Release on bail / conditional release – The Observatory For Defenders

Iran: Human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh released on bail amid ongoing crackdown

Yasmine Louanchi — Wed, 13 May 2026 12:23:48 +0000

Paris-Geneva, 13 May 2026 – The Observatory (FIDH-OMCT) and the League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI) welcome the release on bail of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer and Sakharov Prize laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh, and call on the Iranian authorities to drop all charges against her, and to immediately and unconditionally release her husband, Reza Khandan. On 13 May 2026, the Iranian authorities finally relented and released Nasrin Sotoudeh on medical leave. She is now in a hospital in Tehran, under the supervision of her own doctors since yesterday. Ms Sotoudeh had been arrested at her home in Tehran on the night between 1 and 2 April 2026 by agents believed to be affiliated with the Ministry of Intelligence. At the time of her arrest, she was on leave from prison on medical grounds. According to her lawyer, her continued activism and public engagement despite these restrictions may have led to her re-arrest. The Observatory and LDDHI recall that Nasrin Sotoudeh has been subjected to relentless judicial harassment for two decades in connection with her human rights work. She has been repeatedly targeted, arrested and convicted on charges widely denounced as arbitrary, including a 2019 sentence to 33 years in prison and 148 lashes imposed by Branch 28 of the Tehran’s Islamic Revolution Court. In October 2023, she was again arrested while attending the funeral of Armita Garawand, a 17-year-old girl who died under controversial circumstances,and was released on medical grounds two weeks later following international pressure. Her husband, Reza Khandan, himself a human rights defender, has been detained since December 2024 in connection with his involvement in the design and distribution of badges bearing the slogan “I oppose compulsory hijab”. The Observatory and LDDHI welcome the release on bail of Ms Sotoudeh, and call on the Iranian authorities to drop all charges against her, since they are solely motivated by her legitimate and peaceful human rights activities. The Observatory and LDDHI recall that in the context of an ongoing repression in Iran, the situation of other human rights defenders remains of serious concern, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, whose health has deteriorated in detention and who suffered two suspected heart attacks, one on 24 March and another on 1st May, amid the denial of adequate medical care. The Observatory and LDDHI more generally call on the Iranian authorities to put an end to all acts of harassment against all human rights defenders, and to release those arbitrarily detained immediately and unconditionally.

India: Arbitrary detention of journalist and rights defender Mohammad Zubair

Yasmine Louanchi — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 23:13:07 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Mr. Mohammad Zubair, prominent journalist, human rights defender, and co-founder of Alt News, an independent news outlet known for exposing fake news and political disinformation. Mr. Zubair and Alt News have exposed and countered hate speech as well as online and offline propaganda against Muslim minorities and other marginalised communities in India, including disinformation spread by senior officials of the ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On June 27, 2022, the Delhi police arbitrarily arrested Mohammad Zubair in relation to a message he posted on Twitter in 2018. The tweet was retweeted on June 19, 2022 by an anonymous Twitter handle which tagged the Delhi police and urged them to take action against Mr. Zubair for allegedly “hurting religious sentiment”. The Delhi Police Special Cell filed a First Information Report (FIR) numbered 0172/22 against him based on this retweet under Sections 153(a) and 295(a) of the Indian Penal Code ("promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence” and “deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religious beliefs”, respectively). The above-mentioned Twitter handle was created in October 2021 and had one follower at the time of retweeting Mr. Zubair’s tweet, which was the first message posted on this account, which suggests this handle was created for the sole purpose of targeting Mr. Zubair. On the day of his arrest, Mohammad Zubair had been summoned by the Delhi police in relation to another FIR filed against him in 2020, in which he was protected from arrest by the Delhi High Court[1], under the pretext of questioning him. The Delhi police took this opportunity to arrest Mr. Zubair in FIR 0172/22. He was subsequently taken to an undisclosed location by policemen wearing no name tags. At around 10pm, Mr. Zubair was produced before a magistrate at his residence in Burari, New Delhi, who ordered police custody for one day. Only then Mohammad Zubair’s lawyers were given a copy of FIR 0172/22 filed against him. On June 28, 2022 he was remanded in police custody for an additional four days. On July 2, 2022, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of the Patiala House Court remanded Mohammad Zubair in judicial custody for 14 more days. Earlier on the same day, and before the court issued the order, the Delhi Police’s Deputy Commissioner had informed the media that Mohammad Zubair had been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody in Tihar Jail, New Delhi. On the same day, the Delhi police added new charges to FIR 0172/22 under Sections 120B and 201 of the Indian Penal Code (“criminal conspiracy” and “causing disappearance of evidence of offence”, respectively) and Section 35 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act - FCRA (“imprisonment for a term of up to five years for contravention of any provision of the FCRA”). On July 4, 2022, Mohammad Zubair was taken to Sitapur District, Uttar Pradesh State, by the Delhi police and produced before the Sitapur magistrate in relation to a separate case registered against him at the Khairabad police station, Sitapur District, on June 1, 2022, under Section 295 (a) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act (“publishing and transmitting obscene material electronically”). He was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days and subsequently taken back to Tihar Jail, New Delhi, where he remained detained at the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal. This case was registered in relation to another tweet Mr. Zubair posted on May 27, 2022 criticising three Hindu religious leaders known for their hate speech and incitement to violence against the Muslim minority in India. The Observatory expresses its utmost concern over the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment against Mr. Mohammad Zubair, which is only aimed at punishing him and Alt News for their independent and fact-checking journalistic work. The Observatory urges the Indian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Mohammad Zubair, drop all charges against him, and put an immediate end to any act of harassment, including at the judicial level, against him and Alt News. Furthermore, the Observatory urges the authorities to guarantee in all circumstances the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Mohammad Zubair and all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained in the country.

Russia: Judicial harassment against prominent rights defenders Oleg Orlov and Svetlana Gannushkina

observatory_admin — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the arbitrary arrest and subsequent release of prominent human rights defenders Mr. Oleg Orlov, member of the Council of the Human Rights Center “Memorial” (HRC “Memorial”) and head of its “Hot Spots” programme, and Ms. Svetlana Gannushkina, founder and Chairperson of the Civic Assistance Committee. The arrests of both rights defenders have taken place amid the brutal crackdown on peaceful anti-war demonstrators and human rights defenders and organisations that followed President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which started on February 24, 2022.On March 6, 2022, Svetlana Gannushkina and Oleg Orlov were arbitrarily arrested by law enforcement officers in Moscow, while attending a protest against the war in Ukraine. Oleg Orlov was arrested at Manezhnaya square for holding a sign “Peace to Ukraine, Freedom to Russia”. They were both charged with “violating the established procedure for arranging or conducting a meeting, rally, demonstration, procession or picket” (Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). Mr. Orlov and Ms. Gannushkina were released pending trial after more than 10 hours of arbitrary detention. They will have to appear before the court on March 9 and March 15, 2022, respectively.The Observatory underlines that on the same day, more than 5,020 anti-war peaceful protesters were brutally arrested by the police in 69 cities across Russia, according to OVD-Info, an independent human rights media project which has been targeted by the authorities in reprisal for its work documenting violations of the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, the right to be free from arbitrary arrest and other human rights in Russia. Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, more than 13,000 anti-war protesters have been arbitrarily detained in 147 cities across Russia to date. According to independent media reports, some of the detainees were beaten and there are also reports of torture by the police. At least 23 people in nine cities were involved in criminal cases for speaking up against the war with Ukraine. Criminal cases were opened under articles criminalising violence against policemen, hooliganism, vandalism, false information about an act of terrorism and public dissemination of knowingly false information. The details are yet unknown. The Observatory recalls that on March 4, 2022, the Moscow offices of International Memorial and HRC “Memorial”, both of them listed as “foreign agents” and liquidated in December 2021 for alleged violation of the “Foreign Agent” Law, were raided by law enforcement officers. The offices of the Civic Assistance Committee – likewise listed as a “foreign agent under the “Foreign Agent” Law – were also raided. The search in the Memorial offices at Karetnyi Ryad street lasted 14 hours. The law enforcement officers seized several hard drives and printed materials including books, flyers, posters and business cards. Moreover, the lawyers and legal representatives of the organisations were not allowed into the buildings during the raids. Formally, the search was conducted within the framework of a criminal case against Bakhrom Khamroev, who is not an employee, but a member of HRC “Memorial”. According to rights defenders, this case was a pretext to get access to the documents of HRC "Memorial". Also on March 4, 2022, a bill criminalising the dissemination of “fake news” about Russian military operations was approved “to prevent the discrediting of the armed forces of the Russian Federation during their operations to protect the interests of the country and its citizens”. The law applies to both national and international media and will be added as a separate article to the Criminal Code. Individuals convicted on the charge of “fake news” will face up to three years of imprisonment, up to ten years if committed in an official capacity, and up to 15 years if the distribution of “fake news” leads to “serious consequences”. Moreover, “making calls against the use of Russian troops to protect the interests of Russia”, “discrediting such use” and “calling for sanctions against Russia” will be penalised with a prison sentence of up to three years. In this framework, independent journalists and media outlets reporting on the war have been heavily targeted by the authorities. On February 26, 2022, Roskomnadzor, Russia’s media regulator, published a statement ordering media to remove reports describing the attack on Ukraine as an “assault”, “invasion” or a “war”. Should media outlets fail to comply with this order, they will face fines of up to 5 million rubles (approximately 53,200 Euros) and blockages. Roskomnadzor accused several independent media outlets of “spreading unreliable socially significant untrue information” about civilian deaths and the attacks of Russia against Ukrainian cities. The media regulator body further underlined that reliable information could be found in “official Russian information outlets”. That is, State-controlled media. Around 30 independent media sites have been blocked since then. As of March 2, 2022, at least 11 independent journalists had been arbitrarily arrested for their work reporting on the war, including while they were covering anti-war demonstrations. The Observatory strongly condemns the increased crackdown on human rights defenders, independent media and civil society organisations in Russia and expresses its utmost concern over the blatant violations of the rights to freedom of expression, information and assembly perpetrated by the Russian authorities, including the censorship imposed on independent media operating in the country by the Russian media regulator. The Observatory further condemns the arbitrary arrests and judicial harassment of human rights defenders and independent journalists, including Oleg Orlov and Svetlana Gannushkina. The Observatory urges the authorities to put an immediate end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Oleg Orlov, Svetlana Gannushkina and all human rights defenders, peaceful protesters, and independent journalists and media outlets in the country. The Observatory further urges the authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association, as enshrined in international human right law, and particularly in Articles 19, 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Finally, the Observatory calls on the authorities to immediately repeal the above-mentioned new law and to reverse all restrictive measures implemented by Roskomnadzor.

Kyrgyzstan: Judicial harassment of anti-corruption rights defenders Bolot Temirov and Bolot Nazarov

observatory_admin — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the arbitrary arrest, subsequent release and ongoing judicial harassment of investigative journalist Bolot Temirov and Bolot Nazarov, musician, poet and human rights defender. Mr. Temirov is the founder of Temirov Live, a Youtube programme in which he reports on cases of state corruption. Mr. Nazarov regularly supports Temirov Live’s investigative work and publishes songs about these investigations on his own social media channels. On January 22, 2022, the police arrested Bolot Temirov and Bolot Nazarov under alleged drug charges. That evening, a group of narcotics police officers raided the office of Temirov Live in the city of Bishkek. The law enforcement officers forced male staff members of Temirov Live to the ground, and, according to the journalist and his team, put a bag of drugs into his pocket. Moreover, during the raid, police officers seized equipment that contained journalistic investigations. Bolot Temirov was arbitrarily arrested and forcefully sent to a drug testing facility, which did not reveal the presence of any narcotic substances. The same day, law enforcement detained Bolot Nazarov outside the office of Temirov Live and found him in alleged possession of hashish. Mr. Nazarov claims the evidence was planted by the authorities. Mr. Temirov and Mr. Nazarov were subsequently taken to the Bishkek police department, where they were questioned in the presence of their lawyers. On January 23, 2022, Mr. Temirov and Mr. Nazarov appeared before the Bishkek District Court. Bolot Temirov was charged with “illegal making, acquisition, storage, transportation, or sending of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances without the purpose of sale” (Part 1 of article 283 of the Kyrgyzstan Penal Code) and Bolot Nazarov with “inducement to use narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances” (Article 287 of the Kyrgyzstan Penal Code). The Court ordered the release on bail of Bolot Temirov with instruction not to leave the city. Bolot Nazarov was placed under house arrest pending investigation. If convicted and sentenced, Mr. Temirov faces a fine of up to 200,000 Kyrgyz Soms (1,900 Euros approximately) or imprisonment for up to five years, while Mr. Nazarov faces a fine that could amount to 200,000 Kyrgyz Soms and imprisonment for three to five years. The Observatory underlines that the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Bolot Temirov and Bolot Nazarov seem to be in retaliation for publishing, two days before their arrest, an investigation about – and writing a song criticising – the family of Kamchybek Tashiev, the head of the State Committee for National Security, for their alleged involvement in a corruption case. On January 23, 2022, Temirov Live announced that in December 2021 they had been under close surveillance and that staff members had been subject to repeated threats and blackmail by unknown individuals. The Observatory underlines that since President Sadyr Japarov came into power, in October 2020, despite repeated statements from the authorities on the importance of the preservation of freedom of speech and its invaluable role in combatting corruption, the climate for freedom of expression in Kyrgyzstan has been deteriorating and has created fear among human rights groups and defenders. The Observatory strongly condemns the ongoing judicial harassment of Bolot Temirov and Bolot Nazarov, which seems to be merely aimed at silencing and punishing them for exercising their right to freedom of expression, and urges the authorities to put an immediate end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against them. The Observatory urges the Kyrgyz authorities to carry out an immediate and thorough investigation into the above-mentioned acts of surveillance as well as into the alleged use of forged evidence against Bolot Temirov and Bolot Nazarov.

Sri Lanka: Arbitrary arrest and subsequent release on bail of Shehan Malaka

observatory_admin — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Observatory has been informed about the arbitrary arrest and subsequent release on bail of Mr. Shehan Malaka, a human rights defender who has been advocating for truth and justice in relation to the Easter Sunday attacks of April 2019[efn_note]On April 21, 2019, Easter Sunday, 267 people died in eight coordinated terrorist bomb attacks in three churches, three luxury hotels, and two housing complexes in Colombo. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State (ISIS). Shehan Malaka’s close friends and relatives have been affected by the Easter Sunday attacks.[/efn_note]. Mr Malaka worked to prevent public uprisings or riots after the Easter Sunday attacks. He was also involved in organising blood donation campaigns. On February 14, 2022, while he was on the road in Panadura, Kaluthara District, Shehan Malaka was accosted in a threatening manner by several men in plain clothes from a white van, who did not identify themselves and asked him if he knew them. Mr. Malaka tried to escape but was surrounded by the men and arrested, without being presented with any warrant or being told why he was arrested. After having apprehended Shehan Malaka, one man identified himself as a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer, and Mr. Malaka recognised another one as a CID officer. Mr. Malaka was then taken to the headquarters of the CID and the men who arrested him identified themselves as CID officers. According to the police, Shehan Malaka was arrested under Section 120 of the Penal Code (“Exciting or attempting to excite disaffection”) on the advice of the Attorney General. This advice is based on reports submitted by the CID, after they interrogated Shehan Malaka over the course of eight days in August and September 2021, regarding a speech he delivered at a press conference held on August 17, 2021, during which he denounced what he believed to be the political motives behind the Easter Sunday attacks as well as the impunity for the perpetrators of these attacks. On February 15, 2022, the CID produced Shehan Malaka before the Maligakanda Magistrate Court. Mr. Malaka’s lawyers requested bail, but the CID opposed it, citing a risk of public uprising in case Mr. Malaka was released and arguing that he tried to escape during his arrest. Mr. Malaka’s lawyers argued that his reaction was natural as the men who arrested him did not identify themselves and approached him in a threatening manner. Moreover, the lawyers pointed out that Shehan Malaka’s statements did not result in any uprisings. The Magistrate eventually granted bail to Mr. Malaka on February 15, 2022 and he was released under conditions of two personal sureties of LKR 500,000 (approximately 2,175 Euros) each, a cash surety of LKR 15,000 (approximately 65 Euros), the confiscation of his passport, an overseas travel ban. Additionally, he will have to report to the CID on the last Sunday morning of every month. The next hearing in his case is scheduled for March 29, 2022. If convicted, Mr. Malaka faces up to two years in prison. The Observatory strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest and judicial harassment of Shehan Malaka, which seem to be only aimed at punishing him for his legitimate human rights activities and the exercise of his right to freedom of expression. The Observatory urges the Sri Lankan authorities to immediately lift the bail conditions imposed on Mr. Malaka, especially the restrictions on overseas travel and monthly appearances before the CID, as this may interfere with his human rights activism, and to drop all the charges against him. The Observatory further calls on the authorities in Sri Lanka to put an end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, and against all human rights defenders in the country, in particular against those advocating for truth and justice for the Easter Sunday attacks, and to ensure they can carry out their legitimate human rights activities and exercise their right to freedom of expression without any hindrance or fear of reprisals.

Togo: Escalade des attaques contre les défenseurs des droits humains

observatory_admin — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Paris-Genève, le 23 décembre 2021 – À la mi-décembre, en l’espace de trois jours, les journalistes Ferdinand Mensah Ayité, Joël Vignon Egah et Isidore Kouwonou et l’activiste de la société civile Fovi Katakou ont été arbitrairement arrêtés pour avoir exercé leur droit à la liberté d’expression. Si Isidore Kouwonou et Fovi Katakou ont été libérés depuis, Ferdinand Mensah Ayité et Joël Egah sont quant à eux toujours détenus. L’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits humains (FIDH-OMCT) et Tournons La Page condamnent la détention arbitraire des deux journalistes et appellent les autorités togolaises à les libérer immédiatement. Le 9 décembre 2021, Ferdinand Mensah Ayité, directeur de publication du journal L’Alternative, bihebdomadaire d’information et d’investigation engagé dans la dénonciation de la corruption et la documentation des violations des droits humains au Togo, a été convoqué à la Brigade de Recherches et d'Investigations (BRI) à Lomé avant d’être arrêté et placé sous mandat de dépôt pour avoir tenu des propos critiques envers deux ministres du gouvernement togolais lors de l'émission « L'autre journal » diffusée sur Youtube le 30 novembre 2021. Au cours de cette émission, les journalistes ont notamment dénoncé l’injustice que les deux ministres répandent selon eux au Togo, et ont critiqué le pass vaccinal et la corruption dans le pays. Le 10 décembre 2021, journée internationale des droits humains, Joël Vignon Egah, directeur de publication du journal Fraternité, et Isidore Kouwonou, rédacteur en chef du journal L'Alternative et Secrétaire général du Syndicat des journalistes indépendants du Togo (SYNJIT), ont été auditionnés à leur tour pour leur participation à la même émission. À l’issue de ces auditions, Isidore Kouwonou, qui assurait le rôle de modérateur de l’émission, a été placé sous contrôle judiciaire et remis en liberté alors que Joël Egah a été arrêté et placé sous mandat de dépôt. Les trois journalistes sont poursuivis pour « outrage à l’autorité » (article 490 du Code de procédure pénale togolais), « diffamation » (article 290 du Code pénal togolais) et « incitation de la haine de l’autorité ». Ferdinand Ayité et Joël Egah sont actuellement détenus dans les locaux de la BRI et risquent jusqu’à deux ans de prison et 1 million de francs CFA (environ 1 520 Euros) d’amende. L’Observatoire et Tournons La Page rappellent que ce n’est pas la première fois que Ferdinand Ayité fait l’objet de poursuites et d’actes de harcèlement en raison de son travail de journaliste et de l’exercice légitime de son droit à la liberté d’expression. À titre d’exemple, en novembre 2020, Ferdinand Ayité et le journal L’Alternative ont été condamnés à payer une amende après avoir été reconnus coupables de diffamation suite à la publication d’un article révélant une affaire de détournement massif de fonds dans le secteur pétrolier togolais. De plus, début 2021, le journal L’Alternative a été suspendu pendant quatre mois suite à de nouvelles accusations de publication de fausses informations. Les deux organisations notent également avec inquiétude que cette arrestation intervient cinq mois après que le nom de Ferdinand Ayité a été cité parmi les personnes placées sous surveillance à l’aide du logiciel espion Pegasus. Par ailleurs, le 11 décembre 2021, l’activiste pro-démocratie Fovi Katakou, membre de Tournons La Page Togo, a été arrêté par une escouade de la gendarmerie nationale lourdement armée à son domicile. Il a été conduit au Service central de recherches et d'enquête où il a été placé en garde à vue et interrogé avant d’être déféré à la Prison civile de Lomé le jeudi 14 décembre 2021. Les gendarmes ont également saisi tous les instruments de sonorisation servant à ses activités ainsi que son téléphone. Il est accusé d’« apologie de crimes et délits » (article 552 du Code pénal togolais) et « incitation à la révolte contre l’autorité de l’État » (article 495 du même Code) en relation avec une publication Facebook en date du 10 décembre 2021 dans lequel il alerte sur les problèmes d’insécurité, d’injustice et de manque d’infrastructures au Togo. Pour cela il risque jusqu’à cinq ans de prison et 20 millions de francs CFA (environ 30 460 Euros) d’amende. Le 20 décembre 2021 au soir, M. Katakou a été placé en liberté conditionnelle et reste sous contrôle judiciaire. L’Observatoire et Tournons La Page dénoncent avec fermeté l’escalade de la répression à l’encontre des défenseurs des droits humains et des personnes qui exercent pacifiquement leur droit à la liberté d’expression au Togo. Les deux organisations exhortent les autorités togolaises à libérer immédiatement et inconditionnellement Ferdinand Ayité et Joël Egah, leur détention étant arbitraire en ce qu’elle ne semble viser qu’à les punir pour leurs activités légitimes de défense des droits humains, et à abandonner toutes les charges à leur encontre ainsi qu’à l’encontre d’Isidore Kouwonou et Fovi Katakou, et de toutes les personnes défendant les droits humains dans le pays. L’Observatoire et Tournons La Page appellent enfin les autorités togolaises à garantir le droit à la liberté d’expression dans le pays, tel que consacré dans plusieurs instruments internationaux de protection des droits humains, et notamment à l’article 19 du Pacte International relatif aux Droits Civils et Politiques et à l’article 9 de la Charte africaine des droits de l’Homme et des Peuples, textes ratifiés par le Togo respectivement en 1984 et 1982.

Niger : les poursuites à l’encontre des cinq défenseurs des droits humains libérés doivent être abandonnées

observatory_admin — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

14 décembre 2021

Communiqué de presse commun

Dans la soirée du 12 décembre 2021, Armadan Moussa, Biliyaminou Idi, Moubarak Habou et Hima Hamani – militants de Tournons La Page (TLP)-Niger – et Mathieu Pourchier – chargé de plaidoyer et de protection salarié d’Agir Ensemble pour les droits humains, détaché auprès du secrétariat international de Tournons La Page – arbitrairement détenus depuis le 10 décembre, ont été placés en liberté provisoire. Les cinq défenseurs des droits humains ont été placés en liberté provisoire au terme de 60 heures de garde-à-vue dans des conditions difficiles et après une forte mobilisation internationale. Le motif fallacieux d'attroupement illégal a été retenu contre eux. Ils doivent se tenir à la disposition de la justice et ne sont pas autorisés à quitter Niamey sans en informer les autorités policières en amont. Le 10 décembre 2021, journée internationale des droits humains, Armadan Moussa, Biliyaminou Idi, Moubarak Habou et Hima Hamani, tous les quatre membres de TLP‑Niger, section de Niamey, ont été arbitrairement arrêtés par la police et placés en garde à vue au commissariat central de Niamey, alors qu’ils participaient à une « caravane citoyenne de la démocratie ». Le même jour, une demi-heure avant, Mathieu Pourchier, chargé de plaidoyer et de protection pour le secrétariat international de TLP, a été violemment arrêté par quatre policiers en civil alors qu'il circulait à moto en ville, avant d’être interrogé et placé en garde à vue au commissariat central de Niamey. Tous les cinq ont été accusés d’« attroupement illégal ». Il convient de souligner que ces accusations d’attroupement illégal sont fallacieuses car la caravane citoyenne de la démocratie, activité pacifique organisée tous les ans depuis 2017 à l’occasion de la journée internationale des droits humains par TLP‑Niger, dans le but de sensibiliser les populations de Niamey au respect des droits fondamentaux et aux bienfaits d’un système démocratique, n’avait fait l’objet d’aucune interdiction administrative préalable. Par ailleurs, Mathieu Pourchier n’était pour sa part pas présent sur les lieux du cortège au moment de son interpellation. En outre, la participation à une activité telle que la « caravane citoyenne de la démocratie » est protégée par le droit de réunion pacifique tel que reconnu par l’article 21 du Pacte international relatif aux droits civils et politiques et l’article 11 de la Charte africaine des droits de l’Homme et des peuples, ratifiés par le Niger. L’ACAT-France, l’ACAT-Niger, ActionAid France, AfricanDefenders, Agir ensemble pour les droits humains, Amnesty International, Avocats sans frontières France (ASF France), CRID, Fédération internationale des ACAT (FIACAT), la Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH) et l’Organisation mondiale contre la torture (OMCT) dans le cadre de l’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits de l’Homme, le Mouvement de la Paix, RITIMO, le Secours Catholique‑Caritas France et Tournons la page rappellent que les cinq défenseurs des droits humains, qui ont finalement été libérés, n’auraient jamais dû être emprisonnés en premier lieu, leur détention étant arbitraire en ce qu’elle ne visait qu’à les empêcher de mener à bien leurs activités légitimes de défense des droits humains. Les organisations signataires appellent les autorités nigériennes à abandonner toutes les poursuites judiciaires et administratives à l’encontre des cinq défenseurs des droits humains et veiller à ce qu'ils puissent exercer leurs activités légitimes de défense des droits humains sans entraves ni peur de représailles. Les organisations signataires appellent les autorités du Niger à :

Mettre un terme à toutes les procédures judiciaires et administratives à l’encontre d’Armadan Moussa, Biliyaminou Idi, Moubarak Habou, Hima Hamani et Mathieu Pourchier ;
Mettre un terme à toute pratique de harcèlement contre les membres de la société civile ;
- Garantir en toutes circonstances les droits à la liberté de réunion pacifique et à la liberté d'association.

Niger: Arbitrary arrest of five human rights activists

observatory_admin — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Free the four TLP Niamey activists and the Advocacy and Protection Officer of Agir ensemble pour les droits humains!

On December 10, International Human Rights Day, four TLP-Niger activists and Mathieu Pourchier - an advocacy and protection officer employed by Agir ensemble pour les droits humains, seconded to the international secretariat of Tournons La Page - were arrested and spent the night in police custody. As it has done since 2017, on the occasion of the celebration of International Human Rights Day, TLP-Niger organised a citizens' caravan for democracy. This peaceful activity aims to raise awareness about the respect of fundamental rights and the benefits of a democratic system amongst the people of Niamey. After the caravan left the TLP-Niger headquarters in Niamey, the police arrested 15 pro-democracy activists. Of these, four were questioned and taken into custody at the central police station in Niamey where they spent the night for unauthorised assembly. They are Armadan Moussa, Biliyaminou Idi, Moubarak Habou and Hima Hamani, all members of TLP-Niger, Niamey section. Mathieu Pourchier, an advocacy and protection officer for TLP's international secretariat, was arrested in town by four plainclothes police officers while riding his motorcycle. Without formally identifying themselves, the police officers abruptly escorted him to the central police station, questioned him all afternoon and then, at the end of the day, took him into custody for unauthorised assembly. He was not, however, one of the caravaneers; only a photo of him in front of the TLP-Niger headquarters, where he works on a daily basis and from where the caravan left, was used as justification for his arrest by the police during his interrogation. Carrying out this arrest of peaceful human rights defenders on international human rights day makes this action all the more egregious and unacceptable. An employee of an international human rights NGO, who has been working in Niger for more than two years, and who is responsible for the protection of TLP activists, was also arrested. This arrest is in addition to the numerous arrests of other TLP-Niger activists, who have been regularly targeted and harassed for their civic engagement for four years. These events take place in a context of high tension between Tournons La Page Niger, supported by many civil society organizations in Niger, and the Nigerien government. Since November 29 and the clashes in Téra (three dead and 18 wounded during a confrontation between citizens and a convoy of the French army supported by the Nigerien gendarmerie), TLP has been demanding justice and that its right to demonstrate be upheld so it can continue to denounce the insecurity and the stagnation of the Barkhane force in the country. Given the consequences for TLP, it seems clear that the Nigerien state considers this issue to be a red line. Through these actions, it is hindering the right to demonstrate, including on this highly symbolic day of December 10, but also the freedom of opinion and expression. Tournons la Page, Agir ensemble pour les droits humains, Avocats Sans Frontières France, Avocat Sans Frontières Belgique, Action Aid France - Peuples Solidaires, CRID, RITIMO, Survie, Secours Catholique - Caritas France, FIDH and the OMCT, within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders demand the release of the four members of TLP-Niger and the advocacy and protection officer of Agir ensemble pour les droits humains. The signatory organizations call on the Nigerien authorities to

Immediately release Armadan Moussa, Biliyaminou Idi, Moubarak Habou and Hima Hamani, all members of TLP-Niger, Niamey section, and Mathieu Pourchier, the advocacy and protection officer of Agir ensemble pour les droits humains and seconded to the international secretariat of Tournons La Page;

Put an end to all acts of harassment of members of civil society;

Guarantee the rights of detainees, including adequate hygiene and food, access to health care, and access to the outside world through communication with their lawyers, families and loved ones;

Guarantee in all circumstances the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

The signatory organizations call on the following organizations:

The Embassy of France, the Delegation of the European Union (EU) and all EU member states to do everything in their power for the immediate release of one of its nationals, arrested in the context of his human rights work;

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to urge the authorities of Niger to implement the above-mentioned demands.

Egypt: Release of Patrick George Zaki

observatory_admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Observatory has received new information about the release and ongoing judicial harassment of Mr. Patrick George Zaki, a postgraduate student at Bologna University (Italy) and a Gender and Human Rights researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). On December 7, 2021, the Mansoura II State Security Misdemeanours (Emergency) Court ordered the release of Patrick George Zaki pending trial after 22 months of arbitrary detention in Tora prison in Cairo. The Court adjourned his case to February 1, 2022. Mr. Zaki was effectively released from Mansoura police station in Cairo on December 8, 2021. The Observatory recalls that on September 13, 2021, Patrick George Zaki was indicted by the State Security Supreme Prosecution (SSSP) on charges of “spreading false news inside and outside of the country” based on Articles 80 (D), and 102 (bis) of the Penal Code. If found guilty, he could face up to five years in jail. The charges are based on an article Patrick George Zaki published on the independent digital media Daraj, in July 2019. His article, “Displacement, Killing and Restriction: A Week’s Diaries of Egypt’s Copts” presents his reaction, as a Christian Egyptian citizen, to current events regarding the Coptic community in the country. Patrick George Zaki’s trial opened on September 14, 2021 before the Mansoura II State Security Misdemeanors (Emergency) Court, whose rulings are not subject to appeal. The hearing was adjourned a first time to September 28, 2021 and then postponed to December 7, 2021 after Mr. Zaki’s lawyer requested a delay in order to review the case files, as it was the first time he was allowed to get an official copy of the files. The Observatory further recalls that Patrick George Zaki was arrested on February 7, 2020, at Cairo airport upon his arrival from Italy. He was subsequently taken into the custody of Egypt’s National Security Investigations (NSI) at the airport and then held incommunicado for the following 24 hours. He was beaten, subjected to electric shocks and threatened during this time. The Observatory underlines that the criminalisation and arbitrary detention of Patrick George Zaki came amid a renewed crackdown on human rights defenders, activists, journalists and civil society in Egypt, that arose with the outbreak of the demonstrations across the country on September 20, 2019, protesting against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The Observatory welcomes the release of Patrick George Zaki but recalls that he should never have been detained in the first place, his detention being arbitrary as it only aimed at punishing him for his legitimate human rights activities. The Observatory condemns the ongoing judicial harassment of Patrick George Zaki and urges the Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against him. The Observatory further calls on the Egyptian authorities to put an end to any act of harassment, including at the judicial level, against him and all the human rights defenders in Egypt.