Citizens for Justice and Peace
UN human rights experts criticise Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on peaceful activists
04-Jan-2018
Five United Nations (UN) human rights experts have condemned Saudi Arabia’s “continued use” of counter-terror and security laws to target human rights defenders, a statement from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said. These include the special rapporteurs on the situation of human rights defenders, the right to freedom of opinion…
Tibetan education advocate to be put on trial in China
02-Jan-2018
The New York Times reported that Tashi Wangchuk, who pushes for expanded Tibetan language education, will go on trial this week for “inciting separatism,” which could lead to 15 years’ imprisonment, according to his lawyers.Human rights backers and Tibet advocacy bodies have decried Tashi’s trial. The Times said Tashi has been detained for almost two years, having…
Tibetan filmmaker escapes from China to arrive in US
29-Dec-2017
The Guardian reported that Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan filmmaker and activist, received political asylum in the United States following an “arduous and risky escape” from China. Dhondup Wangchen was convicted of subversion, and, according to Reuters, was imprisoned in 2009 in China’s Qinghai province after he filmed a documentary featuring ordinary Tibetans praising the Dalai Lama, and saying…
Chinese human rights activist sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment
27-Dec-2017
The Guardian reported that Wu Gan, a blogger who is known as Super Vulgar Butcher, his screen name, routinely promoted instances of abuse of power by the government, online as well as in street protests. Wu was sentenced to eight years in jail for “subverting state power” on December 26. Earlier in the day, lawyer…
UN rights chief won’t seek second term
26-Dec-2017
Foreign Policy last week reported that the United Nations’ human rights chief, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, told staff of the UN human rights agency in an email, which Foreign Policy acquired, that he has “decided not to seek a second four-year term.” Zeid added that “To do so, in the current geopolitical context, might involve…
UN: Over 100 Human Rights Defenders killed in Colombia in 2017
22-Dec-2017
Reuters has reported that the United Nations has said that 105 human rights activists have been killed in Colombia this year. Last year, Colombia’s government signed a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), ending a civil war that lasted more than 50 years. The UN’s human rights office in the country…
Pakistan pushes out several foreign aid groups
19-Dec-2017
The Guardian has reported that, in recent days, Pakistan’s interior ministry has issued letters to 29 international non-government organisations (INGOs) directing them to shutter their offices and leave the country within 60 days, by the end of January. These include ActionAid, which works against injustice and poverty, and Marie Stopes International, which supplies contraception and abortion…
Myanmar government green lights case against Reuters journalists
18-Dec-2017
A government spokesman told Reuters that Myanmar’s President Htin Kyaw has permitted the police to go ahead with a case against two Reuters journalists who were arrested last week. According to Reuters, the Ministry of Information last week said they had “illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media”, and that…
UN Secretary-General urges Myanmar to free Reuters journalists
15-Dec-2017
Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, both Myanmar citizens who were working on the persecuted Rohingya minority in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, were arrested this week. They have been arrested under the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Reuters reported that police officers they were meeting with…