Shortlist of nominees for the 2007 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Thursday April 12, 2007 12:40

by Clare Quinlan - Front Line - Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

12 April 2007

Front Line has confirmed a short list of nominees for the 2007 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk. Bono will present the award during a ceremony in Dublin’s City Hall on 01 May 2007

Each year, Front Line awards a human rights defender who through their non-violent work has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of Human Rights in the face of considerable personal risk.

The objective of the award is to increase the human rights defenders protection by focusing international attention on their work and the cash prize contributes to the recipients work.

Among this year’s nominees is Tunisian, human rights lawyer, Radhia Nasraoui. On account of her work, she is routinely harassed by police, she has been physically attacked several times and her movements under constant state surveillance. Gégé Katana, the president of the Solidarity Movement of Women Human Rights Activists (SOFAD) from the Democratic Republic of Congo is also a nominee. SOFAD works through a grassroots network of 625 women to campaign against sexual violence. She has been arbitrarily arrested, banned from travelling for over four years and regularly receives death threats due to her human rights work. The other nominees include, Jackeline Rojas, the coordinator and legal representative for the Organisation Femenina Popular (OPF) in Colombia. She has been the victim of several death threats and survived an attempt on her life by paramilitaries in 2004. Her brother and political activist, Jose de Jesus Rojas Castaneda, was killed by paramilitaries in 2003. Akifa Aliyeva works with a branch of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly, an organisation that promotes and protects women’s and environmental rights in Azerbaijan. She has been labelled ‘an enemy of the state’ due to her vocal criticism of the authorities. The final nominee is, Riza Fanilag, she works with the National Federation of Peasant Women in the Philippines. Since 2003, she has been on a watch list of persons targeted by the military. Persons on this list are frequently subjected to arrests, enforced disappearances or worst, summary execution.

Last years winner was Ahmadjan Madmarov, a human rights defender for 30 years in Uzbekistan on presenting the award, Peter Sutherland said: "The most terrible part of the persecution he is facing is that three of his sons and two nephews have been imprisoned and tortured because of his work for human rights."

For further details please contact:

Clare Quinlan,
Press Officer, Tel: 086 8334929 or 01 212 3750
Jim Loughran,
Head of Media and Communications, Tel: 087 9377586 or 01 212 3750
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Front Line,is the only international NGO that is exclusively dedicated to the support and protection of human rights defenders at risk. Since its creation in Dublin in 2001, Front Line has worked on behalf of more than 600 human rights defenders in over 100 countries, combining “round-the-clock” practical support with international advocacy and implementing a flexible and rapid response programme, which enables it to intervene in high-risk situations.

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Comments (4 of 4)

Good point

by Daithi1979

Fri May 11, 2007 13:08

Fair play Aoise, you're dead right. Indymedia has long been the domain of people who are prepared to denigrate the work of organisations which actually have an impact on issues such as the freedom of expression that we on indymedia can enjoy, but which is denied to many across the world. The same people who make up comments about 'Frontline and trade unions' when Front Line's stance on trade unions has only ever been one of unwavering support for unions and union members, should get off their arses and actually make some contribution rather than whining on about the state of society while doing nothing in real terms to change it, unlike those at Front Line. Who funds an organisation has no bearing on the work of the organisation unless the funder has a direct policy making role. As pointed out, most organisations have fabulously wealthy people on their boards, but these members don't actually make the policy decisions, so griping about O'Brien and trying to dismiss the valuable work of the Frontline NGO is pretty pathetic. If you are going to dismiss worthwhile NGO's, go learn the facts first, and then come up with an alternative of how they can function without funding from private individuals. You might also want to take into account the fact that many of those who Frontline have protected are leading human rights defenders who are standing up against vile and autocratic states at great personal risk and who often would be murdered were it not for Frontline's support. Can you people really claim that you are somehow in a position to dismiss these people and organisations that work for them from the comfort of your (safe) homes?

In response

by Aoise

Thu May 10, 2007 17:48

As rightly pointed out; Denis O'Brian is a contributor to Front Line. He is also a contributor to many other charity organisations. While one may not agree with O'Brian or his policies, it is ridiculous to claim that because he is merely one of a number of donors to this very worthwhile organisation that his money somehow dictates Front Line's policies or mars the work done by the organisation. Indeed, all charities and development organisations rely on funding, some of it is delivered by anonymous donors, some from foundations and some from business people or those with high profiles who people may have a problem with. What must be considered is whether the organisation's autonomous work is useful and beneficial. If it is, and Front Line's certainly is in my opinion, though I have not direct relelationship with them other than following their work, , then who donates to the organisation is irrelevent. Front Line does an admirable job and its impact has affected many through out the world, especially those who are at serious risk for their human rights work, a risk most of us do not have to face, but if we did, it is certain that we would be relying on organisations such as Front Line for protection and assistance. I would request that people here focus on the bigger picture of what this organisation actually does, rather than begrudging an organisation on the basis of one of its (no doubt numerous) beneficiaries.

Funnily enough

by C Murray

Thu Apr 12, 2007 14:37

One of the beneficent Mr O Brien's ongoing charity concerns is indeed
the 'Frontline Defenders'- they attended the early part of the Rossport picket and
can be seen with clipboards in the photo essays.

You can trawl through the works they do if you google them. I am not sure if PJ Mara is
one too- I think he may just be in the business end of things- the Cayman companies
that are related to communications infrastructure.

Most charities do indeed have the fabulously wealthy on their boards- thus
infecting the organisations with their political theories of equality.

Mr O Brien resigned most of his chairs in the past six months before a module of
some commission of enquiry.

All the info on the Cayman media/communications can also be found through google.
most companies have to declare the names of trustees and board members
will add in links-

Funding

by Rev Malcolm X - church of Marx

Thu Apr 12, 2007 14:00

correct me if I am wrong. Denis o Brien esat digifone one of Frontline financial contributors. is there something about Frontline and trade union issues.

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Shortlist of nominees for the 2007 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk

Comments (4 of 4)