22 April 2003

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS SUFFER UNDER FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM


Human rights defenders around the world are in greater danger as governments use the fight against terrorism to clamp down on dissidents, concludes a new report released by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.

"The 'New Criminals': Human Rights Defenders on the Front Line" examines the situation of human rights defenders - journalists, trade union leaders, lawyers and families of disappeared individuals among others - worldwide during 2002. It provides details of 388 cases where human rights defenders were killed, threatened, physically attacked, jailed or arrested. Seventy-six defenders were killed or abducted last year, the report notes.

The Observatory says the fight against terrorism - while legitimate and necessary - was increasingly diverted from its primary objective and used by governments to establish or strengthen their hold on power at the expense of commitments to human rights.

Read the full report here:
www.omct.org




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Also from the Communiqué, 22 April 2003

INTERNATIONAL: NOMINATIONS INVITED FOR 2003 JOHN HUMPHREYS AWARD 22 April 2003 ARGENTINA: PERIODISTAS RAISES PRESS-FREEDOM CONCERNS WITH PRESIDENT 22 April 2003 RUSSIA: TV STATION OWNER MURDERED 22 April 2003 INTERNATIONAL: FRANCOPHONE JOURNALISTS INVITED TO APPLY FOR RSF-RFI JOURNALISM AWARDS 22 April 2003 ISRAEL: CAMERAMAN KILLED 22 April 2003 INTERNATIONAL: PINA CONVENTION TO HIGHLIGHT PRESS FREEDOM ATTACKS IN TONGA, KIRIBATI, PNG 22 April 2003 INTERNATIONAL: UN COMMISSION LETS ABUSERS OFF THE HOOK: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 22 April 2003
 
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