Feb 19, 2020 | News
Huda Al- Sarari, Yemeni lawyer and human rights defender, is the 2020 Martin Ennals Award laureate. She was among three women selected as finalists by a jury of ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations, including the ICJ, along with Sizani Ngubane, South Africa, and Norma Librada Ledezma, Mexico.
The 2020 Martin Ennals Award ceremony, co-hosted by the Martin Ennals Foundation and the City of Geneva, was held today, and for the first time in the history of the Award, all three finalists are women.
“Women human rights defenders are subject to the same risks as every human rights defender, but as women, they also face certain forms of violence and violations due to their gender. They are often stigmatized and ostracized by community leaders, faith- based groups and even family members,” said the Mayor of the City of Geneva, Sandrine Salerno.
“The Martin Ennals Foundation is particularly proud to honour and support three resilient women human rights defenders this year, our laureate Huda Al-Sarari, as well as our two finalists Sizani Ngubane and Norma Librada Ledezma for their achievements. We hope that the award will shed a light on their achievements, and strengthen protection mechanisms around them,” said Philippe Currat, President of the Board of the Martin Ennals Foundation.
Huda Al-Sarari is a Yemeni lawyer and human rights defender who graduated in Sharia and Law from Aden University. She also holds a masters in Women’s Studies and Development from the Women’s Centre at Aden University. Over the last years, Huda investigated, exposed and challenged the enforced disappearances that occurred as a result of secret prisons run by foreign governments in Yemen where thousands of men and boys have suffered from arbitrary detention, torture and extrajudicial killings. She collected evidence on more than 250 cases of the abuse taking place within those prisons.
“Being a human rights defender in Yemen is extremely challenging, and being a woman makes this even more difficult. In a male-dominated society, I have to prove myself maybe ten times more than a man,” she said.
Despite the threats, defamation campaigns and sacrifices she and her family endured, Huda continues to stand alongside the families of those who have disappeared.
“Receiving the 2020 Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders means the world to me. It gives me great strength and emboldens me to continue this fight for justice. I believe the Award will be incredibly important in drawing attention to the continual plight of victims of arbitrary detention, abuse and torture in Yemen,” she added.
“We commend Huda for the work that she conducted, not only against the backdrop of the ongoing Yemeni civil war, but also, in a country where women still struggle to express their political and civil rights. Huda’s legacy is crucial as her thorough investigations and search for accountability will serve to bring justice for human rights violations occurred during the conflict,” said Hans Thoolen, Chair of the Martin Ennals Award Jury.
The two finalists of the Martin Ennals Award this year are Sizani Ngubane (South Africa) and Norma Librada Ledezma (Mexico).
Sizani is a human rights defender who advocates for land rights for women in rural areas on South Africa. She also supports women to access education, and fights for the end of the traditional practice of Ukuthwala, which is the abduction and forced marriage of young girls and women.
Norma is the founder of Justicia para Nuestras Hijas. She has supported over 200 investigations into cases of feminicide, enforced disappearance and human trafficking in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Both were praised by the Martin Ennals Jury member organizations for their commitment and tremendous achievements in their respective countries.
Additional information
The City of Geneva has hosted the Award ceremony since 2008, together with the Martin Ennals Foundation, as part of its deep commitment to the defense of human rights. The support of the City, by means of its Service for International Solidarity, reflects its mission to promote human rights both internationally and
The Jury of the Martin Ennals Award is comprised of ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations: the ICJ, Amnesty International, FIDH, Human Rights First, HURIDOCS, International Service For Human Rights, Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World), Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch and the World Organization Against Torture.
Download
Universal-MEA2020bios-News-2019-ENG (full bios of finalists, in PDF)
Universal-MEA2020winner-News-Press releases-2019-ARA (full story in Arabic, PDF)
Universal-MEA2020bios-News-2019-ARA (full bios of finalists, in Arabic, PDF)
Contact
Olivier van Bogaert, Director Media & Communications, ICJ representative in the MEA Jury, t: +41 22 979 38 08 ; e: olivier.vanbogaert(a)icj.org
Watch the ceremony as it happened
https://www.facebook.com/MartinEnnals/videos/2552501445008021/
Feb 19, 2020 | News
The ICJ and IBAHRI condemn yesterday’s re-arrest of Turkish human rights defender Osman Kavala, immediately following his acquittal on charges connected to the Gezi Park demonstrations that began in May 2013.
Osman Kavala was arrested on his release from prison yesterday evening, on suspicion of “attempting to disrupt the constitutional order” connected to the failed coup attempt of 2016.
“For Osman Kavala to be acquitted yesterday, on charges for which there was never credible evidence against him, only to be immediately re-arrested on another highly improbable charge, suggests a criminal justice system that is operating to suppress independent civil society rather than uphold due process and the rule of law,” said Róisín Pillay, Director of the ICJ’s Europe and Central Asia Programme.
Osman Kavala has been held in pre-trial detention since October 2017. The European Court of Human Rights recently ordered that Turkey must act to secure his immediate release, and found that his detention violated his right to liberty (Article 5.1 ECHR) and his right to speedy judicial review of detention (Article 5.4 ECHR), and pursued an improper purpose (Article 18 ECHR).
“It is disgraceful that the Turkish authorities seek to evade compliance with their obligation under the European Convention on Human Rights to end the arbitrary detention of Osman Kavala, by releasing and re-arresting him. We call for these new charges to be dropped and for Osman Kavala to be immediately released,” said Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, IBAHRI Director.
Background
Mr Kavala has been in detention since 18 October 2017 pending trial on charges connected to the Gezi Park protests. The Gezi Park protests began in May 2013 as an effort by a group of environmentalists to save a park in central Istanbul from being rezoned, but soon grew into nationwide demonstrations. Police quelled the protest in Taksim Square with the use of tear gas and water cannons.
Mr Kavala’s trial, along with 15 other defendants, took place before Istanbul 30th Assize Court. The IBAHRI and the ICJ jointly sent international observers to attend all hearings of the trial.
Contact :
Róisín Pillay, Director for Europe and Central Asia Proramme, t: +32 2 734 84 46; e: roisin.pillay(a)icj.org
Dec 15, 2019 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ has urged the UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers to ensure that his upcoming report on challenges to the independence of prosecutors, fully addresses abuse of prosecution powers to target human rights defenders, political opponents or others, or giving rise to a more general and systemic lack of fair trial for accused persons, or entrenching impunity of State perpetrators of human rights violations, as among the dominant contemporary challenges to prosecutorial independence globally from a human rights perspective.
The Special Rapporteur has made clear his intention to address challenges to prosecutorial independence arising from transnational corruption and organized crime. While the ICJ certainly agrees that such interference can and does have impacts on human rights, to varying extents around the world, the ICJ submission also highlights and documents that threats to prosecutorial independence emanating from the prosecutor’s own Executive government should be seen to be of at least equal concern from a human rights perspective, globally, and should be fully addressed in any report on “contemporary challenges of prosecutorial independence” from a human rights perspective.
The ICJ’s submission can be downloaded in PDF format here: UN-Advocacy-SRIJLProsecutors-2019
Nov 26, 2019 | News
Three exceptional women – Huda Al-Sarari, Norma Ledezma and Sizani Ngubane – are the finalists for the 2020 Martin Ennals Award, a demonstration of the leading position now occupied by women in the defence of human rights. The ICJ is member of the MEA Jury.
In Yemen, Huda Al-Sarari has exposed and challenged the existence of secret prisons and many cases of torture.
In Mexico, Norma Ledezma is fighting against femicides and disappearances.
In South Africa, Sizani Ngubane is fighting for access for women to education and to land.
Three women nominated: a first
Each year, the Martin Ennals Award rewards human rights defenders from around the world who distinguish themselves by their strong commitment to promoting human rights – often at the risk of their own lives.
In 2020, for the first time the Jury nominated three women who defend the fundamental rights of their communities in sensitive contexts.
“The Martin Ennals Foundation is proud to recognize the courageous work of three women. For the 2020 edition, our Jury’s choice reflects the ever-greater global impetus of individuals – whatever their gender – who are committed to respect for human rights and women’s rights in particular,” said Isabel de Sola, Director of the Martin Ennals Foundation.
“The finalists for the 2020 Martin Ennals Award work on different continents, but all three have in common their resilience, determination, a tremendous rigour and, finally, the positive and concrete impact of their work,” added Hans Thoolen, Chairman of the Jury.
In Yemen, where the conflict has been ongoing since 2005, Huda Al-Sarari, a Yemeni lawyer, unveiled the existence of several secret detention centres where the worst violations of human rights were committed: torture, disappearances or even extrajudicial executions.
In South Africa, women face discrimination, the worst expression of which is widespread gender violence. In rural communities, they frequently have their land expropriated and are deprived of access to education and justice. Sizani Ngubane founded an organization of more than 50,000 women from rural areas in her country and has fought successfully for over 40 years for the recognition of their rights.
In Mexico, the civil population is paying a high price for the weakness of the rule of law which is underpins widespread violence and impunity. Women are the primary victims, with more than 3,500 femicides committed each year. Norma Ledezma, who is the mother of one of the victims, puts all her energy into supporting families seeking access to justice in the state of Chihuahua.
The finalists were selected by a jury made up of representatives of ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations: the ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organisation Against Torture, Front Line Defenders, EWDE Germany, International Service for Human Rights and HURIDOCS.
The 2020 Martin Ennals Award will be given to one of the three finalists on 19 February 2020 at a livestreamed public ceremony. The event is hosted by the City of Geneva which, as part of its commitment to human rights, is a longstanding supporter of the Award.
Contact
Olivier van Bogaert, Director Media & Communications, ICJ representative in the MEA Jury, t: +41 22 979 38 08 ; e: olivier.vanbogaert(a)icj.org
Chloé Bitton, Communications Manager, Martin Ennals Foundation, t +41 22 809 49 25 e: cbitton(a)martinennalsaward.org
Universal-MEA2020bios-News-2019-ENG (full bios of finalists, in PDF)
Universal-MEA2020bios-News-2019-ARA (full story and bios of finalists in Arabic, PDF)
Nov 5, 2019 | News
The ICJ today condemned the physical assault and acts of threats and intimidation taken against its Commissioner Gamal Eid, a prominent Egyptian lawyer and human rights defender.
The ICJ called on the Egyptian authorities to investigate the attacks and bring those responsible to justice. They should also take effective measures to ensure that Gamal Eid and other lawyers and human rights lawyers are protected.
Amidst the ongoing crackdown on human rights defenders and the arrest of more 4,000 individuals since recent anti-corruption protests began, Gamal Eid has been subjected to a sustained campaign of intimidation and harassment.
Two armed men in civilian clothes physically assaulted him on October 10, stole his cellphone and tried to seize his laptop. The assault resulted in injuries to his arm and leg and several cracks in his ribs.
Prior to this assault, Eid’s car was stolen on 30 September and he has repeatedly received anonymous phone calls and messages ordering him to “stop and behave.”
The ICJ believes these attacks to be related to Eid’s work as a lawyer and to his human rights activities, and are part of a pattern by the Egyptian military and government to silence people suspected of opposing them, including those documenting and reporting on the ongoing crackdown on human rights and fundamental freedoms.
“Instead of resorting to cynical, thuggish tactics to silence Gamal Eid, Egypt’s military and government must act to ensure his safety and physical integrity,” said Said Benarbia, Director of ICJ’s Middle East and North Africa Program.
“ They must also ensure that lawyers and human rights defenders are able to carry out their work free of fear, harassment or intimidation,” he added.
In the context of the recent protests against President El-Sisi, the Egyptian security forces have arbitrarily detained at least 16 lawyers in relation to the exercise of their professional functions, including Mahienour El-Massry and Mohamed El-Baqer.
Amr Imam, a lawyer and colleague of Gamal Eid at Arabic Network for Human Rights Information was also arrested on 16 October 2019.
The threats to, attacks against, and arbitrary detention of Egyptian lawyers and human rights defenders are in contravention with Egypt’s obligations under international law, and run counter to the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which respectively provide that lawyers and human rights defenders must be able to carry out their professional functions and work without hindrance, harassment, intimidation, or improper interference.
Contact:
Said Benarbia, Director of ICJ’s Middle East and North Africa Program, t: +41 22 979 38 17 ; e: said.benarbia(a)icj.org
Egypt-Gamal Eid-News-press releases.2019-ARA (Arabic version, in PDF)
