Edwin Juan Colindres is the leader of the Committee for Peasant Unity (CUC). CUC members appear to be targeted by paramilitaries because of the organization's role in organizing peasant farmers to claim or retain lands which they believe are theirs by law. CUC has also pressed for implementation of … [Read more...]

Fernando Lopez is the director of the legal team at CALDH (Centre for Human Rights Legal Action). CALDH aims to bring justice to those responsible for human rights violations in Guatemala. CALDH, with AJR (Association of Justice and Reconciliation), has filed a law suit against current presidential … [Read more...]

José Israel López López was the regional representative of the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office of Procuraduría de los Derechos Humanos (PDH), in the Department of Chimaltenango. His duties involved carrying out investigations concerning ongoing PDH investigations of human rights violations. PDH is … [Read more...]

Mariam Denton, a lawyer in Gambia who had been detained in connection with the alleged coup attempt on 21 March 2006, was released without charge on 25 July 2006. She had been detained without charge since 6 April 2006. The prosecutor in her trial attempted to have her charged with concealment of … [Read more...]

On April 19, 2005 France Moulin, who was defending a client accused of money laundering in connection with drug trafficking, was imprisoned under new legislation enacted March 9, 2004 (Perben II legislation – named for the Minister of Justice serving at the time). Pursuant to this new legislation, … [Read more...]

-Hailu Shawel (m), member of parliament and President of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) -Professor Mesfin Woldemariam (m), aged 75, former Chair of Ethiopian Human Rights Council -Birtukan Mideksa (f) CUD Vice-President, lawyer and former judge -Dr Berhanu Negga (m), CUD member … [Read more...]

Mr. Bekele and Mr. Demissie are anti-poverty activists who, prior to November 22, 2007, were detained for two years on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government as a result of the legitimate and peaceful human rights work. If found guilty they faced the prospect of life imprisonment or the … [Read more...]

Daniel Bekele, policy researcher and advocacy manager for Actionaid Ethiopia, and international BGO dedicated to the fight against poverty, in the city of Addis Ababa. On October 16th, 2005, Mr. Bekele was attacked at gun point while entering his car by two unknown armed men. One man questioned … [Read more...]

These eight men were arrested on August 23rd, 2007, on suspicion of links with the armed opposition group Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). They were being held in the police station in the western town of Nekemte, where there was risk of torture or ill-treatment. Fortunately, on September 7th, 2007, … [Read more...]

The police have now detained over 40 people whose names had been published on a 'wanted' list of 58 people on 7 November. They are accused of violent conspiracy, in connection with demonstrations against alleged election fraud, yet the detainees maintain not basis for these accusations. Many of … [Read more...]