Statement by the Spokesperson of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on conviction of human rights defender Abdallah Abu Rahma

On 24/08/2010In: EU

Brussels, 24 August 2010 A 167/10 – The spokesperson of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission Catherine Ashton issued the following statement today :

“The High Representative is concerned by the conviction of 39-year-old Abdallah Abu Rahma in an Israeli military court on charges of incitement and organising and attending demonstrations. He is due to be sentenced shortly. The EU considers Abdallah Abu Rahma to be a Human Rights Defender committed to non violent protest against the route of the Israeli separation barrier through his West Bank village of Bil’in.

The EU considers the route of the barrier where it is built on Palestinian land to be illegal. The High Representative is deeply concerned that the possible imprisonment of Mr Abu  Rahma is intended to prevent him and other Palestinians from exercising their legitimate right to protest against the existence of the separation barriers in a non violent manner. “

Note to Editors: The EU attended all court hearings in the case of Abdallah Abu Rahma, who has been in detention since 10 December 2009.”

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IACHR condems murder of human rights defender in Colombia

On 02/08/2010In: Inter-American Commission

Washington, D.C., August 2, 2010—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) strongly condemns the murder of an indigenous leader and human rights defender of the Wayúu people of Colombia.

According to information the Commission has received, on July 27, 2010, Luis Alfredo Socarrás Pimienta, a Wayúu indigenous leader, dentist, and human rights defender, was killed in Riohacha. The information available indicates that the crime was committed by a hit man who shot him in the doorway of his house and then fled.

In the past year, Socarrás Pimienta had led several demonstrations carried out by the Wayúu people to protest the situation of their individual and collective human rights and to demand a better quality of life for their members. The indigenous leader had also participated in two elections, as candidate of the Polo Democrático Alternativo party for the mayor’s office of the municipality of Manaure, and had managed dental-care campaigns for the communities of the Upper and Middle Guajira Peninsula. (more…)

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