Retired professor of planetary science, mostly plasma physics of outer planet magnetospheres, widower, three children, six grandchildren, human rights and peace activist(not sources of popularity in Israel)
Our featured image shows our beloved Miriam (1947-2012) a great friend and human rights defender
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to “The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam”.
CHARITY CORNER
This week we ask for support for Human Rights Watch, a major monitor of human rights violations around the world. Please read their site and donate to support them.
Europe Poll Supports Killer Robots Ban
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Urgent Action: Human Rights Defender Imprisoned and Ill-Treated
Human rights defender Server Mustafayev from Russian-occupied Crimea has been in detention since May 2018, under false terrorism-related charges. On 12 September he was transferred from Crimea to southwest Russia. He is awaiting further transfer from Krasnodar to Rostov-on-Don where he will face military court. His detention in a shared four-square meter cell, with appalling sanitation, amounts to inhuman and degrading treatment. He has been targeted solely for his human rights activism.
Urgent Action: Gay Man Summoned by Police and Disappeared
Kasymberdi Garaev, a 24-year-old doctor, came out as gay in an online article published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Turkmen Service on 21 October. He spoke of his despair as same sex relations between men are a crime in Turkmenistan. He was summoned to a police station on 24 October and has not been heard of since. Meanwhile, the authorities have started a campaign to identify supposed LGBTI people.
Urgent Action Update: Refugees and Asylum Seekers Must Be Released
Sixteen refugees and asylum seekers, fourteen men and one woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and one man from Ethiopia, have been arbitrarily detained in Pemba, northeast Mozambique, for more than ten months in appalling conditions. They still have not been notified of the reason for their detention or of any criminal charges against them and are being continuously harassed to sign repatriation requests.
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In July this year, Erlan Baltabay, a leader of the Independent Oil and Energy Workers’ Union in Kazakhstan, was sentenced to seven years in prison on politically motivated charges. A huge international union mobilization followed, including a LabourStart campaign signed by thousands calling for his release. He was released from prison in August after being pardoned by the President and was able to return home to his family.
Our featured image shows our beloved Miriam (1947-2012) a great friend and human rights defender
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to “The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam”.
CHARITY CORNER
This week we call your attention to Doctors Without Borders. Médecins Sans Frontières is a private, international association. The association is made up mainly of doctors and health sector workers and is also open to all other professions which might help in achieving its aims. Their statement of principles:
All of its members agree to honor the following principles:
Médecins Sans Frontières provides assistance to populations in
distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of
armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed or
political convictions.
Médecins Sans Frontières observes neutrality and impartiality in the
name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian
assistance and claims full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its
functions.
Members undertake to respect their professional code of ethics and
maintain complete independence from all political, economic or religious
powers.
As volunteers, members understand the risks and dangers of the missions they carry out and make no claim for themselves or their assigns for any form of compensation other than that which the association might be able to afford them.
Please donate to this worthy cause.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
A major calamity for indigenous people is eviction from their lands because of economic desires of outsiders such as the threat if extinction of Kawahiva in the rainforests of Brazil.
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
The State of Texas wants to execute an innocent man on November 20, 2019. Rodney Reed was wrongfully convicted in 1998 of the rape and murder of Stacey Stites. He has sat on Texas’ Death Row for 2 decades.
Despite mounting evidence of his innocence, the State has repeatedly denied a new trial, refused to allow existing evidence into court, and even refused to review new evidence. Please sign the petition to halt the execution of Rodney Reed.
LIBYA
Urgent Action: No Contact With Abducted Politician for Months
On 17 July 2019, Libyan parliamentarian and prominent women’s rights defender Siham Sergiwa was brutally abducted from her home in Benghazi by armed gunmen, after publicly criticizing the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army’s military campaign to seize Tripoli. No contact has been made with her since her abduction more than three months ago, raising grave fears that she is at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment.
Urgent Action Update: Drop Charges Against Human Rights Defenders
On 17 January 2018, US Border Patrol agents arrested Dr. Scott Warren, a Human Rights Defender and humanitarian aid volunteer. The US Department of Justice prosecuted him on two counts of felony “harboring” and one count of felony “conspiracy” for his humanitarian aid activities in the USA–Mexico border areas. In June 2019, his case resulted in a mistrial. On 2 July 2019, US federal prosecutors decided to retry Dr. Warren on the two “harboring” charges. His retrial begins on 12 November 2019. He faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted on both charges. Authorities should immediately drop all criminal charges against Dr. Warren for his vital humanitarian work.
On 2 October, neighbors informed Luz Marina Arteaga, a defender for the rights of rural communities in the Meta department, in central Colombia, that her house is under continuous surveillance by unknown men. Luz Marina was forced to leave her home 7 months ago due to a death threat received from the “Rastrojo” paramilitary group. On 20 April 2019, she requested protection from the National Protection Unit (UNP) but is yet to receive it. She would like to return home but fears for her life due to the recent events. We urge the UNP to grant protection measures to Luz Marina and ensure her safety if she returns home.
Our featured image shows our beloved Miriam (1947-2012) a great friend and human rights defender
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to “The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam”.
CHARITY CORNER
This week we turn our attention to Charity Navigator that helps us donate intelligently and effectively. Charity Navigator is supported by individual donations,which is essential for preservation of their independence and integrity. Please send them a donation.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
A major calamity for indigenous people is eviction from their lands because of economic desires of outsides, such as the eviction of the Bushmen in Botswana because of the discovery diamonds in their reserve.
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Urgent Action Victory! Tunisian Activist Acquitted of All Charges
On 19 September 2019, a court in Tunis acquitted 18-year-old activist Maissa al-Oueslati of all charges after facing trumped-up charges that could have resulted in her imprisonment for up to 4 years. On 4 September 2019, the police arbitrarily detained Maissa al-Oueslati and her 16-year-old brother, for filming a protester threatening to set himself on fire in front of a police station. They were interrogated without a lawyer, in a blatant violation of Tunisian law and international human rights law.
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NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
On 19 September 2019, a court in Tunis acquitted 18-year-old activist Maissa al-Oueslati of all charges after facing trumped-up charges that could have resulted in her imprisoned for up to 4 years. Her brother who is facing similar charges of “insulting a public official” and “refusing to comply to orders” will appear in court on October 30 2019 for a separate hearing. During her hearing, a team of five human rights lawyers made the case for the arbitrary nature of her detention and the several procedural breaches made throughout the process including interrogating her without the presence of a lawyer.
Maissa and her 16-year-old brother were both arbitrarily detained on 4 September 2019. A police officer snatched Maissa’s phone and twisted her arm while she was filming his colleagues beat up a protester who had threatened to set himself on fire. Her younger brother rushed towards her and begged the officer to let her go. The police officer pushed the teenage boy on the ground and proceeded to handcuff Maissa al-Oueslati and her brother. In the police station in Jbal El Jloud, police officers interrogated the two siblings without the presence of a lawyer or a parent, as required by Tunisian law for minors. Later that night, Maissa al-Oueslati and her brother were transferred to Bouchoucha detention centre in another part of Tunis where they spent the night.
Maissa’s case received the support of several human rights organizations in Tunisia and abroad. Her case was a strong reminder of the continuity of impunity for police forces in the country. To date, no investigation has been opened to hold the police officers suspected to be responsible for the abuses to account. Following this successful result, Maissa spoke to Amnesty International: “all my respect and love for standing by me”. “I never imagined I would get this much support” She was overwhelmed with the amount of support she had received from activists, many of whom are Amnesty International’s members who showed up at the court the day of the hearing and held signs with supporting messages outside the courthouse. She admits never having imagined to be arrested, but this incident made her determined to continue to carry out her activism for positive change in Tunisia.
BOLIVIA
Urgent Action: Researchers Who Denounced Electoral Fraud at Risk
On 24 October, Edgar Villegas, systems engineer and analyst, denounced irregularities in Bolivia’s general elections of 20 October on public TV. His study done with other academics pointed to large discrepancies between the preliminary count and the final electoral results that gave victory to incumbent president Evo Morales. Following the TV interview Villegas, his family, and Mónica Ximena Galarza, the journalist who interviewed him, were intimidated. These incidents happened in a wider context of repression by the authorities in response to social protests following the election results.
Urgent Action: Human Rights Defender and Blogger Detained
Uzbekistani blogger and human rights defender Nafosat Olloshkurova was violently detained on 23 September while monitoring and filming police handling of a peaceful protest. She was sentenced to 10 days in administrative detention and on 26 September she was placed in psychiatric detention. There are serious concerns for her well being.
Urgent Action: Medical Doctor Found Alive But Tortured
On 19 September 2019, Dr Peter Magombeyi, a medical doctor, was found alive and disoriented, dumped about 33 km out of Harare in a placed called Nyabira. Dr Magombeyi was abducted on the night of 14 September 2019. He said he was held in a basement where he was tortured. There are fears that he was injected with an unknown substance by his abductors. The government accused him of faking the abduction and tried to prevent him from seeking medical treatment outside the country. Fears are that he may be arrested and charged for “faking an abduction” upon his return.
Since 18 October, thousands took the streets in Chile in response to a metro fare hike in its capital city. The demonstrations broadened to reflect people’s anger over living costs and inequality. The President decreed a state of emergency, enabling the army to police demonstrations and impose a curfew. Initial accounts report several deaths, massive detentions, and scores of people tortured or ill-treated. We call on the president to address the demands behind the protests and respect the right to peaceful assembly and expression.
Urgent Action Update: Over 130 People Remain in Detention
After one year and a half since the beginning of the crisis in Nicaragua, at least 130 people continue detained, among them is Maria Guadalupe Ruiz Briceño (22), a student imprisoned after she participated in a July 2019 protest. We urge the Nicaraguan authorities to immediately release and drop all charges of those detained solely on the grounds of their exercise of the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Our featured image shows our beloved Miriam (1947-2012) a great friend and human rights defender.
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to “The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam”.
“Many children with clefts around the world live in isolation, but more importantly, have difficulty eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is safe, and the transformation is immediate. Our sustainable model provides training, funding, and resources to empower local medical professionals in 90+ countries to provide 100%-free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities.
We use the “teach a man to fish” model focusing on training localmedical professionals to perform cleft repairs in their communities. Those medical professionals then go on to train others creating a long-term, sustainable system.
Patients see their forever smile for the first time, parents cry tears of joy, lives and communities are changed forever.
As a result of our efficiency and with the support of our donors and partners around the world, Smile Train has transformed the lives of more than 1.5 million children by giving them the power of a smile.”
We would like to share with you the story of a UK couple whose first child was born with a cleft lip.
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
A major calamity for indigenous people is major development projects that destroy their habitat and and livelihood . Please act for people in Ethiopia who are being displaced by dam construction..
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
You can download this book
Look for these logos:
Find a campaign to work for. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places. We invite you to join Freedom United and raise your voice to help stop forced labor in the U.S. prison & detention system
URGENT ACTION CASES
CYPRUS
Urgent Action Victory! Ahmed H. Allowed to Return Home
Ahmed H. was finally able to return home to his family in Cyprus on 28 September. He had been separated from his Cypriot wife and two daughters for almost four years, after being wrongfully convicted in Hungary.
NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
Ahmed H. was permitted to return home to his family in Cyprus after spending almost four years separated from his wife and two daughters. On 26 September he was transferred from immigration detention to Budapest airport in Hungary and boarded a flight home the next day. He landed in Cyprus in the morning of 28 September and received an emotional welcome from his family.
In September 2015, Ahmed H. was imprisoned in Hungary and wrongfully convicted for “complicity in an act of terrorism” in a blatant misapplication of Hungary’s counter-terrorism laws. Ahmed H. was conditionally released on 19 January 2019 and was held in immigration detention in Hungary until his release in September.
The Cyprus authorities received thousands of letters and emails from Amnesty International activists prior to Ahmed’s return. Ahmed and his wife expressed their gratitude to all those who supported them.
MYANMAR
Urgent Action Victory! Early Release for Former Child Soldier
Aung Ko Htwe, former child soldier, was released from prison a few months early on 6 September 2019, likely due to good behavior. Arrested in August 2017 after giving a media interview about being forcibly recruited into the military, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
Aung Ko Htwe was released from Insein prison in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, on 6 September 2019. Sentenced to a total of two years and six months, his lawyer believes that he was released early for good behavior.
Aung Ko Htwe was arrested on 18 August 2017 after he gave a media interview about his experiences as a child soldier and how the Myanmar military abducted and forcibly recruited him when he was 13 years old. He was then sentenced to two years in prison – the maximum sentence – under Section 505 (b) of Myanmar’s Penal Code, which criminalizes speech that “is likely to cause fear or alarm to the public”. Also convicted under Section 228 of the Penal Code for “intentional insult of a public servant sitting at any stage of a judicial proceeding” after criticizing the judge presiding over his trial, he was sentenced to an additional six months in prison.
Aung Ko Htwe is still facing up to three additional years in prison for another charge “causing destruction of the whole or any part of the Union Seal” under Sections 6 and 7 of the Union Seal Act. While he was acquitted from this charge on 30 October 2018, an appeal against the decision was filed in June 2019. It is likely that a decision will be made in early 2020.
Thank you to everyone who took action, Aung Ko Htwe should have never been imprisoned for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. Amnesty International will continue to monitor his situation and respond to developments as appropriate.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Urgent Action Update: Young Men Appealing Deplorable Sentence
Yan Sidorov, Vladislav Mordasov and Viacheslav Shashmin were convicted on 4 October under fabricated “mass disturbances” charges. Viacheslav Shashmin received a three-year suspended sentence. Yan Sidorov and Vladislav Mordasov were sentenced to over six years in prison and are appealing their sentence. They are prisoners of conscience and must be released immediately and unconditionally. The sentences of all three must be overturned, and allegations of torture and other ill-treatment effectively investigated.
Urgent Action: Prisoner of Conscience Attacked in Prison
Aquatic engineer Nguyen Ngoc Anh, sentenced to six years in prison for peacefully expressing his disagreement with government policies, was physically assaulted in prison by a fellow prisoner. Despite serious injuries to his leg and head, he has been denied access to any medical care and instead locked in solitary confinement. The recent incident follows months of mental abuse by several prisoners, including daily death threats, which the prison officials failed to act on, despite being aware of the abuse.
Urgent Action: Papuan Activists Face Maximum Life Imprisonment
Six political activists have been arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia after peacefully campaigning for the right to self-determination of Papua. Charged with “rebellion” (makar), the six Papuan activists are prisoners of conscience and should be immediately and unconditionally released.
Coca-Cola is becoming a serial human rights offender – in Haiti, Indonesia, Ireland, the Philippines and the United States.
Human rights abuses are accumulating at The Coca-Cola Company. That makes Coke a serial offender when it comes to failing to respect the human rights of workers and acting to remedy abuses. The right of all workers to form, join and be represented by a union for collective bargaining is an internationally recognized fundamental human right. Please click to join the struggle
Our featured image shows our beloved Miriam (1947-2012), a great friend and human rights defender.
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to “The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam”.
“The Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) works to eradicate preventable and curable blindness through high quality ophthalmic care, education and the establishment of a world-class eye care infrastructure. At the core of HCP’s work is its goal to achieve high-quality, low-cost eye care that can be sustained in the developing world for the long-term. HCP trains local eye care teams with methodologies optimized for the developing world. All training and education hinges on maximizing the capacity of eye care staff at all levels. This allows for the expansion of efficient eye care delivery, an increased number of patients treated, and an increased number of trained eye care specialists who can then train future eye care providers.”
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
A major calamity tribal groups is education that destroys the culture of the people by putting the children into factory schools. Please join our struggle to return eduction of indigenous children to the indigenous people by signing our petition given in the Web site.
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Urgent Action Victory! Attacks on Human Rights Defender Investigated
On 28 August, Colombia’s National Prosecutor agreed with Danelly Estupiñán to run a national investigation aimed at finding those responsible for the different security incidents putting Danelly’s life in danger. Danelly will also have direct access to the work of the investigation team.
NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
Since December 2018, the human rights defender and leader of the Black Community Process (Proceso Comunitario Negro, PCN) in Buenaventura, Danelly Estupiñán, had been under increasing surveillance from unknown men while she was at her home and when she was outside for her daily activities. More recently, on 6 July, unknown men broke into her house violating its door security while she was away.
Following national and international pressure, on 28 August, Danelly met with Fabio Espitia, Colombia’s General Attorney, a representative from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country and a lawyer of the PCN. The Prosecutor agreed to appoint a special prosecutor to head the investigations. The National Prosecutor also agreed that Danelly can have direct contact with his staff and follow up on the status of the investigations.
Finally, the Prosecutor reaffirmed that the investigation had a national character, validating the commitments made as a result of a dialogue established between several civil society organizations and the national government after a civic strike in 2017 in Buenaventura.
We will continue to monitor Danelly’s security situation and will swiftly react if there is any new incident in the future.
EL SALVADOR
Urgent Action: Evelyn at Risk of Further Criminalization
Evelyn Hernández was acquitted of charges for aggravated homicide in August, after suffering an obstetric emergency in which she lost her pregnancy in 2016. She is now at risk of further criminalization by El Salvador’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, which has appealed the court’s ruling. Please take immediate action calling upon the Attorney General to drop the appeal.
Emir-Usein Kuku is a human rights defender from Crimea, a peninsula in the south of Ukraine that was annexed by the Russian Federation in March 2014. As a member of the Crimean Human Rights Contact Group since October 2014, Emir-Usein has been peacefully opposing the new regime and has been actively involved in the monitoring and documentation of human rights violations that swept the peninsula since the beginning of the occupation. His work has focused mainly on the enforced disappearance of activists and offering legal support for Crimean Tatars who face prosecution.
Urgent Action: Prisoners of Conscience Awaiting Sentence
The final hearing in the trial of Emir-Usein Kuku and his co-defendants is expected soon. Emir-Usein Kuku is a Crimean Tatar who peacefully denounced the human rights violations taking place since the occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula by the Russian Federation. He has been in pretrial detention, separated from his wife and children, since February 2016, and is facing trumped-up charges which carry up to 25 years in prison. Emir-Usein Kuku and his co-defendants are prisoners of conscience and should be released immediately and unconditionally.
Urgent Action: Unlawful Deportations of Syrians Must Stop
Over the past few months, the Turkish authorities have been deporting Syrian refugees to Syria in violation of international and domestic law. At the same time, refugees whose Turkish identification documents are no longer valid are unable to renew them, even though Turkish law permits this. Turkey must halt all deportations to Syria and allow refugees to renew their IDs.
Urgent Action: Imprisoned Teenager Denied Medical Care
Vladislav Sharkovsky is serving a 10-year prison sentence at a juvenile colony for a minor, non-violent drug offense. His health has been deteriorating since his arrest in March 2018, but he has been denied adequate health care by the prison administration and has been threatened with reprisals unless his mother stops complaining about his prison conditions. The authorities must urgently provide the health care he requires and protect him from any form of harassment or reprisals.
The Aliağa
Municipality of Izmir, Turkey, is dismissing trade union members without
any legal basis. In addition to dismissals, the newly elected mayor is
also forcing workers to resign from their union and to join another one.
Workers have been affiliated to DISK/Genel-İş Union since 1998. The
number of dismissals reached 187 on July 24. The workers have been
picketing since the 20th of May. They demand reinstatement and respect
for trade union rights and freedoms.
Our featured image shows our beloved Miriam (1947-2012) a great friend and human rights defender. We wish all our Jewish readers and joyous holiday season and an easy fast on You Kipper.
We wish our Jewish readers a happy new year, a joyous holiday season and an easy fast of Yom Kippur.
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to “The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam”.
CHARITY CORNER
This week we turn our attention to the NALA foundation, an organization committed to the eradication of Neglected Tropical Diseases. NALA has been operating field projects in Ethiopia since 2008 to fight diseases that perpetuate poverty. It is part of the Center for Emerging Diseases, Tropical Diseases and AIDS in the Health Sciences Faculty of Ben-Gurion University in Beersheva Israel. The Head and founder is Head: Prof. Zvi Bentwich M.D .
MISSION
Our mission is to break the poverty cycle by eradicating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and other diseases of poverty. The NALA holistic approach works towards eliminating the root causes of those diseases, leading to sustainable poverty reduction, and healthier livelihoods by:
Assisting national and international actors in designing and implementing programs for controlling NTDs and other diseases of poverty using community engagement and health education to facilitate behavioral change.
Researching, developing and testing new NTD control modalities and tools.
Advocating for holistic NTD control models with stakeholders and decision makers that promote behavioral change. Please donate to this worthy cause.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have a direct impact on poverty, and could be safely and cheaply eliminated, improving the lives of millions.
Education in basic hygiene can play a major role.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
On 11 September 2019, the Israeli Ofer Military Court in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) approved the renewal of Ayman Nasser’s administrative detention for a further four months. His detention is now expected to end on 4 January 2020. Ayman Nasser has been detained since 17 September 2018, without charge or trial in Ofer prison, near the West Bank city of Ramallah. Ayman Nasser is the legal unit coordinator of Palestinian NGO Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association.
Urgent Action: University Lecturer Must be Released
On 17 August, University lecturer Firew Bekele was arrested and charged under Ethiopia’s draconian Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (ATP). For the last decade, the ATP has been constantly used to suppress any form of dissent. Firew Bekele is accused of writing a book that criticizes Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Firew Bekele denies having written the book. He is a prisoner of conscience who should be immediately and unconditionally released.
Urgent Action: Activist on Trial for Filming Protest
On 4 September 2019, 18 year old activist Maissa al-Oueslati was filming a protester threatening to set himself on fire in front of a police station. The police arbitrarily detained her and her 16-year-old brother, and interrogated them without a lawyer, in a blatant violation of Tunisian law. The police then sent them to a detention center where they spent the night. Maissa is facing trumped up charges and could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.
Urgent Action: Medical Doctor Abducted from His Home
Dr. Peter Magombeyi, a medical doctor and Acting President of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA), was abducted on the night of 14 September. He had been receiving threats from suspected members of the Central Intelligence Organization warning him to stop his involvement in a doctor’s strike and that failure to do so would result in his enforced disappearance. Following a habeas corpus application, the High Court has ordered an investigation into his disappearance. However, to date, no action has been taken and Dr. Peter Magombeyi’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Our featured image show our beloved Miriam (1947-2012), a great friend and human rights defender
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to “The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam”.
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming.
A major calamity for indigenous people is in the activity of so-called conservation groups.. Please act for people in the Congo Basin in their struggle against the WWF.
The Baka fear for their future.
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
Crimean Tatar, Edem Bekirov, is finally free and reunited with his family in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, following a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine on 7 September. Edem Bekirov was arrested by Russian security forces on 12 December 2018 in Russia-occupied Crimea and held in pre-trial detention in inhumane conditions and deprived of the specialized medical care he urgently required.
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NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
Crimean Tatar Edem Bekirov was included in the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine on 7 September, alongside dozens of other Ukrainian nationals who had been imprisoned in Russia following politically-motivated trials. Edem Bekirov, who was a resident in mainland Ukraine, was arrested by Russian security forces on 12 December 2018 when he was visiting his elderly mother in Russian-occupied Crimea. A person with disability, he had spent more than eight months in pre-trial detention in the Crimean capital Simferopol, in conditions that amounted to cruel and degrading treatment. On 9 September he was transferred to the cardiology department in Feofaniya Clinical Hospital, Kyiv, where he underwent heart surgery on 10 September. He is now recovering and is surrounded by his family.
Edem Bekirov has a number of serious medical conditions, including diabetes, an open wound on his amputated leg, and heart problems after a heart attack, that required specialised and constant medical care that was not available in the detention centre. As a result, his health deteriorated while in detention, raising serious concerns for his safety. Moreover, he was held in conditions that were not suitable for a person with a disability and he was even deprived of regular access to fresh air and proper access to sanitation.
Edem Bekirov’s daughter, Eleonora Bekirova, has thanked all those who supported her father and her family: “Once again I want to thank everyone who helped and supported us during this difficult period, all who wrote words of support to dad and our family. I transferred all your wishes to him!”
CUBA
Urgent Action: Independent Journalist Arrested
On 11 September 2019, authorities arrested independent Cuban journalist Mr. Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces in Cuba, after he was convicted of resistance and disobedience in August 2019. He is a prisoner of conscience and should be immediately and unconditionally released.
Fears are mounting that the Chinese authorities will imminently carry out the execution of Tashpolat Tiyip, a prominent Uyghur academic who was convicted in a secret and grossly unfair trial. Subjected to an enforced disappearance in 2017, he has been arbitrarily detained since then. No information has been made available about charges and proceedings against him, and his current whereabouts remain unknown.
Urgent Action: Rohingya Law Student Suspended from Studies
University student Rohima Akter Khushi has been suspended during her second semester at a private university in Cox’s Bazar solely due to her being Rohingya. One of the very few Rohingya young women who have braved all odds to pursue higher education, denying her access solely based on her identity is an affront to the human rights commitment that Bangladesh has made under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
126 skilled workers restoring the West Mebun temple in Cambodia have been out of work for a year. They were previously employed by the French archaeological agency EFEO, with a collective agreement and good working conditions. But in February 2018 they learned they would be suspended and then transferred to the Cambodian Government agency APSARA, which has a history of union-busting. Please join their protest.
