Ahmed Samir
Santawy, a master’s student in Sociology and Social Anthropology at the Central European University (CEU) of Austria, in Vienna, whose academic work focuses on women’s rights in Egypt, particularly on the history of reproductive rights. His main concern is the protection of women’s reproductive rights and their access to legal and safe treatments in order to preserve their lives.
On December 15, 2020, Ahmed Samir Santawy was briefly interrogated[1] at Sharm Elsheikh International Airport in Cairo upon his arrival to Egypt on a study holiday to visit his family, before being allowed to leave the airport.
On January 23, 2021, at 2:00 am, heavily armed and masked officials from the Central Security Forces broke into Ahmed Samir Santawy’s house in Cairo, conducted a search without presenting any warrant, and seized CCTV video footage.
BRIEFING - THE OBSERVATORY, NICARAGUAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (Centro Nicaragüense de Derechos Humanos - CENIDH), The Centre for Legal Assistance for Indigenous Peoples (Centro de Asistencia Legal a Pueblos Indígenas - CALPI) and the Centre for Justice and Human Rights of Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast (Centro por la Justicia y Derechos Humanos de la Costa Atlántica de Nicaragua - CEJUDHCAN)
Abstract:
As of January 2020, the land conflict and the pattern of systematic and widespread violence against those defending the rights of the Mayangna and Miskitu indigenous peoples has escalated at an alarming rate. This is due to the impunity of the perpetrators and executors of illegal land trafficking and the usurpation of natural resources and land in general, facilitated and permitted by state authorities in what appears to be a policy of covert internal colonisation by the State.
The Observatory has been informed about the sentencing of
Eren Keskin, a human rights lawyer[1]
and the co-president of the Human Rights Association (İHD). Ms. Eren Keskin is the winner of multiple international awards for her peace and human rights work, including the 2018 Helsinki Civil Society Award, and was a finalist of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2019.
On February 15, 2021, the İstanbul 23rd Heavy Penal Court sentenced Eren Keskin to six years and three months in prison for “membership to an illegal armed organisation” (Article 314/2 of the Criminal Code) in the Özgür Gündem trial. Three of the eight other defendants in this trial were also sentenced to prison terms while three were acquitted and the file of the two others were separated from the main case. Ms. Keskin’s lawyers appealed the judgment and she remains free pending trial.
Source: Viasna Belarus Human Rights Center in English
Paris-Geneva, February 16, 2021 – Starting early this morning, the Belarusian police, State Security Committee (KGB) officers and members of the Main Department for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption have been carrying coordinated searches and arrests of human rights defenders and journalists. While the information remains scarce, this is another escalation in the 191 days of violent crackdown on civil society.
Since the early morning of February 16, 2021, at least 25 human rights defenders and journalists across Belarus have seen their houses and offices searched. Many among them have been detained. The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) and the Human Rights Centre “Viasna” are amongst the main targets.
February 15, 2021
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH, has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in
Belarus.
The Observatory has been informed about the new criminal charges against
Maria (a.k.a Marfa) Rabkova, Coordinator of volunteer services at the Human Rights Center “Viasna” who notably participated in documenting evidence of torture and other inhuman treatment of detained participants in the post-election demonstrations in Belarus.
On February 11, 2021, the Investigative Committee of Belarus charged Maria (Marfa) Rabkova with “incitement of racial, national, religious or other social enmity or discord, committed by a group of persons or resulting by negligence in the death of a person or other grave consequences” and “involvement in a criminal organization” (Art. 130.3 and Art. 285.2 of the Belarus Criminal Cod