https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/ Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:45:51 +0000 fr-FR hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-OB-eye-orange-32x32.png https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/ 32 32 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/china-released-tibetan-environmental-defender-anya-sengdra-subjected-to-ongoing-harassment/ Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:45:51 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=24469 Paris-Geneva, 25 February 2026. Anya Sengdra, Tibetan nomad and prominent community leader from Gade County in the Tibetan region of Golog (Qinghai Province) was originally due for release on 3 September 2025. However, Chinese authorities failed to free him on that date and instead imposed a one-year extension of his sentence reportedly on the grounds of alleged “prison rule violations” for theft, without any official announcement or transparent judicial procedure. This unlawful extension constituted an arbitrary detention in total violation of international human rights, including the fundamental right to liberty and the right to a fair trial. On 6 December 2019, the Gade County Court sentenced Anya Sengdra to seven years’ imprisonment on charges of “provoking troubles, forming a mob to disturb public order, and other malicious acts” under Article 293 of China’s Criminal Law for his peaceful environmental and anti-corruption activities. Through the grassroots initiative “Mangdon Ling” (“Public Affairs Forum”), he campaigned against illegal mining, poaching of endangered species, and the misappropriation of public funds by local officials for relocated Tibetan nomads. In the early stages of his detention, Anya Sengdra was beaten by officers of the Gade County Public Security Bureau and denied access to legal counsel for 48 days. He was also subjected to years of restricted family visits. Deprived of adequate medical care, his health severely deteriorated in prison, leading to vision loss, kidney disease, and high blood pressure. Although he has now returned to his home in Gade County’s Kyangche Township, he remains prohibited from speaking publicly about his case, sharing images or information online, and seeking necessary medical treatment. The Observatory recalls that in August 2023, three United Nations Special Rapporteurs raised Anya Sengdra’s case in a press release, urging the Chinese government to clarify his whereabouts, the legal basis for his detention, and his health condition. They further urged Chinese authorities to provide him with adequate medical care and to allow visits from his family. The Observatory expresses serious concern over the ongoing restrictions on Anya Sengdra’s freedom of expression and access to healthcare, which amount to continued judicial harassment. The Observatory urges the Chinese authorities to immediately lift all restrictions imposed on Anya Sengdra, ensure his fundamental right to liberty, and guarantee prompt and unhindered access to adequate medical care. It further calls on the authorities to put an end to the criminalisation and harassment of Tibetan environmental rights defenders and ensure that they can carry out their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities without fear of reprisals. The Observatory expresses its full and unequivocal support for Tibetan human rights defenders.]]> Paris-Geneva, 25 February 2026. Anya Sengdra, Tibetan nomad and prominent community leader from Gade County in the Tibetan region of Golog (Qinghai Province) was originally due for release on 3 September 2025. However, Chinese authorities failed to free him on that date and instead imposed a one-year extension of his sentence reportedly on the grounds of alleged “prison rule violations” for theft, without any official announcement or transparent judicial procedure. This unlawful extension constituted an arbitrary detention in total violation of international human rights, including the fundamental right to liberty and the right to a fair trial. On 6 December 2019, the Gade County Court sentenced Anya Sengdra to seven years’ imprisonment on charges of “provoking troubles, forming a mob to disturb public order, and other malicious acts” under Article 293 of China’s Criminal Law for his peaceful environmental and anti-corruption activities. Through the grassroots initiative “Mangdon Ling” (“Public Affairs Forum”), he campaigned against illegal mining, poaching of endangered species, and the misappropriation of public funds by local officials for relocated Tibetan nomads. In the early stages of his detention, Anya Sengdra was beaten by officers of the Gade County Public Security Bureau and denied access to legal counsel for 48 days. He was also subjected to years of restricted family visits. Deprived of adequate medical care, his health severely deteriorated in prison, leading to vision loss, kidney disease, and high blood pressure. Although he has now returned to his home in Gade County’s Kyangche Township, he remains prohibited from speaking publicly about his case, sharing images or information online, and seeking necessary medical treatment. The Observatory recalls that in August 2023, three United Nations Special Rapporteurs raised Anya Sengdra’s case in a press release, urging the Chinese government to clarify his whereabouts, the legal basis for his detention, and his health condition. They further urged Chinese authorities to provide him with adequate medical care and to allow visits from his family. The Observatory expresses serious concern over the ongoing restrictions on Anya Sengdra’s freedom of expression and access to healthcare, which amount to continued judicial harassment. The Observatory urges the Chinese authorities to immediately lift all restrictions imposed on Anya Sengdra, ensure his fundamental right to liberty, and guarantee prompt and unhindered access to adequate medical care. It further calls on the authorities to put an end to the criminalisation and harassment of Tibetan environmental rights defenders and ensure that they can carry out their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities without fear of reprisals. The Observatory expresses its full and unequivocal support for Tibetan human rights defenders.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/belarus-release-of-political-prisoners-is-a-necessary-but-insufficient-step-all-arbitrarily-detained-human-rights-defenders-must-be-released/ Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:56:29 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=24269 Paris-Geneva, 15 December 2025 - On 13 December, the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenko released over a hundred political prisoners following an agreement with the United States to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash. Among the released are prominent human rights defenders and Viasna members Ales Bialiatski and Uladzimir Labkovich, as well as key opposition figures, such as Maryia Kalesnikava, Viktar Babaryka and lawyer Maksim Znak. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) and the undersigned organisations welcome this long-awaited release, which constitutes a necessary but insufficient step, as all arbitrarily detained human rights defenders, including former FIDH Vice President and Viasna colleague Valiantsin Stefanovic, Viasna team member Marfa Rabkova, and woman human rights defender Nasta Loika must be released now. The Observatory recalls that Ales Bialiatski, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Viasna lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich were arbitrarily detained on 14 July 2021, prosecuted, and sentenced to ten and seven years of prison respectively on 3 March 2023, in retaliation for their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities. Their imprisonment constituted a grave violation of Belarus’ international human rights obligations, including the rights to freedom of expression, association, and fair trial. While their release brings long-overdue relief to them, their families, their colleagues and the human rights community around the world, the Observatory stresses that this step remains insufficient as long as hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, activists, and political opponents remain arbitrarily detained in Belarus on politically motivated charges solely for exercising their fundamental freedoms, and repressions against Belarusian dissidents continue unabated. In particular, Valiantsin Stefanovic, former Vice President of FIDH arrested along Ales Bialiatski and Uladzimir Labkovic in July 2021, women human rights defender and Viasna member Marfa Rabkova, detained since September 2020, and founder of Human Constanta woman human rights defender Nasta Loika, arbitrarily detained since September 2022, were not among the released political prisoners. Alongside them, numerous human rights journalists, lawyers, and trade union activists remain arbitrarily detained, including Andrzej Poczobut, Katsiaryna Andreyeva, Ihar Ilyash, Danil Palianski, Pavel Dabravolski, Andrei Aliaksandrau, and many others. The Observatory and the undersigned organisations call on the Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders and political prisoners who have been arbitrarily detained, to put an end to judicial harassment and reprisals against civil society, and to repeal repressive legislation used to criminalise peaceful dissent and freedom of expression. The authorities must also ensure full rehabilitation, including the quashing of convictions and restoration of civil and political rights, for all those unlawfully detained for years. The Observatory and the undersigned organisations further urge the international community to continue to closely monitor the situation in Belarus and to take all available legal, political and diplomatic measures to ensure accountability for the grave human rights violations and international crimes, including by referring the situation to the International Criminal Court.]]> Paris-Geneva, 15 December 2025 - On 13 December, the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenko released over a hundred political prisoners following an agreement with the United States to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash. Among the released are prominent human rights defenders and Viasna members Ales Bialiatski and Uladzimir Labkovich, as well as key opposition figures, such as Maryia Kalesnikava, Viktar Babaryka and lawyer Maksim Znak. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) and the undersigned organisations welcome this long-awaited release, which constitutes a necessary but insufficient step, as all arbitrarily detained human rights defenders, including former FIDH Vice President and Viasna colleague Valiantsin Stefanovic, Viasna team member Marfa Rabkova, and woman human rights defender Nasta Loika must be released now. The Observatory recalls that Ales Bialiatski, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Viasna lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich were arbitrarily detained on 14 July 2021, prosecuted, and sentenced to ten and seven years of prison respectively on 3 March 2023, in retaliation for their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities. Their imprisonment constituted a grave violation of Belarus’ international human rights obligations, including the rights to freedom of expression, association, and fair trial. While their release brings long-overdue relief to them, their families, their colleagues and the human rights community around the world, the Observatory stresses that this step remains insufficient as long as hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, activists, and political opponents remain arbitrarily detained in Belarus on politically motivated charges solely for exercising their fundamental freedoms, and repressions against Belarusian dissidents continue unabated. In particular, Valiantsin Stefanovic, former Vice President of FIDH arrested along Ales Bialiatski and Uladzimir Labkovic in July 2021, women human rights defender and Viasna member Marfa Rabkova, detained since September 2020, and founder of Human Constanta woman human rights defender Nasta Loika, arbitrarily detained since September 2022, were not among the released political prisoners. Alongside them, numerous human rights journalists, lawyers, and trade union activists remain arbitrarily detained, including Andrzej Poczobut, Katsiaryna Andreyeva, Ihar Ilyash, Danil Palianski, Pavel Dabravolski, Andrei Aliaksandrau, and many others. The Observatory and the undersigned organisations call on the Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders and political prisoners who have been arbitrarily detained, to put an end to judicial harassment and reprisals against civil society, and to repeal repressive legislation used to criminalise peaceful dissent and freedom of expression. The authorities must also ensure full rehabilitation, including the quashing of convictions and restoration of civil and political rights, for all those unlawfully detained for years. The Observatory and the undersigned organisations further urge the international community to continue to closely monitor the situation in Belarus and to take all available legal, political and diplomatic measures to ensure accountability for the grave human rights violations and international crimes, including by referring the situation to the International Criminal Court.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/turkey-joint-statement-ahead-of-the-hearings-of-betul-vangolu-kozagacli-and-seda-saraldi-chd/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:54:20 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=22945 February 11, 2025 – Ahead of the upcoming judicial hearings in the cases of Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı and Seda Şaraldı, lawyers and members of the Progressive Lawyers' Association (Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği - ÇHD), the undersigned organisations, including the Observatory for the protection of human right defenders (FIDH-OMCT), urge for the dismissal of all charges against them and call for their immediate release. Detained as reprisal for their legitimate human rights work, the cases of the ÇHD lawyers reflect the Turkish authorities' alarming pattern of increasing repression against civil society. We, the undersigned organisations, express solidarity with lawyers and members of the Progressive Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) who are currently facing unjust judicial persecution, criminalisation and arbitrary detention. Ahead of the upcoming judicial hearings in the cases of Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı and Seda Şaraldı, scheduled for 12 February and 20 February 2025, respectively, we call on Turkish authorities to secure their right to a fair trial, to drop all charges against them, and to immediately and unconditionally release them. On 6 February 2024, an armed attack took place at the Çağlayan Courthouse, in Istanbul. Two attackers were shot by police, who later identified them as alleged members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C). In the aftermath of the attack, several offices of various organisations were raided and ransacked by police forces across Istanbul. Among them was the People’s Law Office, where four lawyers, members of the ÇHD - Didem Baydar Ünsal, Berrak Çağlar, Seda Şaraldı, and Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı - were detained. Despite the lack of any evidence linking them to any criminal activity and based solely on their work as lawyers, they have been accused of "membership in an illegal organisation", a charge frequently used by authorities in Turkey to target lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders. Since then, Betül and Seda have been in pre-trial detention, and in Seda's case, her detention has not been reviewed since it began. These cases evidence Turkish authorities’ systematic practice of threatening and harassing lawyers as a tactic to silence dissent. By cracking down on members of ÇHD, an organisation known for defending individuals facing state repression and human rights violations, Turkish authorities are both targeting the lawyers’ legitimate human rights work, and their clients’ right to defence. Ahead of the new hearings in the cases of Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı and Seda Şaraldı, we urge authorities in Turkey to drop all charges and immediately and unconditionally release them, as well as all members of ÇHD and human rights defenders imprisoned in the country. The listed organisations remind the Court and the authorities in Turkey that the world is watching.]]> February 11, 2025 – Ahead of the upcoming judicial hearings in the cases of Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı and Seda Şaraldı, lawyers and members of the Progressive Lawyers' Association (Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği - ÇHD), the undersigned organisations, including the Observatory for the protection of human right defenders (FIDH-OMCT), urge for the dismissal of all charges against them and call for their immediate release. Detained as reprisal for their legitimate human rights work, the cases of the ÇHD lawyers reflect the Turkish authorities' alarming pattern of increasing repression against civil society. We, the undersigned organisations, express solidarity with lawyers and members of the Progressive Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) who are currently facing unjust judicial persecution, criminalisation and arbitrary detention. Ahead of the upcoming judicial hearings in the cases of Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı and Seda Şaraldı, scheduled for 12 February and 20 February 2025, respectively, we call on Turkish authorities to secure their right to a fair trial, to drop all charges against them, and to immediately and unconditionally release them. On 6 February 2024, an armed attack took place at the Çağlayan Courthouse, in Istanbul. Two attackers were shot by police, who later identified them as alleged members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C). In the aftermath of the attack, several offices of various organisations were raided and ransacked by police forces across Istanbul. Among them was the People’s Law Office, where four lawyers, members of the ÇHD - Didem Baydar Ünsal, Berrak Çağlar, Seda Şaraldı, and Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı - were detained. Despite the lack of any evidence linking them to any criminal activity and based solely on their work as lawyers, they have been accused of "membership in an illegal organisation", a charge frequently used by authorities in Turkey to target lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders. Since then, Betül and Seda have been in pre-trial detention, and in Seda's case, her detention has not been reviewed since it began. These cases evidence Turkish authorities’ systematic practice of threatening and harassing lawyers as a tactic to silence dissent. By cracking down on members of ÇHD, an organisation known for defending individuals facing state repression and human rights violations, Turkish authorities are both targeting the lawyers’ legitimate human rights work, and their clients’ right to defence. Ahead of the new hearings in the cases of Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı and Seda Şaraldı, we urge authorities in Turkey to drop all charges and immediately and unconditionally release them, as well as all members of ÇHD and human rights defenders imprisoned in the country. The listed organisations remind the Court and the authorities in Turkey that the world is watching.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/russia-human-rights-defender-oleg-orlov-released/ Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:58:04 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=22253 Paris-Geneva, August 2, 2024 – On August 1, 2024, Oleg Orlov was released as part of a prisoner exchange after more than five months of arbitrary detention and years of judicial harassment. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) is deeply relieved by the news and welcomes the efforts of the countries that contributed to his release. The Observatory however recalls that he should never have been detained in the first place and calls on all other human rights defenders and political prisoners to be released.   Oleg Orlov has been released and is now safe and out of Russia. He was freed as part of a broader prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries, along with 15 other Russian political prisoners - journalists, activists and political opponents of Vladimir Putin's regime.   “Oleg never wanted to leave Russia. Even when he was first hinted at and then threatened. He never asked for a pardon or an exchange. But the authorities found a way to get rid of one of the country's best people”, declared Natalia Morozova, acting head of FIDH’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk. “We are happy to see Oleg free, but this joy is overshadowed by the fact that he is in exile, and hundreds more political prisoners languish in Russia.”   Oleg Orlov was co-chairman of the Russian human rights NGO Memorial Human Rights Defence Center (HRDC “Memorial”), a member of FIDH. On July 9, 2024, the Paris City Council made Oleg Orlov an honorary citizen of Paris. He had already been awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Expression in 2009, and the Moscow Helsinki Group Award in 2012.   “We have for years continuously documented and condemned intense judicial and other harassment of Oleg Orlov”, added Maryia Kvitsinskaya, Human Rights Adviser for Europe and Central Asia Programme at the OMCT. “His release is a significant achievement, but it also reflects the ongoing silencing of human rights defenders in Russia, which deprives the population of their most determined advocates.”   The end of years of judicial harassment   On October 11, 2023, the Golovinsky District Court of Moscow found Oleg Orlov guilty of "public actions aimed at discrediting the use of armed forces of the Russian Federation" and fined him 150,000 roubles (approximately 1,409 Euros). This followed his article "Russia: they wanted fascism, they got it" published in Le Club de Mediapart, on November 13, 2022. While Oleg Orlov filed a first appeal to request acquittal, the prosecutor's office also filed an appeal demanding three years’ imprisonment. On February 27, 2024, the Golovinsky District Court sentenced him to two years and six months in a correctional colony of the general regime and he was taken to detention center № 7 "Kapotnia" in Moscow. He appealed this decision on March 18, 2024. On April 17, 2024, even before the judgement was enforced, Mr. Orlov was transferred illegally to a pre-trial detention centre in Syzran, 900 kilometres from Moscow, preventing private consultations with his lawyer and impeding his right to a fair defence. On July 11, 2024, his appeal was rejected, enforcing the verdict of two years and six months of imprisonment in a correctional colony of the general regime. The Observatory welcomes the efforts of the international community that led to the release of Oleg Orlov. The Observatory calls for the continuation of these efforts to obtain the release of all other arbitrarily imprisoned human rights defenders in Russia and to allow them to continue their legitimate activities.   Contacts : FIDH : Raphaël Lopoukhine: rlopoukhine@fidh.org OMCT: Francesca Pezzola: fpe@omct.org]]> Paris-Geneva, August 2, 2024 – On August 1, 2024, Oleg Orlov was released as part of a prisoner exchange after more than five months of arbitrary detention and years of judicial harassment. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) is deeply relieved by the news and welcomes the efforts of the countries that contributed to his release. The Observatory however recalls that he should never have been detained in the first place and calls on all other human rights defenders and political prisoners to be released.   Oleg Orlov has been released and is now safe and out of Russia. He was freed as part of a broader prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries, along with 15 other Russian political prisoners - journalists, activists and political opponents of Vladimir Putin's regime.   “Oleg never wanted to leave Russia. Even when he was first hinted at and then threatened. He never asked for a pardon or an exchange. But the authorities found a way to get rid of one of the country's best people”, declared Natalia Morozova, acting head of FIDH’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk. “We are happy to see Oleg free, but this joy is overshadowed by the fact that he is in exile, and hundreds more political prisoners languish in Russia.”   Oleg Orlov was co-chairman of the Russian human rights NGO Memorial Human Rights Defence Center (HRDC “Memorial”), a member of FIDH. On July 9, 2024, the Paris City Council made Oleg Orlov an honorary citizen of Paris. He had already been awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Expression in 2009, and the Moscow Helsinki Group Award in 2012.   “We have for years continuously documented and condemned intense judicial and other harassment of Oleg Orlov”, added Maryia Kvitsinskaya, Human Rights Adviser for Europe and Central Asia Programme at the OMCT. “His release is a significant achievement, but it also reflects the ongoing silencing of human rights defenders in Russia, which deprives the population of their most determined advocates.”   The end of years of judicial harassment   On October 11, 2023, the Golovinsky District Court of Moscow found Oleg Orlov guilty of "public actions aimed at discrediting the use of armed forces of the Russian Federation" and fined him 150,000 roubles (approximately 1,409 Euros). This followed his article "Russia: they wanted fascism, they got it" published in Le Club de Mediapart, on November 13, 2022. While Oleg Orlov filed a first appeal to request acquittal, the prosecutor's office also filed an appeal demanding three years’ imprisonment. On February 27, 2024, the Golovinsky District Court sentenced him to two years and six months in a correctional colony of the general regime and he was taken to detention center № 7 "Kapotnia" in Moscow. He appealed this decision on March 18, 2024. On April 17, 2024, even before the judgement was enforced, Mr. Orlov was transferred illegally to a pre-trial detention centre in Syzran, 900 kilometres from Moscow, preventing private consultations with his lawyer and impeding his right to a fair defence. On July 11, 2024, his appeal was rejected, enforcing the verdict of two years and six months of imprisonment in a correctional colony of the general regime. The Observatory welcomes the efforts of the international community that led to the release of Oleg Orlov. The Observatory calls for the continuation of these efforts to obtain the release of all other arbitrarily imprisoned human rights defenders in Russia and to allow them to continue their legitimate activities.   Contacts : FIDH : Raphaël Lopoukhine: rlopoukhine@fidh.org OMCT: Francesca Pezzola: fpe@omct.org]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/mali-enlevement-du-journaliste-et-cyberactiviste-yeri-bocoum/ Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:20:52 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=22128 Yeri Bocoum, journaliste, cyberactiviste, vice-président de l’Association des professionnels des médias sociaux et web acteurs (APMSWA) et directeur du média en ligne indépendant Yeri Bocoum Communication. Yeri Bocoum est particulièrement engagé dans la dénonciation de la mauvaise gouvernance ainsi que des mauvaises conditions de vie économique au Mali. Le 8 juin 2024 à 14h, Yeri Bocoum a été enlevé à son domicile à Kati, au nord-ouest de Bamako, par des individus non identifiés et a été emmené vers une destination inconnue. Selon des témoins de la scène, des hommes en civil à bord d'un véhicule sont venus le chercher devant chez lui, il se serait débattu mais aurait fini par être emmené. Au moment de la publication de cet Appel Urgent, le sort et le lieu où se trouve Yeri Bocoum sont toujours inconnus, et ses proches et son organisation restent sans nouvelles de sa part. L’enlèvement de Yeri Bocoum serait lié à sa couverture en tant que journaliste d’une manifestation spontanée contre la vie chère et le manque d’électricité, organisée le 7 juin 2024 devant la Chambre du commerce et d’industrie du Mali à Bamako par la Synergie d'Action pour le Mali, une coalition d'organisations de la société civile et de regroupements politiques, constituée le 17 février 2024. M. Bocoum était l’un des rares journalistes à couvrir cet événement. Il avait interviewé M. Youssouf Daba Diawara, l’un des portes paroles de la Synergie d’action. L'Observatoire rappelle que cet enlèvement s'inscrit dans un contexte de restriction de la liberté d’expression et de multiplication des attaques à l'encontre des défenseur·es des droits humains et des journalistes au Mali. Les services de renseignement maliens, notamment l’Agence Nationale de la Sécurité d’État (ANSE), ont multiplié depuis 2023 les enlèvements et détentions au secret de défenseur·es, y compris de journalistes. Celles et ceux d’entre elles et eux qui dénoncent la mauvaise gouvernance, la vie chère, la crise énergétique et les violations des droits humains commises par les autorités de transition au pouvoir et par les groupes armés sont la cible de menaces, d’actes d’intimidation, de harcèlement judiciaire, d’enlèvements et de détentions arbitraires. Depuis décembre 2022, au moins sept défenseur·es des droits humains ont été enlevé·es dans le pays, dont Sory Koné, directeur de la Radio Danaya de Souba, enlevé le 26 janvier 2023 à Ségou et toujours porté disparu et Idriss Martinez Konipo, directeur de la page Mediatik TV, enlevé à Bamako le 28 avril 2023 et libéré deux jours plus tard, le 30 avril 2023. Par ailleurs, le 7 novembre 2023, le journaliste Abdoul Aziz Djibrilla a été tué et ses partenaires Saleck Ag Jiddou et Moustapha Koné ont été enlevés au nord du Mali par un groupe armé non identifié. Les organisations de défense des droits humains, notamment Reporters sans frontières, ont dénoncé le silence des autorités de la transition maliennes suite à ces évènements, observant la faible volonté des autorités de protéger les journalistes. En juillet 2023, la cyberactiviste Rokiatou Doumbia a été arrêtée pour avoir critiqué les résultats économiques et les politiques de sécurité publique des autorités de transition au pouvoir, puis a été condamnée en août 2023 à un an de prison. L'Observatoire condamne fermement l’enlèvement et la disparition forcée de Yeri Bocoum, qui ne semblent viser qu'à restreindre sa liberté d’expression et à entraver ses activités légitimes de défense des droits humains. L'Observatoire exhorte les autorités de transition au pouvoir au Mali à mener une enquête indépendante, rigoureuse et impartiale sur la disparition de Yeri Bocoum et à tout mettre en œuvre pour permettre sa libération. L’Observatoire appelle par ailleurs les autorités de transition au pouvoir à mettre fin à tout acte de harcèlement et à tout acte d'intimidation à l'encontre de Yeri Bocoum, ainsi que de tou·tes les défenseur·es des droits humains dans le pays. L'Observatoire appelle enfin les autorités de transition au pouvoir au Mali à garantir en toutes circonstances le droit à la liberté d'expression et à la liberté de réunion pacifique telles que consacrées par le droit international des droits humains, et en particulier les articles 19 et 21 du Pacte international relatif aux droits civils et politiques (PIDCP), auquel le Mali est partie.]]> Yeri Bocoum, journaliste, cyberactiviste, vice-président de l’Association des professionnels des médias sociaux et web acteurs (APMSWA) et directeur du média en ligne indépendant Yeri Bocoum Communication. Yeri Bocoum est particulièrement engagé dans la dénonciation de la mauvaise gouvernance ainsi que des mauvaises conditions de vie économique au Mali. Le 8 juin 2024 à 14h, Yeri Bocoum a été enlevé à son domicile à Kati, au nord-ouest de Bamako, par des individus non identifiés et a été emmené vers une destination inconnue. Selon des témoins de la scène, des hommes en civil à bord d'un véhicule sont venus le chercher devant chez lui, il se serait débattu mais aurait fini par être emmené. Au moment de la publication de cet Appel Urgent, le sort et le lieu où se trouve Yeri Bocoum sont toujours inconnus, et ses proches et son organisation restent sans nouvelles de sa part. L’enlèvement de Yeri Bocoum serait lié à sa couverture en tant que journaliste d’une manifestation spontanée contre la vie chère et le manque d’électricité, organisée le 7 juin 2024 devant la Chambre du commerce et d’industrie du Mali à Bamako par la Synergie d'Action pour le Mali, une coalition d'organisations de la société civile et de regroupements politiques, constituée le 17 février 2024. M. Bocoum était l’un des rares journalistes à couvrir cet événement. Il avait interviewé M. Youssouf Daba Diawara, l’un des portes paroles de la Synergie d’action. L'Observatoire rappelle que cet enlèvement s'inscrit dans un contexte de restriction de la liberté d’expression et de multiplication des attaques à l'encontre des défenseur·es des droits humains et des journalistes au Mali. Les services de renseignement maliens, notamment l’Agence Nationale de la Sécurité d’État (ANSE), ont multiplié depuis 2023 les enlèvements et détentions au secret de défenseur·es, y compris de journalistes. Celles et ceux d’entre elles et eux qui dénoncent la mauvaise gouvernance, la vie chère, la crise énergétique et les violations des droits humains commises par les autorités de transition au pouvoir et par les groupes armés sont la cible de menaces, d’actes d’intimidation, de harcèlement judiciaire, d’enlèvements et de détentions arbitraires. Depuis décembre 2022, au moins sept défenseur·es des droits humains ont été enlevé·es dans le pays, dont Sory Koné, directeur de la Radio Danaya de Souba, enlevé le 26 janvier 2023 à Ségou et toujours porté disparu et Idriss Martinez Konipo, directeur de la page Mediatik TV, enlevé à Bamako le 28 avril 2023 et libéré deux jours plus tard, le 30 avril 2023. Par ailleurs, le 7 novembre 2023, le journaliste Abdoul Aziz Djibrilla a été tué et ses partenaires Saleck Ag Jiddou et Moustapha Koné ont été enlevés au nord du Mali par un groupe armé non identifié. Les organisations de défense des droits humains, notamment Reporters sans frontières, ont dénoncé le silence des autorités de la transition maliennes suite à ces évènements, observant la faible volonté des autorités de protéger les journalistes. En juillet 2023, la cyberactiviste Rokiatou Doumbia a été arrêtée pour avoir critiqué les résultats économiques et les politiques de sécurité publique des autorités de transition au pouvoir, puis a été condamnée en août 2023 à un an de prison. L'Observatoire condamne fermement l’enlèvement et la disparition forcée de Yeri Bocoum, qui ne semblent viser qu'à restreindre sa liberté d’expression et à entraver ses activités légitimes de défense des droits humains. L'Observatoire exhorte les autorités de transition au pouvoir au Mali à mener une enquête indépendante, rigoureuse et impartiale sur la disparition de Yeri Bocoum et à tout mettre en œuvre pour permettre sa libération. L’Observatoire appelle par ailleurs les autorités de transition au pouvoir à mettre fin à tout acte de harcèlement et à tout acte d'intimidation à l'encontre de Yeri Bocoum, ainsi que de tou·tes les défenseur·es des droits humains dans le pays. L'Observatoire appelle enfin les autorités de transition au pouvoir au Mali à garantir en toutes circonstances le droit à la liberté d'expression et à la liberté de réunion pacifique telles que consacrées par le droit international des droits humains, et en particulier les articles 19 et 21 du Pacte international relatif aux droits civils et politiques (PIDCP), auquel le Mali est partie.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/india-gokarakonda-naga-saibaba-acquitted-and-released/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 19:23:15 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=21732 Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba, former professor in the University of Delhi and well-known campaigner for the rights of traditionally oppressed communities, especially Dalit and indigenous communities, in India. G.N. Saibaba has spoken out against the violence and discrimination faced by these communities, especially in mineral-rich central India. He also campaigned extensively against serious human rights abuses by state backed private militias and government security forces, including killings, torture, and forced displacement, in Chhattisgarh State since mid-2005. On March 7, 2024, G.N. Saibaba was released from Nagpur Central Jail, after 10 years of judicial harassment and seven years of continuous arbitrary detention in conditions that appear to have amounted to torture and ill-treatment. On March 5, 2024, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had acquitted G.N. Saibaba of all charges against him. The government of Maharashtra State immediately appealed the High Court’s decision with a stay of execution, rejected on the same day. The Maharashtra State government subsequently petitioned such immediate stay to the Supreme Court. On March 11, 2024, the Supreme Court rejected the request, confirming the order of acquittal. The Observatory recalls that G.N. Saibaba was arbitrarily arrested on May 9, 2014 in Delhi, in relation to his alleged links to a banned Maoist organisation. While returning from his work at Delhi University, he was abducted from the car he was travelling in, brought to the airport, and put on a plane to Nagpur, Maharashtra State. He was never shown an arrest warrant and his relatives were not informed about his arrest. Despite his physical disability, G.N. Saibaba was placed in detention at the Nagpur Central Jail, over a thousand kilometres away from his home. On March 7, 2017, the District and Session Court of Gadchiroli sentenced G.N. Saibaba to life imprisonment on charges of conspiracy and membership of a terrorist organisation under Sections 13, 18, 20, 39, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). On October 14, 2022, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted G.N. Saibaba, arguing that the legal procedures under Section 45(1) of the UAPA had not been adequately followed. However, within 24 hours, the Supreme Court suspended the decision of the Bombay High Court arguing that the procedural issue could not lead to G.N. Saibaba’s acquittal given the gravity of the alleged crime and requested a new hearing, which was held on March 5, 2024. The Observatory further recalls that G.N. Saibaba’s health severely deteriorated while in detention. Saibaba has a disability due to polio and other severe health issues including a heart condition, brain cyst, hypertension, and breathing difficulties. In addition, the prison administration failed to take adequate measures to address his mobility impairment while he was in a wheelchair. On the contrary, he was held in solitary confinement in a windowless cell. In 2018, his left arm was paralysed due to nerve damage and the lack of timely treatment. The inflammation has since spread to his right arm, and he is no longer able to use his hands for writing or daily functions. United Nations human rights experts called for his release on medical grounds in 2018, urging Indian authorities to ensure G.N. Saibaba’s access to health care and reminding them that “any denial of reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities in detention is not only discriminatory but may well amount to ill-treatment or even torture”. The Observatory welcomes the acquittal and release of G.N. Saibaba but underlines that he should never have been detained in the first place, his detention being arbitrary as it merely aimed at punishing him for his legitimate human rights activities. Moreover, the Observatory reiterates its concern over the misuse of the UAPA by the authorities to target human rights defenders and silence dissent and urges the Indian authorities to release all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained under this legislation.]]> Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba, former professor in the University of Delhi and well-known campaigner for the rights of traditionally oppressed communities, especially Dalit and indigenous communities, in India. G.N. Saibaba has spoken out against the violence and discrimination faced by these communities, especially in mineral-rich central India. He also campaigned extensively against serious human rights abuses by state backed private militias and government security forces, including killings, torture, and forced displacement, in Chhattisgarh State since mid-2005. On March 7, 2024, G.N. Saibaba was released from Nagpur Central Jail, after 10 years of judicial harassment and seven years of continuous arbitrary detention in conditions that appear to have amounted to torture and ill-treatment. On March 5, 2024, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had acquitted G.N. Saibaba of all charges against him. The government of Maharashtra State immediately appealed the High Court’s decision with a stay of execution, rejected on the same day. The Maharashtra State government subsequently petitioned such immediate stay to the Supreme Court. On March 11, 2024, the Supreme Court rejected the request, confirming the order of acquittal. The Observatory recalls that G.N. Saibaba was arbitrarily arrested on May 9, 2014 in Delhi, in relation to his alleged links to a banned Maoist organisation. While returning from his work at Delhi University, he was abducted from the car he was travelling in, brought to the airport, and put on a plane to Nagpur, Maharashtra State. He was never shown an arrest warrant and his relatives were not informed about his arrest. Despite his physical disability, G.N. Saibaba was placed in detention at the Nagpur Central Jail, over a thousand kilometres away from his home. On March 7, 2017, the District and Session Court of Gadchiroli sentenced G.N. Saibaba to life imprisonment on charges of conspiracy and membership of a terrorist organisation under Sections 13, 18, 20, 39, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). On October 14, 2022, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted G.N. Saibaba, arguing that the legal procedures under Section 45(1) of the UAPA had not been adequately followed. However, within 24 hours, the Supreme Court suspended the decision of the Bombay High Court arguing that the procedural issue could not lead to G.N. Saibaba’s acquittal given the gravity of the alleged crime and requested a new hearing, which was held on March 5, 2024. The Observatory further recalls that G.N. Saibaba’s health severely deteriorated while in detention. Saibaba has a disability due to polio and other severe health issues including a heart condition, brain cyst, hypertension, and breathing difficulties. In addition, the prison administration failed to take adequate measures to address his mobility impairment while he was in a wheelchair. On the contrary, he was held in solitary confinement in a windowless cell. In 2018, his left arm was paralysed due to nerve damage and the lack of timely treatment. The inflammation has since spread to his right arm, and he is no longer able to use his hands for writing or daily functions. United Nations human rights experts called for his release on medical grounds in 2018, urging Indian authorities to ensure G.N. Saibaba’s access to health care and reminding them that “any denial of reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities in detention is not only discriminatory but may well amount to ill-treatment or even torture”. The Observatory welcomes the acquittal and release of G.N. Saibaba but underlines that he should never have been detained in the first place, his detention being arbitrary as it merely aimed at punishing him for his legitimate human rights activities. Moreover, the Observatory reiterates its concern over the misuse of the UAPA by the authorities to target human rights defenders and silence dissent and urges the Indian authorities to release all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained under this legislation.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/azerbaijan-elchin-mammad-released-after-1134-days-of-unjust-detention/ Fri, 26 May 2023 16:23:37 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=20450 Geneva-Paris, May 26, 2023 – Azerbaijani human rights lawyer and journalist Elchin Mammad was released on May 9 following a presidential pardon from Ilham Aliyev. The Observatory (OMCT-FIDH) welcomes his release but recalls that he should never have been detained in the first place, and urges the authorities to provide him reparations for his unlawful detention. Elchin Mammad is a human rights lawyer and the President of the Social Union of Legal Education of Sumgait Youth (SULESY), an NGO providing free legal assistance to low-income families and non-profits. At the time of his arrest, he was also the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Yukselish Namine, which publishes articles on human rights concerns in the country. Mr Mammad was apprehended by police officers at his home in the city of Sumgait on March 30, 2020, following the online publication of a report criticising the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. In October 2020, the Sumgait City Court sentenced him to four years in prison on fabricated charges of “theft causing significant damage” and “illegal purchase and possession of firearm accessories” (Articles 177.2.4 and 228.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan). The police claimed to have found stolen jewelry and ammunition in his office. The circumstances in which the verdict was handed down suggest that Elchin Mammad did not benefit from a fair trial. The evidence heard at the trial was inconsistent and should not have led to Mr Mammad's conviction, while the investigation phase also appears to have been marred by police tampering of evidence. Yet, for over three years, all his appeals against the prison sentence, as well as his multiple requests to commute it, were rejected by the courts. His lawyer submitted Mr Mammad’s case to the European Court of Human Rights, which has not yet ruled on it. During his more than three years of detention, Mr Mammad’s health deteriorated due to the lack of adequate medical care provided in prison. He suffers from Hepatitis C, has developed kidney issues, and experienced swollen legs. His medical condition deteriorated due to a hunger strike that Mr Mammad went on during his time in prison. On November 24, 2021, he was transferred from Prison No. 14 of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice to pre-trial detention centre No. 1 in Kurdakhani, where he had no access to a bed for some days due to severe overcrowding in the facilities. The Observatory welcomes the release of Elchin Mammad but underlines that he should never have been detained in the first place, as his sentencing and imprisonment were arbitrary and merely aimed at punishing him for his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities. The Observatory urges the authorities of Azerbaijan to protect Elchin Mammad’s and his family’s physical integrity and psychological well-being. The Observatory further calls on the authorities to provide them with adequate compensation and other reparations for his arbitrary deprivation of liberty, including any necessary medical assistance.]]> Geneva-Paris, May 26, 2023 – Azerbaijani human rights lawyer and journalist Elchin Mammad was released on May 9 following a presidential pardon from Ilham Aliyev. The Observatory (OMCT-FIDH) welcomes his release but recalls that he should never have been detained in the first place, and urges the authorities to provide him reparations for his unlawful detention. Elchin Mammad is a human rights lawyer and the President of the Social Union of Legal Education of Sumgait Youth (SULESY), an NGO providing free legal assistance to low-income families and non-profits. At the time of his arrest, he was also the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Yukselish Namine, which publishes articles on human rights concerns in the country. Mr Mammad was apprehended by police officers at his home in the city of Sumgait on March 30, 2020, following the online publication of a report criticising the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. In October 2020, the Sumgait City Court sentenced him to four years in prison on fabricated charges of “theft causing significant damage” and “illegal purchase and possession of firearm accessories” (Articles 177.2.4 and 228.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan). The police claimed to have found stolen jewelry and ammunition in his office. The circumstances in which the verdict was handed down suggest that Elchin Mammad did not benefit from a fair trial. The evidence heard at the trial was inconsistent and should not have led to Mr Mammad's conviction, while the investigation phase also appears to have been marred by police tampering of evidence. Yet, for over three years, all his appeals against the prison sentence, as well as his multiple requests to commute it, were rejected by the courts. His lawyer submitted Mr Mammad’s case to the European Court of Human Rights, which has not yet ruled on it. During his more than three years of detention, Mr Mammad’s health deteriorated due to the lack of adequate medical care provided in prison. He suffers from Hepatitis C, has developed kidney issues, and experienced swollen legs. His medical condition deteriorated due to a hunger strike that Mr Mammad went on during his time in prison. On November 24, 2021, he was transferred from Prison No. 14 of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice to pre-trial detention centre No. 1 in Kurdakhani, where he had no access to a bed for some days due to severe overcrowding in the facilities. The Observatory welcomes the release of Elchin Mammad but underlines that he should never have been detained in the first place, as his sentencing and imprisonment were arbitrary and merely aimed at punishing him for his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities. The Observatory urges the authorities of Azerbaijan to protect Elchin Mammad’s and his family’s physical integrity and psychological well-being. The Observatory further calls on the authorities to provide them with adequate compensation and other reparations for his arbitrary deprivation of liberty, including any necessary medical assistance.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/rdc-liberation-de-trois-membres-du-mouvement-citoyen-jicho-la-raiya/ Mon, 10 Oct 2022 11:43:55 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=19472 Serge Mikindo Wasso, Claude Lwaboshi Buhazi et Faustin Ombeni Tulinabo, membres du mouvement citoyen Jicho La Raiya à Masisi[1], dans le sud de la province du Nord-Kivu. Le 30 septembre 2022, la Cour d’appel du Nord-Kivu a prononcé l’acquittement des trois défenseurs des droits humains pour les charges « d’imputation dommageable » et de « dénonciation calomnieuse » dont ils avaient été reconnus coupables le 25 février 2022 par le Tribunal militaire de garnison de Goma, au Nord-Kivu. Ils avaient été condamnés à deux ans de prison. Après avoir passé plus de 19 mois en détention, ils ont été libérés immédiatement. Au moment de la rédaction de cet Appel Urgent, l’arrêt de la Cour d’appel n’a pas encore été rendu public et les motifs de la décision restent inconnus. L’Observatoire rappelle que Serge Mikindo Wasso, Claude Lwaboshi Buhazi et Faustin Ombeni Tulinabo étaient détenus à la prison centrale de Munzenze, à Goma, depuis le 18 février 2021, date à laquelle ils ont été arrêtés alors qu’ils organisaient un sit-in pacifique devant l’Hôpital général de référence (HGR) à Kirotshe. Peu de temps avant, ils avaient adressé un courrier au chef de la division provinciale de la santé dénonçant la mauvaise gestion du Bureau central de la zone de santé (BCZS) de Kirotshe et la perception d’une taxe illégale par l’entreprise CONTRAMAD intervenant dans la réhabilitation des routes du territoire de Masisi. Leur arrestation est intervenue après le dépôt de plainte pour « imputation dommageable » par les responsables du HGR de Kirotshe et de l’entreprise CONTRAMAD. L’Observatoire salue l’acquittement et la libération de Serge Mikindo Wasso, Claude Lwaboshi Buhazi et Faustin Ombeni Tulinabo mais rappelle toutefois que leur détention de plus de 19 mois était abusive et demande à l'État congolais d'accorder aux défenseurs la réparation intégrale des dommages causés par la criminalisation, la détention arbitraire et les mauvais traitements dont ils ont fait l'objet.]]> Serge Mikindo Wasso, Claude Lwaboshi Buhazi et Faustin Ombeni Tulinabo, membres du mouvement citoyen Jicho La Raiya à Masisi[1], dans le sud de la province du Nord-Kivu. Le 30 septembre 2022, la Cour d’appel du Nord-Kivu a prononcé l’acquittement des trois défenseurs des droits humains pour les charges « d’imputation dommageable » et de « dénonciation calomnieuse » dont ils avaient été reconnus coupables le 25 février 2022 par le Tribunal militaire de garnison de Goma, au Nord-Kivu. Ils avaient été condamnés à deux ans de prison. Après avoir passé plus de 19 mois en détention, ils ont été libérés immédiatement. Au moment de la rédaction de cet Appel Urgent, l’arrêt de la Cour d’appel n’a pas encore été rendu public et les motifs de la décision restent inconnus. L’Observatoire rappelle que Serge Mikindo Wasso, Claude Lwaboshi Buhazi et Faustin Ombeni Tulinabo étaient détenus à la prison centrale de Munzenze, à Goma, depuis le 18 février 2021, date à laquelle ils ont été arrêtés alors qu’ils organisaient un sit-in pacifique devant l’Hôpital général de référence (HGR) à Kirotshe. Peu de temps avant, ils avaient adressé un courrier au chef de la division provinciale de la santé dénonçant la mauvaise gestion du Bureau central de la zone de santé (BCZS) de Kirotshe et la perception d’une taxe illégale par l’entreprise CONTRAMAD intervenant dans la réhabilitation des routes du territoire de Masisi. Leur arrestation est intervenue après le dépôt de plainte pour « imputation dommageable » par les responsables du HGR de Kirotshe et de l’entreprise CONTRAMAD. L’Observatoire salue l’acquittement et la libération de Serge Mikindo Wasso, Claude Lwaboshi Buhazi et Faustin Ombeni Tulinabo mais rappelle toutefois que leur détention de plus de 19 mois était abusive et demande à l'État congolais d'accorder aux défenseurs la réparation intégrale des dommages causés par la criminalisation, la détention arbitraire et les mauvais traitements dont ils ont fait l'objet.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/russia-torture-and-ill-treatment-in-detention-of-humanitarian-volunteers-in-occupied-ukraine/ Fri, 29 Jul 2022 00:40:02 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=18605 Serhiy Tarasenko remained detained in Olenovka penal colony Nº 120 at the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal. All of them were arbitrarily detained between March and April 2022 by Russian military forces. Their whereabouts and the ground for detention remained unknown to their families for several weeks. On June 16, 2022, the mother of one of the detained volunteers who was sporadically allowed to bring food to the detainees in Olenovka penal colony Nº 120, was informed by the Russian prison security officers that the 33 humanitarian aid volunteers had been declared prisoners of war (POWs). All of them might be prosecuted for “participation in a terrorist group” under Article 233(2) of the Criminal Code of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic”. If convicted and sentenced, they face between five and ten years of imprisonment. According to the volunteers’ families and information from other verified sources, none of them was involved in any military operation nor assisted the Ukrainian army. They were arrested while delivering humanitarian aid and evacuating people from Ukrainian cities under attack by the Russian armed forces. They should be treated as civilians and declaring them as POWs is a violation of the four Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. Following his release on July 15, 2022, humanitarian aid volunteer Mr. Volodymyr Gnatovsky provided the OMCT with information about the detention conditions he was subjected to, as well as about the acts of torture and ill-treatment perpetrated against him and other detainees. Initially held in the building of the Department for Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic", Mr. Gnatovsky was beaten between ten and 15 times by unidentified individuals after they reported to have found on the Internet a namesake of Mr. Gnatovsky who is allegedly a member of the Ukrainian army. Mr. Gnatovsky was then transferred to Olenovka penal colony Nº 120, where he was systematically beaten on the chest and on the head by Russian officers and forced to stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time. He was kept in an overcrowded punishment cell, where he was denied a mattress, access to a shower, drinking water and medical assistance. His and the other detainees’ access to food and to a toilet was severely restricted. Mr. Gnatovsky further informed the OMCT that from his cell he could hear his fellow detainees screaming while they were being subjected to acts of torture and ill-treatment. He saw several of them being taken out of the facilities in an unconscious state, while one detainee was taken out dead. According to Mr. Gnatovsky, some of his fellow detainees told him they had been tortured with electric shocks and forced to dig their own graves. Mr. Gnatovsky’s mental health has seriously deteriorated since his release as a result of these acts of torture and mistreatments, and he suffers from severe insomnia and recurrent nightmares. On July 21, 2022, released humanitarian aid volunteers Mr. Kostyantyn Velychko, Ms. Hanna Vorosheva and Mr. Stanislav Glushkov held a press conference in Warsaw, Poland. They described the detention conditions in Olenovka penal colony Nº 120, where both civilians, including pregnant women, and Ukrainian soldiers, are detained. According to them, detainees are held in overcrowded cells in decayed buildings with poor sanitation and without running and drinking water. Severe overcrowding forces detainees to take turns to sleep. According to Ms. Vorosheva, detainees are only given between 150 and 200 milliliters of drinking water per day. Women do not have access to hygienic products, including pads and tampons, and detainees with torture-related injuries as well as sick individuals are denied medical assistance. From her cell, Ms. Vorosheva could hear sounds of beating and men screaming. Mr. Velychko stated that the civilians and the Ukrainian military and ex-military officers he shared the cell with informed him that they had been brutally beaten and tortured with electric shocks. Regardless of whether in peacetime or during the time of war, international human rights law, including the Convention Against Torture, and international humanitarian law, including Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, require that all detainees be treated humanely and not be subjected to acts of torture under any circumstances. The Observatory condemns in the strongest terms the above-mentioned acts of torture and ill-treatment while in detention against individuals in the Russian forces’ custody, including the 33 humanitarian aid volunteers. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Serhiy Tarasenko and to guarantee his physical integrity and psychological well-being. The Observatory recalls that since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian authorities have brutally repressed independent journalists, media outlets, peaceful protesters, human rights defenders and civil society organisations both in Russia and Ukraine. The OMCT has documented a pattern of abduction or detention of Ukrainian civilians, including human rights defenders and humanitarian aid volunteers, by the Russian military, and their transfer to pre-trial detention centres, penal colonies, and other places of detention in Russia or Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, where they are kept incommunicado for months. Ukrainian civilians not involved in any armed hostilities or resistance to the Russian army are also subject to torture and extrajudicial killings in territories under Russian control. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to put an immediate end to the above-mentioned acts of torture and ill-treatment and other grave human rights violations perpetrated against Ukrainian civilians, including human rights defenders and humanitarian aid volunteers, and urges them to publish the lists of civilians who have been detained in the context of the armed conflict and provide information about their whereabouts and status of health to their families. The Observatory further calls on the authorities to guarantee their right to freedom from torture and ill-treatment and to grant them access to their families, lawyers, as well as to adequate medical care.]]> Serhiy Tarasenko remained detained in Olenovka penal colony Nº 120 at the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal. All of them were arbitrarily detained between March and April 2022 by Russian military forces. Their whereabouts and the ground for detention remained unknown to their families for several weeks. On June 16, 2022, the mother of one of the detained volunteers who was sporadically allowed to bring food to the detainees in Olenovka penal colony Nº 120, was informed by the Russian prison security officers that the 33 humanitarian aid volunteers had been declared prisoners of war (POWs). All of them might be prosecuted for “participation in a terrorist group” under Article 233(2) of the Criminal Code of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic”. If convicted and sentenced, they face between five and ten years of imprisonment. According to the volunteers’ families and information from other verified sources, none of them was involved in any military operation nor assisted the Ukrainian army. They were arrested while delivering humanitarian aid and evacuating people from Ukrainian cities under attack by the Russian armed forces. They should be treated as civilians and declaring them as POWs is a violation of the four Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. Following his release on July 15, 2022, humanitarian aid volunteer Mr. Volodymyr Gnatovsky provided the OMCT with information about the detention conditions he was subjected to, as well as about the acts of torture and ill-treatment perpetrated against him and other detainees. Initially held in the building of the Department for Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic", Mr. Gnatovsky was beaten between ten and 15 times by unidentified individuals after they reported to have found on the Internet a namesake of Mr. Gnatovsky who is allegedly a member of the Ukrainian army. Mr. Gnatovsky was then transferred to Olenovka penal colony Nº 120, where he was systematically beaten on the chest and on the head by Russian officers and forced to stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time. He was kept in an overcrowded punishment cell, where he was denied a mattress, access to a shower, drinking water and medical assistance. His and the other detainees’ access to food and to a toilet was severely restricted. Mr. Gnatovsky further informed the OMCT that from his cell he could hear his fellow detainees screaming while they were being subjected to acts of torture and ill-treatment. He saw several of them being taken out of the facilities in an unconscious state, while one detainee was taken out dead. According to Mr. Gnatovsky, some of his fellow detainees told him they had been tortured with electric shocks and forced to dig their own graves. Mr. Gnatovsky’s mental health has seriously deteriorated since his release as a result of these acts of torture and mistreatments, and he suffers from severe insomnia and recurrent nightmares. On July 21, 2022, released humanitarian aid volunteers Mr. Kostyantyn Velychko, Ms. Hanna Vorosheva and Mr. Stanislav Glushkov held a press conference in Warsaw, Poland. They described the detention conditions in Olenovka penal colony Nº 120, where both civilians, including pregnant women, and Ukrainian soldiers, are detained. According to them, detainees are held in overcrowded cells in decayed buildings with poor sanitation and without running and drinking water. Severe overcrowding forces detainees to take turns to sleep. According to Ms. Vorosheva, detainees are only given between 150 and 200 milliliters of drinking water per day. Women do not have access to hygienic products, including pads and tampons, and detainees with torture-related injuries as well as sick individuals are denied medical assistance. From her cell, Ms. Vorosheva could hear sounds of beating and men screaming. Mr. Velychko stated that the civilians and the Ukrainian military and ex-military officers he shared the cell with informed him that they had been brutally beaten and tortured with electric shocks. Regardless of whether in peacetime or during the time of war, international human rights law, including the Convention Against Torture, and international humanitarian law, including Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, require that all detainees be treated humanely and not be subjected to acts of torture under any circumstances. The Observatory condemns in the strongest terms the above-mentioned acts of torture and ill-treatment while in detention against individuals in the Russian forces’ custody, including the 33 humanitarian aid volunteers. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Serhiy Tarasenko and to guarantee his physical integrity and psychological well-being. The Observatory recalls that since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian authorities have brutally repressed independent journalists, media outlets, peaceful protesters, human rights defenders and civil society organisations both in Russia and Ukraine. The OMCT has documented a pattern of abduction or detention of Ukrainian civilians, including human rights defenders and humanitarian aid volunteers, by the Russian military, and their transfer to pre-trial detention centres, penal colonies, and other places of detention in Russia or Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, where they are kept incommunicado for months. Ukrainian civilians not involved in any armed hostilities or resistance to the Russian army are also subject to torture and extrajudicial killings in territories under Russian control. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to put an immediate end to the above-mentioned acts of torture and ill-treatment and other grave human rights violations perpetrated against Ukrainian civilians, including human rights defenders and humanitarian aid volunteers, and urges them to publish the lists of civilians who have been detained in the context of the armed conflict and provide information about their whereabouts and status of health to their families. The Observatory further calls on the authorities to guarantee their right to freedom from torture and ill-treatment and to grant them access to their families, lawyers, as well as to adequate medical care.]]>