Angie Hougas
August 20, 2016
Excerpts from her email/newsletter.
August 20, 2016
Excerpts from her email/newsletter.
- Russian Federation: Konstantin Zadoya was released on 3 August from a psychiatric hospital in Novosibirsk, western Siberia. He had been detained there since 7 July and forcibly treated on the basis of a court decision that violated his right to a fair trial. His release happened after the hospital received dozens of letters from activists.
- Mexico: prisoner of conscience Ildefonso Zamora was released on 12 August after almost nine months in jail. The local judge presiding over the case complied with a federal judge decision to release Ildefonso Zamora due to lack of evidence that he had been involved in a robbery.
- Egypt: Mahienour El-Massry and Youssef Shaaban were released on 13 August after serving their 15-month prison sentence. Loay El-Kahwagi, who was sentenced in the same case, is still serving his sentence and is due to be released in March 2017.
- USA -Lethal Use of Force and Police
Tactics 18 June 2015 AI released its report called Deadly Force on lethal
use of force. Here's a link to the web page w/ a video, more info, and report
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-
work/campaigns/lethal-force.This action's recommendation are closely related to the PRIDE Act legislation introduced in 2015: Police Reporting Information, Data, and Evidence Act of 2015 or the PRIDE Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/ 114th-congress/senate-bill/ 1476 Latest articles in NYTimes and Margaret Huang's Letter to Editor: From 29 July 2016: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/ 07/29/nyregion/is-a-police- shooting-a-crime-it-depends- on-the-officers-point-of-view. html In 4 Aug 2016 print edition: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/ 08/04/opinion/lethal-force-by- the-police.html?partner= rssnyt&emc=rss - USA - Leonard Peltier
(1970's leader of the American Indian
Movement (AIM) More info here:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-
work/cases/usa-leonard-peltier and: http://www.amnestyusa.org/ pdfs/Issue%20Brief_Leonard% 20Peltier_Mar2016.pdf - Uzbeckistan - Muhammad
Bekzhanov One of world's longest imprisoned
journalist. This is the case AIUSA Used for World #PressFreedomDay, 3 May
2016 Blog: Free My Father:
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/
freespeech/free-my-father-the- worlds-longest-imprisoned- journalist/ Was a 2015 Write For Rights case & still needs our attention and action - Congo - Paulin Makaya This is a current
Urgent Action (UA) (issued 3 Aug 2016 and end date 14 Sept 2016) Link to full UA here: http://www.amnestyusa.org/get-
involved/take-action-now/ republic-of-congo-release- paulin-makaya-ua-27415 - America I Believe In (gun violence) http://americaibelievein.
amnestyusa.org/ - Iran - Filmmaker Hossein Rajabian, and musicians Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi were arrested in Oct 2013. At their April 2015, 3 minute trial, each was sentenced to 3 years’ for “insulting Islamic sanctities”
- Zimbabwe: Deteriorating human
rights situation: Amnesty International submission to the UN Universal
Periodic Review, November 2016
Website link: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr46/4639/2016/en/
AI index number: AFR 46/4639/2016
Publish date: 09/08/2016 00:00 BST [GMT+1]
Abstract: In this submission, Amnesty International makes a number of recommendations to the government of Zimbabwe to strengthen the protection of human rights and address human rights challenges. Both the government and local authorities continue to forcibly evict thousands of people without due process or adequate housing alternatives. Amnesty International is also concerned about the persistent failure to hold to account members of the security forces responsible for human rights violations, including abductions and enforced disappearances of government critics and arbitrary arrest of human rights defenders and journalists. - South Africa: Smoke and mirrors:
Lonmin’s failure to address housing conditions at Marikana
Website link: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr53/4552/2016/en/
AI index number:AFR 53/4552/2016
Publish date: 15/08/2016 01:05 BST
Abstract:Since 2012 Amnesty International has commented and campaigned on the serious policing failures that led to the deaths at Marikana, calling for full accountability and reparations for the victims and their families. That work continues. This report examines abuses of the right to adequate housing of mine workers at Lonmin’s Marikana mine operation. Its primary focus is an examination of Lonmin’s response to the findings of the Farlam Commission. In this regard it looks both at what Lonmin has done and what the company has said about the situation. - South Sudan: Conflict and impunity:
Amnesty International submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review,
November 2016
Website link: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr65/4632/2016/en/
AI index number:AFR 65/4632/2016
Publish date: 09/08/2016 00:00 BST
Abstract:This submission was prepared for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of South Sudan taking place in November 2016. It was submitted to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in March 2016. In it, Amnesty International evaluates the current situation of human rights in the country and makes recommendations to the government of South Sudan to strengthen the protection of human rights and address human rights challenges. - Canada: The point of no return: The
human rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada threatened by the Site C
dam
Website link: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr20/4281/2016/en/
AI index number:AMR 20/4281/2016
Publish date: 09/08/2016 00:00 BST
Abstract:The government of British Columbia (BC) is pushing ahead with construction of a massive hydro-electric dam in the northeast of the province, despite vigorous opposition by Indigenous peoples who would be severely harmed by the loss of a vital part of their traditional territories. - Haiti: Internal displacement, forced
evictions, statelessness – the catalogue to violations continue
Website link: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr36/4658/2016/en/
AI index number:AMR 36/4658/2016
Publish date: 12/08/2016 00:00 BST
Abstract:This submission was prepared for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Haiti in November 2016. In it, Amnesty International evaluates the implementation of recommendations made in its UPR in 2011, noting that while Haiti has taken some steps to address concerns raised in the previous review, more needs to be done to fully implement the recommendations and to address key human rights concerns in the country.
