The formal pre-hearing in the trial of human rights defender Ms Anastasia Denisova will take place on 22 March 2010 at 10 am. Anastasia Denisova has been charged with the “illegal use of non-licensed software by a person in an official position” and the “creation of computer malware”. If found guilty of these charges, she could face up to nine years in prison and a fine of up to 700,000 Rubles (approximately 17,400 Euro).

Human rights defender Ms Irom Chanu Sharmila was re-arrested on 10 March 2010 and charged with attempting to commit suicide. Irom Chanu Sharmila had just been released from the security ward of Jawaharlal Nehru (JN) Hospital two days previously, 8 March 2010. She has been on hunger strike since 2 November 2000 in protest against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA) which gives power to officers of the Indian Armed Forces to shoot anyone suspected of being an insurgent in so-called “disturbed areas”.

March 10, 2010

"On February 18, the Malaysian Home Minister announced the whipping of three Muslim women for illicit sex. This came as a shock to many Malaysians as several conflicting issues raised over the whipping sentence of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno for drinking alcohol in public have not yet been resolved. Following this, Sisters in Islam (SIS) and its partners in the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) issued a statement in protest against the whipping, maintaining that we believe it is unjust, inhumane and unconstitutional.

Human rights defender Ms Mahboubeh Karami was arrested on 2 March 2010. Mahboubeh Karami is a member of the One Million Signature Campaign, a movement which aims to end discriminatory laws against women in Iran. Front Line previously issued an appeal in relation to the arrest and detention of Mahboubeh Karami on 2 April 2009.

March 4, 2010

The daughter of human rights defender Mr Pedro Brizuela , Ms Claudia Larissa Brizuela , was murdered on 24 February 2010. Pedro Brizuela is a member of the Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular - FNRP (National Popular Resistance Front). Claudia Larissa Brizuela was also a FNRP supporter.