Podcasts about front line defenders

A Liga Guineense dos Direitos Humanos (LGDH) deu esta segunda-feira, 14 de Abril, uma conferência de imprensa para denunciar "a onda de perseguição, intimidação e tentativa de detenção arbitrária do Presidente da LGDH, Bubacar Turé, pelas forças de segurança" da Guiné-Bissau. O jurista e membro do colectivo de advogados da LGDH, Fodé Mané, descreve a perseguição como uma forma de calar a crítica. RFI: O que é que está a acontecer com Bubacar Touré? Como é que avalia a actual situação dos direitos humanos na Guiné-Bissau.Fodé Mané: Quero confirmar toda a informação que avançaram na introdução [da entrevista] sobre a situação da sua casa, a montagem de um aparato de agentes de segurança no Porto de Bissau e nas principais artérias da cidade, tendo em conta que foram no sábado e não o encontraram. Presumo que ele esteja fora da cidade e eles querem capturá-lo na sua saída. Isso é verdade, mas também está, sem dúvida, relacionado com as declarações feitas por ele sobre a situação da saúde em geral. Porque não falou apenas da hemodiálise. Ele falou sobre a venda de medicamentos, que deveriam ser utilizados gratuitamente para tratar os pacientes. [Bubacar Turé] falou também das cobranças ilícitas nas maternidades, principalmente para a realização de exames em mulheres grávidas. E, por fim, deu ênfase à situação da hemodiálise, porque houve informações de que os técnicos deveriam ter três meses de formação, mas voltaram no fim do mês. Além disso, devido à forma como o centro está a funcionar, em termos de análise prévia e selecção das pessoas que irão fazer a regularização, a estatística produzida deve ser investigada para se estabelecer ou não o nexo de causalidade entre as mortes e a qualidade da formação docente, com o objectivo de esclarecer se as denúncias que surgiram nos órgãos de comunicação são verdadeiras ou não. Assim, ele apelou para que a população confie no processo e que, se for o caso, sejam feitas as correções necessárias, pois ninguém ganha com o mau funcionamento dos serviços.Ao revelar falhas no sistema de saúde, particularmente na hemodiálise, Bubacar Turé foi alvo de repressão. Como é que as organizações trabalham sabendo que existem riscos de repressão?Eles sabem que a Liga dos Direitos Humanos e a Ordem dos Advogados são os últimos redutos dos cidadãos, onde eles recorrem no caso de violações desses direitos. O objectivo é atingir a voz mais crítica, para amedrontar quase toda a sociedade. Para nós, o colectivo de advogados, entendemos que não é apenas a questão da hemodiálise ou da saúde, mas que são questões muito importantes, porque não se pode falar de direito à vida sem saúde. Temos vindo a denunciar a grave situação, e os próprios técnicos de saúde também estão nessa linha, porque acompanhamos a chamada frente comum, que são os sindicatos da educação e da saúde.Neste período, foi decretada uma greve, [com milhares] de técnicos retirados do sistema. Além disso, há cobranças e falta de cuidado, a prepotência do próprio ministro das Finanças em decidir quando alocar os fundos para os hospitais e os diferentes serviços do ministério da Saúde. Eu penso que esta atitude do governo, de perseguir os denunciantes, não é apoiada pela maioria dos técnicos de saúde. A maioria da população não se resume apenas a essas entidades, como a Ordem e as organizações, mas também à comunidade internacional, advogados e a África Ocidental, que já se pronunciaram. A sociedade simplesmente conhece este modus operandi.Bubacar Touré está a ser ameaçado, a ser perseguido nesta altura?Sim, sim. Não temos notícia do seu paradeiro. Sabemos que não foi detido ainda, de acordo com as informações que temos. Mas sabemos que os meios para sua detenção estão a ser reforçados. Não sabemos qual é o limite da ordem que foi dada para as pessoas encarregadas pela busca, mas, segundo conversas com a equipa que está a procurá-lo, disseram que estão a mando do Departamento de Informação e Acção Criminal, devido a uma queixa apresentada pelo ministério da Saúde. Se há uma queixa dessa natureza, a Liga tem uma sede, está aberta e tem um grupo de advogados, por que não se dirige a essa instituição? É um procedimento que eles conhecem muito bem, melhor do que qualquer cidadão comum, e recorrem a esse procedimento quando lhes interessa.Quem está a coordenar as buscas?Não sabemos quem está por trás dessa acção, pois os agentes estão disfarçados. Os familiares disseram que, na sexta-feira, instalaram um posto à frente da casa [do presidente da Liga]. Não entraram, mas, no sábado, como não o encontraram, um grupo de cinco indivíduos armados entrou na casa, vasculhando diferentes áreas à procura de algo. Depois, ontem, domingo, foi o dia da chegada dos barcos que vão para as ilhas. Desconfiaram que ele poderia estar naquele barco. Montaram um aparato muito forte, com cerca de quatro viaturas, além de pessoas à paisana, de polícias. Tentaram interrogar todos os passageiros, para saber onde ele teria ido, na tentativa de intimidar as pessoas.Quais são os riscos enfrentados pelo presidente da Liga, Bubacar Touré? Existem mecanismos de protecção eficazes?Eficazes não, porque existem mecanismos, mas, tendo em conta o passado, pelo que vimos com sindicalistas, com membros da frente popular e com advogados, podemos dizer que não há uma garantia de protecção. Nestes casos, não há uma acção rápida quando se trata do governo. Nós mesmos fizemos a denúncia, informamos algumas agências ligadas directamente aos direitos à saúde, aos direitos humanos e aos direitos das mulheres, para ver se podiam acompanhar a situação e tentar ajudar, pelo menos falando com o governo, desaprovando essa atitude. Mas não tivemos nenhuma resposta da parte deles.Apenas os jornalistas, que têm sido o único meio de comunicação, deram alguma atenção à situação. A disponibilidade de um organismo internacional para acompanhar e proteger os defensores dos direitos humanos é algo concreto. As entidades nacionais eram a Liga e a Ordem dos Advogados, mas, se essas entidades estão na mesma situação, podemos dizer que ninguém na Guiné-Bissau tem segurança garantida. Mesmo as autoridades federais, com o aparato de agentes à sua procura, mostram que também não confiam no seu próprio sistema. Há um clima de medo geral.Esta conferência de hoje da Liga dos Direitos Humanos da Guiné-Bissau mostra resistência e mobilização por parte dos defensores dos direitos humanos e da sociedade civil. De que forma esperam que a comunidade internacional actue para proteger activistas e defensores dos direitos humanos? Já houve alguma resposta até ao momento?Não. Esta conferência tem o objectivo de mostrar a resistência, mas também de dar visibilidade à opinião pública. Há uma disposição de seguir pela via legal, de colaborar com as autoridades caso queiram obter informações. Querem fazer uma investigação séria, como deve ser? Esse é o objectivo desta conferência de imprensa.Embora não possamos generalizar a comunidade internacional, apesar de não haver uma reacção até agora, há a crença de que pode haver ajuda na resolução da situação da Guiné-Bissau. A expectativa é que já tenham sido enviadas informações à Rede Nacional de Defensores de Direitos Humanos, que já contactou seus parceiros a nível da África Ocidental, da Front Line Defenders e do Alto Comissariado das Nações Unidas para os Direitos Humanos, que já têm informações sobre o caso.

2 000 hectares de forêt primaire, refuge d'une flore et d'une faune unique, sont en danger d'extinction sur la côte est de Madagascar, aux abords du canal des Pangalanes. En cinquante ans, ce territoire a perdu l'essentiel de son couvert forestier, les arbres y sont extrêmement convoités. Cette forêt, appelée Vohibola, ne doit sa survie qu'à une femme : Angélique Razafindrazoary, qui, depuis huit ans, se bat au péril de sa vie contre des trafiquants. De notre correspondante à Madagascar,Des sentiers sableux entourés d'essences d'arbres endémiques et, soudain, un « carnage », comme le nomme Angélique Razafindrazoary. Ce sont des centaines de débris de bois aux couleurs chatoyantes qui jonchent le sol. « C'est vraiment très dur, se désole la défenseuse de la forêt, ce sont des copeaux de bois qui ont été coupés par les braconniers. » Au sol, il y a du nanto, un bois rouge, et aussi du bois jaune, qui appartient à la famille de l'acajou. « Ils ne prennent que le cœur, poursuit Angélique Razafindrazoary, c'est triste quand même, il n'y a pas grand-chose... Deux centimètres, c'est tout. » Et de conclure : « Je ne comprends pas pourquoi ce n'est toujours pas protégé… »Nanto, intsia, ébène, tous ces bois précieux ou semi-précieux sont taillés et débités directement dans la forêt puis transportés de nuit, malgré l'interdiction de naviguer, sur des barques à fond plat par les canaux qui serpentent au milieu de la forêt. Quelques heures plus tard, ils sont  revendus à Tamatave, la grande ville côtière, comme bois de construction ou sous forme de charbon.À lire aussiMadagascar en passe de récupérer une cargaison de bois de rose de haute valeur, après 10 ans de procédure pour traficDes défenseurs de la forêt harcelés, piégés et menacés de mortFace à ces coupes répétées dans Vohibola, Angélique a créé l'association communautaire Razan'ny Vohibola en 2016, avec les Tangalamena, les sages des villages, des environs, afin de protéger la forêt. L'association emploie une dizaine d'agents de patrouille. Mais le système a ses limites.« On n'ose pas aller sans [Angélique] dans la forêt, parce que si on y va seuls, on nous tue, dénonce Justin, l'un des agents de patrouille. Personne n'a peur de nous. Ils nous courent après avec une machette et nous, on n'a pas d'arme. Madame Angélique non plus n'est pas armée, mais les trafiquants ont peur d'elle et ils s'enfuient. »Pourtant, malgré son aura, la protectrice de la forêt n'est pas épargnée par les menaces de mort ni les arrestations qui rythment sa vie depuis bientôt une décennie. « Les gardes à vue, on ne les compte même plus, c'est récurrent. C'est notre quotidien. Le souci, c'est qu'il y a vraiment une minorité qui est protégée, au niveau du tribunal. On est tous menacés de mort en permanence. Mes agents ont été tabassés plusieurs fois… » Comme Justin, qui raconte comment plusieurs de ses collègues ont été rudement blessés, par les coups, mais aussi par les pièges qui leur sont tendus régulièrement : « Les braconniers plantent des pics, des espèces de bouts de bois qui dépassent à peine du sol, décrit-il, ils l'enduisent de poison et s'il nous arrive de mettre notre pied dessus, on ne peut plus marcher pendant plusieurs mois tellement la pointe a transpercé notre voute plantaire… »Angélique Razafindrazoary vient d'être sélectionnée pour représenter les lanceurs d'alerte environnementaux par Front Line Defenders, la fondation pour la protection des défenseurs des droits humains. Elle prendra la parole fin octobre prochain à Dublin pour présenter son combat et le contexte peu favorable aux lanceurs d'alerte à Madagascar.À lire aussi«On a voulu me tuer»: à Madagascar, comment défendre les militants de l'environnementUne forêt qui a perdu la moitié de sa superficie en 50 ansTout à coup, en plein enregistrement du reportage, Angélique entend des coups de hache. Elle chuchote, c'est un braconnier en train de couper du bois, elle va essayer de l'intercepter. Ce jour-là, le malfaiteur aura réussi à fuir avant de croiser la Combattante. Celle qui ne se tait pas et ne s'avoue jamais vaincue veut croire qu'elle arrivera à faire classer « sa » forêt primaire en aire protégée en 2025, ce qui représenterait une reconnaissance mondiale de la valeur de Vohibola et du travail accompli. Et ce qui serait également une manière d'obtenir plus de fonds pour conserver une forêt qui a perdu la moitié de sa superficie ces 50 dernières années. Tout un espoir.

Colombia, México, Brasil y Honduras son los países con más asesinatos contra defensores de derechos humanos, según el reciente informe de la organización Front Line Defenders.

11am-12pm Afghan Woman Human Rights Defender Horia Mosadiq to give Front Line Defenders lectures  TRENDING TOPICS  Timelord Society in the University of Galway produce film based off of the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who  JAKE CARTER SET TO RELEASE 'POINT OF YOU' EP ON MARCH 8TH  == ‘Galway Talks with John Morley' broadcasts every weekday morning from 9am on Galway Bay FM

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders about her assessment of the war on Gaza, and the role of human Rights Defenders in highlighting human rights violations. She highlights that what Israel is doing in Gaza is a form of collective punishment and is at risk of becoming genocide. We discuss how important international solidarity and public action is. Ms Lawlor is an Adjunct Professor of Business and Human Rights in the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), School of Business, Trinity College Dublin. She has worked extensively with and on the situation of human rights defenders. In 2001 she founded Front Line Defenders - the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign is holding a national protest in Dublin this Saturday at 1pm starting at the Garden of Remembrance Palestinian Pop Star, Bashar Murad, joined us for a chat. It's out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-92885508 And make sure you subscribe to the PalCast now:https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ds0A1iqsArKTeNEOiRWEE

Mary Lawlor, the founder of Front Line Defenders, is currently the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. This year marked 25 years of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Mary shares invaluable insights into the achievements for human rights defenders over the last 25 years, how the landscape has changed and evolved in terms of the protection of HRDs. She also shares her story of how Front Line Defenders came into being, and special moments she has had through her career with HRDs, as well as what it means to be a Special Rapporteur to HRDs.

The need to stress achievements (big and small) In conversation with Mary Lawlor In the face of the current backlash against human rights, we want to reflect on how to hope for the better and what we can learn from the need to stress achievements in our continuous human rights struggles. We discuss some key questions with Mary Lawlor*: what evidence is there that human rights work? How do we talk about hope without focussing on threats (when human rights defenders are under attack, for instance)? How to better recognise positive achievements?   * Ms. Mary Lawlor is the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders since 1 May 2020. She was born and educated in Ireland and is an Adjunct Professor of Business and Human Rights. She was the founder and director of Front Line Defenders (2001-2016) and Director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International (1988 to 2000). Full bio here.

En Honduras, en pleno estado de excepción, una comitiva de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) realiza esta semana una evaluación del estado de los derechos de los presos, etnias y otros grupos sociales y humanitarios. Honduras fue el cuarto país más peligrosos para los defensores de derechos humano, según cifras del observatorio Front Line Defenders. Una misión de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) realiza desde el lunes una evaluación del estado de los derechos de los presos, etnias y otros grupos sociales y humanitarios de Honduras. El país centroamericano encabeza desde hace varios años la lista de los países con la tasa más elevada del mundo, junto a El Salvador, Jamaica, México y Trinidad y Tobago. En respuesta al poder de las pandillas, la presidenta Xiomara Castro declaró desde diciembre de 2022 el estado de excepción en decenas de municipios del país y facultó a la policía para detener a toda aquella persona que, a su juicio, tenga vínculos criminales. Según Leonel George, activista hondureño quien encabeza una lucha contra las mineras en el norte del Honduras esta medida ha agravado la situación de los defensores de los derechos humanos. En enero de 2023, fueron asesinados a tiro Jairo Bonilla y Aly Domínguez, quienes defienden el Parque Nacional Montaña de Botaderos Carlos Escaleras. Vulnerables ya por denunciar las irregularidades y la corrupción de las empresas mineras y por alertar sobre la devastación de los ecosistemas, los activistas de Honduras se sienten aún más amenazados desde que la presidenta Xiomara Castro estableció el estado de excepción a finales de 2022 y que ha prolongado tres veces desde entonces. “El estado de excepción otorgado ha impedido la libre circulación en el ejercicio de la labor. Desde el Estado se nos ha criminalizado a los defensores y defensoras con fuertes campañas de estigmatización, de odio, y con acusaciones como pertenecer a grupos criminales”, alerta Leonel George activista de la Coordinadora de organizaciones populares del río Agúan, en el norte de Honduras. “Al estar ese estado de excepción, tienen la facultad de detener a quien quieran”, denuncia el activista, entrevistado por RFI. Leonel George quiere llamar la atención de Soledad García Múñoz, la relatora para Asuntos Ambientales que integra la comitiva de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos de visita en Honduras esta semana. “Yo le diría que están en los expedientes de las instancias hondureñas acreditadas las ilegalidades de las empresas mineras y extractivas que han operado con ilegalidad e impunidad”, enfatiza. Honduras es uno de los países más peligrosos para los defensores del medio ambiente. En lo que va del año, 8 activistas han sido asesinados.

Front Line Defenders indicó que defensores de DDHH en varios países se encuentran en riesgo.

Season 4, episode1: Gaps in state-reported data on land and environmental rights defenders negatively and severely impacts the ability to monitor and mitigate situations where human rights defenders are at risk. In 2020, Front Line Defenders reported that 331 human rights defenders were killed, 69% being land and environmental rights defenders. But, Official data on killings remain limited, while there is even less data on physical and other types of lethal attacks on defenders. In this episode, we talk about the gap in data in terms of land rights defenders, touching on the crucial gap report and the data working group. We chat to Carole Excell, Director of Environmental Democracy Practice at the World Resources Institute, and Eva Hershaw, who works on land and monitoring data at the international land coalition.

Atziri busca construir un México más justo. El conocer contextos muy adversos la ha sensibilizado y comprometido para, de manera profesional, luchar para transformar dichas realidades. Es comunicóloga social y defensora de los derechos humanos. Es experta en mecanismos ciudadanos e institucionales de protección para personas defensoras de derechos humanos y periodistas, así como en la construcción de planes de protección individuales y colectivos, desde una perspectiva intercultural, de género y de derechos humanos. Recientemente ha sido incorporada a Front Line Defenders, la fundación internacional para la protección de las personas defensoras de los derechos humanos con sede en Dublín, Irlanda. Atziri está convencida de que es posible construir un país con justicia social e igualdad de oportunidades, pero sabe que esto no es trabajo de una sola persona pues ha comprobado una y otra vez que la mayor fuerza viene de la colectividad. Una historia de compromiso social. Facebook: Efecto Inspiración Instagram: @efectoinspiracion

Halo Sobat SAKSI! Bunda Shinta Ratri selaku Ketua Ponpes Waria Al-Fatah pernah memenangkan penghargaan sebagai pejuang Hak Asasi Manusia oleh Front Line Defenders di Irlandia. Beliau sangat gigih memperjuangkan hak teman-teman waria di Yogyakarta. Oiya, Sobat Saksi perlu tau nih, Kepada Tempo.co, KH. Mustofa Bisri atau biasa dikenal Gus Mus menjelaskan Islam mengenal khuntsa atau waria. Orang yang bilang bahwa Allah hanya menciptakan laki-laki dan perempuan menurut beliau, kurang belajar mengaji karena Al-quran menjelaskan keberadaan mereka. Gus Mus mendorong pemerintah daerah di Yogyakarta untuk melindungi rakyatnya dan tidak membiarkan kelompok intoleran mengatur semuanya.

In this episode, we talk about human rights defenders in Africa experiencing challenges in the digital space, on social media platforms and more. Ronald shares his insights as the Digital Protection Coordinator for the Africa region at Front Line Defenders, as well as very NB tips on how HRDs can protect themselves in the Digital space. Abdifatah, and HRD from Digital Shelter in Somalia, talks about a recently released report by Digital Shelter on how HRDs in Somalia and Africa are targeted digitally, as well as how it might be remedied. Alex talks about how LGBTI+ Rights Ghana was challenged when their social media accounts were shut down without warning in relation to their work, and how they went about dealing with that.

In this episode, we discuss the findings of the Front Line Defenders Global Analysis report 2020, focusing on the impact of Covid-19 on the work of human rights defenders, especially in terms of digital security and lockdown regulations. Guests include: Ed O' Donovan, Head of Protection at Front Line Defenders; a HRD from Zambia, an HRD from the Colombian organisation ''Somos Defensores'' speaking on the killings in Colombia, and Bestang Sarah Dekdeken from the Philippines speaking about the impact of Covid-19 on indigenous rights defenders in the Philippines.

Hey listeners, tune in for another special guest! Mary Lawlor is the former Director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International and Founder of Front Line Defenders and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders.

Bộ Công an Việt Nam xác nhận đang truy nã quốc tế cựu Thứ trưởng Bộ Công thương Hồ Thị Kim Thoa vì cáo buộc ‘tham nhũng’ và kêu gọi về ‘đầu thú để hưởng khoan hồng.’ Xem thêm: https://bit.ly/3gpTvDz Các tin khác: Front Line Defenders báo động khẩn về sức khoẻ tù nhân lương tâm Việt Nam. Việt Nam sắp bắt đầu thử nghiệm vaccine Covid. Người đầu tiên nhận vaccine của Pfizer: Cụ bà 90 tuổi. WHO: ‘Hàng rào phòng thủ’ từ vaccine ‘còn xa vời’. Bio Farma: Chưa xác định được hiệu nghiệm của vaccine Trung Quốc. Đài Loan nói đối mặt đe dọa quân sự hàng ngày. Nepal, Trung Quốc xác định độ cao của Đỉnh Everest.

Exposición sobre la fundación Front Line Defenders, defensora de los derechos humanos, tarea de Derechos humanos.

This is a special episode, produced by the Coalition for Human Rights in Development. in collaboration with Front Line Defenders. Ahead of the upcoming Finance in Common Summit in Paris, we speak with defenders in Kenya, Guatemala and India, about the human rights impact of projects imposed in the name of development From the 9th to the 12th of November, all public development banks in the world will be together for the first time ever. Over 450 finance institutions and heads of governments will meet to discuss their response to global challenges such as climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the flag of "sustainable development", these banks often present themselves as the world's saviours. But their investments come at a high price. Activities they finance have been linked to thousands of human rights violations. Human rights defenders who oppose harmful projects are being accused of being “anti-development” and they are being threatened, attacked and killed. Indigenous Peoples are seeing their territories being pillaged. Rural communities are being forcibly evicted. Yet, despite growing evidence about these abuses, human rights are not even mentioned in the Finance in Common summit agenda and are glossed over in the proposed joint declaration that all banks will sign at the end of the event. Once again, the voices of human rights defenders and local communities are being completely ignored.

Jak zabezpieczyć swój telefon przed pójściem na protest? Kogo i dlaczego lepiej nie fotografować? Co wziąć na demonstrację zamiast telefonu? I dlaczego w ogóle się tym przejmować? O rady dla aktywistów i „spacerujących” poprosiliśmy Wojtka Bogusza, eksperta ds. bezpieczeństwa cyfrowego z Front Line Defenders, która od 19 lat wspomaga aktywistów z całego świata.

The Palestine Podcast showcases a selection of lectures, talks and interviews featuring leading experts and social justice activists active on the Palestine-Israel issue. Brought to you by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Click here to view all podcasts. Subscribe on your favourite platform! Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherAcastYouTubeDeezerTuneInPlayer.fmPocketCastsCastroRadio PublicBreakerBlubrryPodcast AddictPodbeanPodcast RepubliciHeartRadio jQuery(document).ready(function($) { 'use strict'; $('#podcast-subscribe-button-11212 .podcast-subscribe-button.modal-632417ae642e2').on("click", function() { $("#secondline-psb-subs-modal.modal-632417ae642e2.modal.secondline-modal-632417ae642e2").modal({ fadeDuration: 250, closeText: '', }); return false; }); }); ===== PP#52 - 'Targeting Transnational Activism for Palestinian Rights' with Huwaida Arraf, Dima Khalidi, Mahmoud Nawajaa, Majed Abusalama and Frances Black [2020-08-26] - (Download here) INFO: In this episode of the Palestine Podcast, we feature an important discussion that took place as part of the 2020 Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival concentrating on the increased targeting of Palestinian and Palestine solidarity human rights defenders, both in Palestine and around the world. About the speakers Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian-American attorney and human rights activist. Over the past two decades, Huwaida has been involved in a number of legal and grassroots initiatives for Palestinian rights, including the co-founding of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Dima Khalidi is the founder and director of Palestine Legal, overseeing the organization's array of legal and advocacy work to protect people speaking out for Palestinian freedom from attacks on their civil and constitutional rights.  Mahmoud Nawajaa is a human rights defender and youth organiser from Hebron. He is General Coordinator of the Boycott National Committee (BNC and board member of the Stop the Wall campaign. He was recently imprisoned without charge by Israel for 19 days as a result of his human rights work.   Majed Abusalama is a PhD candidate in Critical Human Geography and Regional Studies at Tampere University (Finland) and a contributing writer to Jadaliyya, Aljazeera English, MiddleEastEye and others. He grew up in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza and is now based in Berlin. He serves as an international director of We Are Not Numbers organisation in Gaza. Frances Black is an independent Irish Senator, singer and founder of the RISE Foundation, a charitable organisation working with people with a loved one in addiction. A strong advocate for social justice and equality, she was elected to the 25th Seanad in 2016 and initiated the Occupied Territories Bill. We would like to thank our colleagues in the Front Line Defenders  for granting us permission to use the audio of this webinar which was organised by them as part of the 2020 Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast reflect the opinions of the speaker(s) only and do not reflect the views of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign unless otherwise explicitly stated. If you like this podcast please visit our website for many more great episodes: https://www.ipsc.ie/the-palestine-podcast You can also find us at the following locations: Website: https://www.ipsc.ie/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrelandPSC Twitter: https://twitter.com/ipsc48 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irelandpsc/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/IrelandPSC Podcast: https://www.ipsc.ie/the-palestine-podcast And you can donate to our work here: PayPal: https://www.ipsc.ie/get-involved/donate/paypal iDonate: https://www.ifundraise.ie/3553_ireland-palestine-solidarity-campaign.html

Episodio SP 2 - Defender Derechos En Tiempos De COVID - 19 Una conversación con Sandra Patago, Front Line Defenders; Guillermo Rodríguez García. Oficial de incidencia del programa para México y centroamérica del Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL); Argentina Casanova, codirectora ejecutiva de la RNDDHMX; Waquel Drullard, facilitadore de proyectos en Artículo 19 en la oficina de Mx y Centroamérica y colabora en la facilitación del Espacio OSC en México; María Martín, coordinadora de incidencia de la IM-Defensoras; y Lesly Guerrero, encargada área legal internacional de UDEFEGUA (Guatemala). Además del fuerte impacto que ha tenido la crisis sanitaria generada por la pandemia de COVID-19 en el acceso a derechos y servicios básicos, esta ha resultado también en una profundización de la crisis democrática y de derechos humanos en la región mesoamericana. Como respuesta a la pandemia, algunos Estados de la región han implementado acciones de carácter punitivo, como toques de queda, estados de excepción o la militarización de la seguridad ciudadana, entre otras medidas contrarias a los derechos humanos de la población. En este contexto, la defensa de los derechos humanos enfrenta nuevos obstáculos y, a la vez, se vuelve más urgente que nunca. Estas son algunas de las conclusiones del brief “Defender derechos en tiempos de COVID-19: retos para México y Centroamérica” publicado el día de hoy por el Espacio OSC para la protección de personas defensoras y periodistas (Espacio OSC), Front Line Defenders, la Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras), la Red Nacional de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos en México (RNDDHM), el Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL), la Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos, Guatemala (UDEFEGUA), el North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA), y Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED).

Hello lovely people! Welcome back to CLIMATE QUEENS and our third and final installment of our collaboration with Front Line Defenders. This month we are joined by  environmental rights activist and human rights defender Joseph Rahall.   As well as speaking with Joseph, we also had the pleasure of speaking with Mariam Sawadogo, the Front Line Defenders Regional Protection Coordinator for the west and central continent of Africa. The conversation was so good and important that we decided Mariam deserved her own bonus episode- so watch this space to hear more from Mariam.  As you will hear from Mariam's introduction, Joseph Rahall is an expert in environmental protection with over 27 years’ experience. In 1989, when Joseph was still a high school teacher, he founded Green Scenery, an organisation that works to promote environmental awareness and ensure the conservation of Sierra Leone.  In our conversation we delve into the changes Joseph has seen to the climate of Sierra Leone since his childhood including deforestation and "freaky" weather patterns disrupting local ecosystems and food production. He explains so eloquently just how badly his country is experiencing the effects of the climate crisis- a direct result of our actions in the developed world. Joseph's work intersects many disciplines and you will hear this as Joseph speaks about empowering local communities, the commonalities between the current injustices of the global pandemic and the climate crisis and the need for the developed world to slow consumption.  We were honored to spend time speaking with Joseph and could have continued long into the evening. We hope you enjoy hearing Joseph's story and the brave work he is committed to with Green Scenery.  This is the last of our three-part series in collaboration with Front Line Defenders, but fear not we will be back for a very special episode to celebrate the Arts & Human Rights Festival with the lovely people in Front Line Defenders- so stay tuned for more on this! We have been truly blown away by the response from our listeners to the incredible conversations we have had with Marcelo Cwerner from Brazil, Lay Peng Pua from Malaysia and no doubt you will share the same love & support for our conversation with Joseph Rahall. We hope that this is just the beginning of us having the opportunity to use our platform to elevate the most important voices of the climate movement. We’d really like to express our gratitude to the team at Front Line Defenders- Laura, Ross, Grace and Tara. Thank you guys for reaching out and seeing the potential in our platform for generating fascinating conversation with dedicated and amazing people fighting on the front lines.  Much love,  Katie & Clo  SHOWNOTES:  To read more about Green Scenery: http://greenscenery.org/ Joseph Rahall: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/joseph-rahall Letter to UN High Commissioner Mary Robinson on Sierra Leone Conflict: https://www.hrw.org/news/1999/06/17/letter-un-high-commissioner-human-rights-mary-robinson-sierra-leone-conflict Food insecurity in Sierra Leone: https://www.wfp.org/publications/findings-sierra-leone-food-security-monitoring-jan-2020 Climate risk and Sierra Leone: https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-change-risk-profile-sierra-leone#:~:text=The%20brief%20includes%20an%20overview,the%20climate%20and%20projected%20changes.&text=High%20dependence%20on%20agriculture%20and,vulnerable%20to%20climate%20change%20impacts. Climate crisis could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-crisis-displaced-people-global-warming-b421621.html

More than 300 human rights defenders were killed in 2019 and many more face regular threats, physical assaults, arrests, harassment, and defamation campaigns. In this episode of Global Governance Futures, we speak with leading human rights expert and advocate Mary Lawlor about the growing list of challenges facing human rights defenders around the world. Mary was recently appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders. As an independent expert, her mandate includes identifying the risks to human rights defenders on the ground and recommending strategies to better protect them. Mary is also currently an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Social Innovation, School of Business, Trinity College Dublin, and she is the founder and former Executive Director of Front Line Defenders, an organisation that focuses on human rights defenders at risk.

In this episode, we are joined by Adam Shapiro of the organization Front Line Defenders to discuss the situation of human rights defenders at risk. We ask "What kind of challenges do human rights defenders face?" 'What kinds of tactics are used to suppress their human rights activities?" And finally, "What can we do to help them?"

Hi everyone! Welcome back to CLIMATE QUEENS and our second installment of our collaboration with Front Line Defenders. This month we are joined by chemist, environmental rights activist and human rights defender Lay Peng Pua. China banned plastic waste imports in 2018, with that recycling companies moved to Malaysia making this beautiful country the number one international dumping site for OUR plastic waste. When Lay Peng moved back to her hometown of Jenjarom she saw first hand the devastating impact that the plastic "recycling" industry was having on her local community in Malaysia, with over 40 illegal plastic factories emitting toxic gases and polluting the local rivers and waterways making people in the community very sick. By now we are all too familiar with our global plastic waste problem, however did you know that the plastic waste of over 19 countries has been found in Malaysia? Do we really know what happens to our plastic waste when we throw it away? As we hear from Lay Peng, chances are it's ending up in her country!  Join our conversation with Lay Peng to hear the story of how our consumption and disposal of plastic waste is destroying her community, and how she is fighting back. Lay Peng also provides suggestions as to how we can tackle this growing plastic waste issue even during a global pandemic! To learn more about Lay Peng's story, check out the links below in our show notes below: About Lay Peng Pua: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/lay-peng-pua Undeterred by threats, Lay Peng Pua calls for continued action to protect the environment: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/12/544970/undeterred-threat-pua-calls-continued-action-protect-environment The Recycling Myth: https://www.greenpeace.org/malaysia/publication/3349/the-recycling-myth-2-0/ Malaysia drowned in your plastic waste after China ban: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_HZN-rc4jf4 Celebrating Malaysia's might green warriors: https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/people/2020/03/18/international-women039s-day-celebrating-malaysia039s-mighty-green-warriors The story of plastic waste in Malaysia: https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-malaysia-plastic-2018-story.html Italy told to stop using Malaysia as a plastic dumping ground: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/10/italy-told-to-stop-using-malaysia-as-plastics-dumping-ground-greenpeace-landfill Tons of recycling being dumped and burned: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tons-recycling-being-dumped-burned-20968066 New Zealand's role in Malaysian plastic dumping ground: https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight/audio/2018663363/nz-s-role-in-the-malaysian-plastics-dumping-ground Drone footage of illegal recycling factories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWdkLo2qmiI&feature=youtu.be Australia's recycling lie, 60 minutes: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lqrlEsPoyJk Greenpeace Malaysia: https://www.greenpeace.org/malaysia/story/1272/after-the-recycling-myth-report-updates-from-the-field/

In the second episode of our land defender series, we talk with land defender Marvin Wilcox and Front Line Defenders representative Adam Shapiro. They walk us through Marvin's story, in which agricultural producers in Panama take on the state and a transnational fruit company to protect their land and health, as well as the patterns commonly encountered by land defenders around the world. If you have any thoughts or questions about the show, you can tweet at us or send an email to itcpod@iu.edu. Resources: ASAMBLEA NACIONAL Ley Nº 55 2019 Dublin Platform Testimony - Marvin Wilcox, Panama Banapiña: Espada de Damócles sobre los productores del Barú

This week our guest is Semyon Simonov, a human rights activist from Sochi in Krasnodar region. For many years, Semyon Simonov has been head of the regional human rights NGO, Southern Human Rights Centre, which provided free legal assistance on human rights violations, organized educational events and facilitated other civic initiatives in collaboration with other NGOs until it effectively ceased to function in 2017 because of fines imposed under the ‘foreign agent' law. On 20 July 2020 the authorities charged human rights activist Semyon Simonov under Art. 315, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code – i.e. a charge of non-execution of a court decision, in accordance with which the organization Southern Human Rights Centre had been fined under the ‘foreign agent' law. Our podcast is about this case – although we also succeeded in asking Semyon many other questions, as you will heare.Regarding the charges brought against Semyon Simonov, on 20 July 2020 Dunja Mijatovic, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, said in a statement: “Today's indictment of Semyon Simonov, a Russian human rights defender in Sochi, for not complying with the legislation on non-commercial organisations is alarming and will have a massive chilling effect on the entire human rights community in Russia.“Human Rights Watch in a statement said: “This attack against a human rights defender demonstrates how the Russian authorities continue to use the repressive foreign agents law to criminalize the important work of independent groups. Not only should the case against Semyon Simonov be dropped immediately, but the foreign agents law needs to go.”Frontline Defenders has also issued a statement on the case: “Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned by the indictment of Semyon Simonov and believes that the pressure on and harassment against him is a concerted attempt to effectively make it impossible for him to carry out his human rights activities in Russia. Front Line Defenders reiterates its concern regarding the extension of the “foreign agents” law to include individuals, as it places human rights defenders under increased risk and further hampers their peaceful and legitimate human rights work.”In its press release on the case, Human Rights Watch noted: “Human Rights Defenders are afforded specific recognition and protection in international law to enable them to carry out their human rights work without undue interference. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders underscores that everyone performing activities in defense of human rights has the right to seek the protection and realization of human rights at the national and international levels, to conduct human rights work individually and in association with others, to form associations and nongovernmental organizations, and to be protected in the event of violations. The declaration sets out a series of principles and rights drawn from international human rights instruments that are legally binding. It was adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly.”This podcast is in Russian.You can also listen to this podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify or iTunes. The music from “Stravinsky's Elegy for Viola Solo” is performed for us by Karolina Herrera.Maria Karp is a London-based freelance translator, journalist and writer. She is the author of a recently published Russian biography of George Orwell and editor of the Orwell Society Journal.Simon Cosgrove adds: If you want to listen to this podcast on the podcasts.com website and it doesn't seem to play, please download by clicking on the three dots to the right. A summary of some of the week's events in Russia relevant to human rights can be found on our website here.

Welcome back to CLIMATE QUEENS and our special Summer Series! For the next three episodes we will be partnering with an amazing NGO called Front Line Defenders. As you all know at this point we are passionate about climate activism and when we think of climate activism, we don't always think of those who face personal risks working to protect the environment. In some countries, human rights defenders advocating for action on climate can be threatened, harassed, and detained for their peaceful work. We especially wanted to highlight those who are directly impacted by the climate crisis in this way and we could not think of a better organisation to partner with than Front Line Defenders.  Front Line Defenders is an Ireland-based international human rights organisation with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders (HRDs) at risk. Over the next few months we will be speaking to three human rights defenders from different countries, discussing their stories and bringing you their experience on the front lines.  On this episode we speak to Tara from Front Line Defenders about what it means to be a human rights defender and we chat to Marcelo Cwerner, a HRD from Brazil, about his relentless work on the front lines of the Amazon Rainforest. We absolutely loved this conversation and learnt so much from Marcelo. For more information on Front Line Defenders and Marcelo check out our show notes below.  We hope you enjoy it.  Much love,  Clo & Katie SHOWNOTES:  SHOWNOTES: Front Line Defenders: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/ Rights on the Line podcast: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/podcast Front Line Defenders Marcelo Cwerner Bio: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/marcelo-cwerner Marcelo Cwerner Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/marcelocwerner/ Marcelo’s website:  https://marcelocwerner.com/   Marcelo’s companies: https://www.marupiaraexpedicoes.com.br/  , http://www.embarquepaje.com.br/ , https://www.malocaviva.com/   Alter do Chão Fire Brigade: http://brigadadealter.ga/ , @brigadadealter R. Buckminster Fuller- Utopian or Oblivion: The Propspect for Humanity: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1321401.Utopia_or_Oblivion   ARTICLES:   Portuguese:  https://epoca.globo.com/paulista-deixou-mercado-financeiro-para-se-dedicar-projetos-ambientais-em-alter-do-chao-1-24130378 , https://veja.abril.com.br/brasil/fomos-injusticados-brigadistas-de-alter-do-chao-reforcam-inocencia/  English:  LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-02-14/firefighter-brigade-volunteers-accused-arson ,   The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/05/brazil-ngos-crackdown-raids-amazon-fires , NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/30/world/americas/amazon-fires-dicaprio-bolsonaro.html WWF:  https://www.wwf.org.br/?74264/Alter-do-Chao-charge-without-evidence-is-attack-on-the-Constitution Information about Amazon Rainforest:  https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Rainforest https://www.pressenza.com/2020/06/amazon-rainforest-hit-by-killer-droughts/ https://www.plantbasednews.org/news/amazon-fires-as-bad-if-not-worse-than-last-years https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/brazil-amazon-fire-bolsonaro/2020/03/14/70bfdee4-5417-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/cool-facts-about-the-amazon-rainforest Floating river: https://ideas.ted.com/this-airborne-river-may-be-the-largest-river-on-earth/ To DONATE to the Amazon Rainforest: Amazon Aid Foundation: https://amazonaid.org/ Rainforest Alliance: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/ Amazon Watch: https://amazonwatch.org/ Rainforest Trust: https://www.rainforesttrust.org/  

Episode 8 - HRDs & Wellbeing: Rest & Respite For Resiliency - FLD Intro: 00:00 - 01:50 - Abdifatah Hassan Ali, Somalia: 01:50 - 13:05 - Anna Sharyhina, Ukraine: 13:05 - 18:41 - Atziri Avila, Mexico: 18:42 -24:50 With the global pandemic continuing to impose social distancing and other changes to our lives, human rights defenders are increasingly dealing with new types of stress, on top of the regular barrage of threats, harassment and smearing, among other risks and threats. In this episode we go a bit behind the scenes with three human rights defenders to discuss how they deal with the impact of the work on their lives and wellbeing. One of the supports that Front Line Defenders offers to HRDs for their wellbeing and stress management is the Rest & Respite Programme. The programme provides an opportunity for HRDs who are exhausted, experiencing burnout or facing temporary safety issues to take some time out from their work and the stressful environment in which they are working. Front Line Defenders has been supporting HRDs on R&R since 2005, and they can be hosted for short stays in Ireland or in another location of their choosing. While the primary objective of the R&R is to take some time to rest, HRDs can also use the period of relocation to develop their personal skills and contacts in order to prepare for their continued activism in their home country and to manage the risks they face. Activities include language classes, security training, networking with other human rights organisations or public speaking about their work. Some defenders just want to spend some time with their families. Others use the time to focus on their health and well-being. Human rights defenders tell us that the time and space to reflect, the opportunity to experience a new culture and the friendships they develop, give them a new perspective and renewed energy to take on the challenges of their work on their return home.

Season 2, Episode 7 - HRDs Defending Digital Space - FLD Intro: 00:00 - 01:18 - Rabah Nouami, Morocco: 01:18 - 09:42 - Larisa Schmillevitch, Brazil: 09:43 - 22:45 - Asan 'AJ', South Sudan,: 22:46 - 29:31 - HRD, Sri Lanka: 29:32 - 39:54 In this episode of the Front Line Defenders podcast Rights on the Line, we’ll hear from human rights defenders in Morocco, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, and Brazil talk about the unique online threats to their work and when the significance of digital protection can mean the difference between life and death. Through the global pandemic, we are all making adaptations to new modes of working. Many of us are now work remotely, in different physical and emotional environments. But for those human rights defenders whose work always posed threats to their wellbeing and safety, the crisis has no doubt been abused to further repress their activities. Defending digital safety has never been more urgent. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, governments around the world have introduced and implemented sweeping restrictions on freedom of movement and freedom of assembly. Defenders cannot access their offices to communicate with one another from safer locations. Risks to the work of HRDs such as hackings, reduced or costly online access, and unprotected communications platforms, make defenders more vulnerable than ever when they depend on these tools. And, as people under lockdown are more focused than ever on their computers and phones as a sole means to communicate, online communities thrive. Hate campaigns spread like wildfire.

Season 2, Episode 6 - Hong Kong Moment This episode takes us to Hong Kong, where citizens are facing an unprecedented crisis brought on by China’s announcement that it would introduce new national security legislation to control the territory. Hong Kong saw a massive uprising of protest in 2019 against what was seen as moves by the Chinese government to infringe on the basic freedoms enjoyed in the city-state. It was the second mass movement in the decade, following the Umbrella Movement a few years before. Yet now, with the world focused on dealing with a global health pandemic, Chinese authorities are moving to consolidate power in what is seen as an existential crisis for Hong Kong and its people. Front Line Defenders discussed the situation and what it might mean for the future of human rights in Hong Kong with human rights defenders and journalists. Joining us for this episode are Mabel Au, a long time human rights campaigner, working on labour and gender rights; Lee Cheuk-yan, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions; Andrew Sham, Co-Founder of Civil Rights Observer; Hang Tung Chow, a lawyer and Vice President of the Hong Kong Alliance; and veteran journalist Yin Pong Lam.

Mary Lawlor teaches at the Centre for Social Innovation at the School of Business at Trinity College Dublin. She founded Front Line Defenders, the international foundation for the protection of human rights defenders in 2001, which has concentrated on supporting human rights defenders at risk. Front Line Defenders (with whom IHRB collaborated and published a joint report on business and human rights defenders in 2015), has received the King Baudoin International Prize in 2007 and the UN Human Rights Prize in 2018. Prior to that, she headed Amnesty International's Irish Section from 1988-2000, and was its chair 1983-1987.

Season 2, Episode 5 - The COVID-19 Crisis & Prisons in Iran - FLD Intro: 00:00 - 02:02 - Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Prize Winner & Lawyer: 02:03 - 05:03 - Roya Boroumand, Executive DIrector, AB Center: 05:03 - 20:44 (including testimonies from Iranian prisoners) This episode of Rights on the Line focuses on the prison situation in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is a collaboration between Front Line Defenders and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, a non-governmental non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran. In its documentation of human rights defenders cases in Iran, Front Line Defenders has often drawn attention to the poor health conditions in the prisons. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center has also documented these conditions, most recently in its April 2020 report, “COVID-19 Fear in Iran’s Prisons”, available on the Center’s website, www.iranrights.org The first COVID-19 cases were reported in Iran on February 19th in Qom. A month later, the annual Persian New Year celebrations of Nowruz meant that Iranians traveled extensively throughout the country as the government did not impose social distancing policies. As a result of the government’s response, compounded by sanctions and a faltering economy, Iran today is one of the global epicenters of the pandemic. As of May 11, there are almost 110,000 cases and over 6,500 dead according to official figures. Iran is among the 10 most affected countries both in terms of number of cases and number of deaths per 100,000. The government has released approximately 100,000 prisoners in an effort to improve overcrowding at prisons, but poor conditions remain. And notably, imprisoned human rights defenders have almost entirely been excluded from furlough or release. In fact, in recent weeks, Front Line Defenders has reported on cases of HRDs being summoned to report to prison to start serving prison sentences, including Shapour Ehsanirad, Nahid Khodajo and Soha Mortezaei. Sam Rajabi, who is imprisoned in the notorious Evin Prison, was returned to prison despite having tested positive at a civic hospital while receiving treatment for another serious health condition. And long-term cases, Atena Daemi, Narges Mohammadi and Nasrin Sotoudeh remain imprisoned.

Season 2, Episode 4 - COVID-19, HRDs & Government Response: Focus on India - FLD Intro: 00:00 - 04:22 - Gayatri Khandhadai, Tamil Nadu: 04:22 - 24:48 - Anindya Hajra, West Bengal: 24:48 - 37:25 - Sadam Hanjabam, Manipur: 37:25 - 50:32 - HRD, Kashmir: 50:32 - 1:08:58 India has not been hit as hard by the COVID-19 pandemic as other countries, at least not in official statistics. While undercounting might be due to lack of available testing, the steps the Indian government took, including a 21-day lockdown may have proven effective in staving off worst-case scenarios. However, that does not mean the government's response has been welcomed in the country. And the measures the Modi government has taken have been widely seen as fitting into a larger trend characteristic of its Hindu-nationalist policies. From the earliest days of the crisis, the Muslim minority has been blamed for the spread of the virus. While the blaming of minorities or marginalized groups is not unique to India, the fact that this comes so soon after the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act in December, which sparked widespread protests and attacks targeting the Muslim community, has left many suspicious of any measures the government takes in addressing the health crisis. Other minority groups have also faced rumours of blame for the spread of the virus, including the LGBT community - and especially transgendered persons. And some of the provisions of assistance for citizens announced by the government notably exclude the Muslim and trans communities due to some of the formalities and paperwork required to receive such help. In Kashmir, a lockdown was already in place when the virus arrived in India, with internet and mobile communications largely cut off since Delhi announced in August 2019 that it would revoke Article 370, which had granted Jammu and Kashmir special status or limited autonomy since 1947. Numerous political figures and human rights defenders were detained and after protests erupted, widespread arrests followed. Just as some restrictions were starting to be lifted, the COVID-19 crisis hit, and many in the territory feared that the public health crisis would be devastating in a place cut off from access to the outside world and information. And rights groups feared that more civil liberties would be curtailed under cover of the health crisis . The northeastern state of Manipur, which has effectively been ruled by martial law since the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was introduced in 1958, is not as isolated as Kashmir, but has been kept on the margins of national development. The state has a large presence of army and security personnel and civil society is under constant monitoring. With the first case of COVID-19 identified at the end of March, the state government put Manipur under lock down. In addition to concerns over civil liberties, more vulnerable and marginalized groups in the state are at great risk of devastating health and economic consequences. Front Line Defenders talked with four human rights defenders to get a picture of their work, the risks they face and the context into which the COVID-19 pandemic and the government response occurs. The last few years in India has seen an increase of attacks against human rights defenders and a deterioration of space for civil society. Now, faced with a potentially devastating health crisis, how can HRDs mobilize in the Modi era? Joining us in this episode are Gayatri Khandhadai, Asia policy regional coordinator at the Association for Progressive Communications; Anindya Hajra from The Pratyay Gender Trust based in Calcutta; Sadam Hanjabam from Ya All, the first LGBT organization in Manipur; and a human rights defender from Kashmir who will remain anonymous out of security concerns.

Season 2, Episode 3 - When COVID-19 Cleared the Streets: What Next for Social Protests in Chile, Iraq & Algeria? - FLD Intro: 00:00 - 01:38 - Interview Manuela Royo, Chile: 01:38 - 09:49 - Interview with Mariam Al-Ashbal, Iraq: 09:49 - 16:23 - Interview with Leila Chaimaa Souama, Algeria: 16:23 - 21:53 Across the globe, 2019 was the year of packed squares and swarming streets, as tens of thousands of people gathered or marched to protest against deep economic inequality, call for greater civil and political rights, speak up against rampant corruption, and fight for a better future. From Chile to Iraq, demonstrations were largely peaceful. Yet, the crackdown was brutal. Human rights defenders, who were often at the front lines of those protests – documenting violations, assisting those who were arrested or organising peaceful actions – were particularly targeted. Despite the violent repression, mass protests seemed unstoppable. But the coronavirus outbreak has now succeeded where governments had failed. Social distancing rules are forcing HRDs and demonstrators to stay home, and autocratic governments are using the covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to consolidate power, approve draconian laws and repress any form of dissent. At the same time, the unfolding health, social and economic crisis is also laying bare all the problems that were driving many of the protests across the world: issues such as corruption and inequality have never been as evident and urgent as today. In such a challenging situation, how can protest movements evolve and what role can HRDs and civil society play? In this new episode of the Rights on The Line podcast, Front Line Defenders spoke to three women human rights defenders in Iraq, Algeria and Chile to analyse current and future challenges for protest movements, but also to reflect on what can be learned from the 2019 uprisings and what can be done to keep that spirit alive.

Season 2, Episode 2 - COVID-19 & HRDs: Defending the Marginalized - China, Poland & Rohingya In Bangladesh - FLD Intro: 00:00 - 02:07 - Interview with Lu Pin, China: 02:07 - 16:03 - Interview with Karolina Wieckiewicz, Poland: 16:04 - 27:01 - Interview with Rohingya HRD, Bangladesh: 27:02 - 31:52 Across the world, human rights defenders are adapting to life under the COVID-19 pandemic and working to both continue their regular work and also to provide additional support to groups who were already vulnerable and marginalized. In this episode of the Front Line Defenders ‘Rights on the Line’ podcast, we continue to learn about the impact of the health crisis on the work of HRDs on the front lines. In China, even as the complete closure of Wuhan was still in full effect, human rights defenders and organizations reported spikes in the number of cases of domestic violence being called in to hotlines. What has now emerged as a consequence of the stay at home policy in numerous countries is that the virus has left women trapped with their abusers. We talk with feminist activist Lu Pin about what the experience in China has been and what can be expected. Another impact of COVID-19 is that with the overwhelming of health services to care for the sick, other medical procedures are delayed or inaccessible. For women seeking abortions who live in countries where such procedures are almost completely outlawed, traveling abroad is the only way to access their right to choose. Yet with travel restrictions and cutbacks in transportation services, these options are drastically reduced. Karolina Wieckiewicz from Poland joins us to talk about the situation there. Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are living in deplorable conditions, where risks of waterborne and other infectious diseases are exceptionally high due to their unhygienic living conditions. There have been diptheria outbreaks and respiratory and skin diseases are common. We talk with a Rohingya refugee in a camp in Cox’s Bazaar to understand what is happening now that the COVID-19 virus is present in the country. For more information about HRDs and the COVID-19 crisis, visit Front Line Defenders website – www.frontlinedefenders.org/COVID19 . This podcast is available on Soundcloud, Stitcher, Apple podcasts and other podcasting platforms. More episodes assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be released in the coming days and weeks, as we offer this podcast as solidarity to human rights defenders and their struggles for justice. Music Notes: 1. "Freedom" by Yung Kartz (yungkartzbeats.com/) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 2. "She Is For Me China" by Sobrio (soundcloud.com/sobrio) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 3. "Lynx - Picture (The Polish Ambassador Remix)" by The Polish Ambassador (https://thepolishambassador.com/) is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. 4. "wasteland" by Silicon Transmitter (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Silicon_Transmitter)is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

www.frontlinedefenders.org Season 2, Episode 1 FLD Intro: 00:00 - 02:51 Interview with Yara Hawari, Palestine: 02:51 - 12:48 Interview with William Amanzuru, Uganda: 12:48 - 26:36 Interview with Sara García Gross, El Salvador: 26:36 - 33:03 As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the globe, and communities seek to protect themselves however they can, governments are being challenged to respond. While the vast majority of governments have not done well in initial responses, some have been transparent, direct and engaged with their citizens – and the global community. Others, particularly those with authoritarian features or tendencies, are engaged in responding to the crisis that puts political and economic interests out front, crafting policy and decree accordingly. The declaration of emergency rule in too many countries only solidifies what was already there in practice, and leaves many people scared not only of the virus itself, but what may come next when life returns to what we now call normal. Human rights defenders are responding to these challenges, as they always do – by working hard, reaching out to their communities, identifying those who are struggling or are in need or who have been left out, and trying to help. They are calling out government abuse and excess and finding new ways to communicate with each other and the outside world to challenge power. Today, Front Line Defenders relaunches its ‘Rights on the Line’ podcast, to offer another platform for the voices, perspectives and experiences of human rights defenders at risk and leading struggles for the health, wellbeing and rights of their communities. In this episode, Front Line Defenders speaks to feminist activist Yara Hawari from Palestine about the consequences of the pandemic for a population under military occupation. Then we discuss government response in the context of the environment in Uganda with the founder of Friends of Zoka, William Amenzuru. Finally, we hear from Sara Garcia Gross from El Salvador, a leading women’s rights defender about the government’s response in the context of its dark past, the rampant violence against women in the country and the current dispute between the President and the opposition. Music notes: 1. "Freedom" by Yung Kartz (http://yungkartzbeats.com/) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 2. "Bazar (ID 822)" by Lobo Loco (www.musikbrause.de)is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 3. Q-Burns Abstract Message feat. Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry - "Wake Up - It's Africa Calling" by IntraHealth International is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License. 4. "Cumbia Bichera (Tremor Mix)" by El Remolón (http://www.elremolon.com/) is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

Human rights allow us to work and to move freely. On the move, refugees and migrants are also entitled to rights and protections. But, what happens when these rights are violated or abused. Who is responsible for ensuring these rights and for investigating abuses? Who are Human Rights Defenders? Large international organisations or people like you or me? In this episode we’re trying to answer these questions by speaking to Christian Friis Bach, Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council, Erin Kilbride, of Front Line Defenders and Matt Smith, co-founder and CEO of Fortify Rights. Danish Refugee Council: [@DRC_dk](https://twitter.com/DRC_dk) Christian Friis Bach: [@christianfbach](https://twitter.com/christianfbach) Frontline Defenders: [@FrontLineHRD](https://twitter.com/FrontLineHRD) Fortify Rights: [@FortifyRights](https://twitter.com/FortifyRights) Matthew Smith: [@matthewfsmith](https://twitter.com/matthewfsmith) Picture Caption: Stranded on the Myanmar border for up to three weeks, Rohingya refugees cross the Naf River into Bangladesh—a five to seven-hour-long journey—on makeshift rafts made of bamboo, tarp, and empty palm-oil cans. Patrick Brown © Panos/UNICEF 2018 #rohingya #danish #council #front #line #defenders #HRDs #fortify #rights #human #abuse #violation #Moria #Greece #asylum #centre #camp #advocacy #campaigns #research #SAR #account #crisis #migrant #Bangladesh #refugee #burma #NGO #muslim #minority #bangladesh #camps #myanmar #rakhine #aid #station #shamlapur #unchiprang #podcast #MOAS #migrantoffshoreaidstation #moaspodcast #nayapara #kutupalong #balukhali #megacamp

Front Line Defenders boardmember Arnold Tsunga speaks from Mozambique today, to give update on the situation in Zimbabwe following Monday's presidential election. Six people have been killed by police who fired at protestors with live rounds, tear gas and water cannons. In addition to the violent response to demonstrations, there are reports of the military preemptively targeting Human Rights Defenders to prevent dissent.

The Palestine Podcast showcases a selection of lectures, talks and interviews featuring leading experts and social justice activists active on the Palestine-Israel issue. Brought to you by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Click here to view all podcasts. Subscribe on your favourite platform! Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherAcastYouTubeDeezerTuneInPlayer.fmPocketCastsCastroRadio PublicBreakerBlubrryPodcast AddictPodbeanPodcast RepubliciHeartRadio jQuery(document).ready(function($) { 'use strict'; $('#podcast-subscribe-button-11212 .podcast-subscribe-button.modal-632417ae81236').on("click", function() { $("#secondline-psb-subs-modal.modal-632417ae81236.modal.secondline-modal-632417ae81236").modal({ fadeDuration: 250, closeText: '', }); return false; }); }); ===== PP#29 - Shawan Jabarin on 'The Great March of Return, Israel's Assault on Gaza & the Struggle for Justice in Palestine' [2018-06-26] - (Download here) INFO: On 13th June 2018, in this timely and important talk, preeminent Palestinian human rights defender Shawan Jabarin addressed recent developments in Gaza: the remarkable mass movement that emerged in the form of the Great March of Return, and the response of the Israeli military – including the use of lethal force and explosive bullets against civilians, as well as open-fire rules of engagement that have been approved by the Israeli Supreme Court. Jabarin also talked about the diverse range of ongoing attempts to hold Israel to account for its violations of international law in the Palestinian territories – from potential war crimes investigations by the International Criminal Court to forthcoming proposed legislation in Ireland to ban trade with illegal settlements in occupied territories. About the speaker Shawan Jabarin is the General Director of Al-Haq, the largest, oldest and best known human-rights organization in the Palestinian territories. In 2011 he was appointed to the Human Rights Watch Middle East Advisory Board, and in 2013 he was elected as a Commissioner for the International Commission of Jurists. In 2016 he was elected Secretary-General of FIDH: International Federation of Human Rights. After studying sociology at Birzeit University in the 1980s, Jabarin later studied law in Ireland. He is a graduate of the Irish Centre of Human Rights, NUI Galway, where he completed the LL.M programme in 2004-05, supported by a grant from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs Irish Aid programme. In 2010, the Irish Centre of Human Rights presented him with its first and only distinguished graduate award. Jabarin began volunteering with Al-Haq while he was a student at Birzeit University. He joined Al-Haq as a field researcher in 1987. He became its director in 2006. He has been subject to administrative detention without trial, travel bans and death threats for his work as a human rights defender, and has been supported in campaigns by Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders, Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem, and others. He was awarded the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1990 for his defence of freedom of expression and human rights, and has been received numerous other human rights awards since, personally and on behalf of Al-Haq. Organised by Academics for Palestine and the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast reflect the opinions of the speaker(s) only and do not reflect the views of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign unless otherwise explicitly stated. Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherAcastYouTubeDeezerTuneInPlayer.fmPocketCastsCastroRadio PublicBreakerBlubrryPodcast AddictPodbeanPodcast RepubliciHeartRadio

On 20 June, at an event alongside the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Front Line Defenders released a report on the killings of HRDs wordlwide. Focusing on the six countries with the highest number of killings, and by that we mean targeted attacks, assassinations, extrajudicial killing by the state or authorities. To bring you additional insight into this issue, Rights on the Line spoke to human rights defenders from Mexico, the Philippines and Brazil, three of the six countries profiled in the report.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, John Kiriakou and Walter Smolarek (sitting in for Brian Becker) are joined by Coleen Rowley, a former FBI special agent who was named Time Magazine person of the year with two other whistleblowers, and Joe Lauria, the editor-in-chief of Consortium News, founded by the late Robert Parry and the author of "How I Lost, By Hillary Clinton." A highly anticipated FBI Inspector General’s report released today found that former FBI director James Comey deviated from official procedures in handling the probe into Hillary Clinton. The Inspector General found that Comey was not motivated by bias, but his actions damaged the FBI’s image of impartiality. On the regular Thursday series “Criminal Injustice,” about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country, the hosts discuss Prison Legal News under fire in Florida and the skyrocketing “gang database” in New York City under Mayor Bill de Blasio. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News, and Loud & Clear producer Nicole Roussell join the show. A federal judge today refused to dismiss a lawsuit by an American journalist challenging his apparent placement on a “kill list” by US authorities in Syria. The ruling clears the way for Bilal Abdul Kareem to seek answers and try to clear his name after what he says were five near misses by US airstrikes in Syria after he was mistaken for a militant. Brian and John speak with Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law where he specializes in national security law, especially as it relates to the prosecution of war crimes, and a regular contributor to CNN. The United Nations General Assembly voted 120-8 with 45 abstentions to condemn Israel for its lethal use of force against Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza. Only the United States, Israel, Australia, and five tiny Pacific island countries opposed the measure, which also called on the UN to make recommendations on how to protect Palestinians. Ambassador Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, joins the show. Four major human rights groups said today that the government of Ukraine is failing to respond adequately to attacks by far-right groups against marginalized communities in the country. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, and Front Line Defenders said in a report that ethnic minorities, women’s activists, and LGBTQ groups are particularly targeted. John Wight, the host of the weekly Sputnik Radio show Hard Facts, joins Brian and John. A storage site holding half of Baghdad’s ballot boxes from Iraq’s recent parliamentary election in May caught fire this week in what appears to have been an act of arson ahead of a countrywide vote recount. Many parliamentarians are now even calling for the election to be re-run. Meanwhile, negotiations for the formation of a new government move forward as Iraqi leader Muqtada al-Sadr announces an alliance with a coalition associated with the Shiite militias that fought ISIS and are close with Iran. Massoud Shadjareh, the founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, joins the show.Saudi and Emirati military forces continued to attack the Yemeni port city of Hudaidah today, pushing the country closer to a humanitarian crisis. The port of Hudaidah is the only way that millions of Yemenis can get food and medicine. The United Nations estimates that eight million people are at risk of starvation. Brian and John speak with Cindy Sheehan, an anti-war activist and journalist whose son Casey was killed during the Iraq War.

Kurdish journalist Nurcan Baysal has been called a terrorist by the Turkish state. Her house, with her two young children inside, has been stormed by Turkish police armed with Kalashnikovs seeking to jail for her Tweets and she faces up to three years in prison for the crime of humiliating Turkey's security forces, by reporting on human rights abuses against the Kurdish people. Recently Baysal visited Dublin to receive an award for her work from Front Line Defenders. She spoke to Kathy Sheridan about why she will not allow fear to prevent her from speaking up for those who can't.

Valentine’s Day. Self Care. Duty of Care. Human rights. How do these these connect? Listen to the debut episode of Rights on the Line, produced by Front Line Defenders, to hear about award-winning Brazilian human rights defender Raull Santiago’s work in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, how it impacts his family life and his experience on Front Line Defenders Rest & Respite program. Raull Santiago is a human rights defender from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In March 2014, he co-founded the collective Papo Reto (Straight Talk), a group of citizen journalists documenting life in the Complexo do Alemão favela. The group draws attention to what is happening in Alemão, highlighting the cases of police violence and other human rights abuses, which tend to be ignored by mainstream media. Their slogan is: Nós por Nós (Us for Us), as the content they share is produced by residents living in the favela and dedicated to them. Music: Water Lillies by Density & Time

Valentine’s Day. Self Care. Duty of Care. Human rights. How do these these connect? Listen this Friday to the debut episode of Rights on the Line, produced by Front Line Defenders, to hear about award-winning Brazilian human rights defender Raull Santiago’s work in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, how it impacts his family life and his experience on Front Line Defenders Rest & Respite program.

In this week's World View Denis Staunton discusses Gaza with Ruadhan MacCormaic in what is to be his final dispatch from Gaza for now. Later in the show he meets with Mary Lawlor, the executive director of Front Line Defenders, an Irish organisation that protects human rights defenders at risk across the world. Earlier this month the French government presented Mary with the Order of Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur. Worldview is a foreign affairs podcast presented by the deputy editor of the Irish Times Denis Staunton and produced by Sinead O'Shea. It can be listened to and downloaded via Soundcloud and iTunes. It can be delivered for FREE to you each week via this link. itun.es/i66S3JH #iTunes Android users can access this podcast via stitcher.com/s?fid=44906&refid=stpr