An Urgent Call to Release Human Rights Defenders in Honour of Nelson Mandela Day
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Dear World Leaders,
On Nelson Mandela Day, civil society organisations across the globe call on you to release imprisoned human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience.
Like Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in prison for his opposition to apartheid, there are thousands of human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience wrongfully accused and in jail around the world. They have been imprisoned for seeking gender, social, political, economic and environmental justice, for defending excluded people, and for promoting democratic values.
Many of these human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience are serving sentences for crimes they never committed, after being convicted in unfair trials. Our organisations have for several years documented the unlawful jail terms handed down to human rights defenders in several countries.
We are particularly concerned that the authorities in many countries continue to detain human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognise the governments of Iran, Ethiopia, Turkey, Bahrain and Cameroon for releasing prisoners as part of their response to this unprecedented health crisis. However, not many human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience were included, and it is now more urgent than ever to release them.
There are also hundreds of human rights defenders who remain in pretrial detention who have not been charged or tried. Overcrowding and poor sanitation in jails increase the risk of COVID-19 infection and should be strong factors for the reduction of prison populations.
We also urge you to stop the arbitrary arrest and detention of journalists in jail solely for reporting on human rights violations during the pandemic. Although COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted in some parts of the world, some countries have used the pandemic as a pretext to restrict civic freedoms. Journalists and human rights defenders have been physically assaulted and subjected to arbitrary detention and judicial persecution for reporting on the virus.
We need human rights defenders now more than ever. It is their duty to hold governments to account, to ensure states respect international human rights laws during the pandemic, and to tackle environmental degradation and inequalities that have accelerated the impact of COVID-19.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, recently said:
"Governments are facing huge demands on resources in this crisis and are having to take difficult decisions. But I urge them not to forget those behind bars, or those confined in places such as closed mental health facilities, nursing homes and orphanages, because the consequences of neglecting them are potentially catastrophic."
Sadly, some imprisoned human rights defenders have died under suspicious circumstances in various countries during the pandemic.
As we commemorate Nelson Mandela Day on 18 July, we remember that Mr. Mandela urged all of us to take on the burden of leadership in addressing social injustices. We call on you to give millions of families, friends and colleagues of human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience around the world a reason to renew their hope for a better future during these unprecedented times.
We urge you to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience in jail solely for their peaceful human rights activities, and stop all judicial persecution against them.
- Prioritise and release detainees who have not been charged, and those held in pretrial detention.
- Stop carrying out new arrests and detentions, particularly on journalists and activists reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic, and those accused of breaking lockdown regulations.
Endorsed by:
- A Common Future
- A.C. Reforma Judicial
- Abraham's Children Foundation
- ACPDH
- ACSIS
- Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture
- Action D'urgence pour Toute Détresse
- Action for Humanity and Social Progress
- Action pour la Lutte Contre l'Injustice Sociale
- Action pour le Développement
- Action To Heal Foundation Sierra Leone
- Actions pour la Protection des Femmes
- Active Vision
- Admiral development organization
- Adolescents Initiatives Support Organization
- Afghanistan Democracy and Development Organization
- Africa Intercultural Development Support Trust
- Africa Rise Foundation
- African Center for Solidarity and mutual Aid between the Communities CASEC - ACSAC
- AFRICAN FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT - AFED
- African Holocaust
- African Observatory Of Civic Freedoms And Fundamental Rights OCFFR-AFRICA
- AJBDEM DURABLE
- ALUCHOTO
- Amis des Étrangers au Togo
- Amnesty International
- Asia Pacific Forum on Families International
- Association des blogueurs pour une citoyennetà active
- Association Femmes et Enfants
- Association for Advocacy and Legal Initiatives Trust
- Association for Health, Safety and Environmental Awareness International
- Association pour les droits de l'Homme et l'Univers Carcéral
- Association pour les victimes du monde
- Association pour l'Integration et le Developpement Durable Durable au Burundi, AIDB
- ASUTIC Senegal
- Avenir Jeune de l'Ouest
- AWHES
- Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights
- Banjul Youth in Community Services
- Banlieues Du Monde Mauritanie
- Bareedo Platform Somalia
- Bella Foundation for Child and Maternal Care
- Bousla Organisation
- BRIGHTER FUTURE FOUNDATION
- Burundi Child Rights Coalition
- CAHURAST-Nepal
- Campaign Against Ignorance and Illiteracy
- Capellanes conacce
- CAPTE - Uruguay Silvia FLORES MOSQUERA
- CareMe E-clinic
- CEAMUJER
- Center for the Development of Civil Society
- Centre d'Initiatives et d'Actions pour le Développement durable au Burundi
- Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement CEFSAN
- Centre Oecuméniquepour la Promotion du Monde Rural
- Centro para la Acción Noviolenta y Cultura de Paz en CentroamÃrica
- CESPHA
- ChildHelp Sierra Leone
- Circles of Hope Community Support Group for PLHIVAIDS
- CIVICUS
- Commonwealth Society of Nigeria
- Cooperation for Peace and Development
- Corporacion Regional Yariguies GEAM
- COSAD BENIN
- Differentabilities
- DISCOURAGE YOUTHS FROM POVERTY
- Domestic Workers Union
- DreamBoat Theatre for Development Foundation
- Droits de l'homme sans frontières
- Edmund Rice International
- Edo Civil society organisations
- EIP
- Fater Bibi Technologies
- FCPEEP
- FEDERATION DES FEMMES POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT INTEGRAL AU CONGO
- FINESTE
- Formidable Initiatives for Women and Girls
- Foundation for Democracy and Accountable Governance
- Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights-Birati
- Free political prisoners
- FUNDACION SIMAS
- Fundación T.E.A. Trabajo - Educación - Ambiente
- FUTURE LEADERS SOCIETY
- Global Witness
- Give Hope Uganda
- Governance and Forest Initiatives
- GreenLight Initiative
- Hadejia youth movement for social cohesion
- Health NGO's Network
- Healthy Choices Ic.,
- Human Rights Committee
- Humanitarian Care for Displaced Persons
- IFAN
- INSPIRIT Creatives UG NGO
- Institute for Public Policy Analysis and Implementation
- Integrated Agricultural Association-I,A,A
- International Dalit Solidarity Network
- International Falcon Movement - Socialist Educational International
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- Iraqi journalists right deafenc association
- International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
- Justice Acess Point
- JusticeMakers Bangladesh
- Key Populations Alliance of Zambia
- Khpal Kore Organization
- Kibera Joy Initiative
- Kumakomo Community Radio
- Le Réseau Nigérien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains
- Leadership initiative network for the Advancement of women and youth
- Local Community Development Association
- Lumiere Synergie Developpement
- Maecenata Foundation
- MAMAS FOR BURUNDI ASSOCIATION
- Manna Development AGency
- Marketplace 247
- MFFPS
- Millennium Sistahs Trinidad and Tobago Inc
- Missing Link Uganda
- Mouvement des Femmes et Filles pour la Paix et la Sécurité au Burundi
- Mouvement Populaire pour la Santé au Gay
- Movement for Social Justice MSJ-4
- National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda
- Network of Civil Society Organisations for Election Observation and Monitoring - ROSE
- Network of NGOs of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of Women
- New Owerri Youth Organisation
- NGO Collective for Food Security and Rural Development - COSADER
- NGO CONSTRUISONS ENSEMBLE LE MONDE
- NGO Defensoria Ambiental
- NGOs Council ASDGC Kenya
- Nipe Fagio
- Nouveaux Droits de l'homme Congo Brazzaville
- ONG ASSAUVET
- ONG BAL'LAME
- ONG Programa sociocultural CRP
- Palestinian Non Governmental Organizations Network
- PAMOJATWASIMAMA
- Partenariat pour la Protection Integree
- PAYNCOP
- Peace and Life Enhancement Initiative International
- PHY ORG
- Plan international
- Princegnf
- Prisma European Network
- Psychologues du Monde Afrique
- Reacción Climática
- Real Agenda For Youth Transformation Trust
- REDHNNA-Red por los Derechos Humanos de los niños, niñas y adolescentes
- REPONGAC
- Research and Advocacy Unit
- Root Change
- Ruheso Tanzania
- RUKIGA FORUM FOR DEVELOPMENT
- Safety and Risk Mitigation Organization
- Save Our Continent, Save Nigeria.
- Save the Climate
- Secours de la Femme Rurale au Developpement, Safrd
- SHAKHI 'Friends of Women'
- Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care
- She's Writes
- Sierra Leone School Green Clubs
- Social Justice Forum
- Social Mission Catalysts LLC
- Solidarity health Foundation
- Solidarity Youth Voluntary Organisation
- SOS Jeunesse et Enfance en Détresse - SOS JED
- South Sudan Civil Society Forum
- Sustainable Develipment and Peace Building Initiatives
- Tanzania Development Trust
- Tanzania Peace Legal Aid and Justice Center PLAJC
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
- the Wuhan election campaign
- The Angelic Ladies Society
- Transitional Justice Working Group
- Tsoro-o-tso San Dev Trust
- Ugonma Foundation
- Ukana West 2 Community Based Health Initiative
- Unión Nacional de Instituciones para el Trabajo de Acción Social- UNITAS
- Unique Foundation The Gambia
- Vijana Corps
- Wacare Organization
- Welfare Association for Development Alternative -WADA
- Women Against Violence and Expediency Handling Initiative
- Women Friendly
- Women Working for Social Progress
- World Federalist Movement Canada
- World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
- WORLDLITE
- Young Professional Development Society Nepal
- Your Health Your Responsibility
- Youth Alliance for Rural Development in Liberia Inc.
- YOUTH AND ENVIRONMENT VISION
- Youth Arm Organization
- Youth For The Mission
- Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana
- YOUTHAID-LIBERIA
- Zambian Governance Foundation
- Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign