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Activist Sadat Illiya Dan Malam continues to be detained after a judge of the Zinder High Court dismissed the charges of "participation in an insurrectional movement" and "conspiracy against the security of the state" against him and ordered his immediate release on 20 May. The Zinder High Court prosecutor has appealed the judge’s decision.
Danial Zeinolabedini, an 18-year-old imprisoned in Mahabad prison, West Azerbaijan province, is at risk of execution. He was sentenced to death in June 2018 after an unfair trial in which he was convicted of a murder that took place when he was 17 years old. His execution would be a grave violation of international law.
On 14 June the governorate of Izmir banned all Pride events, followed by the governorate of Antalya the next day. Pride events in other cities have been prevented or are also at imminent risk of being banned, including in Istanbul, where Pride is at risk for the fifth year in a row. This clampdown on the LGBTI community in Turkey has been continuing this year despite this Pride season being the first one after the end of Turkey’s state of emergency in July 2018. The authorities must lift these unlawful bans and ensure that all Pride events are allowed to safely take place. They must protect the right to peaceful assembly without discrimination.
On 9 and 10 June, thousands of Haitians marched in Port-au-Prince against corruption and poverty, some calling for the resignation of President Jovenel Moïse. Amidst reports of excess use of force by the police, and ongoing protests, President Jovenel Moïse should guarantee the right to freedom of expression and assembly, promptly investigate alleged human rights abuses, and bring those responsible to justice.
The Attorney General of the State of Morelos has opened a criminal investigation into the killing of environmental, land and territory human rights defender Samir Flores Soberanes. Mexico’s National Protection Mechanism has also granted protection measures to several other members of his movement.
Venezuelan opposition member of parliament Gilber Caro has been in incommunicado detention since 26 April 2019, putting his personal integrity at risk. Authorities denied having information on his fate and whereabouts since his detention by intelligence officers until 31 May. Gilber Caro was also arbitrarily detained from January 2017 until June 2018 under unfounded accusations of treason and stealing military equipment. His disappearance and incommunicado detention is arbitrary since it reverses the freedom he was granted in June. We call on the Director of the intelligence service (SEBIN) to swiftly allow access to Gilber Caro and to release him immediately.
Fifteen refugees and asylum seekers (14 men, one woman) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and one male refugee from Ethiopia are currently held at the Third Police Station in Pemba city, Cabo Delgado Province in Mozambique. They have been held since 17 January and are not being given necessary medical care and adequate food.
All detainees held at the police’s anti-terrorism branch in Urfa province, south eastern Turkey, following clashes between security forces and the armed PKK on 18 May, have been either released or sent to prison custody. The 13 people that were remanded in prison are no longer considered to be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.
Seven investigative journalists have been summoned since February for questioning by the Intelligence Services after the Paris Prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation against them for revealing a national defense secret. In April, the online media portal Disclose published the ‘Yemen papers’ regarding the sale of French weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and their use against civilians in the context of the Yemen civil war. The authorities have pressured the journalists to reveal their sources, however their actions are protected by the right to freedom of expression and the preliminary investigation against the journalists must stop.
Ivoirian online activist, Soro Tangboho alias Carton Noir was sentenced to one year in prison for ‘disturbing the public order’ and ‘incitement to xenophobia’ on 7 June 2019. He was convicted without a lawyer present. He was arbitrarily arrested on 8 November 2018 in Korhogo town. While detained, he was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.