07.01.02
Urgent Interventions
The Observatory: Newsletter June 2002
The Observatory - Newsletter No. 12
June 2002
CUBA : Intensification of the repression against defenders and journalists
10th June 2002 – Letter to the President
Official decree 383/2001 according to which ''computers, printers, photocopy machines and other large scale printing equipment'' cannot be sold anymore to foundations, associations organizations or individuals without a special authorization of the Ministry of Interior Trade entered into force in January 2002. In the same period, there has been an intensification of the repression against human rights defenders and journalists through arbitrary detentions, house arrests, close surveillance or threats. On 22 February, Leonardo Miguel Bruzón Ávila, President of the Human rights movement 24th February was detained with seven other activists when he was peacefully protesting for the police agression against the independent journalist Carlos Alberto Domínguez. On 4th March 2002, 8 activists and 2 journalists, amongst them, Juan Carlos González Leiva, president of the Cuban Foundation for Human Rights were arrested after being injured by the political police of Ciego de Avila. They were peacefully protesting against the agression of the independent journalist Jesús Álvarez Castillo. All those detained are awaiting trial.
EGYPT – Restrictive legislation on freedom of association
4th June 2002 - Letter to the President
On 3rd June 2002, the Egyptian parliament adopted the new draft law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which includes very restrictive provisions on freedom of association. (See Appeals EGY 032/9905/OBS 032 to 032.03)
This draft law maintains and even strengthens the restrictive provisions of the Law on Civil Associations and Institutions adopted in 1999 (Law 153 of 1999), that was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional High Court in June 2000. In particular, this law gives the administrative body, represented by the Ministry of Social Affairs, broad powers over civil associations and provides for the necessity of having the consent of the Ministry of Social Affairs to register civil associations; the ban for NGOs to practice political and unions' activities without these two activities being defined; the compulsory administrative intervention for the constitution of the board of directors of the association ; as well as the requirement of getting an authorization to receive funds and an authorization to be affiliated to international associations and organizations
GUATEMALA: Death threats
19th June 2002– GTM 005/0602/OBS 037
On 7th June 2002, a letter signed by a group named « Real guatemalans » was sent by fax or deposited in various media and human rights organizations. The letter contained death threats and insults against the following activists: Clara Arenas, Miguel Angel Albizurez, Miguel Angel Sandoval, Nery Rodenas, Frank LaRue, Mario Polanco, Abner Guoz, Marielos Monzón, Ronaldo Robles, Rosa María Bolaños and Helen Mack, all described as « Enemies of the country » for, amongst other things, having had an interview with the UN Secretary General Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders who visited Guatemala from 26 to 31 May 2002 and publicly expressed her concern for the situation of human rights defenders.
COLOMBIA – Stigmatisation of the Lawyers’ Collective
7th June 2002 – Press Release
On 21st May 2002 a paper denouncing the Lawyers’ Collective for its legal investigation into the case of the attack against trade union leader Wilson Borja (see Observatory yearly report 2000 and 2001) began being circulated in universities and in the Attorney General’s headquarters. Several false accusations are included in this document aiming at diminishing the Collective’s prestige and legitimacy. The Lawyers’ Collective is accused of being the legal branch of the ELN, of being linked with drug trafficking, of corrupting judicial organs and of holding an international campaign discrediting the image of the Armed Forces and the Colombian State. Likewise, legal proceedings are called for against the Lawyers’ Collective. These accusations seriously endanger the lives of the Collective’s members especially in the Colombian context in which 9 NGO members and 164 trade unionists were assassinated in 2001.
MEXICO: Death Threats / Harassment
New Information
10th of June 2002 - MEX 005 / 0111 / OBS 091.2
Since his return to Mexico, on the 8th May, after being informed from trusted sources that the Procuraduría General (Attorney’s General Office) and the Investigation and National Security Center (CISEN) had been investigating into his activities, Mr. Ruiz Canales, president of the Council for Law and Human Rights, has been receiving serious threats. He has been followed and has received notes containing death threats at his home and on his car. On one occasion, the car following his attempted to block his path. Three men, of which two were wearing Federal Police uniforms, got out of the car. On seeing that one of them was pulling out a pistol, Mr. Ruiz fled. These threats seem to be related to an article, published on a web page, Mr. Ruiz Canales wrote on 15th May 2002 on the case of Mr. Guillermo Vélez, who died after being tortured by federal police officers.
RUSSIA: Sentence
26th of June 2002 - RUS 001/0602/OBS 038
On June 25th 2002, the Supreme Court of Moscow confirmed the sentence to 4 years in jail and deprivation of his miltary rank against Grigory Pasko, military correspondant for the Russian Navy’s periodical Boevaya Vakh. The sentence had been pronounced on appeal for high treason by the Military Court of Vladivostok on December 25th 2001. (See Open Letter of the Observatory of December 26th, 2001)
Mr. Pasko was arrested in November 1997, due to a report released by a Japanese broadcaster in which he spoke of nuclear waste spillage, pollution related to shipbreaking yards, and the promotion of certain generals. In July 1999, he was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for abuse of position but the sentencing for high treason was abandoned. He was freed after serving two thirds of his sentence, based on the amnesty for “minor sentences”.
TUNISIA: Arrest/ Sentence
5th June 2002 – TUN 004 / 0602 / OBS 036
20th June 2002 – Press Release
On June 4th, 2002 Zouhair Yahyaoui, founder and master of the website TUNeZINE, which relates to fundamental freedoms in Tunisia, was arrested. On June 20th he was sentenced by the Court of First Instance of Tunis to 1 year imprisonment for « spreading false news » according to article 306 bis, par. 2 of the Penal Code and to 1 year and 4 months for “unauthorised use of internet connections” according to article 84 of the Code of Communications and “theft with prejudice to the employer” (article 84 of the Penal Code). The Observatory sent an observer to the trial who confirmed that the repression against lawyers defending politically sensitive cases had worsened.
Zouhair Yahyaoui is the nephew of Judge Mokhtar Yahyaoui who has been sanctioned for exposing in a public letter the lack of independence of the Tunisian justice. It is also worth mentioning that other members of his family have been victims of harassment.
Additional information:
Every month the Observatory prepares a special appeal on the situation of human rights defenders in Colombia.
******************************
Paris – Geneva, 30th June 2002
To contact the Observatory call the Emergency Line :
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29
June 2002
CUBA : Intensification of the repression against defenders and journalists
10th June 2002 – Letter to the President
Official decree 383/2001 according to which ''computers, printers, photocopy machines and other large scale printing equipment'' cannot be sold anymore to foundations, associations organizations or individuals without a special authorization of the Ministry of Interior Trade entered into force in January 2002. In the same period, there has been an intensification of the repression against human rights defenders and journalists through arbitrary detentions, house arrests, close surveillance or threats. On 22 February, Leonardo Miguel Bruzón Ávila, President of the Human rights movement 24th February was detained with seven other activists when he was peacefully protesting for the police agression against the independent journalist Carlos Alberto Domínguez. On 4th March 2002, 8 activists and 2 journalists, amongst them, Juan Carlos González Leiva, president of the Cuban Foundation for Human Rights were arrested after being injured by the political police of Ciego de Avila. They were peacefully protesting against the agression of the independent journalist Jesús Álvarez Castillo. All those detained are awaiting trial.
EGYPT – Restrictive legislation on freedom of association
4th June 2002 - Letter to the President
On 3rd June 2002, the Egyptian parliament adopted the new draft law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which includes very restrictive provisions on freedom of association. (See Appeals EGY 032/9905/OBS 032 to 032.03)
This draft law maintains and even strengthens the restrictive provisions of the Law on Civil Associations and Institutions adopted in 1999 (Law 153 of 1999), that was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional High Court in June 2000. In particular, this law gives the administrative body, represented by the Ministry of Social Affairs, broad powers over civil associations and provides for the necessity of having the consent of the Ministry of Social Affairs to register civil associations; the ban for NGOs to practice political and unions' activities without these two activities being defined; the compulsory administrative intervention for the constitution of the board of directors of the association ; as well as the requirement of getting an authorization to receive funds and an authorization to be affiliated to international associations and organizations
GUATEMALA: Death threats
19th June 2002– GTM 005/0602/OBS 037
On 7th June 2002, a letter signed by a group named « Real guatemalans » was sent by fax or deposited in various media and human rights organizations. The letter contained death threats and insults against the following activists: Clara Arenas, Miguel Angel Albizurez, Miguel Angel Sandoval, Nery Rodenas, Frank LaRue, Mario Polanco, Abner Guoz, Marielos Monzón, Ronaldo Robles, Rosa María Bolaños and Helen Mack, all described as « Enemies of the country » for, amongst other things, having had an interview with the UN Secretary General Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders who visited Guatemala from 26 to 31 May 2002 and publicly expressed her concern for the situation of human rights defenders.
COLOMBIA – Stigmatisation of the Lawyers’ Collective
7th June 2002 – Press Release
On 21st May 2002 a paper denouncing the Lawyers’ Collective for its legal investigation into the case of the attack against trade union leader Wilson Borja (see Observatory yearly report 2000 and 2001) began being circulated in universities and in the Attorney General’s headquarters. Several false accusations are included in this document aiming at diminishing the Collective’s prestige and legitimacy. The Lawyers’ Collective is accused of being the legal branch of the ELN, of being linked with drug trafficking, of corrupting judicial organs and of holding an international campaign discrediting the image of the Armed Forces and the Colombian State. Likewise, legal proceedings are called for against the Lawyers’ Collective. These accusations seriously endanger the lives of the Collective’s members especially in the Colombian context in which 9 NGO members and 164 trade unionists were assassinated in 2001.
MEXICO: Death Threats / Harassment
New Information
10th of June 2002 - MEX 005 / 0111 / OBS 091.2
Since his return to Mexico, on the 8th May, after being informed from trusted sources that the Procuraduría General (Attorney’s General Office) and the Investigation and National Security Center (CISEN) had been investigating into his activities, Mr. Ruiz Canales, president of the Council for Law and Human Rights, has been receiving serious threats. He has been followed and has received notes containing death threats at his home and on his car. On one occasion, the car following his attempted to block his path. Three men, of which two were wearing Federal Police uniforms, got out of the car. On seeing that one of them was pulling out a pistol, Mr. Ruiz fled. These threats seem to be related to an article, published on a web page, Mr. Ruiz Canales wrote on 15th May 2002 on the case of Mr. Guillermo Vélez, who died after being tortured by federal police officers.
RUSSIA: Sentence
26th of June 2002 - RUS 001/0602/OBS 038
On June 25th 2002, the Supreme Court of Moscow confirmed the sentence to 4 years in jail and deprivation of his miltary rank against Grigory Pasko, military correspondant for the Russian Navy’s periodical Boevaya Vakh. The sentence had been pronounced on appeal for high treason by the Military Court of Vladivostok on December 25th 2001. (See Open Letter of the Observatory of December 26th, 2001)
Mr. Pasko was arrested in November 1997, due to a report released by a Japanese broadcaster in which he spoke of nuclear waste spillage, pollution related to shipbreaking yards, and the promotion of certain generals. In July 1999, he was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for abuse of position but the sentencing for high treason was abandoned. He was freed after serving two thirds of his sentence, based on the amnesty for “minor sentences”.
TUNISIA: Arrest/ Sentence
5th June 2002 – TUN 004 / 0602 / OBS 036
20th June 2002 – Press Release
On June 4th, 2002 Zouhair Yahyaoui, founder and master of the website TUNeZINE, which relates to fundamental freedoms in Tunisia, was arrested. On June 20th he was sentenced by the Court of First Instance of Tunis to 1 year imprisonment for « spreading false news » according to article 306 bis, par. 2 of the Penal Code and to 1 year and 4 months for “unauthorised use of internet connections” according to article 84 of the Code of Communications and “theft with prejudice to the employer” (article 84 of the Penal Code). The Observatory sent an observer to the trial who confirmed that the repression against lawyers defending politically sensitive cases had worsened.
Zouhair Yahyaoui is the nephew of Judge Mokhtar Yahyaoui who has been sanctioned for exposing in a public letter the lack of independence of the Tunisian justice. It is also worth mentioning that other members of his family have been victims of harassment.
Additional information:
Every month the Observatory prepares a special appeal on the situation of human rights defenders in Colombia.
******************************
Paris – Geneva, 30th June 2002
To contact the Observatory call the Emergency Line :
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29