Urgent Actions

Minority Rights Group International said on Tuesday that it was deeply concerned about the attack on a mosque by Buddhist mobs in Dambulla, in north Central Sri Lanka, and the subsequent decision by the country’s government to relocate the mosque.

In just a matter of days, Honduras could become the only state in the world to punish the use or sale of emergency contraception with a jail term. But we have the power to stop this.

Plea for support of women's right to choose in Colombia

On 21 April, Alawiya Osman Ismail Kubaida, a 58-year old activist from the opposition party Sudan People’s Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N), was arrested in her home by plainclothes agents of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). She is being held incommunicado and is at risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment. Please send appeals before June 14, 2012. 

Since the end of April 2012, sex workers in Greece are forced to be tested by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KEEL). According to Kathimerini news, the police uploaded photos of 12 sex workers onto their website www.hellenicpolice.gr. Those who are tested HIV positive are to face a prosecutor on charges of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm, a felony. These practices are a violation of sex workers’ human rights, their right of freedom, privacy, and the confidentiality on their health condition.

On 28 April 2012 journalist and human rights defender Ms Regina Martínez Pérez was found dead in her home in the city of Xalapa, in Veracruz. Regina Martínez Pérez was a correspondent with the weekly publication Proceso in which she addressed issues relating to drug cartels and the links between organised criminal groups and government officials.

On 26 April 2012, Mr Chut Wutty was shot dead in Koh Kong province. Chut Wutty is the founder and director of Natural Resource Protection Group, a civil society organisation that works to protect environmental rights and monitors illegal logging. Chut Wutty advocated tirelessly against the ongoing destruction of Cambodia's natural resources.

Hungary has legalized home birth, yet midwives who attended home births before legalization have been harshly imprisoned.  On February 10th, 2012, the Budapest Appeal Court announced the verdict in the case of Dr. Ágnes Geréb (an OB/Gyn as well as a midwife) and four other Hungarian midwives. The terms of Ágnes Geréb’s sentence of two-year imprisonment were tightened, a ban on practicing doubled to ten years.

On 13 and 14 April 2012 human rights defender and lawyer Ms Alba Cruz was subjected to death threats received to her mobile telephone. Alba Cruz is a human rights lawyer with the Mexican organisation Comitè de defensa integral de derechos humanos Gobixha - Codigo DH (the Committee for the defence of human rights Gobixha).

On 29 March 2012, human rights defender and journalist Ms Luviana Ariyanti was dismissed after ten years of service as Producer's Assistant at Metro TV after promoting human rights at her workplace. Luviana Ariyanti has been active in trying to initiate a union at Metro TV and in calling for TV programmes that promote and respect human rights and gender equality to be broadcasted.

Urgent action required for Sudanese activist Jalila Khameis Koko was arrested in Khartoum more that 40 days ago.

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the release on bail of Mr. Ragıp Zarakolu, Honorary Board Member and Founder of the Human Rights Association (İnsan Haklari Derneği - İHD), Director of the Belge Publishing House and Chairman of the Publishers Association Freedom to Publish Committee of Turkey, and the ongoing arbitrary detention of Ms. Büşra Ersanlı, a lecturer at the Marmara University (Istanbul) Faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations who has been engaged with NGOs for political rights of the women.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme 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 Zimbabwe.

This month the UN Commission on the Status of Women failed to adopt agreed conclusions at its 56th session on the basis of safeguarding "traditional values" at the expense of human rights and fundamental freedoms of women.

From 9 March to 23 March 2012, Dr Paikiasothy Saravunammutta, Ms Nimalka Fernando, Ms Sunila Abeysekera, and Mr Sunanada Deshapriya were targeted by government media and a Government Minister.

Since 2006, the government has been promising to pass a law to stop violence against women, but has failed to do so. As concerned global citizens, we call on you to stand with women by immediately repealing Article 475 and passing comprehensive legislation addressing violence against women.

All over the continent - from Russia to Turkey to Norway - women experience psychological, sexual and physical abuse, including being harassed, beaten, raped, and forced into marriage. For millions of women, men and children, domestic violence is a daily reality. Stand with women in Europe. Raise your voice by calling on the 47 Council of Europe member and observer states to sign and ratify the far-reaching Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence.

APWLD Secretariat has received a report from our member National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) about the situation of NAFSO leader Mr. Herman Kumara. Mr. Kumara, a long time activist for fisherfolk, particularly women, has been an APWLD workshop participant on documentation and advocacy for fisherwomen and women IDPs. He subsequently attended the Human Rights Council session in September 2011 to report on human rights violations of women in IDP camps.

On 22 February 2012, human rights defender Ms Lucila Bettina Cruz Velázquez was arrested by agents of the Attorney General's office of Oaxaca before being released on bail in the early hours of the morning of 24 February.

The Brazilian government is moving ahead "at any cost" with plans to build the third-largest dam in the world and one of the Amazon's most controversial development projects – the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu River in the state of Pará.