Ethiopia: The World Movement is thrilled to learn that Dr. Merera Gudina was released on January 17, after serving more than year in pre-trial detention. Dr. Gudina, a scholar and chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), was arrested and accused of violating Ethiopia’s 10-month state of emergency. He was released along with 527 others as part of a larger government amnesty…
Bahrain: On January 30, a Bahraini criminal court sentenced 58 political activists charged with terrorism by the government. Nineteen received life sentences while 37 others received sentences ranging from 5-15 years. Two activists received death sentences, joining 19 others prisoners on death row – the largest number since courts were established in 1923. In addition to the harsh sentences, 47…
The Office of UN High Commission for Human Rights is seeking applications for the recently vacated position of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. The Special Rapporteur undertakes fact-finding country visits; serves as the public face for the thematic mandate; tracks alleged violations of the rights to freedom…
On October 23, 2017, 55 international civil society organizations (CSOs) issued an open letter about the government’s extreme crackdown on Cambodia’s independent media, political opposition, and members of civil society over the past year. In addition to the Cambodian National Assembly’s recent attempt to pass legislation that allows the government to dissolve political parties, the letter notes that independent…