OneWorld.net (U.S.)

23 May 2007 - In many countries, peaceful activism results in imprisonment. CIVICUS together with Amnesty International will launch a campaign for civil society activists in prison or on trial because of their human rights work, at the CIVICUS World Assembly, from 23 – 27 May in Glasgow.

“Civil society is in danger. Anti-terror laws, harassment of activists and the curbing of funds increasingly threaten the work of civil society activists all over the world,” said Kumi Naidoo, CIVICUS Secretary General. “These few activists represent the many others who daily put their lives in jeopardy to campaign for justice and human rights.”

At this year’s World Assembly CIVICUS and Amnesty International will once more share the stories of 14 courageous activists - from trade unionists in Colombia to anti-poverty activists in Ethiopia – who have risked their freedom, and even lives, to lobby for justice in their countries.

“Our Dad still dreams in prison – and thousands of people share the same dream. People like you, ladies and gentlemen, make anger vanish and dreams possible. Thank you for sharing our sorrows and our dreams,” wrote the children of Kamal al Labdanum, a Syrian activist, physician and artist, in a message to be read during the World Assembly.

The 2006 World Assembly also profiled the cases of 14 activists in detention – five of whom continue to be detained, and will be featured again this year. Six of those mentioned last year have since been released. Sadly, one was found dead in his cell.

“I wish to state my deep gratitude for your demonstration of solidarity towards me and all the remaining Cuban prisoners of conscience...As you can imagine, your actions filled me with deep emotion,” wrote René Gomez Manzano, one of the activists the World Assembly highlighted last year, released in February 2007.

World Assembly delegates will be asked to send postcard petitions, urging the unconditional release of the activists and respect for civil society’s freedoms of expression, assembly and association.

The civil society activists to be profiled this year include:

Chen Guangcheng (CHINA), a blind activist and self-trained legal advisor, has assisted local villagers in Linyi City, Shandong province in their attempt to sue local authorities for conducting a brutal campaign of forced sterilisations and abortions in pursuit of birth quotas. Chen was sentenced to four years and three months in prison on 24 August 2006 on charges of "damaging public property and gathering people to block traffic.”

Diego Acros Meneses (MEXICO) is an indigenous community leader, catechist (religious instructor) and health promoter. On 17 February 2007, he was charged with murder and belonging to a criminal organisation, based on a faulty investigation process. He now faces being held in custody for a year or more, while his trial takes place.

Nusheen Ahmadi Khorasani, Shahla Entesari, Parvin Ardalan, Fariba Davoodi Mohajer, Susana Tahmassebi & Azadeh Forghani (IRAN) are women’s human rights activists who organised a peaceful protest on 12 June 2006, as well as a campaign demanding an end to discriminatory laws against women. In April 2007, they were sentenced to prison terms and suspended sentences ranging from six months to three years on charges of threatening “national security.”

Netsanet Demissie and Daniel Bekele (ETHIOPIA) are both coordinators of the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) campaign. Netsanet is also the head of Organisation for Social Justice in Ethiopia, and Daniel is a manager at Action Aid International Ethiopia. They were both detained in November 2005, and are currently being tried on the charge of “Outrage against the Constitution or the Constitutional Order.”

Mohamed Abbou (TUNISIA) is a founding member of the International Association for Solidarity with Political Prisoners and the Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, both of them Tunisian human rights organisations the government has refused to recognize. Mohammed was sentenced to a three and a half years in prison on 20 June 2005, by a Tunisian appeal court, on charges including “insulting the judiciary”, publishing material “likely to disturb the public order,” in addition to an assault charge.

Mutabar Tojiboyeva (UZBEKISTAN), head of the human rights group Ardent Hearts group in the eastern city of Fergana, was detained on 7 October 2005 following the unrest in Andijan. Mutabar was sentenced to eight years in prison on 30 May 2006, on 13 charges, including threatening public order, fraud, theft, blackmailing local businessmen and tax avoidance.

Kamal al-Labdanum (SYRIA) is a civil society activist, physician, artist and writer. He was arrested on arrival at Damascus airport on 8 November 2005, after several weeks in Europe and the USA. On 29 May 2006, he was charged with “weakening national morale” and “conspiring with a hostile nation to attack Syria”. On 10 May 2007, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He completed a three year prison term in September 2005, also in relation to his human rights work.

Raquel Castro (COLOMBIA) is a member of the Teachers’ Association of Arauca in Colombia. She was arrested by the Colombian army on 5 August 2004, along with her colleague Samuel Morales who has since been released. In the same operation, three other trade unionists were shot and killed. She was sentenced on ‘rebellion’ charges on 3 January 2005, and is due to be released in August 2007.