Restrictions à la liberté de circulation – The Observatory For Defenders

Kenya / Ethiopia: Human rights defender Brian Kagoro prevented from entering Kenya despite High Court order

Yasmine Louanchi — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:21:36 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the denial of entry and the continued arbitrary restriction of the freedom of movement of Mr Brian Kagoro, Zimbabwean human rights defender, constitutional lawyer, and Africa Director of the Open Society Foundations (OSF). On 15 September 2026, Mr Brian Kagoro travelled from South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to return to Kenya and attend proceedings concerning his detention and deportation from Kenya in February 2026. While on board of a Nairobi-bound flight in Addis Ababa, Mr Kagoro was removed from the aircraft by Ethiopian security personnel, questioned and prevented from reboarding. He subsequently returned to South Africa. The circumstances and legal basis for his removal from the aircraft have not been publicly clarified. Mr Kagoro’s attempted return took place after the High Court of Kenya at Nairobi had issued a conservatory order on 8 June 2026 providing that he was free to enter Kenya for as long as he complied with the immigration laws and procedures applicable to other nationals of Zimbabwe. The Court further directed the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) to supervise and ensure compliance with the order and to designate an officer to facilitate oversight of Mr Kagoro’s admission, entry and movement in Kenya. The order was issued in the context of a constitutional petition challenging Mr Kagoro’s detention and deportation from Kenya. Following his removal from the flight, his legal team returned to the High Court to seek clarification and enforcement of the order. The Court subsequently directed Attorney General Dorcas Oduor to explain why Mr Kagoro continued to be denied entry into Kenya despite the existing court order, giving her 14 days to respond. The Observatory recalls that, on 22 February 2026, Kenyan security authorities denied Mr Brian Kagoro entry into Kenya upon his arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Officers from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) arbitrarily held him at the airport for more than 10 hours and questioned him over allegations that he had been involved in financing and coordinating protest activities in Kenya, while denying him access to a lawyer and preventing him from contacting his family or colleagues. Immigration officials subsequently issued a removal order authorising his return to Johannesburg, South Africa, citing Section 54 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act of 2011, without providing any written explanation of the factual basis. Mr Kagoro rejected the allegations, and no formal charges were brought against him. This removal in Ethiopia by Ethiopian security personal takes place in a context of increased transnational repression in East Africa with cooperation between several governments to attack human rights defenders and civic space. The Observatory also recalls that this case takes place in a context of increased scrutiny by Kenyan authorities of civic actors and alleged foreign involvement in protest movements, particularly following the 2024 nationwide demonstrations against the Finance Bill. The Observatory had also previously raised concern about the deportation of Mr Martin Mavenjina, a senior legal advisor at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), from Kenya in July 2025. These developments raise serious concerns regarding the protection of civic space in Kenya and the ability of human rights defenders and civil society actors to operate without interference. The Observatory further recalls that Kenya must comply with its obligations under international and regional human rights law, including the rights to liberty, freedom of movement, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, as enshrined in Articles 9, 12, 19, 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as in Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). Moreover, Article 47 of the Kenyan Constitution guarantees the right to fair administrative action, including the right to written reasons where rights are adversely affected. The Observatory is gravely concerned that Mr Kagoro was prevented from travelling to Kenya despite a High Court order expressly authorising his entry into the country, and that he was removed from a Nairobi-bound flight by Ethiopian security personnel. The Observatory is further concerned by the clear signs of cooperation between Kenyan and Ethiopian authorities to impede Mr Kagoro’s freedom of movement and expression, and by the lack of transparency regarding the circumstances and legal basis of his removal from the flight. The Observatory calls on the Kenyan authorities to fully respect the High Court order of 8 June 2026 and to refrain from any further arbitrary measures, including through cooperation with Ethiopian authorities,restricting Mr Kagoro’s freedom of movement or preventing him from participating in the judicial proceedings concerning his case.

Morocco/Western Sahara: Moroccan authorities once again target the President and Vice-President of CODESA

Irene Milone — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:25:28 +0000

Geneva-Paris, 31 July 2026. Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA), an independent Sahrawi human rights organisation and member of the OMCT network, has recently been subjected to renewed restrictions on movement, electricity cuts, surveillance, and intimidation in occupied Western Sahara. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership between the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), strongly condemns the continued targeting of CODESA's President Ali Salem Tamek, Vice-President Khadijetou Douih, CODESA member El Maalouma Falankhi,, CODESA Administrative Committee member Bachir Bouamoud, and their children, in retaliation for CODESA's legitimate human rights work. The Observatory urgently calls on the Moroccan authorities to put an end to the acts of reprisal against CODESA which are part of a longstanding and systematic pattern of repression against Sahrawi human rights defenders in occupied Western Sahara. The Observatory has reported several incidents involving repeated sieges and surveillance of the private homes of CODESA members in occupied Laayoune. On 20 May 2026, Moroccan police, accompanied by officials of the Moroccan administration, intensified surveillance around the residence of Ali Salem Tamek in the Al Mostaqbal neighbourhood of occupied Laayoune. His home was once again placed under a de facto siege, continuing a recurring pattern of restrictions and harassment. In the same context, Moroccan police prevented El Maalouma Falankhi, her minor daughter Khalifa Mojahid, and El Bachir Bouamoud from accessing an apartment located in the same building under siege. The Observatory is also concerned by the ongoing siege imposed on the residence of Khadijatou Douih on 20 May 2026. Her home remains under constant surveillance and encirclement by Moroccan forces for more than two months. The Observatory has also received information that the homes of several CODESA members have been subjected to deliberate electricity cuts. On 20 May 2026 electricity to the residence of Ali Salem Tamek was deliberately cut and part of the electrical meter was reportedly damaged. According to Khadijetou Douih’s testimony, electricity to her residence was deliberately disconnected by Moroccan police officers at approximately 7:45 p.m. on 20 May 2026. Civil society actors have also been targeted through Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) aimed at silencing their human rights activities in support of the rights of the Sahrawi people. On 8 June 2026, Essalek Baber, a member of the CODESA Administrative Committee, along with El Barr El Kentawi and Abdessamad Tigga, two Sahrawi students, were sentenced by the Court of First Instance in Guelmim to six months’ imprisonment and fines in connection with events linked to a welcoming ceremony held for the release of Sahrawi political prisoner Elhoucine Bourkba. Essalek Baber and El Barr El Kentawi are both former Sahrawi political prisoners whose previous detention was found to be arbitrary by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which called for their immediate release. According to information received, a Moroccan administrative official holding the rank of Pasha threatened and verbally provoked Mr. Tamek in the presence of his ten-year-old son. The child had previously been subjected to detention and intimidation by Moroccan police, conduct that seriously undermines the child's psychological and physical integrity and constitutes a serious violation of his fundamental rights. Ms. Douih further reported continuous harassment against her, which has had significant psychological impact on her two daughters, both under the age of eight. The Observatory has also received information that Nabiha Bounnane, a member of CODESA's Tan-Tan branch, has been subjected to persistent threats and escalating harassment because of her peaceful human rights activities and her support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. Another reported incident concerns Boujemaa Benmoussa, a member of CODESA's Dakhla branch, who was detained on 13 May 2026 by Moroccan authorities at the Guerguerat checkpoint upon returning from an event in the Sahrawi refugee camps in southwestern Algeria. He was subjected to a humiliating search and questioning about his activities and travel. These incidents are not isolated but form part of the broader pattern of repression against CODESA and Sahrawi human rights defenders. Threats were directed against El Khalifa Ragbi, a CODESA member and the wife of Ali Salem Tamek while Hassan Zerouali, a member of CODESA's Administrative Committee and its Dakhla branch, was subjected to a home raid on 19 January 2025. At the same time, other Sahrawi human rights defenders continue to face reprisals while being detained, such as the journalist El Bachir Khadda and the defender Naâma Asfari, imprisoned since 2010 following the Gdeim Izik unfair trial, who face intimidations and inadequate medical care. An additional documented incident occurred on 1 March 2025, when Moroccan authorities removed and destroyed surveillance cameras installed at the home of Ali Salem Tamek, which also serves as CODESA’s temporary headquarters, as part of a broader pattern of harassment against CODESA and its members. The Observatory notes that United Nations human rights mechanisms, notably several UN Special Rapporteurs, have repeatedly expressed concern regarding these reprisals against Sahrawi human rights defenders, including members of CODESA, as outlined in communications such as AL MAR 3/2025 on 20 March 2025. They have consistently called upon Morocco to ensure that all CODESA members and human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of retaliation. The reported reprisals against CODESA members engage rights protected under international human rights law, including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association enshrined in Articles 19, 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as the right to self-determination recognised in Article 1. The Observatory calls on the Moroccan authorities to immediately cease the restrictions on movement of Ali Salem Tamek, El Maalouma Falankhi, Khadijatou Douih, El Bachir Bouamoud and all members of CODESA, and to put an end to all forms of intimidation, harassment, surveillance, arbitrary detention, and verbal or physical attacks targeting members of CODESA and all Sahrawi human rights defenders, and to ensure that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights work freely and safely. The Observatory further urges the Moroccan authorities to conduct prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into the siege of private residences, the deliberate disruption of electricity and all other reported violations, with a view to identifying those responsible and ensuring full accountability. The Observatory further calls upon the United Nations, in light of its responsibilities regarding Western Sahara, and the wider international community to take effective measures to address the ongoing violations committed against Sahrawi civilians, including through independent investigations into allegations of reprisals and other serious human rights violations. It also urges all United Nations bodies and international human rights organisations to ensure that Sahrawi human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate work without restrictions or fear of reprisals, in full accordance with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. The Observatory will continue to closely monitor the situation of Sahrawi human rights defenders in occupied Western Sahara and reiterates its full solidarity with all those who continue to peacefully defend human rights despite persistent repression.

Net Rights Coalition, 132 other Digital Rights Stakeholders endorse statement condemning the Government of Zambia’s Abrupt Disruption of RightsCon

Yasmine Louanchi — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:04:07 +0000

Thursday, April 30, 2026: We, the Net Rights Coalition (NRC), a network of digital rights actors, and all other signatories listed below, are appalled by the Government of Zambia’s unilateral announcement of the postponement of RightsCon on 29 April 2026, a move that has resulted in the cancellation of the global event with over 5000 participants that was going to be hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time. Access Now, partners, and thousands of stakeholders have incurred huge financial and logistical losses as plans were underway for the event to start in 3 days. Zambia will also record significant economic losses that would have come from thousands of visitors to a nation that prides itself as a tourist destination, anchored on the popular Zambia KuChalo (Zambia to the World) slogan. This will have a huge impact on Zambian small businesses that were engaged to provide services that will now be cancelled. The need for international consensus-building remains critical, and the government of Zambia missed an opportunity to demonstrate a strong commitment to preserving the multistakeholder model, a key feature of global digital governance, across its country's digital rights engagements. Rather, the government cited the need for comprehensive disclosures to align with “national values, policy priorities, and broader public-interest considerations”, but did not disclose them to the public to ease understanding of such a drastic action. The position comes after the Ministry of Technology and Science, on 3 March 2026, officially announced that they were the primary Government partner for RightsCon 2026, with the event meant to be held in Lusaka, Zambia and online from 5 to 8 May 2026. This government statement assured the global community that the event would proceed with the host government's appropriate support. The backtracking, at the last minute, on this commitment raises questions about trust and commitment to civil society engagement and international agreements, to which Zambia has in the past demonstrated a strong pledge. This action, when travel itineraries are set, accommodation is booked, and venue costs are incurred, constitutes a setback to global human and digital rights processes and derails the participation of diverse stakeholders, including civil society, government, investors, and the private sector engaged in these conversations. The suspended event agenda presents areas of discourse on key digital economy topics, promotes digital rights and embeds multistakeholderism, as outlined in the Global Digital Compact (GDC), adopted in 2024, to which Zambia contributed as Co-Chair, having been appointed on 10 October 2023 by the President of the General Assembly, together with Sweden, to lead the intergovernmental process on the Global Digital Compact. RightsCon in Lusaka would have been an incredible opportunity for local and global exchange, and to create new initiatives to realise human rights in the digital age. A clear channel of resolving any outstanding issues with the event convenor to save the multistakeholder approach would have been a fair course of action, aligned with international human rights standards to which Zambia subscribes as a State party, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. We condemn the government's actions that led to the cancellation of RightsCon in Zambia. This raises concerns about closing civic space and fostering a culture of self-censorship ahead of the August 2026 elections, and is a major setback for Zambia’s digital rights trajectory regionally and globally, signalling a departure from the gains it has secured in leading global processes.

The Forced Return of Afgan Sadigov to Azerbaijan: A Test of the Council of Europe’s Credibility

Yasmine Louanchi — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:08:18 +0000

Mr Alain Berset Secretary General of the Council of Europe Palais de l’Europe Strasbourg 20 April 2026 Re.: The Forced Return of Afgan Sadigov to Azerbaijan: A Test of the Council of Europe's Credibility Mr Secretary General, We, the undersigned human rights organisations, write to bring to your urgent attention the forced return of journalist Afgan Sadigov to Azerbaijan and the broader pattern of transnational repression it reflects. This pattern is increasingly manifesting across the South Caucasus, as illustrated by the systemic and documented deterioration of human rights and the civil society landscape in Georgia. Crucially, in January 2025, the European Court of Human Rights issued a binding interim measure prohibiting Georgia of his extradition after he was arrested there in August 2024 on an Azerbaijani extradition request. The case of Afgan Sadigov is especially emblematic, and underscores the long-standing concerns of international human rights organisations about the transnational repression of Azerbaijani dissent. On 5 April 2026, Afgan Sadigov, founder and editor of the regional news site Azel.tv, was deported to Azerbaijan within hours of his late-night arrest in Tbilisi on alleged administrative grounds: that a social media post constituted an assault on a police officer. Sadigov had faced repeated criminal and administrative persecution in Azerbaijan for his criticism of the authorities before relocating to Georgia in 2023. After his arrest in August 2024 on an Azerbaijani extradition request, and following the interim measure issued by the European Court of Human Rights in January 2025, he was released on bail in April 2025. In the months that followed, he and his legal team sought authorisation for him to leave Georgia and reunite with his family in a third country. His request was never granted, in a context where the timing of subsequent actions suggests a coordinated sequence culminating in his detention and deportation on 5 April 2026. As of 10 April 2026, the European Court of Human Rights has invited further observations in Sadigov’s case, including on whether the applicant’s transfer to Azerbaijan in disregard of an interim measure violated Article 34; the matter remains under consideration. Sadigov’s expulsion through administrative proceedings, after the extradition route had been blocked by the Court, raises serious concerns of refoulement and, in substance, extraordinary rendition, irrespective of the formal legal classification Georgia has chosen to apply. Sadigov’s case reflects a pattern of collusion between Georgia and Azerbaijan in the suppression of dissent. Georgia’s recently enacted legislation targeting foreign funding mirrors Azerbaijan’s tactics for suppressing independent civil society. The visit of President Aliyev to Tbilisi on 6 April — the day after Sadigov’s forced return — reinforces concerns about deliberate bilateral coordination aimed at restricting human rights and fundamental freedoms, in direct contradiction with both states’ obligations as Council of Europe member states. The credibility of the European human rights system depends not only on the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, but on their effective implementation and on the collective commitment of member states to uphold the Convention. We therefore call on you to act urgently and to use the tools available to your office:

Invoke Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights to request that Azerbaijan furnish an explanation of the manner in which its domestic law ensures the effective implementation of the Convention, in light of a decade of documented and systematic violations, including the transnational repression of its own citizens on the territory of fellow member states;
Commission an independent report on Georgia's conduct in the Sadigov case to be presented to the Council of Europe, examining whether Georgia's expulsion of Afgan Sadigov — carried out in direct defiance of a binding interim measure of the European Court of Human Rights — is compatible with its obligations under the Convention;
Appoint a Special Representative on the South Caucasus to ensure a sustained, coordinated political and diplomatic response to the cross-border suppression of dissent — a phenomenon that existing mechanisms have demonstrably failed to address.
Call on Council of Europe member States to make use of available diplomatic, political, and other appropriate measures to support the protection of Afgan Sadigov, including by facilitating his right to family reunification, particularly in light of the fact that he has already been summoned twice by the authorities since his return to Baku.

As you know, the case of Afgan Sadigov does not stand alone. It is the latest episode in a decade of documented, systematic repression by Azerbaijan — repression repeatedly condemned by human rights organisations and the European Court of Human Rights, including through multiple judgements finding a violation of Article 18 of the Convention, yet met with a measured and conciliatory response from the Organisation’s leadership. This has carried implications: it has emboldened Azerbaijan to expand its repression beyond its own borders and lowered the threshold for what other member states consider acceptable. Georgia's conduct in the Sadigov case is a direct expression of that lowered threshold. The credibility of the European human rights system is now at stake. We remain at your disposal and look forward to your response. Yours faithfully,

Thailand: Conviction and prison sentences of four prominent pro-democracy activists on lèse-majesté charges

Esteban Munoz — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:09:51 +0000

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Thailand.

New information:

The Observatory has been informed about the conviction of prominent pro-democracy activists Mr Anon Nampa, Ms Pimsiri Petchnamrob, Mr Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk, and Mr. Promsorn Veerathamjaree on charges of lèse-majesté in connection with their participation in a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration on 29 November 2020.

On 20 February 2026, the Bangkok Criminal Court convicted Anon Nampa, Pimsiri Petchnamrob, Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk, and Promsorn Veerathamjaree for speeches delivered during a peaceful assembly entitled “Disarm Thai Feudalism,” which was held on 29 November 2020 in front of the 11th Infantry Regiment King’s Guard in Bangkok. All four were found guilty under Article 112 of the Criminal Code (“lèse-majesté”), and sentenced to four years in prison each. Their sentences were reduced to two years and eight months in prison, because the Court found the defendants’ testimonies useful. Pimsiri Petchnamrob, Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk, and Promsorn Veerathamjaree were subsequently granted temporary release on bail, set at 200,000 baht (about 5,490 Euros) for Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk and 150,000 Thai baht (about 4,118 Euros) for Pimsiri Petchnamrob and Promsorn Veerathamjaree, pending appeal. Anon Nampa, who did not file a bail request, remains detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison.

The four pro-democracy activists were also convicted under the 2020 Emergency Decree and for using a sound amplifier without permission and were fined a total of 10,200 Thai baht (about 280 Euros) each.

During the above-mentioned peaceful demonstration, Anon Nampa and Pimsiri Petchnamrob advocated for reforms of the monarchy and amendments to Thailand’s 2017 Constitution. In his speech, Anon Nampa criticised, inter alia, the transfer of military units to the King’s personal command and the transfer of public property to private ownership. In her speech, Pimsiri Petchnamrob addressed the relationship between the military and the monarchy and the history of military coups in Thailand, and cited a statement by the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, which argued for the incompatibility of Article 112 of the Criminal Code with democratic principles.

The four pro-democracy activists denied all charges against them. Ms Pimsiri maintained that she did not make personal remarks about members of the Thai royal family and only quoted the UN Special Rapporteur’s critique of Thailand’s ‘‘lèse-majesté’’ legislation. Mr Anon maintained that his speech and remarks constituted legitimate criticism and were protected by his right to freedom of expression.

The Observatory recalls that Mr Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk was arbitrarily detained for seven years, from April 2011 to April 2018, as a result of his arrest and subsequent conviction to 10 years in prison on lèse-majesté charges.

The Observatory also notes that Mr Promsorn Veerathamjaree has already been convicted on three prior lèse-majesté cases. He was sentenced to prison terms in connection with his participation in pro-democracy protests in 2021. In each of those cases, he was released on bail pending appeal.

The Observatory further recalls that the additional two years and eight months of imprisonment imposed on Anon Nampa under Article 112 bring his total prison term to 31 years, nine months, and 20 days. Mr Anon has been arbitrarily incarcerated at the Bangkok Remand Prison since his first lèse-majesté conviction on 26 September 2023. All convictions are currently under appeal, while numerous bail applications have been consistently denied. Between September 2023 and February 2026, he submitted 93 bail applications and 43 appeals against bail denial orders, all of which were rejected. The Observatory notes that Mr. Anon’s latest conviction and prison sentence followed 10 previous convictions related to his public statements and his advocacy for human rights and democratic reforms in Thailand.

The Observatory points out that on 9 July 2025, Mr Anon Nampa was sentenced for the 10th time to two years in prison under Article 112 and four months under Article 116 of the Criminal Code (sedition) in connection with a speech he delivered at a protest in front of Parliament in Bangkok on 17 November 2020.

According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, between 19 November 2020 and 20 February 2026, at least 291 people, including numerous human rights defenders and 20 minors, were charged under Article 112 of the Criminal Code. Sixteen were reportedly detained pending trial or appeal, and 18 others were serving prison sentences. The systematic abuse of Articles 112 and 116 against peaceful critics and protesters reflects a broader pattern of judicial harassment and a shrinking civic space in Thailand.

The Observatory recalls that Thailand is a State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Articles 9 and 14 of the ICCPR guarantee the rights to liberty and to a fair trial, while Articles 19, 21, and 22 protect the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. Any restriction must be strictly necessary and proportionate. The imposition of lengthy prison sentences for peaceful criticism of public institutions is incompatible with these obligations.

The Observatory considers that the conviction and continued arbitrary detention of Anon Nampa and the conviction of Pimsiri Petchnamrob, Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk, and Promsorn Veerathamjaree, appear to be solely aimed at punishing them for their legitimate human rights activities and the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, in violation of international human rights law.

The Observatory calls on the Thai authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Anon Nampa, and to ensure that Pimsiri Petchnamrob, Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk, and Promsorn Veerathamjareeis are not subjected to arbitrary detention, as well as to release all other arbitrarily detained human rights defenders in the country, and to put an end to all forms of judicial harassment against them.

Tchad : obstruction à la liberté de circulation de quatre membres de la LTDH par le Délégué général du gouvernement auprès de la province du Lac

Yasmine Louanchi — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:57:05 +0000

L’Observatoire a été informé de l’obstruction à la liberté de circulation de quatre membres de la Ligue tchadienne des droits de l’Homme (LTDH), à savoir Mme Teresa Boyalngar, chargée des activités socio-économiques, et MM. Lamtouin Lagasso, chargé des programmes, Djasrabe Weilengar, gestionnaire, et Madjingue Djimtoingar, le chauffeur de l’organisation. La LTDH est une organisation non gouvernementale de défense et de promotion des droits humains, œuvrant pour la bonne gouvernance au Tchad, en Afrique et dans le monde. La LTDH est membre de la FIDH et de l’OMCT. Le 6 novembre 2025 à 12h, alors qu’ils s’étaient rendus présenter leurs « civilités » au Délégué général du gouvernement auprès de la province du Lac, le général Saleh Tidjani Hagar, ce dernier a qualifié la LTDH « d’ONG infiltrée » et ses représentant·es d’« espions », avant de leur « interdire de quitter la ville de Bol tant que les premiers responsables de l’organisation ne se présente[raie]nt pas ». Aucun responsable de la LTDH ne s’étant déplacé à la date de publication de cette alerte urgente, les quatre défenseur·es sont toujours retenu·es de façon illégale et arbitraire au sein de leur auberge, malgré l’alerte donnée aux autorités judiciaires. Cette interdiction de quitter leur auberge intervient en violation évidente du droit à la liberté d’association, de réunion, et à la libre circulation des personnes, pourtant reconnus à l’article 28 de la Constitution tchadienne et respectivement aux articles 22, 21 et 12 du Pacte international relatif aux droits civils et politiques et aux articles 10, 11 et 12 de la Charte africaine des droits de l’Homme et des peuples, auxquels le Tchad est partie. Les quatre membres de la LTDH étaient parti·es le 29 octobre 2025 au nord de N’Djamena, la capitale, en mission dans la province du Lac, pour réaliser des activités dans six localités, à savoir Kouloudia, Doum-doum, N’gouri, Bol, Baga-Sola et Liwa jusqu’au 15 novembre 2025. Leurs activités s’inscrivaient dans le cadre du projet « Prévention de la radicalisation et de l’extrémisme violent dans le Lac » de la LTDH, soutenu par le Fonds mondial pour l’engagement de la communauté et la résilience (GCERF), un fonds suisse créé à Genève en 2014 pour soutenir des ONG à travers le monde. Après avoir mis en œuvre les activités escomptées à Doum-doum, Kouloudia et N’gouri, l’équipe de la LTDH était arrivée à Bol le 5 novembre 2025. L’Observatoire note que le général Saleh Tidjani Hagar était précédemment directeur général des renseignements généraux et des investigations, avant de prendre les fonctions de Délégué général du gouvernement auprès de la province du Lac le 27 mars 2024, deux services qui sont régulièrement pointés du doigt dans plusieurs actes de violations des droits humains, notamment des séquestrations et tortures. L’Observatoire souligne que la LTDH est régulièrement visée par des attaques du régime tchadien depuis plusieurs années. Cette surveillance s’est particulièrement accrue après la répression violente des manifestations du jeudi 20 octobre 2022 contre la prolongation de la période de transition et le maintien au pouvoir de Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. La LTDH et l’OMCT ont publié un rapport faisant état de « 218 personnes tuées et plusieurs centaines des blessé.es, 40 disparition forcées et au moins 1300 arrestations » lors de ce « jeudi noir », dont la loi d’amnistie générale consacre l’impunité des responsables de ces violations. L’Observatoire rappelle que le 11 avril 2022, M. Baldal Oyamta, coordinateur national de la LTDH, avait échappé à une tentative d’assassinat à N’Djamena. En novembre 2020, en l’espace de deux semaines, il avait reçu 23 SMS de menaces liées à ses activités professionnelles en tant que défenseur des droits humains, et plus particulièrement à ces travaux sur l’accaparement des terres au Tchad. À la date de publication de cet appel urgent, aucune enquête n’a été ouverte sur ces menaces malgré un dépôt de plainte « contre X ». L’Observatoire rappelle également que cette mesure s’inscrit dans une dynamique plus large de répression et de criminalisation de la société civile et de toute voix dissidente qui prévaut depuis plusieurs années au Tchad. Depuis l’accession au pouvoir par un coup d’État de Mahamat Idriss Déby, et malgré le retour à l’ordre constitutionnel en mai 2024 après une période de transition, l’espace civique n’a cessé de se rétrécir, notamment à travers la multiplication de poursuites-bâillon, la surveillance accrue de la société civile, et désormais les déchéances de nationalité. L’Observatoire avait par ailleurs, dans son rapport intitulé « Espace civique et défenseur·es des droits humains au Sahel : convergence régionale des pratiques de répression » publié en février 2025, mis en évidence la mise en place par le régime tchadien au cours de ces dernières années, de techniques de répression telle que l’utilisation généralisée des arrestations et détentions arbitraires, afin de réduire au silence toute voix dissidente. La révision constitutionnelle adoptée le 3 octobre 2025 par le parlement tchadien dont la loi constitutionnelle a été promulguée le 8 octobre 2025 par le Président tchadien, a consisté à instaurer un septennat (précédemment quinquennat) et à supprimer le verrou de la limitation du nombre de mandats présidentiels donnant à Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno la possibilité d’être Président à vie. Les organisations de la société civile et les défenseur·es des droits qui se sont publiquement opposé·es à cette révision ont fait l’objet d’une campagne de représailles. En 2022, le Comité des Nations unies contre la torture avait pourtant exhorté le Tchad à protéger effectivement les défenseur·es des droits humains, opposant·es, société civile et journalistes contre toute intimidation, violence, privation arbitraire de liberté, poursuites abusives, torture, disparitions forcées et exécutions extrajudiciaires liées à leurs activités. L’Observatoire condamne fermement cette obstruction à la liberté de circulation de Mme Teresa Boyalngar et MM. Lamtouin Lagasso, Djasrabe Weilengar et Madjingue Djimtoingar, qui ne semble viser qu’à les punir pour l’exercice légitime de leurs activités de défense des droits humains. L’Observatoire appelle les autorités tchadiennes à immédiatement rétablir la liberté de circulation des quatre membres de la LTDH, et à mettre un terme à toute pratique de représailles et de harcèlement, y compris judiciaire, à l’encontre des défenseur·es des droits humains dans le pays.

Israel/Palestine : Illegal interception of the Sumud Flotilla and arrest of peaceful activists

Yasmine Louanchi — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:21:08 +0000

Paris-Geneva, 2 October 2025 – Today, the Sumud Flotilla for Freedom, carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza and composed by international human rights defenders and activists committed to non-violent action, was violently boarded in international waters by the Israeli army. Hundreds of peaceful activists on board were kidnapped and illegaly arrested, including two International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Vice-Presidents. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) strongly condemns the unlawful interception of the Sumud Flotilla and calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those detained. The Observatory also calls on the governments of the detainees’ countries of origin to take all necessary diplomatic measures to put pressure on Israel to immediately release their nationals. During the night of 1st to 2nd October, 2025, the Israeli army violently intercepted the boats composing the Sumud Flotilla -a non-violent humanitarian initiative aimed at breaking the siege and delivering food and medical supplies to Gaza- in international waters. The peaceful activists on board of the vessels were illegaly arrested -as Israel has no legal authority in international waters- and their boats taken to the port of Ashdod. Two FIDH Vice-Presidents : Alexis Deswaef from Belgium and Aziz Rhali from Morroco, were among the participants and are now part of the detainees, along with many other participants of the flotilla. According to the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah), the hearings began early in the morning of 2 October, in the absence of lawyers. It was only at 4 p.m. that day that Adalah's lawyers were able to gain access to the activists and begin to accompany them. The Observatory recalls that the arbitrary arrest and detention of individuals engaging in peaceful human rights activities constitutes a flagrant violation of international human rights law, including the rights to liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association. It further underscores that such actions form part of a broader pattern of repression aimed at silencing voices that expose the ongoing genocide in Gaza and challenge Israel’s crimes and gross violations of international humanitarian law. The Observatory urgently calls on the Israeli authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately and unconditionally release all those illegally detained, including the two FIDH Vice-Presidents. The Observatory further requests the Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians. The Observatory also calls on the governments of the detainees’ countries of origin -around 45 countries were represented among the participants of the Sumud Flotilla- to deploy all necessary diplomatic actions in order to put pressure on Israel to immediately release their nationals. The Observatory reaffirms its solidarity with all defenders who, through peaceful means, continue to stand for justice, dignity and human rights, and stresses that the international community must hold Israel accountable for its persistent violations of international law. The Observatory will continue to monitor this situation closely and mobilise all available mechanisms to ensure that those arbitrarily detained are immediately freed and able to continue their legitimate human rights work without fear of reprisal.

Egypt: State harassment of Mohamed Abdel Salam and AFTE must end!

Yasmine Louanchi — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:51:02 +0000

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT), along with the undersigned human rights organisations, call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately end all forms of harassment or intimidation against Mohamed Abdel Salam and the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression for exercising their fundamental human rights activities. The undersigned human rights organisations call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately end all forms of harassment or intimidation against human rights defender Mohamed Abdel Salam, Executive Director of the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), in retaliation for his legitimate human rights work. The organisations are also calling to ensure that AFTE is free to conduct its activities without any undue restrictions. 24 July 2025 - On 20 May 2025, police officers at Cairo International Airport detained Mohamed Abdel Salam for about an hour and confiscated his passport, without providing any legal justification. During his brief detention, he was questioned about his travel and human rights work. Upon release, the police instructed him to report to a National Security Agency (NSA) office in Cairo for further questioning, again without any legal basis provided. On 23 May, Mohamed Abdel Salam received a call from an NSA agent who asked him to collect his passport from an agency office in Cairo. The agent claimed the confiscation of his passport had been an “unintended administrative mistake.” Mohamed Abdel Salam went to the NSA office and retrieved his passport without being questioned further. This is not the first time the Egyptian authorities have targeted Mohamed Abdel Salam or AFTE. In 2018, airport authorities confiscated his passport and summoned him to the NSA without legal grounds. He was able to obtain a new passport in 2023. In November 2022, plainclothes police put AFTE’s Cairo office under surveillance for two weeks. In May of this year, AFTE has attempted to submit its first request to receive funding to the Ministry of Social Solidarity, as Law No. 149/2019 (known as the 2019 associations law), which governs the operation of civil society organisations in Egypt, requires associations to obtain authorisation prior to receiving funding, contrary to international law and standards. Despite submitting all required documents nearly two months ago, the organisation has not received the approval yet, hindering AFTE’s ability to seek and use funds in order to pursue the associations’ activities. AFTE has also encountered difficulties in maintaining a bank account since registering in 2023 under the 2019 associations law. After an eleven-month delay, a private bank finally opened an account for the organisation. Under international law, states have an obligation to protect the right to freedom of association, including by removing any restrictions on the right imposed by the state or other actors. For over a decade, the Egyptian authorities have systematically targeted human rights defenders with criminal prosecutions, arbitrary travel bans, and asset freezes. To this day, authorities continue to impose travel bans on staff members from several independent NGOs, including lawyer Huda Abdel Wahab, co-founder of the Arab Centre for Independence of Judiciary and Legal Profession (ACIJLP), Gasser Abdel-Razek, Kareem Ennarah, and Mohamed Bashir, three directors of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). We call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately stop subjecting Mohamed Abdel Salam and other human rights defenders to harassment or intimidation for exercising their fundamental rights. Civil society actors must be able to operate freely, safely, and without fear of retaliation, in line with Egypt’s constitutional and international obligations.

Thailand: Ongoing judicial harrasment against Pimsiri Petchnamrob

Yasmine Louanchi — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:20:43 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the ongoing legal proceedings against Ms Pimsiri Petchnamrob, a prominent pro-democracy activist from Bangkok, who is being prosecuted and tried for “lèse-majesté”. She has been working as an advocate for human rights and equality and served as the Thailand Program Officer for ARTICLE 19, an international non-governmental organisation that works on freedom of expression and information. The first hearings in Pimsiri Petchnamrob’s case were held from 4 to 6 June 2025 at the Bangkok Criminal Court and are scheduled to continue from 17 to 20 June and on 24 and 25 June 2025. Pimsiri Petchnamrob has been charged under Articles 1121 (“lèse-majesté”), 116 (“sedition”), and 215–216 (“failure to disperse illegal assembly”) of the Criminal Code as well as under the Emergency Decree2 and the Public Assembly Act of 2015. All these charges are related to a speech she gave on 29 November 2020 in front of the Thai Army’s 11th Infantry Regiment King’s Guard in Bangkok during a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration, in which she cited a statement made in 2017 by the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression criticising the ‘‘lèse-majesté’’ provision of the Criminal Code. Pimsiri Petchnamrob denies all charges, maintaining that she did not advocate for monarchy reform or make personal remarks about members of the Thai royal family, but only quoted the UN Special Rapporteur’s critique of Thailand’s ‘‘lèse-majesté’’, which he deemed to be incompatible with democratic principles. In 2023 and 2024, Thai courts denied multiple requests by Pimsiri Petchnamrob to travel abroad for international advocacy meetings, providing no clear justifications for these decisions. Appeals to higher courts were either rejected or dismissed. These restrictions are part of the conditions imposed following Pimsiri Petchnamrob’s indictment on 25 November 2021 under the above-referenced charges. The same day of the indictment, she was granted temporary bail on condition that she refrains from defaming the Thai monarchy and from traveling abroad without the court’s approval. The Observatory notes with concern that, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), between 19 November 2020 and 13 June 2025 at least 280 persons, including many human rights defenders and 20 minors, were charged under Article 112 of the Criminal Code. 17 of them are currently detained pending trial or appeal, and 14 more are serving prison sentences. On 28 May 2025, lawyer and pro-democracy activist Anon Nampa was convicted for the eighth time under “lèse-majesté,” and is serving now a total prison term of over 24 years. On 14 May 2024, youth activist “Bung” Thaluwang, arbitrarily held in pre-trial detention under “lèse-majesté”, died in custody after a prolonged hunger strike that ended in April 2024. The Observatory strongly condemns these acts of judicial harassment including prosecution, conviction, sentencing, and continued arbitrary detention and imprisonment of human rights defenders in Thailand. The ongoing prosecution against Pimsiri Petchnamrob appears to be solely related to her legitimate human rights activities and the exercise of her rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly. The Observatory urges Thai authorities to immediately and unconditionally put an end to all forms of judicial harassment against Pimsiri Petchnamrob and all other human rights defenders, notably under “lèse-majesté” charges, and to release all those arbitrarily detained in the country. 1Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code imposes jail terms of three to 15 years for those found guilty of defaming, insulting, or threatening the King, the Queen, the Heir to the throne, or the Regent. 2 On 25 March 2020, the government declared a State of Emergency pursuant to Article 5 of the 2005 Emergency Decree in an eﬀort to control the spread of COVID-19. Under Article 18, violations of the Emergency Decree carry penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to 40,000 Baht (US$1,225). It was renewed numerous times, with the last extension valid until 30 September 2022.