Read on to remain up to date with the latest international human rights news, views and developments!
The 77th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will be held in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, from 20 October to 9 November 2023. The session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will be held in Arusha from 16 to 18 October 2023.
The policy to silence and quash opposition to the Venezuelan government continues, says the UN’s body of experts on Venezuela in its report to the Human Rights Council.
At the 54th session of the Human Rights Council, during the debate on Sudan, Nahlla Yousif, woman human rights defender from Darfur, delivered a joint statement on behalf of ISHR, Sudanese Women Rights Action, Future for Enlightenment and Development Organization and WHRDMENA Coalition.
Civil society organisations sent a joint letter to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, and the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for the Gulf region, urging the European Union to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those sentenced for their political beliefs in Bahrain.
Civil society organisations sent a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs urging the United Kingdom to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those sentenced for their political beliefs in Bahrain.
Civil society organisations called on the United Arab Emirates to release all those unjustly imprisoned in the country before the start of COP28, which will be held at Expo City Dubai between 30 November and 12 December 2023.
ISHR joins calls on the Egyptian authorities to release all political prisoners, guarantee compensation to the victims, and acknowledge its complicity in the Rabaa massacre.
In a public statement, 85 NGOs urge Laos to immediately release Chinese lawyer Lu Siwei, detained en route to reuniting with his family in the United States. Laos risks contravening its obligations under the UN Convention against Torture if it sends Lu back to China, where he would likely face arbitrary detention and torture.
The Guatemalan government rejects 40% of recommendations at crucial UN human rights review. Amidst a delicate electoral context, NGOs urge the government to cooperate in good faith with UN bodies and implement key recommendations to address attacks against human rights defenders, justice officials, and discrimination against Indigenous Peoples, women, and LGBTIQ+ persons.
At the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, during the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report of Benin, ISHR and Changement Social Benin delivered a joint statement encouraging Benin to do more for the protection of defenders in the country.
At the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, during the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report of Zambia, ISHR, the Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolutions of Disputes and the Zambia Human Rights Defenders Network delivered a joint statement calling on Zambia to revise its legal instruments and adopt an adequate legal framework to ensure defenders can work in a safe environment without fear of reprisals.
In a joint statement, over 60 human rights organisations, bar associations, scholars and Chinese human rights activists in exile urge global attention to the Chinese government’s new wave of repression against human rights lawyers unfolding over the past three months.
