Front Line is deeply concerned
following the sentencing of human rights defenders Al Sadiq Qashut,
Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi, Jamal Al Haji, a writer who has worked to defend
freedom of speech, Al Al Dirsi, Faraj Humaid, Ali Humaid, Al Mahdi
Humaid, Al Sadiq Salih Humaid, Dr Idris Boufayed, Farid Al Zuwi and
Bashir Al Haris to between six and twenty-five years' imprisonment, on
10 June 2008. The eleven human rights defenders were sentenced for
planning a peaceful demonstration which was due to take place on 17
February 2007 to commemorate the first anniversary of a demonstration in
the city of Benghazi, in which eleven demonstrators were killed when the
demonstration was violently broken up by the police.
Further Information
Posted 17/06/2008 On 10 June
2008, Dr Idris Boufayed, the main organiser of the peaceful
demonstration, was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment; Al Mahdi Humaid,
Al Sadiq Salih Humaid, Faraj Humaid and Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi were
sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment; Jamal Al Haji was sentenced to 12
years' imprisonment; Al Sadiq Qashut was sentenced to 7 years'
imprisonment; Al Al Dirsi was sentenced to 6 and a half years'
imprisonment; and Ali Humaid, Farid Al Zuwi and Bashir Al Haris were
sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment.
They had been arrested on 15
and 16 February 2007 as part of a group of fourteen human rights
defenders for organising a demonstration. They were convicted of
planning to overthrow the government and meeting with a foreign
official. The Danish citizenship of Jamal Al Haji has not been
recognised. Days before his arrest, Jamal Al Haji published an article
which called for “freedom, democracy, a constitutional state, and law”
in Libya. In violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular
Relations, the Danish Government's request to visit Jamal Al Haji has
been refused.
Dr Idris Boufayed is reportedly
suffering from advanced lung cancer.
Of the other three human rights
defenders arrested last year, Adil Humaid was released on 10 June 2008
and Jum'a Boufayed, the brother of Dr Idris Boufayed, was released on 27
May 2008, but Abd Al Rahman Al Qotaiwi has been missing since his
arrest.
Front Line believes that Al
Sadiq Qashut, Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi, Jamal Al Haji, Al Al Dirsi, Faraj
Humaid, Ali Humaid, Al Mahdi Humaid, Al Sadiq Salih Humaid, Dr Idris
Boufayed, Farid Al Zuwi and Bashir Al Haris have been targeted as a
result of their legitimate work in the defence of human rights in Libya.
Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of
these human rights defenders.
Take Action
Please take action on behalf of
eleven human rights defenders Al Sadiq Qashut, Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi,
Jamal Al Haji, Al Al Dirsi, Faraj Humaid, Ali Humaid, Al Mahdi Humaid,
Al Sadiq Salih Humaid, Dr Idris Boufayed, Farid Al Zuwi and Bashir Al
Haris in Libya.
Copy the enclosed letter and
send it to the address provided.
Thank you for taking action on
behalf of Al Sadiq Qashut, Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi, Jamal Al Haji, Al Al
Dirsi, Faraj Humaid, Ali Humaid, Al Mahdi Humaid, Al Sadiq Salih Humaid,
Dr Idris Boufayed, Farid Al Zuwi and Bashir Al Haris.
Target adresses:
Col Moamer al-Kadhafi,
Leader of the Revolution,
Office of the Leader of the Revolution,
Secretariat of the General People's Committee,
Tripoli,
Libya
Letter:
Your Excellency,
I am deeply concerned following
the sentencing of human rights defenders Al Sadiq Qashut, Ahmad Yusif Al
Ubaidi, Jamal Al Haji, a writer who has worked to defend freedom of
speech, Al Al Dirsi, Faraj Humaid, Ali Humaid, Al Mahdi Humaid, Al Sadiq
Salih Humaid, Dr Idris Boufayed, Farid Al Zuwi and Bashir Al Haris to
between six and twenty-five years' imprisonment, on 10 June 2008. The
eleven human rights defenders were sentenced for planning a peaceful
demonstration which was due to take place on 17 February 2007 to
commemorate the first anniversary of a demonstration in the city of
Benghazi, in which eleven demonstrators were killed when the
demonstration was violently broken up by the police.
On 10 June 2008, Dr Idris
Boufayed, the main organiser of the peaceful demonstration, was
sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment; Al Mahdi Humaid, Al Sadiq Salih
Humaid, Faraj Humaid and Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi were sentenced to 15
years' imprisonment; Jamal Al Haji was sentenced to 12 years'
imprisonment; Al Sadiq Qashut was sentenced to 7 years' imprisonment; Al
Al Dirsi was sentenced to 6 and a half years' imprisonment; and Ali
Humaid, Farid Al Zuwi and Bashir Al Haris were sentenced to 6 years'
imprisonment.
They had been arrested on 15
and 16 February 2007 as part of a group of fourteen human rights
defenders for organising a demonstration. They were convicted of
planning to overthrow the government and meeting with a foreign
official. The Danish citizenship of Jamal Al Haji has not been
recognised. Days before his arrest, Jamal Al Haji published an article
which called for “freedom, democracy, a constitutional state, and law”
in Libya. In violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular
Relations, the Danish Government's request to visit Jamal Al Haji has
been refused.
Dr Idris Boufayed is reportedly
suffering from advanced lung cancer.
Of the other three human rights
defenders arrested last year, Adil Humaid was released on 10 June 2008
and Jum'a Boufayed, the brother of Dr Idris Boufayed, was released on 27
May 2008, but Abd Al Rahman Al Qotaiwi has been missing since his
arrest.
I believe that Al Sadiq Qashut,
Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi, Jamal Al Haji, Al Al Dirsi, Faraj Humaid, Ali
Humaid, Al Mahdi Humaid, Al Sadiq Salih Humaid, Dr Idris Boufayed, Farid
Al Zuwi and Bashir Al Haris have been targeted as a result of their
legitimate work in the defence of human rights in Libya. I am concerned
for the physical and psychological integrity of these human rights
defenders.
I urge the authorities in Libya
to:
1. Immediately and
unconditionally release Al Sadiq Qashut, Ahmad Yusif Al Ubaidi, Jamal Al
Haji, Al Al Dirsi, Faraj Humaid, Ali Humaid, Al Mahdi Humaid, Al Sadiq
Salih Humaid, Dr Idris Boufayed, Farid Al Zuwi and Bashir Al Haris as I
believe that they are being held solely as a result of their legitimate
and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;
2. Ensure that the treatment of
the abovementioned human rights defenders, while in detention, adheres
to all those conditions set out in the ‘Basic Principles for Treatment
of Prisoners, adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/111 of 14
December 1990;
3. Take all necessary measures
to guarantee the physical and psychological security and integrity of
the abovementioned human rights defenders, and ensure that Dr Idris
Boufayed has access, where necessary, to medical consultations and
treatment;
4. Guarantee in all
circumstances that human rights defenders in Libya are able to carry out
their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and
free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
I respectfully remind you that
the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of
Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect
Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by
consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the
legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to
freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of
reprisals.
I would particularly draw your
attention to Article 5: “For the purpose of promoting and protecting
human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right,
individually and in association with others, at the national and
international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully” and to Article
12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the
protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in
association with others, against any violence, threat, retaliation, de
facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary
action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights
referred to in the present Declaration.”
Yours sincerely,
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