Human Rights Action Update May 23-29

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

TORTURE ACTIONS 

Nigeria, unbearable pain

We call your attention to the worldwide disgraceful phenomenon  of torture, which is practiced by too many countries. The actions presented by Amnesty International are all of the click, sign and send type. Please act on them.

COLOMBIA
Human rights defenders are again being threatened by paramilitary forces and groups with an economic interest in blocking land reform. In 2000, collective land rights were granted by the Colombian state to the Afro-descendant communities of the Curvaradó and Jiguamiandó River Basins. Paramilitaries acting with the support of the armed forces subsequently forced many of the inhabitants to flee the area. Much of this land was occupied by powerful economic interests which have established African Palm plantations, cattle-ranches or other economic enterprises. Powerful mining interests are also trying to develop operations in these areas.  Please protest to the Colombian authorities.

USA
The Supreme Court struck down a law that enabled the State of Florida to execute mentally impaired convicts. Cheers. Now on to abolition

Solidarity works in labor matters. We are calling off an urgent labor action at the request of the local union. The bosses were shaken up a bit.

Human Rights Action Update May 16-22

Miriam, 1947-2012, human rights defender

THAILAND
There are grave concerns for the safety of the 700 residents of Nanongbong village in north-eastern Thailand, after it was attacked by at least 100 unidentified armed men on 15 May. Some of the villagers were assaulted and detained for around six hours during the incident. It is believed that the attack is connected to opposition to the planned expansion of a local gold mine. Please act.
 
BURUNDI 
Pierre-Claver Mbonimpa, a Burundian human rights defender, was arrested during the night of 15 to 16 May and is detained on spurious charges relating to state security after making declarations on Burundian radio.  Please act on his behalf.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 
Five Syrian asylum-seekers held at a detention centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, are in danger of being returned to their home country, where their lives or freedoms are at risk. Due to ongoing instability and human rights violations occurring in Syria, all Syrians are prima facie entitled to international protection. Please act for them.

MEXICO 
Please support a campaign by international labor rights organization to protect workplace human rights in Mexico.

Human Rights Action blog May 9-15

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

MONTENEGRO FORCED EVICTION 
Seven households (14 adults and 20 children) are facing imminent forced eviction in the Zvjerinjak settlement in Nikšić, the second largest city in Montenegro. The authorities have failed to respect any of the safeguards and protections set out in international law, including the provision of adequate alternative housing.
Please act on their behalf.

VENEZUELA PROTESTERS DETAINED 
Security forces in Caracas detained 243 people involved in ongoing anti-government demonstrations between 7 and 8 May. The whereabouts of those who have not yet been released remain unknown. They are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment. Please take action


UKRAINE: ILL-TREATMENT OF CAPTIVES AMIDST CIVIL UNREST 
Video footage shows two men held captive and being ill-treated by armed people in south-eastern Ukraine. They are seen being interrogated by a man who is evidently not a law enforcement official. This incident occurs amidst spiralling civil unrest and concerns over breakdown of the rule of law.  Please join the protest.

PHILIPPINES
Join the fight back against the union-busting aggression of the market leading NXP Semiconductors. The company’s illegal retaliation to their Philippine employees organizing and peacefully supporting the collective bargaining process was to sack all 24 union officers on 5 May. The site will come up with my details, just replace them with your own and sign up for labor rights support.

Human Rights Action update May 1-8

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

CHINA 
We posted this last week  but we are told that the link that we gave failed to bring up the UA. We are reposting it since it is still very relevant. Religious leader and ethnic Uighur, Abdukiram Abduveli, has been on hunger strike since mid-February in protest against being given an additional five year prison sentence. Despite having been initially sentenced to 12 years in prison, he has since been given additional sentences on five separate occasions and has been in custody for nearly 24 years. He is in critical ill-health and in need of urgent medical attention.  Please act on his behalf.

SOUTH SUDAN
We are seeing there a reenactment of Rwanda two decades ago. The civil war fomented by the rivalry between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar is destroying the people. . Their power struggle is fueling an ongoing slide into genocide. Please sign the AVAAZ petition to stop the bloodshed.


THAILAND
A prominent human rights activist has been missing in Thailand since 17 April 2014. It is feared that Pholachi Rakchongcharoen, also known as “Billy,” has been subjected to enforced disappearance in response to his activism.  Please act for him.

MYANMAR
On 7 April two men, video journalist Zaw Pe and Win Myint Hlaing, were each sentenced to one year in prison in Myanmar because of their attempted investigation and criticism of education authorities in Magwe Region. Amnesty International considers them prisoners of conscience who must be immediately and unconditionally released. Please join the call for their immediate and unconditional release.

INDONESIA
Please help these striking workers who are being persecuted at a large paper mill. It will take you less than a minute.

Human Rights Action Update April 25-May 1

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

UNITED STATES 
The situation for tobacco farm workers in North Carolina is dire. Many farm workers often live in labor camps with inadequate or non-functioning toilets and showers and other substandard conditions, suffer from illnesses resulting from nicotine poisoning and exposure to dangerous pesticides and work long hours for below-poverty wages.  Please click and send a message to the  President of British American Tobacco calling on him to rectify this unacceptable situation. Of course, we would like to have a world in which no one worked in tobacco fields, but we must deal with the world as it is.
























CHINA
Religious leader and ethnic Uighur, Abdukiram Abduveli, has been on hunger strike since mid-February in protest against being given an additional five year prison sentence. Despite having been initially sentenced to 12 years in prison, he has since been given additional sentences on five separate occasions and has been in custody for nearly 24 years. He is in critical ill-health and in need of urgent medical attention.  Please act on his behalf.  
Scroll down on the page to reach the text of the UA.
QATAR 
Call on FIFA to tackle modern slavery fuelling the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The conditions under which the workers are laboring are inhuman. Please call upon FIFA to play fair.