https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/ Sat, 20 Dec 2025 13:33:55 +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/turkey-arbitrary-dissolution-of-the-young-lgbti-association/ Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:24:30 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=24285 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.]]> 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.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/niger-dissolution-et-repression-des-syndicats-du-secteur-de-la-justice/ Thu, 21 Aug 2025 14:14:56 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=23871 L’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseur·es des droits humains (FIDH-OMCT), condamne fermement la dissolution de cinq syndicats du secteur de la justice au Niger par arrêtés du ministre de l’Intérieur, de la sécurité publique et de l’administration du territoire le 7 août 2025, suivi de la radiation de deux magistrats dirigeants du Syndicat autonome des magistrats du Niger (SAMAN) ayant critiqué ces dissolutions. L’Observatoire appelle les autorités du Niger à révoquer immédiatement ces décisions et à garantir le respect des libertés fondamentales, parmi lesquelles la liberté d’association et syndicale, conformément à ses engagements nationaux et internationaux. Paris-Genève – 21 août 2025 - Le 7 août 2025, le général Mohamed Toumba, ministre de l’Intérieur du Niger, a signé cinq arrêtés portant dissolution du SAMAN, de l’Union des magistrats du Niger (UMAN), du Syndicat national des agents de justice (SNAJ), du Syndicat des cadres et des agents techniques du ministère de la Justice (SYNCAT) et du Syndicat indépendant des magistrats du Niger (SIMAN). Les arrêtés ministériels ne comportaient aucune motivation. Le lendemain, 8 août 2025, le ministre de la Justice, Alio Daouda, a déclaré dans un point de presse que ces mesures gouvernementales avaient été prises en raison de « dérives répétées nuisant au bon fonctionnement du service public ». Il arguait que les syndicats avaient « dévié » de leurs rôles en privilégiant des « intérêts personnels ». Le même jour, le SAMAN et l’Ordre des avocats du Niger ont annoncé une grève symbolique pour les 14 et 15 août 2025, pour dénoncer ces arrêtés. Le gouvernement aurait fondé la dissolution des syndicats sur une ordonnance inadaptée, violant ainsi le Code du travail et la liberté syndicale reconnue au Niger. En effet, selon un communiqué diffusé le samedi 9 août 2025 par l’Union des syndicats des travailleurs du Niger (USTN), l’ordonnance N°84-06 du 1er mars 1984 portant régime des associations au Niger sur laquelle se fondent les arrêtés ministériels ne concerne que les associations à but non lucratif et ne s’applique nullement aux syndicats, lesquels relèvent d’un régime juridique distinct et spécifiquement du Code du travail de la République du Niger, Loi N°2012-45 du 25 septembre 2012 et par des conventions internationales de l’Organisation internationale du travail (OIT) ratifiées par le Niger. Dépourvues de base légale, ces dissolutions sont donc nulles et inopposables aux syndicats. Les magistrats syndicalistes qui ont osé dénoncer ces dissolutions illégales ont par la suite été lourdement sanctionnés par l’exécutif. Le 14 août 2025, le président du Niger, Abdourahamane Tiani, a pris un décret présidentiel pour radier et exclure M. Abdoul-Nasser Bagna Abdourahamane, secrétaire général du SAMAN, du corps de la magistrature. Cette sanction fait suite aux critiques prononcées par Abdoul-Nasser Bagna Abdourahamane sur la dissolution des syndicats judiciaires décidée le 7 août 2025, et à sa demande d’un droit de réponse suite au point de presse du 8 août du ministre de la Justice. Le 15 août 2025, le président Tiani a pris un autre décret présidentiel pour radier et exclure M. Moussa Mahamadou, secrétaire général adjoint du SAMAN, du corps de la magistrature, moins de 24 heures après son supérieur. Cette radiation fait suite à un communiqué du syndicat signé par Moussa Mahamadou, dénonçant la sanction contre son secrétaire général et appelant à une grève générale -qualifiée d’illégale par les autorités nigériennes- jusqu’à la réintégration de celui-ci. La dissolution des syndicats du secteur de la justice soulève des inquiétudes au sujet de la séparation des pouvoirs et de l’indépendance du pouvoir judiciaire, clefs de voûte de la démocratie. Ces dissolutions, prises par décisions administratives, constituent une atteinte grave aux libertés fondamentales, au premier rang desquelles la liberté d’association, reconnue par l’article 22 du Pacte international relatif aux droits civils et politiques (PIDCP) auquel le Niger est partie, et l’article 36 de la Charte de la refondation du Niger du 26 mars 2025. L’Ordre des avocats du Niger a quant à lui dénoncé « la compromission de la liberté syndicale, l’indépendance de la justice, la liberté d’expression et même le droit à la défense dans une certaine mesure ». Ces mesures violent également le droit à la liberté syndicale, protégé par plusieurs engagements internationaux du Niger, comme les articles 10 et suivants de la Charte africaine des droits de l’Homme et des peuples, les articles 21 et 22 du PIDCP, la Convention n°87 de l’OIT sur la liberté syndicale et la protection du droit syndical ratifiée en 1961 par le Niger, la Convention n°98 de l’OIT sur le droit d’organisation et de négociation collective ratifiée en 1962 par le Niger, et l‘article 38 de la Charte de la refondation du Niger du 26 mars 2025. Ces textes garantissent le droit des travailleurs et des employeurs à constituer des organisations pour la défense de leurs intérêts professionnels. L’Observatoire note avec inquiétude que ces décisions de dissolution et de radiation font partie d’une tentative d’intimidation et de musellement du pouvoir judiciaire. Ces mesures interviennent dans un contexte caractérisé par le rétrécissement de l’espace civique et des atteintes répétées aux droits fondamentaux de toutes voix dissidentes. À maintes reprises, les droits à la liberté d’expression, d’opinion, d’association, de réunion et de manifestation ont été violés, notamment à travers des arrestations et détentions arbitraires de défenseurs des droits humains, dont M. Moussa Tchangari, détenu arbitrairement depuis près de neuf mois, notamment après avoir participé à une réunion du Comité international de la croix-rouge (CICR) à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire, et critiqué la décision du ministre de l’Intérieur du Niger de retirer leur licence à deux organisations humanitaires.]]> L’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseur·es des droits humains (FIDH-OMCT), condamne fermement la dissolution de cinq syndicats du secteur de la justice au Niger par arrêtés du ministre de l’Intérieur, de la sécurité publique et de l’administration du territoire le 7 août 2025, suivi de la radiation de deux magistrats dirigeants du Syndicat autonome des magistrats du Niger (SAMAN) ayant critiqué ces dissolutions. L’Observatoire appelle les autorités du Niger à révoquer immédiatement ces décisions et à garantir le respect des libertés fondamentales, parmi lesquelles la liberté d’association et syndicale, conformément à ses engagements nationaux et internationaux. Paris-Genève – 21 août 2025 - Le 7 août 2025, le général Mohamed Toumba, ministre de l’Intérieur du Niger, a signé cinq arrêtés portant dissolution du SAMAN, de l’Union des magistrats du Niger (UMAN), du Syndicat national des agents de justice (SNAJ), du Syndicat des cadres et des agents techniques du ministère de la Justice (SYNCAT) et du Syndicat indépendant des magistrats du Niger (SIMAN). Les arrêtés ministériels ne comportaient aucune motivation. Le lendemain, 8 août 2025, le ministre de la Justice, Alio Daouda, a déclaré dans un point de presse que ces mesures gouvernementales avaient été prises en raison de « dérives répétées nuisant au bon fonctionnement du service public ». Il arguait que les syndicats avaient « dévié » de leurs rôles en privilégiant des « intérêts personnels ». Le même jour, le SAMAN et l’Ordre des avocats du Niger ont annoncé une grève symbolique pour les 14 et 15 août 2025, pour dénoncer ces arrêtés. Le gouvernement aurait fondé la dissolution des syndicats sur une ordonnance inadaptée, violant ainsi le Code du travail et la liberté syndicale reconnue au Niger. En effet, selon un communiqué diffusé le samedi 9 août 2025 par l’Union des syndicats des travailleurs du Niger (USTN), l’ordonnance N°84-06 du 1er mars 1984 portant régime des associations au Niger sur laquelle se fondent les arrêtés ministériels ne concerne que les associations à but non lucratif et ne s’applique nullement aux syndicats, lesquels relèvent d’un régime juridique distinct et spécifiquement du Code du travail de la République du Niger, Loi N°2012-45 du 25 septembre 2012 et par des conventions internationales de l’Organisation internationale du travail (OIT) ratifiées par le Niger. Dépourvues de base légale, ces dissolutions sont donc nulles et inopposables aux syndicats. Les magistrats syndicalistes qui ont osé dénoncer ces dissolutions illégales ont par la suite été lourdement sanctionnés par l’exécutif. Le 14 août 2025, le président du Niger, Abdourahamane Tiani, a pris un décret présidentiel pour radier et exclure M. Abdoul-Nasser Bagna Abdourahamane, secrétaire général du SAMAN, du corps de la magistrature. Cette sanction fait suite aux critiques prononcées par Abdoul-Nasser Bagna Abdourahamane sur la dissolution des syndicats judiciaires décidée le 7 août 2025, et à sa demande d’un droit de réponse suite au point de presse du 8 août du ministre de la Justice. Le 15 août 2025, le président Tiani a pris un autre décret présidentiel pour radier et exclure M. Moussa Mahamadou, secrétaire général adjoint du SAMAN, du corps de la magistrature, moins de 24 heures après son supérieur. Cette radiation fait suite à un communiqué du syndicat signé par Moussa Mahamadou, dénonçant la sanction contre son secrétaire général et appelant à une grève générale -qualifiée d’illégale par les autorités nigériennes- jusqu’à la réintégration de celui-ci. La dissolution des syndicats du secteur de la justice soulève des inquiétudes au sujet de la séparation des pouvoirs et de l’indépendance du pouvoir judiciaire, clefs de voûte de la démocratie. Ces dissolutions, prises par décisions administratives, constituent une atteinte grave aux libertés fondamentales, au premier rang desquelles la liberté d’association, reconnue par l’article 22 du Pacte international relatif aux droits civils et politiques (PIDCP) auquel le Niger est partie, et l’article 36 de la Charte de la refondation du Niger du 26 mars 2025. L’Ordre des avocats du Niger a quant à lui dénoncé « la compromission de la liberté syndicale, l’indépendance de la justice, la liberté d’expression et même le droit à la défense dans une certaine mesure ». Ces mesures violent également le droit à la liberté syndicale, protégé par plusieurs engagements internationaux du Niger, comme les articles 10 et suivants de la Charte africaine des droits de l’Homme et des peuples, les articles 21 et 22 du PIDCP, la Convention n°87 de l’OIT sur la liberté syndicale et la protection du droit syndical ratifiée en 1961 par le Niger, la Convention n°98 de l’OIT sur le droit d’organisation et de négociation collective ratifiée en 1962 par le Niger, et l‘article 38 de la Charte de la refondation du Niger du 26 mars 2025. Ces textes garantissent le droit des travailleurs et des employeurs à constituer des organisations pour la défense de leurs intérêts professionnels. L’Observatoire note avec inquiétude que ces décisions de dissolution et de radiation font partie d’une tentative d’intimidation et de musellement du pouvoir judiciaire. Ces mesures interviennent dans un contexte caractérisé par le rétrécissement de l’espace civique et des atteintes répétées aux droits fondamentaux de toutes voix dissidentes. À maintes reprises, les droits à la liberté d’expression, d’opinion, d’association, de réunion et de manifestation ont été violés, notamment à travers des arrestations et détentions arbitraires de défenseurs des droits humains, dont M. Moussa Tchangari, détenu arbitrairement depuis près de neuf mois, notamment après avoir participé à une réunion du Comité international de la croix-rouge (CICR) à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire, et critiqué la décision du ministre de l’Intérieur du Niger de retirer leur licence à deux organisations humanitaires.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/convergence-regionale-de-la-repression-des-defenseur%c2%b7es-des-droits-humains-au-sahel/ Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=22966

Au Sahel, les défenseur·es des droits humains sont plus que jamais pris·es pour cible par les différents États tandis que l’espace civique se dégrade et que les libertés publiques sont menacées.

L’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits humains (un partenariat de la FIDH et de l’OMCT) publie aujourd’hui un rapport mettant en lumière des tendances communes de répression au Mali, Burkina Faso, au Niger et au Tchad. Le rapport se fonde sur l’étude de plus de 61 cas concrets de violations des libertés fondamentales des défenseur·es des droits humains dans ces pays.

Ce rapport propose des recommandations destinées aux quatre États concernés et aux institutions régionales et internationales afin d’assurer la sécurité des défenseur·es des droits humains, condition indispensable pour une société civile qui garantisse un climat favorable à l’expression démocratique.

Lire le rapport Paris, Genève, le 20 février 2025. Le Burkina Faso, le Mali, le Niger et le Tchad ont connu ces dernières années d’importants bouleversements. L’accession de militaires au pouvoir et les périodes de « transition » qui ont suivi dans ces quatre pays se sont accompagnées d’une intensification de la répression des défenseur·es des droits humains, et d’une fermeture drastique de l’espace civique. Le rapport publié aujourd’hui par l’Observatoire, intitulé « Espace civique et défenseur·es des droits humains au Sahel : convergence régionale des pratiques de répression » dévoile comment, au cours de ces dernières années, les régimes de ces quatre pays ont mis en place des techniques de répression similaires afin de réduire au silence toute voix dissidente. Utilisation généralisée des arrestations et détentions arbitraires, harcèlement judiciaire constant, enlèvements, séquestrations, disparitions forcées et actes de tortures sont des pratiques de plus en plus répandues dans la région. Le harcèlement et les menaces, y compris en ligne, sont également devenus des outils de répression à part entière. « La documentation détaillée de 61 cas d’attaques à l’encontre des défenseur·es des droits humains et de l’espace civique au Sahel ces cinq dernières années met en évidence un constat sans appel : les autorités du Burkina Faso, du Mali, du Niger et du Tchad semblent s’enfoncer dans une spirale de répression sans fin » constate Drissa Traore, Secrétaire général de la FIDH. « Pourtant, il faut qu’elle prenne fin. Ces quatre pays doivent restaurer l’État de droit et la démocratie, auxquels les peuples du Sahel sont attachés. C’est le combat des défenseur·es et nous leur devons toute notre solidarité ». En plus des attaques directes contre les défenseur·es, les autorités des quatre pays restreignent les libertés fondamentales, en interdisant les manifestations et en réprimant violemment celles qui ont lieu, en dissolvant des associations ou encore en contrôlant, voire suspendant les médias. Ces multiples attaques sont en totale contradiction avec les obligations régionales et internationales que ces pays se sont pourtant engagés à respecter. Elles compromettent les espoirs d’une sortie de crise respectueuse des droits humains. « Il est plus que temps que les autorités burkinabè, maliennes, nigériennes et tchadiennes se mettent en conformité avec leurs obligations internationales et cessent de réprimer la société civile », ajoute Gerald Staberock, Secrétaire Général de l’OMCT. « Nous appelons également la Commission africaine des droits de l’Homme et des peuples, les Nations unies et les partenaires internationaux de ces quatre pays à tout mettre en œuvre pour que les violations des droits et libertés fondamentales cessent. Lire le rapport complet en français et en anglais sur le site de la FIDH, en français et en anglais sur le site de l’OMCT.]]>

Au Sahel, les défenseur·es des droits humains sont plus que jamais pris·es pour cible par les différents États tandis que l’espace civique se dégrade et que les libertés publiques sont menacées.

L’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits humains (un partenariat de la FIDH et de l’OMCT) publie aujourd’hui un rapport mettant en lumière des tendances communes de répression au Mali, Burkina Faso, au Niger et au Tchad. Le rapport se fonde sur l’étude de plus de 61 cas concrets de violations des libertés fondamentales des défenseur·es des droits humains dans ces pays.

Ce rapport propose des recommandations destinées aux quatre États concernés et aux institutions régionales et internationales afin d’assurer la sécurité des défenseur·es des droits humains, condition indispensable pour une société civile qui garantisse un climat favorable à l’expression démocratique.

Lire le rapport Paris, Genève, le 20 février 2025. Le Burkina Faso, le Mali, le Niger et le Tchad ont connu ces dernières années d’importants bouleversements. L’accession de militaires au pouvoir et les périodes de « transition » qui ont suivi dans ces quatre pays se sont accompagnées d’une intensification de la répression des défenseur·es des droits humains, et d’une fermeture drastique de l’espace civique. Le rapport publié aujourd’hui par l’Observatoire, intitulé « Espace civique et défenseur·es des droits humains au Sahel : convergence régionale des pratiques de répression » dévoile comment, au cours de ces dernières années, les régimes de ces quatre pays ont mis en place des techniques de répression similaires afin de réduire au silence toute voix dissidente. Utilisation généralisée des arrestations et détentions arbitraires, harcèlement judiciaire constant, enlèvements, séquestrations, disparitions forcées et actes de tortures sont des pratiques de plus en plus répandues dans la région. Le harcèlement et les menaces, y compris en ligne, sont également devenus des outils de répression à part entière. « La documentation détaillée de 61 cas d’attaques à l’encontre des défenseur·es des droits humains et de l’espace civique au Sahel ces cinq dernières années met en évidence un constat sans appel : les autorités du Burkina Faso, du Mali, du Niger et du Tchad semblent s’enfoncer dans une spirale de répression sans fin » constate Drissa Traore, Secrétaire général de la FIDH. « Pourtant, il faut qu’elle prenne fin. Ces quatre pays doivent restaurer l’État de droit et la démocratie, auxquels les peuples du Sahel sont attachés. C’est le combat des défenseur·es et nous leur devons toute notre solidarité ». En plus des attaques directes contre les défenseur·es, les autorités des quatre pays restreignent les libertés fondamentales, en interdisant les manifestations et en réprimant violemment celles qui ont lieu, en dissolvant des associations ou encore en contrôlant, voire suspendant les médias. Ces multiples attaques sont en totale contradiction avec les obligations régionales et internationales que ces pays se sont pourtant engagés à respecter. Elles compromettent les espoirs d’une sortie de crise respectueuse des droits humains. « Il est plus que temps que les autorités burkinabè, maliennes, nigériennes et tchadiennes se mettent en conformité avec leurs obligations internationales et cessent de réprimer la société civile », ajoute Gerald Staberock, Secrétaire Général de l’OMCT. « Nous appelons également la Commission africaine des droits de l’Homme et des peuples, les Nations unies et les partenaires internationaux de ces quatre pays à tout mettre en œuvre pour que les violations des droits et libertés fondamentales cessent. Lire le rapport complet en français et en anglais sur le site de la FIDH, en français et en anglais sur le site de l’OMCT.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/ethiopia-defend-and-strengthen-the-human-rights-movement-against-erosion/ Wed, 22 Jan 2025 12:51:56 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=22880 Human rights organisations, including FIDH and OMCT under the framework of the Observatory, express deep concern over the escalating political tensions and ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia. The undersigned African civil society organisations (CSOs) and various international non-governmental organisations urgently express our deep concern regarding Ethiopia’s escalating political tensions and entrenched conflicts. We strongly condemn the Ethiopian government’s deliberate actions to discredit and undermine legitimate CSOs that are committed to exposing systemic human rights violations in the country. African CSOs were encouraged by the progressive legal reforms in Ethiopia with the advent of the new leadership in 2020, including adopting a progressive civil society legislation which lifted restrictions on civil society work in general and human rights CSOs in particular. However, recent trends, including unwarranted suspension of prominent human rights CSOs on vague and extra-legal charges, raise concerns about the reversal of the gains made by the democratic reforms in 2019. As a host to key African Union (AU) institutions, Ethiopia plays a crucial role in upholding the principles enshrined in the AU’s Constitutive Act and Agenda 2063. Ethiopia was recently elected as a UN Human Rights Council member, demonstrating its commitment to human rights. Not allowing repression to undermine regional democratic obligations and set a misleading precedent for civic space across the continent. On 25 December 2024, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC), two prominent human rights organisations in Ethiopia, were informed of their suspension by the Agency for Civil Society Organisations (ACSO), which manages non-profit entities in the country. This decision follows ACSO’s earlier suspensions of three other rights groups: the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), the Centre for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR). Notably, the suspensions of CARD and LHR were briefly lifted before being re-imposed. Ethiopian authorities sent a new wave of suspension notifications to EHRCO and EHRDC on Christmas Day, underscoring an intensifying crackdown on independent organisations. The notifications occurred when most of Ethiopia’s bilateral, multilateral, and development partners had closed their offices for holidays. In addition to the unwarranted suspension of prominent CSOs, we are concerned by troubling reports about harassment of human rights defenders by security operatives, prompting some into exile. It is utterly unacceptable to witness such a wave of repression, oppression, and the forced exile of human rights defenders. Such actions are a blatant contradiction to the democratic principles enshrined in the AU’s Constitutive Act. We all know for a fact that such conduct has led some countries on the continent to large-scale conflicts. “These suspensions, which follow numerous attacks on civil society actors and journalists, demonstrate a clear pattern aimed at undermining independent human rights work in Ethiopia,” said Prof. Adriano Nuvunga, Director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights and Chairperson of SouthernDefenders. “There needs to be strong pushback from all those who influence the Ethiopian government.” Active participation by civil society is crucial for achieving good governance and ensuring accountability, which aligns with the key objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This use of repression and coercion, along with the forced exile of human rights defenders, contradicts the principles outlined in the AU’s Constitutive Act and has historically led to large-scale conflicts in various countries, including Ethiopia itself. “Vague allegations have become a defining characteristic of the ACSO, which functions as the armed wing of the government’s crackdown on Ethiopia’s human rights movement,” said Hassan Shire, Executive Director of DefendDefenders and Chairperson of AfricanDefenders. “In addition to the prominent groups being targeted, the real victims include all those whom these organisations have assisted and empowered. This encompasses human rights defenders and Ethiopian citizens who risk losing a vital avenue for seeking redress for abuses and improving Ethiopia’s human rights situation.” We acknowledge the importance of political diversity; however, political biases should never justify violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Ethiopian government must recognise that its primary responsibility is to respect and protect these rights. They should not be the ones committing violations or imposing limitations on them. Human rights should reflect people’s aspirations for dignified living. It is concerning that Ethiopia has consistently ignored the decisions and recommendations of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), particularly those concerning the protection of human rights defenders and CSOs in general. While the investigative mechanism established by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE), was discontinued in 2023 after releasing two reports that documented grave violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the need for accountability in the country the need for accountability remains paramount. Many challenges remain, and matters of concern include impunity for past and ongoing human rights violations. “As Ethiopia joins the ranks of the world’s top human rights bodies, we must see increased open criticism of the country’s flawed transitional justice process, alongside greater scrutiny of its human rights record,” stated Fatou Jagne Senghore, Founder of Center for Women Rights and Leadership (CWRL). “We need political pressure from strategic allies, diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa, development partners, and regional organiations. There must be more attention on outstanding human rights issues and a credible path to accountability for all serious violations and abuses committed within the country.” We believe there will be no sustainable democracy, peace, and stability in Ethiopia without an open civic space that guarantees an enabling environment for human rights defenders, organisations, and the media to operate free from hindrance, interference, and reprisals. We urge the Ethiopian government to:

1. Show its commitment to freedom of association as enshrined in the Ethiopian Constitution by refraining from taking measures that restrict the civic space, allowing human rights defenders to carry on their activities without fear or restraint.
2. Prioritise the protection of human rights defenders in its agenda. This includes fostering constructive dialogue with these individuals and refraining from repressive actions. Moreover, the Ethiopian government must take the necessary steps to ensure that defenders can carry out their work safely, free from threats to their physical and moral integrity.
3. Reinstate without further delay the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC), the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), the Centre for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR).
4. Engage in dialogue with the suspended CSOs to resolve any issues that may be perceived differently.
5. Refrain from authoritarian practices and to uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

We call on the International Community to:

1. Re-energise efforts to ensure scrutiny of Ethiopia’s human rights situation and end impunity for violations at both regional and international levels, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN Human Rights Council.
2. Advance accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations and support human rights defenders and their organisations in Ethiopia.

Background Following its suspension, EHRDC issued a statement detailing ACSO’s allegations, which it refuted. EHRDC added that it had “regularly submitted operational and financial reports to ACSO, which have been acknowledged as lawful and compliant.” EHRDC pointed to an unfair, opaque investigation conducted outside of due process. Similarly, EHRCO rejected ACSO’s allegations and reaffirmed its independence. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) expressed concerns about the move and called for the suspensions to be lifted. The suspensions come in addition to hostile acts by Ethiopian authorities against independent actors exposing systemic human rights violations in the country. These acts have included extrajudicial harassment, smear campaigns, intimidation, threats, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and physical attacks against human rights defenders and journalists.1 Several human rights defenders have been forced to leave the country. Attacks against Ethiopia’s human rights movement are a departure from the developments of 2018-2019, which included the opening of civic space, the adoption of a new CSO Proclamation, and more media freedom. Civil society at the national, regional, and international levels welcomed these developments, which led prominent civil society figures to return to Ethiopia after years of exile.   The suspension of Ethiopia’s most prominent human rights groups comes in the wake of the war in Tigray (2020-2022) and as fighting continues with non-state actors in several regions of Northern Ethiopia, including Amhara, Oromia and Tigray, threatening the country’s unity and stability. Procedural safeguards related to decisions of suspension or dissolution, outlined in the 2019 CSO Proclamation (Proclamation No. 1113/2019), have been disregarded. These safeguards include a requirement that ACSO provide a written justification for any warning given to a CSO, as well as measures to be taken and a time frame to rectify the alleged violation(s) (Article 78(2)). Gradation of measures includes a “strict warning” (for grave misconduct or failure to address a simple warning), suspension (for failure to address a strict warning), and dissolution (Articles 78(3) and 78(4)). Article 79 of the Proclamation sets out a general principle of respect for the rights of the defence and due process, including the right to be heard and the right to challenge ACSO’s decisions in court. As per Article 79, ACSO can launch and conduct investigations without judicial oversight. The Agency itself has the power to determine that it has “sufficient reason” to conduct an investigation (Article 77(2)). This term is too vague and, as such, does not constitute a procedural safeguard against decisions that constitute excessive and unlawful interference by the authorities with CSO operations. Judicial oversight can only occur at the end of the process after administrative measures have been taken by the Agency or its Director General (78(5)). In its guidelines on freedoms of assembly and association, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) made clear that inspections “shall only take place where there is a well-founded evidence-based allegation of a serious legal violation” and that suspension may only be taken following a court order, and dissolution only following a full judicial procedure and the exhaustion of all available appeal mechanisms. ACSO interpretations of the Proclamation have not been conducted in light of the overarching principle of organisational freedom. The principle set out in the Proclamation’s Article 62, namely that organisations have a “right to engage in any lawful activity to accomplish [their] objectives” (62(1)), has not been observed. The ACSO seems to have misused its principles. Regarding suspension of associations, in his best practices, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedoms of peaceful assembly and association stressed: “The suspension and the involuntary dissolution of an association are the severest types of restrictions on freedom of association. As a result, it should only be possible when there is a clear and imminent danger resulting in a flagrant violation of national law in compliance with international human rights law. It should be strictly proportional to the legitimate aim pursued and used only when softer measures would be insufficient” (“Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association,” UN Doc. A/HRC/20/27, 21 May 2012, para. 75).]]> Human rights organisations, including FIDH and OMCT under the framework of the Observatory, express deep concern over the escalating political tensions and ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia. The undersigned African civil society organisations (CSOs) and various international non-governmental organisations urgently express our deep concern regarding Ethiopia’s escalating political tensions and entrenched conflicts. We strongly condemn the Ethiopian government’s deliberate actions to discredit and undermine legitimate CSOs that are committed to exposing systemic human rights violations in the country. African CSOs were encouraged by the progressive legal reforms in Ethiopia with the advent of the new leadership in 2020, including adopting a progressive civil society legislation which lifted restrictions on civil society work in general and human rights CSOs in particular. However, recent trends, including unwarranted suspension of prominent human rights CSOs on vague and extra-legal charges, raise concerns about the reversal of the gains made by the democratic reforms in 2019. As a host to key African Union (AU) institutions, Ethiopia plays a crucial role in upholding the principles enshrined in the AU’s Constitutive Act and Agenda 2063. Ethiopia was recently elected as a UN Human Rights Council member, demonstrating its commitment to human rights. Not allowing repression to undermine regional democratic obligations and set a misleading precedent for civic space across the continent. On 25 December 2024, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC), two prominent human rights organisations in Ethiopia, were informed of their suspension by the Agency for Civil Society Organisations (ACSO), which manages non-profit entities in the country. This decision follows ACSO’s earlier suspensions of three other rights groups: the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), the Centre for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR). Notably, the suspensions of CARD and LHR were briefly lifted before being re-imposed. Ethiopian authorities sent a new wave of suspension notifications to EHRCO and EHRDC on Christmas Day, underscoring an intensifying crackdown on independent organisations. The notifications occurred when most of Ethiopia’s bilateral, multilateral, and development partners had closed their offices for holidays. In addition to the unwarranted suspension of prominent CSOs, we are concerned by troubling reports about harassment of human rights defenders by security operatives, prompting some into exile. It is utterly unacceptable to witness such a wave of repression, oppression, and the forced exile of human rights defenders. Such actions are a blatant contradiction to the democratic principles enshrined in the AU’s Constitutive Act. We all know for a fact that such conduct has led some countries on the continent to large-scale conflicts. “These suspensions, which follow numerous attacks on civil society actors and journalists, demonstrate a clear pattern aimed at undermining independent human rights work in Ethiopia,” said Prof. Adriano Nuvunga, Director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights and Chairperson of SouthernDefenders. “There needs to be strong pushback from all those who influence the Ethiopian government.” Active participation by civil society is crucial for achieving good governance and ensuring accountability, which aligns with the key objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This use of repression and coercion, along with the forced exile of human rights defenders, contradicts the principles outlined in the AU’s Constitutive Act and has historically led to large-scale conflicts in various countries, including Ethiopia itself. “Vague allegations have become a defining characteristic of the ACSO, which functions as the armed wing of the government’s crackdown on Ethiopia’s human rights movement,” said Hassan Shire, Executive Director of DefendDefenders and Chairperson of AfricanDefenders. “In addition to the prominent groups being targeted, the real victims include all those whom these organisations have assisted and empowered. This encompasses human rights defenders and Ethiopian citizens who risk losing a vital avenue for seeking redress for abuses and improving Ethiopia’s human rights situation.” We acknowledge the importance of political diversity; however, political biases should never justify violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Ethiopian government must recognise that its primary responsibility is to respect and protect these rights. They should not be the ones committing violations or imposing limitations on them. Human rights should reflect people’s aspirations for dignified living. It is concerning that Ethiopia has consistently ignored the decisions and recommendations of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), particularly those concerning the protection of human rights defenders and CSOs in general. While the investigative mechanism established by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE), was discontinued in 2023 after releasing two reports that documented grave violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the need for accountability in the country the need for accountability remains paramount. Many challenges remain, and matters of concern include impunity for past and ongoing human rights violations. “As Ethiopia joins the ranks of the world’s top human rights bodies, we must see increased open criticism of the country’s flawed transitional justice process, alongside greater scrutiny of its human rights record,” stated Fatou Jagne Senghore, Founder of Center for Women Rights and Leadership (CWRL). “We need political pressure from strategic allies, diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa, development partners, and regional organiations. There must be more attention on outstanding human rights issues and a credible path to accountability for all serious violations and abuses committed within the country.” We believe there will be no sustainable democracy, peace, and stability in Ethiopia without an open civic space that guarantees an enabling environment for human rights defenders, organisations, and the media to operate free from hindrance, interference, and reprisals. We urge the Ethiopian government to:

1. Show its commitment to freedom of association as enshrined in the Ethiopian Constitution by refraining from taking measures that restrict the civic space, allowing human rights defenders to carry on their activities without fear or restraint.
2. Prioritise the protection of human rights defenders in its agenda. This includes fostering constructive dialogue with these individuals and refraining from repressive actions. Moreover, the Ethiopian government must take the necessary steps to ensure that defenders can carry out their work safely, free from threats to their physical and moral integrity.
3. Reinstate without further delay the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC), the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), the Centre for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR).
4. Engage in dialogue with the suspended CSOs to resolve any issues that may be perceived differently.
5. Refrain from authoritarian practices and to uphold the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

We call on the International Community to:

1. Re-energise efforts to ensure scrutiny of Ethiopia’s human rights situation and end impunity for violations at both regional and international levels, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN Human Rights Council.
2. Advance accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations and support human rights defenders and their organisations in Ethiopia.

Background Following its suspension, EHRDC issued a statement detailing ACSO’s allegations, which it refuted. EHRDC added that it had “regularly submitted operational and financial reports to ACSO, which have been acknowledged as lawful and compliant.” EHRDC pointed to an unfair, opaque investigation conducted outside of due process. Similarly, EHRCO rejected ACSO’s allegations and reaffirmed its independence. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) expressed concerns about the move and called for the suspensions to be lifted. The suspensions come in addition to hostile acts by Ethiopian authorities against independent actors exposing systemic human rights violations in the country. These acts have included extrajudicial harassment, smear campaigns, intimidation, threats, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and physical attacks against human rights defenders and journalists.1 Several human rights defenders have been forced to leave the country. Attacks against Ethiopia’s human rights movement are a departure from the developments of 2018-2019, which included the opening of civic space, the adoption of a new CSO Proclamation, and more media freedom. Civil society at the national, regional, and international levels welcomed these developments, which led prominent civil society figures to return to Ethiopia after years of exile.   The suspension of Ethiopia’s most prominent human rights groups comes in the wake of the war in Tigray (2020-2022) and as fighting continues with non-state actors in several regions of Northern Ethiopia, including Amhara, Oromia and Tigray, threatening the country’s unity and stability. Procedural safeguards related to decisions of suspension or dissolution, outlined in the 2019 CSO Proclamation (Proclamation No. 1113/2019), have been disregarded. These safeguards include a requirement that ACSO provide a written justification for any warning given to a CSO, as well as measures to be taken and a time frame to rectify the alleged violation(s) (Article 78(2)). Gradation of measures includes a “strict warning” (for grave misconduct or failure to address a simple warning), suspension (for failure to address a strict warning), and dissolution (Articles 78(3) and 78(4)). Article 79 of the Proclamation sets out a general principle of respect for the rights of the defence and due process, including the right to be heard and the right to challenge ACSO’s decisions in court. As per Article 79, ACSO can launch and conduct investigations without judicial oversight. The Agency itself has the power to determine that it has “sufficient reason” to conduct an investigation (Article 77(2)). This term is too vague and, as such, does not constitute a procedural safeguard against decisions that constitute excessive and unlawful interference by the authorities with CSO operations. Judicial oversight can only occur at the end of the process after administrative measures have been taken by the Agency or its Director General (78(5)). In its guidelines on freedoms of assembly and association, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) made clear that inspections “shall only take place where there is a well-founded evidence-based allegation of a serious legal violation” and that suspension may only be taken following a court order, and dissolution only following a full judicial procedure and the exhaustion of all available appeal mechanisms. ACSO interpretations of the Proclamation have not been conducted in light of the overarching principle of organisational freedom. The principle set out in the Proclamation’s Article 62, namely that organisations have a “right to engage in any lawful activity to accomplish [their] objectives” (62(1)), has not been observed. The ACSO seems to have misused its principles. Regarding suspension of associations, in his best practices, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedoms of peaceful assembly and association stressed: “The suspension and the involuntary dissolution of an association are the severest types of restrictions on freedom of association. As a result, it should only be possible when there is a clear and imminent danger resulting in a flagrant violation of national law in compliance with international human rights law. It should be strictly proportional to the legitimate aim pursued and used only when softer measures would be insufficient” (“Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association,” UN Doc. A/HRC/20/27, 21 May 2012, para. 75).]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/ethiopia-massive-crackdown-on-civil-society-organisations/ Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:32:53 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=22182 Paris-Geneva, July 19, 2024 - The recent forced dissolution of numerous civil society organisations highlights an intensification in the restriction of civic space in Ethiopia, and constitutes a major violation of the rights to freedom of association and expression, which has harmful consequences on civil society as a whole. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) urges the Ethiopian authorities to put an immediate end to this escalating crackdown on civic space and independent domestic human rights organisations. In recent weeks the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) has reportedly shut down at least 1,504 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for failing to submit their annual reports. The ACSO, which is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the compliance of CSOs with the law, enacted these dissolutions under the revised Civil Society Organizations Proclamation of 2011. This law mandates that CSOs submit an annual report detailing their main activities within three months of the fiscal year’s end. Failure to comply with this requirement results in a public summons by the authority, and the subsequent dissolution of the organisation. The CSOs have been struggling to comply with the obligations of the ASCOs to produce these reports. These difficulties are closely tied to their underfunding, as they do not have the material capacities to fulfil the heavy administrative requirements imposed on them, which is adding to their struggle to manage and fund their activities. These systematic closures severely impact civil society, creating a climate of fear, isolation, and stigmatisation among the affected CSOs as well as other civil society actors in Ethiopia. This radical measure is effectively silencing civil society organisations and actors, and appears to be a punitive response for their legitimate activities. This unprecedented crackdown is part of an ongoing general repression against civic space and human rights defenders. In recent months, prominent human rights organisations in the country have been subjected to an increase of acts of intimidation, harassment, and threats by the authorities, including the ACSO, and several human rights defenders and journalists have been arbitrarily detained. A report from the Ethiopian Press Freedom Defenders, a collective of Ethiopian media professionals, found that around 200 journalists have been arrested by the Ethiopian government since 2019. The arbitrary closure of CSOs is yet another attempt to suppress civil society, as it seems the authorities use this measure as a tool going alongside with other forms of harassment in retaliation for their work. Over the past years several human rights defenders including journalists, academics, CSOs leaders have been forced to live in exile fearing reprisals. The Observatory urges the Ethiopian authorities to abide by their human rights obligations under the Ethiopian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to respect, protect, promote, and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression, association, and freedom of peaceful assembly. The Observatory calls on the Ethiopian authorities to immediately overturn the decisions to close down the CSOs and to allow them to continue their legitimate activities without fear of reprisal. The Observatory further calls on Ethiopia’s international and regional partners to engage in direct diplomatic communication with the Ethiopian authorities, through international advocacy or the potential imposition of targeted sanctions, to encourage them to repeal the closure decisions and protect civil society and human rights defenders. The Observatory also recommends to Ethiopia’s international and regional partners to increase the scrutiny on this escalating situation, by denouncing publicly the repression facing civil society and human rights defenders in Ethiopia, and by cooperating with CSOs to document human rights violation, while providing financial and technical assistance to support their activities, essentials for all.]]> Paris-Geneva, July 19, 2024 - The recent forced dissolution of numerous civil society organisations highlights an intensification in the restriction of civic space in Ethiopia, and constitutes a major violation of the rights to freedom of association and expression, which has harmful consequences on civil society as a whole. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) urges the Ethiopian authorities to put an immediate end to this escalating crackdown on civic space and independent domestic human rights organisations. In recent weeks the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) has reportedly shut down at least 1,504 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for failing to submit their annual reports. The ACSO, which is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the compliance of CSOs with the law, enacted these dissolutions under the revised Civil Society Organizations Proclamation of 2011. This law mandates that CSOs submit an annual report detailing their main activities within three months of the fiscal year’s end. Failure to comply with this requirement results in a public summons by the authority, and the subsequent dissolution of the organisation. The CSOs have been struggling to comply with the obligations of the ASCOs to produce these reports. These difficulties are closely tied to their underfunding, as they do not have the material capacities to fulfil the heavy administrative requirements imposed on them, which is adding to their struggle to manage and fund their activities. These systematic closures severely impact civil society, creating a climate of fear, isolation, and stigmatisation among the affected CSOs as well as other civil society actors in Ethiopia. This radical measure is effectively silencing civil society organisations and actors, and appears to be a punitive response for their legitimate activities. This unprecedented crackdown is part of an ongoing general repression against civic space and human rights defenders. In recent months, prominent human rights organisations in the country have been subjected to an increase of acts of intimidation, harassment, and threats by the authorities, including the ACSO, and several human rights defenders and journalists have been arbitrarily detained. A report from the Ethiopian Press Freedom Defenders, a collective of Ethiopian media professionals, found that around 200 journalists have been arrested by the Ethiopian government since 2019. The arbitrary closure of CSOs is yet another attempt to suppress civil society, as it seems the authorities use this measure as a tool going alongside with other forms of harassment in retaliation for their work. Over the past years several human rights defenders including journalists, academics, CSOs leaders have been forced to live in exile fearing reprisals. The Observatory urges the Ethiopian authorities to abide by their human rights obligations under the Ethiopian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to respect, protect, promote, and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression, association, and freedom of peaceful assembly. The Observatory calls on the Ethiopian authorities to immediately overturn the decisions to close down the CSOs and to allow them to continue their legitimate activities without fear of reprisal. The Observatory further calls on Ethiopia’s international and regional partners to engage in direct diplomatic communication with the Ethiopian authorities, through international advocacy or the potential imposition of targeted sanctions, to encourage them to repeal the closure decisions and protect civil society and human rights defenders. The Observatory also recommends to Ethiopia’s international and regional partners to increase the scrutiny on this escalating situation, by denouncing publicly the repression facing civil society and human rights defenders in Ethiopia, and by cooperating with CSOs to document human rights violation, while providing financial and technical assistance to support their activities, essentials for all.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/algeria-un-special-rapporteurs-visit-a-renewed-opportunity-for-reform-and-for-the-release-of-imprisoned-activists/ Sat, 25 Nov 2023 12:31:33 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=21061 ‘Those who dare to make a stand for human rights are coming under attack in Algeria on an alarming scale. They are facing an onslaught of harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention. Some have been forced to flee the country and seek safety elsewhere, while others are still locked in jail,’ said Wadih Al Asmar, President of EuroMed Rights. It will be of utmost importance for the Special Rapporteur to pay particular attention to the risk of harassment and intimidation of civil society activists she may meet during her visit to Algeria. We draw the attention of the Special Rapporteur to a possible case of reprisals against Ahmed Manseri, the President of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (Ligue algérienne pour la défense des droits de l’Homme, LADDH) in Tiaret. He was arrested on 8 October 2023 and sentenced to one year in prison under spurious charges of disseminating documents that harm the national interest, incitement to unarmed assembly, and attack on the integrity of the national territory. On 17 September 2023, Manseri met with the UN special rapporteur on freedom of association and peaceful assembly, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, during his visit to Algeria from 16 to 26 September 2023. The signatory organizations call on the Algerian authorities to refrain from any acts of reprisal aimed at punishing or intimidating human rights defenders. Over the past two years, Algerian authorities have shut down almost all spaces for dissent. They have dismantled most independent civil society groups that were created to defend human rights, and have shuttered the remaining media outlets that represent voices of resistance in the face of the prevailing authoritarianism in the country. Prominent associations such as the LADDH and the Youth Action Rally (Rassemblement Actions Jeunesse, RAJ), created in 1989 and 1992 respectively, have been dissolved by the administrative tribunal merely for activities that are inherent to their mandate, such as hosting conferences critical of the authorities, meeting with foreign activists, or defending minority rights. Authorities have often relied on vague and broadly worded laws to curtail the ability of human rights defenders to operate freely. For example, a tribunal in Algiers sentenced Nacer Meghnine, the president of the association SOS Bab el-Oued, to one year in prison for ‘undermining national interest’ after they found publications in the premises of the association denouncing repression, arbitrary arrests and torture. ‘Human rights defenders play a crucial role in challenging state practices, protecting the environment, calling for an end to torture, and defending minority rights and workers’ rights. And today they are bearing the brunt of the relentless assault on their right to speak out and stand against the abuse of power by the authorities. The authorities should end this misbegotten policy and allow civil society and activists to carry out their endeavors without undue restrictions,’ said Ziad Abdeltawab, Deputy Director at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. Prominent human rights defenders have been forced to flee the country due to constant intimidation and harassment and in some cases prosecution and arbitrary detention for speaking up against repression. Such was the case of Zakaria Hannache, a human rights defender, who played a crucial role in monitoring the arrests and trials of activists during the Hirak mass protest movement calling for political change. On 2 March 2023, an Algiers court sentenced him to three years in prison in absentia on spurious charges of ‘spreading fake news,’ ‘receiving funds,’ and ‘undermining state security and the integrity of the national territory.’ In March 2022, Hannache was imprisoned for six weeks on unfounded charges, including ‘apology for terrorism’ and ‘spreading false information’, in relation to his activism. After his release, he was subjected to acts of intimidation and pressure, which pushed him to leave the country for Tunisia in August 2022 where he obtained refugee status with the UNHCR. Another defender who was forced to flee is Amira Bouraoui, a gynecologist who has been politically active since 2011, including during the Hirak protest movement. In 2021, she was sentenced to a total of four years in prison in two cases for ‘insulting the president’ and ‘offending Islam.’ She was subjected to an arbitrary travel ban in 2021 and fled across the Tunisian border in February 2023. Other defenders are still languishing in jail. For example, Mohad Gasmi, an environmental activist fighting the exploitation of shale gas in southern Algeria, has been incarcerated since 14 June 2020. In 2022, he was sentenced to three years in prison in two separate cases, one for posting critical messages on social media and the other for disclosing confidential information without the intention of treason or espionage, related to his activities abroad to protect the environment and against the exploitation of shale gas. In protest against his arbitrary detention, Gasmi began a hunger strike in July 2023, which resulted in a deterioration of his health. Currently, he remains unjustly imprisoned in Bou Saada prison. Kamira Nait Sid, co-president of the Amazigh World Congress, was arrested at her home on August 24, 2021. On 4 July 2023, she was sentenced to five years in jail, reduced to three on appeal, for charges of ‘receiving funds to undermine national unity and state security’, ‘the use of technology to spread false information’ and ‘membership in a terrorist organization. ‘Languishing in jail for fighting for human rights should never be tolerated. It is high time for Algerian authorities to put an end to the security approach in the management of public affairs and to recognize the damage they are making to the country by erasing any independent voice and by crushing the lives of those who defend human rights,’ said Abdelouhab Fersaoui, former president of the dissolved association RAJ. Over the past three years, Algerian authorities have adopted a raft of repressive new laws to stifle dissent and criminalize activism. The Penal Code was amended to include an article providing for up to 14 years in prison for participating in an organization or association that receives foreign funds without authorization. Presidential Ordinance No. 21-08 of 2021 changed the definition of terrorism to criminalize actions aimed at changing the system of governance by unconstitutional means, which effectively led to the outlawing of peaceful advocacy of regime change and calls for democratic reforms. The counterterrorism laws were used for example to prosecute human rights defenders Said Boudour, Jamila Loukil and Kaddour Chouicha, from the LADDH section in Oran.]]> ‘Those who dare to make a stand for human rights are coming under attack in Algeria on an alarming scale. They are facing an onslaught of harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention. Some have been forced to flee the country and seek safety elsewhere, while others are still locked in jail,’ said Wadih Al Asmar, President of EuroMed Rights. It will be of utmost importance for the Special Rapporteur to pay particular attention to the risk of harassment and intimidation of civil society activists she may meet during her visit to Algeria. We draw the attention of the Special Rapporteur to a possible case of reprisals against Ahmed Manseri, the President of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (Ligue algérienne pour la défense des droits de l’Homme, LADDH) in Tiaret. He was arrested on 8 October 2023 and sentenced to one year in prison under spurious charges of disseminating documents that harm the national interest, incitement to unarmed assembly, and attack on the integrity of the national territory. On 17 September 2023, Manseri met with the UN special rapporteur on freedom of association and peaceful assembly, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, during his visit to Algeria from 16 to 26 September 2023. The signatory organizations call on the Algerian authorities to refrain from any acts of reprisal aimed at punishing or intimidating human rights defenders. Over the past two years, Algerian authorities have shut down almost all spaces for dissent. They have dismantled most independent civil society groups that were created to defend human rights, and have shuttered the remaining media outlets that represent voices of resistance in the face of the prevailing authoritarianism in the country. Prominent associations such as the LADDH and the Youth Action Rally (Rassemblement Actions Jeunesse, RAJ), created in 1989 and 1992 respectively, have been dissolved by the administrative tribunal merely for activities that are inherent to their mandate, such as hosting conferences critical of the authorities, meeting with foreign activists, or defending minority rights. Authorities have often relied on vague and broadly worded laws to curtail the ability of human rights defenders to operate freely. For example, a tribunal in Algiers sentenced Nacer Meghnine, the president of the association SOS Bab el-Oued, to one year in prison for ‘undermining national interest’ after they found publications in the premises of the association denouncing repression, arbitrary arrests and torture. ‘Human rights defenders play a crucial role in challenging state practices, protecting the environment, calling for an end to torture, and defending minority rights and workers’ rights. And today they are bearing the brunt of the relentless assault on their right to speak out and stand against the abuse of power by the authorities. The authorities should end this misbegotten policy and allow civil society and activists to carry out their endeavors without undue restrictions,’ said Ziad Abdeltawab, Deputy Director at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. Prominent human rights defenders have been forced to flee the country due to constant intimidation and harassment and in some cases prosecution and arbitrary detention for speaking up against repression. Such was the case of Zakaria Hannache, a human rights defender, who played a crucial role in monitoring the arrests and trials of activists during the Hirak mass protest movement calling for political change. On 2 March 2023, an Algiers court sentenced him to three years in prison in absentia on spurious charges of ‘spreading fake news,’ ‘receiving funds,’ and ‘undermining state security and the integrity of the national territory.’ In March 2022, Hannache was imprisoned for six weeks on unfounded charges, including ‘apology for terrorism’ and ‘spreading false information’, in relation to his activism. After his release, he was subjected to acts of intimidation and pressure, which pushed him to leave the country for Tunisia in August 2022 where he obtained refugee status with the UNHCR. Another defender who was forced to flee is Amira Bouraoui, a gynecologist who has been politically active since 2011, including during the Hirak protest movement. In 2021, she was sentenced to a total of four years in prison in two cases for ‘insulting the president’ and ‘offending Islam.’ She was subjected to an arbitrary travel ban in 2021 and fled across the Tunisian border in February 2023. Other defenders are still languishing in jail. For example, Mohad Gasmi, an environmental activist fighting the exploitation of shale gas in southern Algeria, has been incarcerated since 14 June 2020. In 2022, he was sentenced to three years in prison in two separate cases, one for posting critical messages on social media and the other for disclosing confidential information without the intention of treason or espionage, related to his activities abroad to protect the environment and against the exploitation of shale gas. In protest against his arbitrary detention, Gasmi began a hunger strike in July 2023, which resulted in a deterioration of his health. Currently, he remains unjustly imprisoned in Bou Saada prison. Kamira Nait Sid, co-president of the Amazigh World Congress, was arrested at her home on August 24, 2021. On 4 July 2023, she was sentenced to five years in jail, reduced to three on appeal, for charges of ‘receiving funds to undermine national unity and state security’, ‘the use of technology to spread false information’ and ‘membership in a terrorist organization. ‘Languishing in jail for fighting for human rights should never be tolerated. It is high time for Algerian authorities to put an end to the security approach in the management of public affairs and to recognize the damage they are making to the country by erasing any independent voice and by crushing the lives of those who defend human rights,’ said Abdelouhab Fersaoui, former president of the dissolved association RAJ. Over the past three years, Algerian authorities have adopted a raft of repressive new laws to stifle dissent and criminalize activism. The Penal Code was amended to include an article providing for up to 14 years in prison for participating in an organization or association that receives foreign funds without authorization. Presidential Ordinance No. 21-08 of 2021 changed the definition of terrorism to criminalize actions aimed at changing the system of governance by unconstitutional means, which effectively led to the outlawing of peaceful advocacy of regime change and calls for democratic reforms. The counterterrorism laws were used for example to prosecute human rights defenders Said Boudour, Jamila Loukil and Kaddour Chouicha, from the LADDH section in Oran.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/russia-liquidation-of-the-sova-center-for-information-and-analysis/ Fri, 01 Sep 2023 21:14:52 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=20720 SOVA Center for Information and Analysis (SOVA Center), a Moscow-based human rights organisation specialised in monitoring of hate crimes, nationalism, xenophobia and racism, freedom of religion and belief, as well as anti-extremism legislation. On August 17, 2023, the First Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction in Moscow upheld the April 27, 2023, decision of the Moscow City Court to dissolve SOVA Center, following an appeal lodged by the organisation against this decision on June 7, 2023. The Court of Appeal ordered the dissolution of the organisation on the ground that SOVA Center held and participated in events outside of Moscow, the region where the Center has been registered since its foundation in 2002. On March 10, 2023, the Main Direction of the Ministry of Justice of Moscow filed a motion to the Moscow City Court to permanently shut down the SOVA Centre, based on an unplanned inspection of the activities of the human rights organisation carried out by the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Justice from January, 9 to February 3, 2023. The inspection was initiated by the Prosecutor's office of Moscow and SOVA Center was not notified about the inspection being undergone in violation of the national legislation. The inspection found out that the SOVA Center, which is registered in Moscow, organised and participated in the events outside of the area where they are legally allowed to operate, constituting a reason for liquidation. On the day of the Court of Appeal verdict, the human rights defenders of the SOVA Center issued a statement on the organisation’s website declaring that they disagree with the merits of the decision to shut down the organisation and remain convinced that the legal provision stipulating that a regional public organisation operates in its region should not be interpreted so literally as to mean that participants or employees of the organisation cannot participate in activities outside the region. They also decided to continue to operate as a community of researchers under the name of SOVA Research Center. The liquidation of the SOVA Center is part of a larger campaign of persecution of human rights defenders orchestrated by the Russian authorities. Several human rights organisations have been liquidated in the past years. The Observatory recalls that, on August 18, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of the Sakharov Center for alleged violation of the Federal Law "On Public Associations", following a lawsuit filed by the Russian Ministry of Justice. The court alleged that, as an organisation registered in Moscow, Sakharov Center’s activities should have been conducted only in this city and that the organisation has repeatedly violated the Foreign Agents Law. The Observatory further recalls that on January 25, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of Moscow Helsinki Group. In December 2022, two other prominent human rights organisations, Human Rights Center Memorial and International Memorial, were arbitrarily liquidated. The Observatory strongly condemns the confirmation of the dissolution of SOVA Center, which seems to be only aimed at sanctioning the organisation for its legitimate human rights activities and exercising the rights to freedom of association, assembly, and expression. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately repeal this decision and to put an end to any act of harassment against SOVA Center, its members, and all organisations defending human rights in the country.]]> SOVA Center for Information and Analysis (SOVA Center), a Moscow-based human rights organisation specialised in monitoring of hate crimes, nationalism, xenophobia and racism, freedom of religion and belief, as well as anti-extremism legislation. On August 17, 2023, the First Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction in Moscow upheld the April 27, 2023, decision of the Moscow City Court to dissolve SOVA Center, following an appeal lodged by the organisation against this decision on June 7, 2023. The Court of Appeal ordered the dissolution of the organisation on the ground that SOVA Center held and participated in events outside of Moscow, the region where the Center has been registered since its foundation in 2002. On March 10, 2023, the Main Direction of the Ministry of Justice of Moscow filed a motion to the Moscow City Court to permanently shut down the SOVA Centre, based on an unplanned inspection of the activities of the human rights organisation carried out by the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Justice from January, 9 to February 3, 2023. The inspection was initiated by the Prosecutor's office of Moscow and SOVA Center was not notified about the inspection being undergone in violation of the national legislation. The inspection found out that the SOVA Center, which is registered in Moscow, organised and participated in the events outside of the area where they are legally allowed to operate, constituting a reason for liquidation. On the day of the Court of Appeal verdict, the human rights defenders of the SOVA Center issued a statement on the organisation’s website declaring that they disagree with the merits of the decision to shut down the organisation and remain convinced that the legal provision stipulating that a regional public organisation operates in its region should not be interpreted so literally as to mean that participants or employees of the organisation cannot participate in activities outside the region. They also decided to continue to operate as a community of researchers under the name of SOVA Research Center. The liquidation of the SOVA Center is part of a larger campaign of persecution of human rights defenders orchestrated by the Russian authorities. Several human rights organisations have been liquidated in the past years. The Observatory recalls that, on August 18, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of the Sakharov Center for alleged violation of the Federal Law "On Public Associations", following a lawsuit filed by the Russian Ministry of Justice. The court alleged that, as an organisation registered in Moscow, Sakharov Center’s activities should have been conducted only in this city and that the organisation has repeatedly violated the Foreign Agents Law. The Observatory further recalls that on January 25, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of Moscow Helsinki Group. In December 2022, two other prominent human rights organisations, Human Rights Center Memorial and International Memorial, were arbitrarily liquidated. The Observatory strongly condemns the confirmation of the dissolution of SOVA Center, which seems to be only aimed at sanctioning the organisation for its legitimate human rights activities and exercising the rights to freedom of association, assembly, and expression. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately repeal this decision and to put an end to any act of harassment against SOVA Center, its members, and all organisations defending human rights in the country.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/russia-liquidation-of-the-sakharov-center/ Wed, 30 Aug 2023 08:17:58 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=20685 Sakharov Center. The Sakharov Center was a museum and cultural center, established in 1996 in Moscow, devoted to the protection of human rights in Russia and the preservation of the legacy of prominent physicist and Nobel Prize-winning human rights activist Andrei Sakharov. On August 18, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of the Sakharov Center for alleged violation of the Federal Law "On Public Associations", following a lawsuit filed by the Russian Ministry of Justice. The court alleged that, as an organisation registered in Moscow, the Sakharov Center’s activities should have been conducted only in this city and that the organisation has repeatedly violated the “Foreign Agents” Law. The Observatory recalls that, on December 25, 2014, the Sakharov Center was included on the Ministry of Justice’s register of “foreign agents”, which requires more frequent financial reporting, mandatory annual audits and implies that any information published or distributed by these organisations must contain a reference to the fact that it was published or distributed by an NGO acting as a “foreign agent”. In December 2022, the Tagansky district Court in Moscow fined the Sakharov Center five million roubles (approximately 48 930 Euros) for publishing ten videos without the “foreign agent” status label, mandatory for all materials produced by organisations classified as "foreign agents" under the “Foreign Agents” Law. In early 2023, the Sakharov Center announced on their social media pages that the organisation was evicted from a building in the center of Moscow. At that time, the Moscow City Property Department notified the Center of the termination of lease agreements for all premises, which were leased by the city to the organisation free of charge. The updated Law “On Foreign Agents", which came into force in December 2022, prohibits, among other things, state support for them. On January 10, 2023, State Duma deputy Andrei Lugovoi sent a request to the Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for inspecting NGOs, for an unscheduled inspection of the organisation for the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022. Based on the results of the inspection, the Ministry of Justice’ Commission found systematic, grave and unrecoverable violations of the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation in the Sakharov Center’s activities, such as carrying out activities outside Moscow, dissemination of information without the label of "foreign agent" and non-compliance of the founding documents of the organisation with the current legislation. On June 6, 2023, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in Moscow sent an administrative claim to the Moscow City Court demanding Sakharov Center’s liquidation. Particularly, the Ministry of Justice found eight violations of "territoriality", including the participation of the Sakharov Center in the preparation of exhibitions held outside Moscow by providing archive materials, fragments of memoirs, information banners and media files. In 2019, the Sakharov Center and its Executive Director Sergey Lukashevsky, became part of the Organising Committee for the Preparation and Holding of Events to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Andrei Sakharov, established pursuant to a decree of the Russian President. Under the auspices of this Committee, several exhibitions were created, including those for which the Sakharov Center was targeted by the Ministry of Justice. At the same time, in a letter to the heads of the regions of the Russian Federation dated July 3, 2020, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation requested “assistance in holding an exhibition created with the participation of the Sakharov Center on the territory of the region in question”. Despite this, the Ministry of Justice alleged that all the activities implemented by the Sakharov Center outside Moscow were illegal and further argued in its lawsuit that there were “inconsistencies in the statutes of the Sakharov Center”. The Sakharov Center's alleged failure to comply with the requirements of “Foreign Agents” Law, despite the fact that the organisation had already been fined for these violations, was also the reason for filing a liquidation claim. The Observatory recalls that the legislation governing NGOs’ activities in Russia is draconian and falls short of international standards on freedom of association. The liquidation of Sakharov Center is an unnecessary and disproportionate penalty for the violations allegedly committed by the organisation, and violates Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on the right to freedom of association. Furthermore, according to international standards on freedom of association, inspections of NGOs are only legitimate if they are justified, for instance, when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that serious breaches of the law have occurred. The unscheduled inspection of the Sakharov Center had no such justification and violated international standards on freedom of association. The Observatory further notes that since 2012, the Russian authorities have adopted a series of measures to silence all dissenting voices, including NGOs, human rights defenders, independent journalists, media outlets or any person or group considered to be under “foreign influence”. For NGOs, it is virtually impossible to comply with all requirements under the “Foreign Agents” legislation, which results in disproportionate, unnecessary and illegitimate restrictions on their right to freedom of association, including liquidation. The Observatory recalls that in December 2022, two other prominent human rights organisations in Russia, Human Rights Center Memorial and the International Memorial, were arbitrarily liquidated. On January 25, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of Moscow Helsinki Group. On August 17, 2023, the First Appellate Court of General Jurisdiction approved the decision of the Moscow City Court, adopted in April, to liquidate the regional public organisation SOVA Center for Information and Analysis. The Observatory strongly condemns the dissolution of the Sakharov Center, which seems to be only aimed at sanctioning the organisation for its legitimate human rights activities and its exercise of the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately repeal this decision and put an end to any act of harassment against Sakharov Center, as well as against all human rights organisations in the country. The Observatory further urges the Russian authorities to ensure in all circumstances that human rights defenders and organisations in the country are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals, and to guarantee in all circumstances the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association in the country, in accordance with Articles 19, 21 and 22 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, respectively.]]> Sakharov Center. The Sakharov Center was a museum and cultural center, established in 1996 in Moscow, devoted to the protection of human rights in Russia and the preservation of the legacy of prominent physicist and Nobel Prize-winning human rights activist Andrei Sakharov. On August 18, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of the Sakharov Center for alleged violation of the Federal Law "On Public Associations", following a lawsuit filed by the Russian Ministry of Justice. The court alleged that, as an organisation registered in Moscow, the Sakharov Center’s activities should have been conducted only in this city and that the organisation has repeatedly violated the “Foreign Agents” Law. The Observatory recalls that, on December 25, 2014, the Sakharov Center was included on the Ministry of Justice’s register of “foreign agents”, which requires more frequent financial reporting, mandatory annual audits and implies that any information published or distributed by these organisations must contain a reference to the fact that it was published or distributed by an NGO acting as a “foreign agent”. In December 2022, the Tagansky district Court in Moscow fined the Sakharov Center five million roubles (approximately 48 930 Euros) for publishing ten videos without the “foreign agent” status label, mandatory for all materials produced by organisations classified as "foreign agents" under the “Foreign Agents” Law. In early 2023, the Sakharov Center announced on their social media pages that the organisation was evicted from a building in the center of Moscow. At that time, the Moscow City Property Department notified the Center of the termination of lease agreements for all premises, which were leased by the city to the organisation free of charge. The updated Law “On Foreign Agents", which came into force in December 2022, prohibits, among other things, state support for them. On January 10, 2023, State Duma deputy Andrei Lugovoi sent a request to the Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for inspecting NGOs, for an unscheduled inspection of the organisation for the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022. Based on the results of the inspection, the Ministry of Justice’ Commission found systematic, grave and unrecoverable violations of the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation in the Sakharov Center’s activities, such as carrying out activities outside Moscow, dissemination of information without the label of "foreign agent" and non-compliance of the founding documents of the organisation with the current legislation. On June 6, 2023, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in Moscow sent an administrative claim to the Moscow City Court demanding Sakharov Center’s liquidation. Particularly, the Ministry of Justice found eight violations of "territoriality", including the participation of the Sakharov Center in the preparation of exhibitions held outside Moscow by providing archive materials, fragments of memoirs, information banners and media files. In 2019, the Sakharov Center and its Executive Director Sergey Lukashevsky, became part of the Organising Committee for the Preparation and Holding of Events to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Andrei Sakharov, established pursuant to a decree of the Russian President. Under the auspices of this Committee, several exhibitions were created, including those for which the Sakharov Center was targeted by the Ministry of Justice. At the same time, in a letter to the heads of the regions of the Russian Federation dated July 3, 2020, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation requested “assistance in holding an exhibition created with the participation of the Sakharov Center on the territory of the region in question”. Despite this, the Ministry of Justice alleged that all the activities implemented by the Sakharov Center outside Moscow were illegal and further argued in its lawsuit that there were “inconsistencies in the statutes of the Sakharov Center”. The Sakharov Center's alleged failure to comply with the requirements of “Foreign Agents” Law, despite the fact that the organisation had already been fined for these violations, was also the reason for filing a liquidation claim. The Observatory recalls that the legislation governing NGOs’ activities in Russia is draconian and falls short of international standards on freedom of association. The liquidation of Sakharov Center is an unnecessary and disproportionate penalty for the violations allegedly committed by the organisation, and violates Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on the right to freedom of association. Furthermore, according to international standards on freedom of association, inspections of NGOs are only legitimate if they are justified, for instance, when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that serious breaches of the law have occurred. The unscheduled inspection of the Sakharov Center had no such justification and violated international standards on freedom of association. The Observatory further notes that since 2012, the Russian authorities have adopted a series of measures to silence all dissenting voices, including NGOs, human rights defenders, independent journalists, media outlets or any person or group considered to be under “foreign influence”. For NGOs, it is virtually impossible to comply with all requirements under the “Foreign Agents” legislation, which results in disproportionate, unnecessary and illegitimate restrictions on their right to freedom of association, including liquidation. The Observatory recalls that in December 2022, two other prominent human rights organisations in Russia, Human Rights Center Memorial and the International Memorial, were arbitrarily liquidated. On January 25, 2023, the Moscow City Court ordered the liquidation of Moscow Helsinki Group. On August 17, 2023, the First Appellate Court of General Jurisdiction approved the decision of the Moscow City Court, adopted in April, to liquidate the regional public organisation SOVA Center for Information and Analysis. The Observatory strongly condemns the dissolution of the Sakharov Center, which seems to be only aimed at sanctioning the organisation for its legitimate human rights activities and its exercise of the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately repeal this decision and put an end to any act of harassment against Sakharov Center, as well as against all human rights organisations in the country. The Observatory further urges the Russian authorities to ensure in all circumstances that human rights defenders and organisations in the country are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals, and to guarantee in all circumstances the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association in the country, in accordance with Articles 19, 21 and 22 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, respectively.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/alert/russia-liquidation-of-the-moscow-helsinki-group-the-countrys-oldest-human-rights-organisation/ Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:14:32 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=19881 to international standards on freedom of association, inspections of NGOs are only legitimate if they are justified, for instance, where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that serious breaches of the law have occurred. The unscheduled inspection of the MHG had no such justification and violated international standards on freedom of association. The Observatory further notes that since 2012, the Russian authorities have adopted a series of progressively tightening anti “Foreign Agents” laws to silence all dissenting voices, including NGOs, human rights defenders, independent journalists, media outlets or any person or group considered to be under “foreign influence”. For NGOs, it is virtually impossible to comply with all requirements under the “Foreign Agents” legislation which results in disproportionate, unnecessary and illegitimate restrictions on their right to freedom of association, including liquidation. MHG was committed to complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned legislation regulating NGOs, for instance, by refusing to receive any foreign funding after the adoption of the “Foreign Agents” legislation in 2012.  Nonetheless, the MoJ found a pretext to liquidate the organisation under the law “On Public Associations”. The Observatory strongly condemns the dissolution of MHG, which seems to be only aimed at sanctioning it for its legitimate human rights activities and its exercise of the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression. The closure of Russia's oldest human rights organisation comes amid the Kremlin's brutal crackdown on Russian civil society and human rights defenders. The Observatory recalls that in December 2022, two other prominent human rights organisations in Russia, Human Rights Center Memorial and International Memorial, were arbitrarily liquidated. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately repeal this decision and put an end to any act of harassment against MHG, as well as against all human rights organisations in the country, including Human Rights Center Memorial and International Memorial. The Observatory further urges the Russian authorities to ensure in all circumstances that human rights defenders and organisations in the country are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals, and to guarantee in all circumstances the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association in the country, in accordance with Articles 19, 21 and 22 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, respectively.]]> to international standards on freedom of association, inspections of NGOs are only legitimate if they are justified, for instance, where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that serious breaches of the law have occurred. The unscheduled inspection of the MHG had no such justification and violated international standards on freedom of association. The Observatory further notes that since 2012, the Russian authorities have adopted a series of progressively tightening anti “Foreign Agents” laws to silence all dissenting voices, including NGOs, human rights defenders, independent journalists, media outlets or any person or group considered to be under “foreign influence”. For NGOs, it is virtually impossible to comply with all requirements under the “Foreign Agents” legislation which results in disproportionate, unnecessary and illegitimate restrictions on their right to freedom of association, including liquidation. MHG was committed to complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned legislation regulating NGOs, for instance, by refusing to receive any foreign funding after the adoption of the “Foreign Agents” legislation in 2012.  Nonetheless, the MoJ found a pretext to liquidate the organisation under the law “On Public Associations”. The Observatory strongly condemns the dissolution of MHG, which seems to be only aimed at sanctioning it for its legitimate human rights activities and its exercise of the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression. The closure of Russia's oldest human rights organisation comes amid the Kremlin's brutal crackdown on Russian civil society and human rights defenders. The Observatory recalls that in December 2022, two other prominent human rights organisations in Russia, Human Rights Center Memorial and International Memorial, were arbitrarily liquidated. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately repeal this decision and put an end to any act of harassment against MHG, as well as against all human rights organisations in the country, including Human Rights Center Memorial and International Memorial. The Observatory further urges the Russian authorities to ensure in all circumstances that human rights defenders and organisations in the country are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals, and to guarantee in all circumstances the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association in the country, in accordance with Articles 19, 21 and 22 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, respectively.]]>