28th February 2013: Launch of Observatory Annual Report: "Violations of the right of NGOs to funding: from harassment to criminalisation"

Thursday 28 February 2013 - 10h30: PRESS CONFERENCE atClub Suisse de la Presse - Geneva

During this press conference, theObservatory presented a global review of theviolations of the right of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to access funding.

With the participationof:

· Gerald Staberock - Secretary General ofOMCT

· Antoine Bernard – Chief ExecutiveOfficer of FIDH

· Olga Sadovskaya - Vice-Chairpersonof the Committee Against Torture and a member of OMCT GeneralAssembly (Russian Federation)

· Farida Makar - Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies - CIHRS (Egypt)

· AdilurRahman Khan - Secretary of Odhikar and a member of OMCTGeneral Assembly (Bangladesh)

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Thursday 28 February 2013 - from 1 pm to 2.30 pm : PANELDISCUSSION in United Nations Palais des Nations, room XXI

Restrictionson NGO funding:

fromharassment to criminalisation

The panel discussion on "Restrictions on NGO funding: fromharassment to criminalisation" took place on Thursday, 28 February2013, at 1 pm in room 21 of the Palais des Nations. The side event wasorganised by OMCT and FIDH and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions ofIreland, Switzerland and The Netherlands.


Introductory remarks:

· Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (clickhere to read the opening remarks the Deputy High Commissioner delivered on thisoccasion)

· H.E. Mr. Colin Wrafter, Director, Human Rights Unit, Department of Foreign Affairsand Trade of Ireland

Chair: Antoine Bernard - FIDH CEO

Panel Speakers: 


· Gerald Staberock - OMCT Secretary General

· Olga Sadovskaya - Vice-Chairperson of the Committee Against Torture and a member ofOMCT General Assembly (Russia) 


· Farida Makar- CIHRS (Egypt) 


· Adilur Rahman Khan - Secretary of Odhikar and a member of OMCT General Assembly (Bangladesh)

Video comments by Mr. Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom ofPeaceful Assembly and of Association, and Ms.Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human RightsDefenders

Maina Kiai's oral intervention / Launch of OBS report 2013 / UN Side-Event 28th Feb 2013 from OMCT / SOS-Torture Network on Vimeo.

Margaret Sekaggya's oral intervention / Launch of OBS report 2013 / UN Side-Event 28th Feb 2013 from OMCT / SOS-Torture Network on Vimeo.

Leading global programme onthe protection of human rights defenders, theObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a jointprogramme of the World Organisation Against Torture(OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), accompanies,follows and protects human rights defenders at risk throughout the year.