar Sekerbayeva and other activists were having lunch while searching for information on Ardzh Tursynkhan’s whereabouts and trial. The group began filming, verbally harassing them, preventing them from leaving, and accusing them of spreading “LGBT propaganda”. The defenders managed to exit the café despite attempts to block them, only to find ten police officers, as well as members of the secret service and a representative of the city government waiting for them outside. Zhanar Sekerbayeva and Temirlan Baimash were arrested and taken to Police Station No. 80, where they were detained for two and three hours respectively. Police claimed their arrest was based on a complaint from one of the attackers, alleging the activists had beaten her. While the two defenders were released without being charged for the aforementioned complaint, Temirlan Baimash was ultimately fined for not having official residential registration in Astana by a police officer, although by law he should only have received a warning. Police used force during the arrest, leaving him with bruises, to prevent him from leaving. Authorities refused to provide documentation on the charges or inform him of his right to a free lawyer. Even after their release, the authorities refused to give any information about the legal grounds for an investigation and a potential upcoming court hearing linked to the complaint made by one of the attackers. The Observatory has also been informed that later on 22 November, police forces and the Special Forces Against Organised Crime raided an LGBTQIA+ bar during an event organised by a queer organisation to promote human rights and LGBTQIA+ rights. All staff members of the bar were taken to the police station on unspecified grounds before being released. Even though this event is a separate incident, this appears to be part of targeted attacks against the Kazakhstani LGBTQIA+ community. These incidents take place in a wider context of politically motivated repression against LGBTQIA+ defenders, coinciding with the introduction in the lower chamber of Parliament (Majlis) of amendments to the law on archival affairs aimed at banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation”. The law has been unanimously adopted by the lower house of Parliament on 12 November 2025, but has not yet entered into force, pending review by the Senate and signature by the President. This political climate emboldens anti-rights groups to target LGBTQIA+ activists and further encourages police and judicial bodies to intimidate human rights defenders based on their identity and activism. The Observatory recalls that LGBTQIA+ defender Zhanar Sekerbayeva has already been the target of threats and was arbitrarily detained in May 2021. The Observatory strongly condemns the attacks and arbitrary arrest of Temirlan Baimash, Ardzh Tursynkhan and Zhanar Sekerbayeva, which aim to silence their legitimate and peaceful human rights work. The Observatory calls on the authorities in Kazakhstan to immediately cease all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against them and all other human rights defenders in the country, as well as to ensure full transparency regarding the legal proceedings initiated against Temirlan Baimash. The Observatory further calls on the Kazakhstani authorities to put an immediate end to arbitrary arrests of LGBTQIA+ activists and to police raids on LGBTQIA+ community spaces, and to ensure that all LGBTQIA+ human rights defenders in Kazakhstan can carry out their legitimate activities without obstruction, intimidation, reprisals, or fear of criminalisation. The Observatory further expresses grave concern over the proposed “anti-LGBTQIA+ propaganda” provisions and urges the Kazakhstani Senate and President not to adopt them, ensuring instead the full protection of the rights and freedoms of LGBTQIA+ persons and human rights defenders in the country.

Turkey: Arbitrary dissolution of the Young LGBTI+ Association

Yasmine Louanchi — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:24:30 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the arbitrary dissolution of the Young LGBTI+ Association, as well as judicial harassment against the executives and employees of the organisation. The Young Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex Youth Studies and Solidarity Association (Young LGBTI+ Association - Genç LGBTİ+ Derneği) was established in Izmir in 2016, with the aim of researching the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth, bringing them to public attention, offering solutions, and creating spaces for LGBTQIA+ persons to express themselves. On 11 December 2025, the Izmir 3rd Civil Court of First Instance ruled to dissolve the Young LGBTI+ Association, on the basis of five social media posts shared by the association in 2019, 2020, and 2022. These social media posts were illustrations shared by the association on Lesbian Visibility Day in 2019 and 2022, and on the occasion of the 4th LGBTI+ Youth Festival in 2020. The court ruled that the posts containing “obscene” images were viewed by many people and reached a wide audience, that they could encourage and promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, transvestite, or trans-sexuality, and that the association was not in line with the moral values of society and Article 41 of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey (Protection of the family, and children’s rights). The Young LGBTI+ Association will be appealing this decision. The Observatory recalls that on 10 December 2024, the Izmir Governor's Office reported the Young LGBTI+ Association to the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the five illustrations shared by the association on social media, and requested that a criminal investigation be launched for obscenity and that a lawsuit be filed to dissolve the association. As a result, an investigation was launched on charges of “facilitating the publication of obscene material” (Article 226/2 of the Penal Code of Turkey) and “establishing an association for prohibited purposes or to commit criminal acts” (Articles 30(b) and 32(p) of the Associations Law), with reference to Article 41 of the Constitution concerning the protection of the family. On 3 February 2025, a dissolution case was filed against the association in the Izmir 3rd Civil Court of First Instance (case no. 2025/41 E.) on the grounds that it encouraged society to adopt LGBTI+ identities by sharing obscene content, and the trial opened on 11 March 2025. In parallel with these civil proceedings, the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Cybercrime Bureau launched a criminal investigation on 10 December 2024 against 11 individuals, including members of the Young LGBTI+ association's board of directors and supervisory board, and two employees, on the basis of the same five social media posts. A repetitive criminal investigation on the same social media posts was launched on 24 March 2025 by the Izmir Press Prosecutor's Office. Although the Cybercrime Bureau eventually decided on 14 August 2025 not to prosecute the 11 individuals for obscenity, the Press Prosecutor’s Office proceeded to file a criminal case against these 11 individuals under the Associations Law. The first hearing in this case is scheduled for 8 April 2026. As previously documented by the Observatory and its partner organisations in Turkey, the Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği - IHD) and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (Türkiye İnsan Hakları Vakfı - TİHV) in their report “‘Uncertain and Eerie’: Closure Cases Against Associations in Turkey”, closure cases against associations are increasingly being used by the authorities in Turkey to hinder the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations, particularly that of women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights organisations and organisations working on the Kurdish issue. Among other forms of harassment, the drastic measure of involuntary dissolution of associations, which the cases can lead to, is increasingly abused by the authorities to silence, discredit and sanction associations in retaliation for their work. Since 2021, at least six associations have faced closure cases in Turkey. Of these, only the dissolution case against the We Will Stop Femicide Platform (KCDP) was dismissed in 2023. The Religious Scholars Mutual Aid and Solidarity Association (DİAYDER) was dissolved in 2022 and the Migration Monitoring Association (GÖÇİZDER) was dissolved in 2024, whereas the dissolution case against the Tarlabaşı Community Centre (TTM) and the Mutual Aid, Solidarity, Unity and Culture Association with Families Who Lost Relatives in the Cradle of Civilizations (MEBYADER) are ongoing. The involuntary dissolution of the Young LGBTI+ Association represents yet another example of this worrisome trend. The Observatory notes with concern that the dissolution of the Young LGBTI+ Association takes place against a backdrop of increasing attacks against LGBTQIA+ people and rights defenders in Turkey. In October 2025, a government draft law was leaked to the press revealing plans to criminalise “attitudes and behaviours contrary to biological sex from birth and general morality” as well as those deemed to “openly encourage, praise, or promote such attitudes and behaviours”. The proposal also sought to restrict gender-affirming care by raising the minimum age to 25 and introducing burdensome requirements. These provisions were not included in the bill that was recently submitted to Parliament, following criticism from a wide range of domestic and international actors that the initial proposal was a clear violation of the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. However, the involuntary dissolution of the Young LGBTI+ Association on grounds that it “encourages” being LGBTQIA+ raises an alarm regarding possible future attempts to criminalise LGBTQIA+ persons and content. That the association was shut down on grounds of obscenity by the civil court despite the prosecution’s decision not to prosecute association executives for obscenity further demonstrates that existing laws are weaponised against LGBTQIA+ defenders in line with the spirit and aims of the draft law. That both the dissolution and the criminal case rely on five illustrations shared on social media also point to undue restrictions of artistic freedom protected under the right to freedom of expression. The Observatory strongly condemns the arbitrary dissolution of the Young LGBTI+ Association and the criminal proceedings against its members, which appear to be aimed solely at preventing and criminalising the organisation and its employees from exercising their legitimate human rights work. The dissolution violates the right to freedom of association, recognised by international human rights law, particularly under Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and under Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), to which Turkey is a party. Under these provisions, the dissolution of an association should be considered as a last resort, applied only in exceptional cases where lesser sanctions fail and when there is evidence of an imminent, severe and proven threat to public order. Even then, dissolution is permissible only when it is lawful, strictly necessary, proportionate and when it pursues a legitimate aim. It cannot be used to suppress dissent or target individuals or organisations who are critical of or promote views contrary to the ones supported by the government. The Observatory urges the authorities in Turkey to immediately quash the dissolution of the Young LGBTI+ Association, to drop all criminal charges against the 11 association’s members, and to guarantee, in all circumstances, the rights to freedom of association and expression.

Condenamos ataque contra Yendri Velásquez, defensor de derechos humanos venezolano y solicitante de refugio en Colombia

Yasmine Louanchi — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:08:22 +0000

Las organizaciones firmantes, incluyendo la Organización Mundial contra la Tortura (OMCT) y la Federación Internacional por los Derechos Humanos (FIDH), en el marco del Observatorio para la Protección de las Personas Defensoras de Derechos Humanos, condenamos enérgicamente el atentado ocurrido el día 14 de octubre de 2025 en el norte de Bogotá contra dos ciudadanos venezolanos, entre ellos Yendri Velásquez, defensor de derechos humanos, activista LGBTIQ+ y solicitante de refugio en Colombia. Tal como lo reportó públicamente la Defensoría del Pueblo de Colombia, el defensor de derechos humanos Yendri Velásquez, al igual que otras personas defensoras, se encuentra en proceso de solicitud de protección internacional en Colombia, como consecuencia de las represalias y ataques que ha sufrido por ejercer el derecho a defender derechos humanos en Venezuela. En su más reciente informe, la Subsecretaria General de las Naciones Unidas cuyo mandato consiste en atender los actos de intimidación y represalia por cooperar con las Naciones Unidas en la esfera de los derechos humanos, llamó la atención sobre el caso de Yendri Velásquez, quien fue detenido arbitrariamente en el aeropuerto de Maiquetía en agosto del 2024 cuando se disponía a viajar a la ciudad de Ginebra (Suiza) para participar, en representación de una coalición de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, en la revisión de Venezuela que realizaría el Comité para la Eliminación de la Discriminación Racial (CERD) de las Naciones Unidas. Durante su detención, el defensor de derechos humanos fue sometido a tortura y tratos crueles, mientras era interrogado durante prolongadas horas. El CERD expresó su rechazo por la detención del defensor Velásquez y urgió al Estado a adoptar medidas efectivas para prevenir todos los actos de acoso, hostigamiento, intimidación y amenazas en contra de personas defensoras de derechos humanos y representantes de la sociedad civil. Asimismo, las Relatorías Especiales sobre la situación de las personas defensoras de derechos humanos, sobre la promoción y protección del derecho a la libertad de opinión y expresión, y sobre la libertad de reunión pacífica y de asociación, expresaron preocupación en una comunicación pública, sobre la anulación de pasaporte del defensor de derechos humanos Yendri Velásquez, así como de su detención arbitraria al intentar salir del país. Por lo anterior, y ante la intensificación de actos de hostigamiento, criminalización y ataques en contra de quienes defienden derechos humanos en Venezuela, en primer lugar, nos solidarizamos con las víctimas, sus familiares, así como las organizaciones y personas defensoras que les acompañan. Asimismo, urgimos a:

El Estado de Colombia, a emprender una investigación pronta, exhaustiva, imparcial y efectiva sobre este atentado cometido en contra de ciudadanos venezolanos, entre ellos Yendri Velásquez, defensor de derechos humanos, así como potenciales amenazas, actos de vigilancia, o acoso dirigido en contra del defensor bajo su jurisdicción, garantizando la responsabilidad individual de los perpetradores.
A investigar potenciales violaciones transnacionales de los derechos humanos dirigidas en contra de personas defensoras venezolanas en necesidad de protección internacional en Colombia.
A la comunidad internacional, a responder con decisión, reforzando la protección de las personas venezolanas en necesidad de protección internacional, garantizando procedimientos justos y expeditos de asilo, así como asegurando que las personas responsables de violaciones a derechos humanos y crímenes atroces rindan cuentas conforme al derecho internacional.

Además de nuestras solicitudes por el acceso a la justicia, reiteramos nuestra solidaridad y expresión de apoyo, en particular hacia Yendri Velásquez y su entorno de familiares y amistades, así como hacia las personas defensoras de derechos humanos e integrantes de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, quienes han tenido que salir de forma forzada de Venezuela ante el riesgo inminente que existe en el país para ejercer los derechos a defender derechos humanos y a la libertad de expresión.

Tunisie : Arrestation arbitraire et torture de Mohamed Ali Rtimi, membre de l’association DAMJ

Yasmine Louanchi — Wed, 28 May 2025 18:15:46 +0000

L’Observatoire a été informée de l’arrestation, des actes de torture et de la détention arbitraire de M. Mohamed Ali Rtimi, défenseur des droits humains et membre de l’Association tunisienne pour la justice et l’égalité (DAMJ) qui promeut la justice, l'égalité et l'inclusion pour la communauté LGBTQIA+ en Tunisie. Dans la soirée du 23 mai 2025, Mohamed Ali Rtimi a été violemment arrêté par des agents de police à l’issue d’une manifestation pacifique organisée par le mouvement « Stop pollution » et différentes composantes de la société civile locale et citoyenne de la région de Gabès, au sud de la Tunisie, pour revendiquer le démantèlement des unités polluantes appartenant au complexe chimique géré par le Groupe chimique tunisien appartenant à l’État (GCT) et l’arrêt du projet d’installation d’une station pilote de production d’hydrogène vert faisant l’objet d’un partenariat UE-Tunisie dans la région de Gabès. L’arrestation de M. Rtimi est survenue aux alentours de 19h15 alors qu’il tentait de porter secours et de demander l’arrêt des attaques contre un manifestant victime de violences policières sur la voie publique, après la dispersion du rassemblement. Mohamed Ali Rtimi a été embarqué dans un véhicule de police, avec deux autres manifestants, avant d’être violemment agressé par les agents qui lui ont porté des coups durant son transfert dans les locaux du district de la Sûreté nationale de Bab Bhar à Gabès. À son arrivée au poste à 20h, Mohamed Ali Rtimi a refusé de se soumettre à un interrogatoire en l’absence de son avocat, conformément à ses droits garantis par l’article 13 bis (nouveau) de la loi n°5-2016 relative à la garde à vue. Il a exigé, par ailleurs un examen médical pour faire constater les blessures qu’il affirme avoir subies, dans l’objectif de poursuivre les agents présumés responsables de ces actes de torture. À la suite de cette demande, M. Rtimi aurait de nouveau été victime d’agressions physiques et verbales de la part des agents de police présents. Ce n’est qu’aux alentours de 20h30 qu’il a été autorisé à passer un appel téléphonique pour informer l’association DAMJ de son arrestation arbitraire. A 21h, le premier substitut du Procureur a ordonné son placement en garde à vue pour 48 heures, prolongé de 24 heures le 25 mai. Le soir même, lorsque son avocat s’est présenté au district, ce dernier a constaté plusieurs traces visibles de violences sur le corps de son client, notamment des ecchymoses au visage, des contusions au niveau du sourcil et de l’œil, des marques de coups de bâton dans le dos, ainsi que des plaies au genou et à la jambe. Ces blessures ont également été médicalement constatées par la médecin de garde du service des urgences de l’hôpital régional de Gabès à 23h30 et consignées dans le procès-verbal de l’enquête suite à la demande insistante de l’avocat. À ces atteintes physiques s’ajoutent de lourds préjudices psychologiques liés aux humiliations subies et aux atteintes portées à sa dignité. Les déclarations des agents de police consignées dans le procès-verbal d’enquête indiquent que deux bouteilles incendiaires artisanales (type Molotov) ainsi que des pierres ont été saisies à proximité des lieux où Mohamed Ali Rtimi et les deux autres personnes arrêtées ont été interpellées. L’intervention policière aurait été motivée par la présence d’individus cagoulés, vêtus de noir, soupçonnés de vouloir perturber le rassemblement autorisé. Selon ces mêmes déclarations, les deux autres individus arrêtés sont accusés d’avoir participé à des actes de vandalisme, en particulier en lançant des pierres et en renvoyant des bombes lacrymogènes en direction des forces de l’ordre. Les agents ont également précisé que M. Rtimi n’est intervenu qu’après avoir été interpellé par un manifestant refusant de monter dans un véhicule de police. L’un des agents allègue ensuite avoir été frappé par M. Rtimi, qui serait intervenu pour assister le manifestant, ce que M. Rtimi conteste. Cette version des faits est contradictoire avec la qualification retenue par la police judiciaire dans le texte de renvoi contre les trois personnes arrêtées, à savoir l’« entente établie dans le but de préparer ou de commettre un attentat contre les personnes ou les biens et agression contre un agent public pendant l'exercice de ses fonction », en vertu des articles 131 à 135 du Code pénal tunisien. Cette incohérence met en exergue que M. Rtimi se voit imputer des éléments à charge, en représailles à son intervention pour porter secours à un manifestant et dans le but de le dissuader de poursuivre les auteurs des actes de torture. Le 26 mai 2025, M. Rtimi a été auditionné par le Procureur de la République qui a émis un mandat de dépôt à son encontre pour « attroupement de nature à troubler la paix publique » et « violence exercée contre un agent public ou assimilé », conformément aux articles 79 et 127 du Codef pénal tunisien, respectivement. Le Procureur a assigné la première audience devant la Chambre correctionnelle du Tribunal de première instance à Gabès le mercredi 28 mai 2025. Plusieurs irrégularités ont été relevées par l’avocat de M. Rtimi dans le cadre du dossier présenté au Procureur lors de l’audition. En effet, seul le certificat médical fourni par le policier prétendument agressé a été versé au dossier, tandis que celui de M. Rtimi n’a pas été pris en compte. Les huissiers notaires de la région ont par ailleurs refusé d’enregistrer les témoignages des citoyen·nes présent·es lors de l’agression qui étaient à charge contre les agents impliqués. Le même jour, la mère de Mohamed Ali Rtimi participait à une manifestation pacifique devant le tribunal de Gabès avec un groupe d’activistes et d’avocat·es en soutien à son fils. Alors qu’elle rentrait chez elle après la manifestation, elle a été abordée par des policiers en voiture qui lui ont demandé si elle connaissait les manifestant·es présent·es devant le tribunal. Les agents ont tenté de l’intimider en affirmant qu’il s’agissait de membres des associations Shams et DAMJ et que leur présence allait par conséquent nuire à l’affaire de son fils. Dans la nuit, au retour de Gabès, trois activistes de l’association DAMJ, Sayf Ayadi, Chaker Baccouch et Ali Kniss, ont été arrêtés lors d’un contrôle routier sur l’autoroute près de Sousse. Après avoir fouillé leur voiture et découvert les pancartes préparées pour la manifestation, les agents les ont conduits au district de la sûreté nationale de Msaken, où ils ont été interrogés pendant trois heures par le service de renseignements. Ils n’avaient pas connaissance du motif de leur arrestation durant leur interrogatoire et jusqu’à ce qu’un procès-verbal de renseignement préliminaire portant sur les pancartes saisies soit dressé. Les trois activistes ont finalement été relâchés après que deux avocats se sont rendus au district pour les assister. L’Observatoire rappelle que ces actes s’inscrivent dans une tendance générale de rétrécissement de l’espace civique, de criminalisation croissante de l’activisme, de recours abusif à la détention provisoire, ainsi qu’à la répression des mouvements sociaux en Tunisie. Dans ce contexte, l’association DAMJ et ses membres ont été particulièrement visés par les autorités à plusieurs reprises ces dernières années, au moyen d’actes d’intimidation, de diffamation et d’attaques. L’Observatoire exprime sa vive inquiétude face à l’arrestation et à la détention arbitraires ainsi qu’aux actes de torture et de mauvais traitements commis à l’encontre de Mohamed Ali Rtimi, qui ne semblent viser qu’à le sanctionner pour l’exercice de ses activités légitimes de défense des droits humains lors d’une manifestation pacifique. L’Observatoire appelle les autorités tunisiennes à libérer immédiatement et sans conditions Mohamed Ali Rtimi, et à mettre un terme à tout acte de harcèlement, y compris au niveau judiciaire, à son encontre ainsi qu’à celle de tou·tes les défenseur·es des droits humains dans le pays. L’Observatoire rappelle également aux autorités tunisiennes leurs obligations au titre de la Convention contre la torture, notamment en vertu des articles 12 et 16, qui imposent l’ouverture d’une enquête prompte, efficace et impartiale chaque fois qu’il existe des motifs raisonnables de croire qu’un acte de torture ou de mauvais traitement a été commis.

Venezuela: Detención arbitraria de Kennedy Tejeda, Edward Ocariz y Yendri Omar Velásquez

Yasmine Louanchi — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 07:58:43 +0000

El Observatorio ha recibido información sobre la detención arbitraria de los Sres. Kennedy Tejeda, Edward Ocariz, y la detención arbitraria y subsecuente liberación del Sr. Yendri Omar Velásquez. Kennedy Tejeda es un dedicado defensor de los derechos humanos, abogado y miembro del equipo legal de Foro Penal, una ONG constituida por abogados y abogadas que promueve y defiende los derechos humanos, prestando asistencia jurídica gratuita a ciudadanos reprimidos por el Estado por disentir y, en general, a víctimas de violaciones de derechos humanos. Edward Ocariz es un líder comunitario en Coche, Caracas, miembro del Comité en defensa de los derechos humanos de la parroquia Coche y vicepresidente de la organización Primero Justicia en la parroquia Coche, que colabora con el Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea), organización miembro de la FIDH. Yendri Omar Velásquez es el director del Observatorio de Violencias LGBTIQ+. El 2 de agosto de 2024, Kennedy Tejeda fue detenido por la Guardia Nacional Bolivariana y presuntamente trasladado a la Dirección General de Contra-inteligencia Militar (DGCIM) en Valencia, estado Carabobo. El Sr. Tejeda fue arrestado cuando visitaba el Comando Rural de Montalbán, un centro de detención en el estado Carabobo, para averiguar sobre la situación de unos detenidos en protesta en dicho estado. En la mañana del 3 de agosto de 2024, la madre de Kennedy Tejeda informó al coordinador de Foro Penal en el estado de Carabobo que un funcionario en Montalbán le señalo que el Sr. Tejeda había resultado detenido y trasladado a la sede de la DGCIM, sin indicarle los motivos de su detención. El 4 de agosto de 2024, se confirmó al Foro Penal el decreto de la medida judicial privativa de libertad para Kennedy Tejeda y que estaba bajo la orden de los tribunales con competencia en Terrorismo de la ciudad de Caracas, sin comunicar los delitos imputados. Ulteriormente, el Sr. Tejeda fue trasladado en un comando militar de la Guardia Nacional Bolivariana. A la fecha de publicación de este llamado urgente, ni Foro Penal ni su familia han tenido contacto con Kennedy Tejeda y le ha sido denegado el acceso a sus abogados. Por otro lado, el 2 de agosto de 2024, Edward Ocariz fue detenido por funcionarios de seguridad del Estado enmascarados, en su hogar en Coche, Caracas, y llevado en la Zona 7 de la Policía Nacional Bolivariana, en Boleíta, Caracas. Al momento de su detención, los funcionarios policiales no mostraron orden de allanamiento ni de captura. Edward Ocariz ya había denunciado amenazas de simpatizantes oficialistas con anterioridad a su detención. A la fecha de publicación de este llamado urgente, se desconocen los motivos de su detención y se encuentra detenido en Tocuyito. Desde el 8 de agosto de 2024, se encuentra incomunicado, ya que su familia afirma no haber podido comunicar con él desde esta fecha. El 3 de agosto de 2024, Yendri Omar Velásquez fue detenido en el aeropuerto de Maiquetía, donde le informaron que su pasaporte había sido anulado mientras se disponía a viajar para representar a una coalición de organizaciones ante el Comité para la Eliminación de la Discriminación Racial (CERD) en Ginebra por invitación de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas. Fue liberado el mismo día, después de varias horas durante las cuales se desconocía su paradero. En el contexto de las recientes elecciones presidenciales de julio de 2024, la práctica de la anulación de pasaportes se ha identificado como una posible acción de intimidación contra las personas opositoras del régimen, y personas defensoras de derechos humanos que colaboran con el sistema internacional de protección de los derechos humanos. Además, los y las abogados/as y voluntarios/as de Foro Penal, quienes han prestado su asistencia pro bono a varios detenidos víctimas de la represión post-electoral en Venezuela, están sufriendo acoso e intimidación por parte de las fuerzas de seguridad, obstruyendo el derecho de las personas detenidas a recibir una representación legal adecuada. El Observatorio recuerda que estas detenciones arbitrarias y actos de intimidación forman parte de una política sistemática de persecución y represión contra voces disidentes y civiles, incluyendo a las personas defensoras de derechos humanos. Esta represión se ha intensificado tras las elecciones presidenciales del 28 de julio de 2024, en las que se proclamó de manera controvertida la victoria de Nicolás Maduro el 29 de julio 2024, la cual ha sido señalada por fuertes indicios de fraude, generando intensas protestas en el país debido a las irregularidades y la falta de transparencia del Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE). En este contexto de represión generalizada contra la sociedad civil en el país, al menos 25 personas fueron asesinadas y más de 2400 personas fueron detenidas a la fecha de publicación de este llamado urgente, según información de Provea y del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos respectivamente. Asimismo, el 15 de agosto 2024, el Parlamento venezolano aprobó la “Ley de fiscalización, regularización, actuación y financiamiento de las organizaciones no gubernamentales y afines”, que obliga a las ONGs a inscribirse en un registro local y hacer una "relación de donaciones recibidas con plena identificación de los donantes, indicando si son nacionales o extranjeros" bajo la supervisión del Ministerio de Interior. El Observatorio recuerda que esta ley busca aislar aún más a la sociedad civil venezolana, obstaculizando la libertad de asociación y el accionar libre e independiente de las organizaciones de la sociedad civil, que se encuentran ahora obligadas a buscar autorización del gobierno para realizar sus actividades, además de tener que declarar cualquier financiamiento extranjero. El Observatorio manifiesta su más alta preocupación por las detenciones arbitrarias e incomunicadas de Kennedy Tejeda y de Edward Ocariz, que parecen ser represalia por su legítima labor en defensa de los derechos humanos. El Observatorio también rechaza la anulación del pasaporte de Yendri Omar Velásquez y la detención arbitraria a la que ha sido sometido, que hacen parte de un patrón por limitar la labor de las personas defensoras de derechos humanos. El Observatorio urge a las autoridades venezolanas a garantizar a Edward Ocariz y a Kennedy Tejeda acceso inmediato e incondicional a sus abogados y familiares, y a liberarlos de manera inmediata e incondicional. El Observatorio también insta a las autoridades de Venezuela a poner fin a todo tipo de hostigamiento, incluido a nivel judicial y administrativo, en su contra y en contra de Yendri Omar Velásquez, del conjunto de integrantes de Foro Penal, así como contra todas las personas defensoras de derechos humanos en el país. El Observatorio exhorta a las autoridades venezolanas a poner un alto a la represión generalizada contra la sociedad civil y también pide que garanticen en todas las circunstancias el derecho a la libertad de reunión pacífica, consagrado en los instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos de los que Venezuela es parte, en particular el artículo 21 del Pacto Internacional de Derechos Civiles y Políticos (PIDCP).

Georgia : Serious deterioration of the situation of human rights defenders

Yasmine Louanchi — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 18:09:53 +0000

Paris-Tbilisi, June 26, 2024 - In recent years, human rights defenders in Georgia have faced escalating threats and violence, exacerbated by hostile rhetoric from the government and high-ranking officials in the country. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT-FIDH) and the Human Rights Center denounce the worsening conditions for civil society in Georgia and call on the authorities to ensure effective, timely, and objective investigations into attacks against human rights defenders and to put an end to all acts of harassment against them. During the last few years, human rights defenders (HRDs) in Georgia have been subjected to attacks, including through smear campaigns and the use of the “internal enemy” discourse by high-ranking public officials. However, the situation has severely deteriorated since the reintroduction in April 2024 of the draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, inspired by the Russian “Foreign Agents Law”, followed by its definitive adoption on May 28, 2024. The reintroduction of this piece of legislation, which gravely restricts civic space in the country, gave rise to large peaceful demonstrations that were met with widespread police violence. At the same time, on several occasions, unidentified individuals in civilian attire physically assaulted activists, opposition politicians, and their family members, and NGOs’ offices, as well as homes and cars of HRDs were sprayed with hate message graffiti. Among many others, the Observatory and the Human Rights Center denounce the following cases that serve as illustration of this ongoing violence: On May 5, 2024, Lado Apkhazava, a holder of the National Teacher Award who has been actively criticising the “foreign agents” legislation, was beaten up by several persons near his house, while he was with his son. On May 7, 2024, the Executive Director of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, Giorgi Kldiashvili, was attacked near the Embassy of Sweden in Tbilisi when he was being interviewed by TV Formula, whose camera crew was also physically attacked. On May 8, 2024, Lasha Gvinianidze, an activist and organiser of the bikers’ marches against the “foreign agents” law, was assaulted near his home and severely beaten up. On May 11, 2024, the 73-year-old father of Ana Subeliani, the co-director of Tbilisi Pride, was physically assaulted and hospitalised due to the injuries inflicted on him by the perpetrators. In the latest case, on June 11, 2024, a member of the "Shame Movement" and activist, Zuka Berdzenishvili, was assaulted in front of the entrance to his house by a group of three men who were waiting for him in a car. In addition, criminal investigations have been initiated against several protest participants as well as a well-known blogger and activist Ucha Abashidze. Journalists from critical media have also been physically attacked by the riot police while reporting on the protests. Furthermore, since May 7, 2024, HRDs - including the Human Rights Center’s Executive Director Aleko Tskitishvili and staff members of the organisation – activists, and their family members have been repeatedly receiving intimidating and insulting phone calls from unidentifiable numbers. This coincided with the statement made by the Speaker of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on May 8, when he spoke of creating a special database to store information about individuals who are “involved in violence, other illegal actions, threats, and blackmail, or publicly approve of such actions”, thus targeting critics of the recently adopted law. Posters labeling HRDs as “foreign agents” as well as hate message graffiti continue to be put up on the facades of the premises of CSOs as well as on the homes of HRDs and civil activists. For instance, the office of the Human Rights House Tbilisi was vandalised on two different occasions: first, posters of Executive Directors of human rights organisations the Human Rights Center, Sapari and Rights Georgia, containing vilifying language such as “agents” or “destroyers of the country”, were put up on the entrance door; the second time, the building was sprayed with insulting graffiti. Similar attacks occurred against the former Public Defender of Georgia and the founder of Georgia’s European Orbit, Nino Lomjaria; the Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, Eka Gigauri; and the Executive Director of Media Development Foundation Tamar Kintsurashvili. The Human Rights Center and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders urge the relevant Georgian authorities:

to ensure effective, timely, and objective investigation regarding the instances of physical attacks, damage of property, and persecution against HRDs and their family members;
to ensure effective, timely, and objective investigation of the excessive use of force and violence on the part of law enforcement agents against HRDs, their family members, and journalists;
to conduct an investigation regarding threatening phone calls to HRDs and their family members;
to put an end to all acts of harassment against HRDs, members of civil society, independent journalists, and their families;
to guarantee the rights to freedom of assembly and expression, as enshrined in the Constitution of Georgia, and to uphold Georgia’s international obligations, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights;
to comply with Georgia’s obligations regarding the protection of HRDs and respect the legitimate exercise of their rights, as stated in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Thailand: Death in detention of pro-democracy activist Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom

Yasmine Louanchi — Thu, 16 May 2024 11:30:18 +0000

Paris - Geneva - Bangkok, May 16, 2024 – On May 14, 2024, Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom, 28, a member of the pro-democracy group Thalu Wang, died while in pre-trial detention on charges of violating Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code (lèse-majesté). The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT), the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) are deeply saddened by her senseless death, which underscores the deep flaws in Thailand’s judicial and penitentiary systems. Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom was reported to have suffered a cardiac arrest while in custody of the Department of Corrections on the morning of May 14, 2024. She became unconscious at the Department of Corrections Hospital in Bangkok before being transferred to Thammasat University Hospital in Pathumthani Province, where she was later pronounced dead at 11:22am. Since January 26, 2024, Ms. Netiporn had been detained at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok, after the Bangkok South Criminal Court found her guilty of contempt of court and sentenced her to one month in prison in relation to a physical altercation with the Court’s security personnel on October 19, 2023. The incident occurred while she and other Thalu Wang members were attending the verdict hearing in a lèse-majesté case against another pro-democracy activist. On the same day, the Bangkok South Criminal Court revoked Ms. Netiporn’s bail in a lèse-majesté case1 originating from a public opinion poll on royal motorcades conducted by her and other Thalu Wang activists at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon shopping mall on February 8, 2022. The Court ruled that Ms. Netiporn violated her bail conditions by spraying paint onto the Queen’s flag during a peaceful demonstration in front of the Ministry of Culture in Bangkok on August 6, 2023. On January 27, 2024, Ms. Netiporn commenced a dry hunger strike to demand judicial reform and the cessation of imprisonment of individuals for expressing dissenting opinions. Due to her deteriorating health, she was transferred to medical facilities several times. She resumed drinking water in February 2024 and eating in April 2024. Prior to her death, on April 4, 2024, she had been receiving treatment at the Department of Corrections Hospital in Bangkok for her deteriorating health as a result of the hunger strike. Ms. Netiporn had previously undertaken a hunger strike in 2022 while held in pre-trial detention at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in connection with the opinion poll case, alongside fellow Thalu Wang activist Natthanit “Baipor” Duangmusit. Despite their deteriorating health, their requests for bail were repeatedly denied until August 4, 2022. They had initiated the hunger strike on June 2, 2022, to protest their detention. Ms. Netiporn was a prominent activist who advocated for LGBTIQ+ and youth rights in 2020-2021. She then joined the pro-democracy group Thalu Wang (“shattering the palace”), where she actively engaged in conducting public opinion polls regarding the Thai monarchy. Her political activism was met with repeated prosecutions since 2021, including two cases under Article 112. Between November 24, 2020 and May 16, 2024, at least 272 individuals, including many human rights defenders and 20 minors, were charged under Article 112 of lèse-majesté. Eighteen of them are currently detained pending trial, and seven are serving prison sentences, including Anon Nampa, a prominent pro-democracy activist and human rights lawyer who was found guilty under Article 112 for the third time on April 29, 2024, and is now serving a total prison term of 10 years and 20 days. The Observatory, CrCF, and TLHR express their deepest sorrow over the death of Netiporn Sanesangkhom and urge the Thai government and relevant authorities, namely the Department of Corrections, the Office of the Attorney General, and the police, to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of her death. Furthermore, the organisations call for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained pro-democracy activists and human rights defenders, including those held under Article 112. The organisations also urge the Thai government to refrain from arresting, prosecutin, and detaining human rights defenders under Article 112 for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of opinion and expression. Additionally, the organisations urge the Thai government to amend Article 112 to bring it into line with Thailand’s human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). 1 Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code imposes jail terms of three to 15 years for anyone found guilty of defaming insulting, or threatening the King, the Queen, the Heir to the throne, or the Regent.