Mafia State author to speak in Dublin

by Amnasty Sat Apr 14, 2012 06:37

while you're at it Amnesty, lets give equal emphasis to david kelly's death under dubious circumstances.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Kelly_%28weapons_exp...rt%29

Fishy stuff Doesn't just happen in Russia y'know!

While I'm here, any Amnesty comments on Julian assange / bradley manning / Mordecvhai vanunu? I look forward to reading indymedia articles from Amnesty on these topics too!

Also an expose of rabid anticommunist CIA/US backed gene sharp and the deliberate and systematic stirring up of armed instability all across northern africa and syria leading to many thousands of deaths, convenient regime changes, impending sharia law but no improvements in the lives of ordinary ciizens would be nice too.

by Me Sun Apr 15, 2012 02:12

. . .most likely works for the British Security Services

His 'reporting' is risible and riddled with bias, it was especially educating to see the drivel Harding published after the British were caught red-handed spying on Russia - Harding seems incapable of actual Journalism when the subject is Russia

why amnesty is promoting Harding and his bias is curious

But then Amnesty lately has some VERY STRANGE notions when it comes to what are actual Human Rights

Amnesty's very shoddy reporting from Libya, where they reported only on Gov't 'atrocities' and almost completely ignored the very blatant murders (e.g: Murdering almost every black person they could find, for which there was tonnes of evidence,

It took Amnesty several Weeks to report such activity by the so-called 'rebels' despite the details being public knowledge, and the perpetrators well known

by Me Sun Apr 15, 2012 02:15

Hillary Clinton aide at the helm of Amnesty International USA

Suzanne Nossel, former assistant to Richard Holbrooke (killer of Yugoslavia) in his capacity as UN Ambassador and currently Hillary Clinton’s Deputy Assistant for International Organization Affairs, has been selected as the new Executive Director of Amnesty International USA.

Nossel may have a PR background but my understanding is that she is a powerful former employee of US State Dept, where she worked as Deputy Assistant for International Organization Affairs under Hillary Clinton. She actually coined the term "Smart Power" in an article she wrote in 2004 for Foreign Affairs magazine. Clinton, Anne Marie Slaughter, Samantha Power - the Amazon Valkyries (as Slaughter herself referred to the group) - fell on her phrase with relish. It has a nice ring alongside "humanitarian intervention' as a feel-good phrase for the Obomber Administration. Laura Bush's syrupy support for Afghani-womens'-rights-delivered-by-Hellfire-missile seems small potatoes by comparison.

by Me Sun Apr 15, 2012 02:27

According to Amnesty International annual report page 8, Amnesty receives funding from George Soros' Open Society Institute (Soros is well known to be Anti-Russian in General and Very Anti Putin in particular) as well as the UK Department for International Development (hence Luke Harding ? who some people suspect may also work for the Brit Gov't, as well as being employed by the Guardian) and the European Commission.

Anyone that thinks George Soros hands out money just because he loves Human Rights so much needs their head examined

Soros hands out large amounts of money, and expects/demands something in return - No different than Rupert Murdoch, for instance

Would anyone here feel fully ok with supporting a 'human rights' org like Amnesty IF Rupert Murdoch were one of it's main financial Supporters.

Soros specialises in bringing-down/controlling economies of countries.

Financial support fpor so-called 'democracy campaingers' which he can set on anyone he likes, is just one of the many tools used by Nation Rapers such as Soros

The US also uses the same tool-set as Soros (plus a few additions) to do pretty much the same thing

by Putin Sun Apr 15, 2012 13:42

Luke Harding has been accused by Jullian Assange of misrepresentations and character assassinations against him and that he intends to bring legal case against Luke Harding and the Guardian .

Yet even as Jullian Assange fights for his basic freedom in UK courts, because of the Wileaks dossiers, there isn’t serious worries that “press freedom” might be under attack in the United States and Great Britain.

When one cuts through all the BS there are deeply invested groups, companies and states whose economic and political objectives in Russia have been frustrated by the new and assertive Russian leadership and this is what all nasty reporting of Russia as a “mafia state” is all about.

It is interesting that British and the U.S media do not see the nations which sponsored the 2003 illegal invasion of Iraq do indeed representative mafia states.

Luke Harding 'reports' for the Guardian were shameful, propaganda and often bordering on blatant Russophobia. I am surprised he was not kicked out of Russia long time ago.

I do not think that if a Russian or any other journalist shows nothing but concept for the British society, its social order, the very humanity of the British people- he or she would have been kicked out of the UK long time ago.

Press Tv is a perfect example of this - Press TV has been banned in Britain and also from the European ASTRA Satellitte network. The UK gov't's curtailment of Press TV's rights is an obvious rallying point for those that value freedom - And yet there are no polemics or editorials from either f Luke Harding or The Guardian on the subject of the UK gov't's curtailment of Press TV's rights

It seems that for the guardian and Luke Harding Journalists apparently have no rights when operating in a 'Western' war-mongering Mafia-State such as the UK

I do not know why it wants to place in Russia somebody, like Luke Harding, who simply reports nasty things and never finds anything good or interestluke ing, redeeming about the country from which he is reporting from.

Luke Harding's life ban from Russia is justified in my humble opinion.

So concerned readers might want to ask themselves why Amnesty is helping Harding to promote his book - or at least the intelligent ones will - the thick ones will probably go right on back to attacking anyone and anything that points out some of Amnesty's less salubrious activities and assocations

by Russkie Sun Apr 15, 2012 16:52

In 2011, shortly after reporting that leaked US diplomatic cables described Russia as a 'virtual mafia state', he became the first British journalists in 11 years to be expelled from Russia.

Luke Harding spent years in Russia and all he ever did was Attack the Russian State.

If anyone here has evidence that Luke Harding EVER wrote a good thing about Russia could ypou please post it here - because in all the time I have read his so-called 'reporting' from Russia not once did I ever see him say ANTHING positive about Russia.

by Putin Sun Apr 15, 2012 18:22

Cable Cooking and the War on Assange - http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/02/25/cable-cooking-an...ange/
by ISRAEL SHAMIR

"Luke Harding has made a career of cooking up the news that trickles out of the post-Soviet sphere. His background is Guardian-typical: all it takes is a few years’ writing in Moscow as a freelancer. But maybe ‘writing’ is too strong a word for the copy-pasting he practiced. This has been a view of the local expat community and its main newspaper, the devilishly irreverent eXile.

The editors of eXile gave Harding the alias Hackburglar for, as the eXile wrote: “Harding seems to have a knack for publishing articles whose content and lead paragraphs look suspiciously similar, in the cloning sense of the word, to articles published by Kevin O’Flynn of The Moscow Times. In fact, Harding’s articles are so regularly similar to O’Flynn’s that some of his colleagues have begun accusing him of using a fake "Luke Harding" pen-name in order to milk two checks for each article”.

His anti-Russian diatribes made him “the man most likely to bring down powerful Russian politicians and cause Moscow international embarrassment by regurgitating month-old articles published in the German press, The eXile, and The Moscow Times” wrote the eXile.

But Harding would not rest on his laurels, and even began pinching material from the eXile itself. That turned out to be a mistake, since the eXile did not take it lying down. They invoiced The Guardian five hundred quid for the articles appropriated by Harding; The Guardian admitted the guilt and paid. To top it off, he was featured as “Plagiarist of the Year” along the Street of Shame in Private Eye. His defenders claim that Harding’s plagiarisms were not, technically speaking, plagiarism as such: it is just that “his stuff sounds like everyone else’s”! "

by JoeMc Sun Apr 15, 2012 21:45

Thanks for bringing Harding's record to the attention of indymedia readers. After reading the Counterpunch article on how he cooked up the wikileaks cables , I would like to know why Amnesty is promoting such a twister's book in Ireland. Surely Amnesty should be exposing scoundrels like Haarding , and not promoting them .

by Getting the truth out. Sun Apr 15, 2012 22:13

Amnesty documents re Bradley Manning

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ACT84/004/2011/en

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/bradley-mann...04-20

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/030/2011/en

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ACT84/003/2011/en

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/023/2011/en

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/024/2011/en

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/fresh-call-e...03-24

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/020/2011/en

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/us-accused-i...01-24

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/006/2011/en

by Putin Sun Apr 15, 2012 22:47

but certain people here are doing their best to justify preventing you from seeing any of it

by Putin Sun Apr 15, 2012 22:56

According to Amnesty's Annual Report (pg 8):

2 of the funding sources are Multi-Billionaire and raper of Sovereign Economies, George Soros - NOT a nice man!! (also unlikely to be truely concerned with anyone's rights but his own)

And

The British Gov't - NOT a nice bunch of people !! (also unlikely to be truely concerned with anyone's rights but their own)

Now who here would trust either George Soros or the British Gov't?

by lefty Sun Apr 15, 2012 23:05

http://www.amnesty.ie/

If you read the current page for amnesty you'll find the following:

A petition against the russia supplying arms to syrian government (no mention of opposition armed by US etc)
A petition against the palestinian authority for something they allegedly did ten years ago
A petition against an execution in Iran
A talk about press freedom in Russia and book promotion for well known russia critic / plagarist luke harding.

Iran govt / palestinian authority / russian govt / syrian govt ??
It Reads like a US propagandists wet dream. doesn't it? Coincidence? I hope so!

While I do consider all these as important issues in isolation, I find the pattern that emerges rather troubling.

Indeed I found Amnesty's coverage of the libyan conflict less than satisfactory to say the least.

Do we need to look more closely at Amnesty funding by george soros and close links with the state dept in the US?

--Suzanne Nossel, former assistant to Richard Holbrooke in his capacity as UN Ambassador and currently Hillary Clinton’s Deputy Assistant for International Organization Affairs, has been selected as the new Executive Director of Amnesty International USA.

--According to Amnesty International annual report page 8, Amnesty receives funding from George Soros' Open Society Institute. Anyone that thinks George Soros hands out money just because he loves Human Rights so much needs their head examined

by Reader Sun Apr 15, 2012 23:51

If you access all of page one of Amnesty News
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/all

You get the following

Publication Date: 04 May 2012
Afghanistan-US prison transfer gets go-ahead despite torture risks
US forces are set to transfer detainees from Bagram prison to the Afghan government, prompting fears that they may be at risk of torture.

Publication Date: 13 April 2012
Nigeria: End police intimidation of National Human Rights Commission
Instead of putting an end to extrajudicial executions, the Nigeria Police Force is investigating a human rights official who spoke out on the issue.

Publication Date: 13 April 2012
Saudi Arabia must release detained activist on hunger strike
Mohammed Saleh al-Bajady, co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association is refusing food and water in protest at his detention.

Publication Date: 13 April 2012
Iran urged to quash prison sentence for ‘Mourning Mothers’ activist
Women in Tehran are facing jail sentences for campaigning against decades of human rights violations.

Publication Date: 13 April 2012
Guinea-Bissau: Coup attempt underscores human rights concerns
Guinea-Bissau's military coup brings to the fore a number of serious unresolved human rights concerns in the West African country.

Publication Date: 12 April 2012
North Korea: Catastrophic human rights record overshadows ‘Day of the Sun’
In North Korea, hundreds of thousands of people exist in prison camps out of sight of the rest of the world, where human rights protections are ignored.

Publication Date: 12 April 2012
Tunisia's constitution must stand test of time
Authorities urged to act to prevent a repetition of the widespread human rights abuses that took place under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Publication Date: 12 April 2012
Malaysia must scrap repressive new security law
The proposed new law allows for violations of human rights such as freedom from arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment.

Publication Date: 10 April 2012
China: Jail sentence for disabled housing activist 'unacceptable'
Prominent Chinese housing activist Ni Yulan and her husband Dong Jiqin were jailed today on spurious charges.

Publication Date: 10 April 2012
Jailed Bahraini activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja’s life in danger
A Bahraini prisoner of conscience's health has seriously deteriorated while on hunger strike in prison after anti-government protests last year.

Publication Date: 10 April 2012
Tunisia urged to investigate police violence against protesters
There were scores of injuries when Tunisian security forces violently dispersed peaceful protests in the capital Tunis.

Publication Date: 05 April 2012
Thailand: Proposed amnesty should be in line with international obligations
Thailand is considering an amnesty law which could grant impunity for grave human rights violations.

Publication Date: 05 April 2012
International Roma Day highlights discrimination against European Roma
The Roma, numbering between 10 and 12 million people, are one of Europe’s largest and most disadvantaged minorities.

Publication Date: 05 April 2012
Vote to Remove Death Penalty in Connecticut shows ‘great leadership’
Connecticut’s State Senate has voted to abolish the death penalty, joining a worldwide trend away from capital punishment.

Publication Date: 05 April 2012
Libya must respect ICC call to surrender Saif al-Islam
The ICC's decision ordering Libya to surrender Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi immediately is a step forward for justice and accountability.

Publication Date: 04 April 2012
ICC Prosecutor statement: Fears over justice for Gaza victims
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says it cannot consider allegations of crimes committed during the 2008-9 Gaza conflict.

Publication Date: 03 April 2012
Isolated and dehumanised: inmates in Arizona’s isolation units
Inmates in the isolation unit at Arizona State Prison are kept under dehumanising conditions that lack health care and rehabilitation opportunities.

Publication Date: 03 April 2012
Syria: Repression continues despite Annan plan hopes
Some 13 school pupils have been beaten and verbally abused before being arrested by men in plain clothes in the town of Daraya.

Publication Date: 03 April 2012
Jordan: Pro-reformists detained for “insulting” the King must be released
At least 13 people remain in custody in the wake of the weekend protests against the detention of half a dozen pro-reform activists.

Publication Date: 02 April 2012
Brazil: Outrageous Supreme Court ruling gives green light to rapists
Man accused of raping three 12-year-old girls acquitted by Brazil’s Supreme Court on the basis that they were allegedly “sex-workers”.

by lefty Mon Apr 16, 2012 03:32

ok but thats not the FRONT PAGE of a national amnesty site.

Most people never get past the front page of a website and form their opinions from whats on that.

If you were to form your opinions on world politics from Amnesty's current front page then you'd be thinking that the MSM have it right and are telling you the truth about world events.

--that the russians are nothing more than a repressive mafia and plagarist luke harding is a reliable journalist whose views have Amnesty's seal of approval

--that the palestinian authority area bunch of no good torturers (so between the lines, perhaps the Israeli's are justified??)

--that Iran are evil because they imprison and execute people wrongfully (unlike texas! and unlike the US, highest per capita prison population in the world!)

--that syrian government are solely responsible for all the killing in syria ( and the balaclavad US backed sniper militia slipping in from the jordanian border are just using water pistols. yeah right.)

this is all a load of horseshit of course, only half the story as anyone with two working brain cells and who does any reading at all will know.

As far as I can see, the number one state terrorist organisation in the world is currently the US government. They have a dog in every race and are responsible for innumerable deaths, torture, weapons sales, coups, assassinations, drone attacks, black ops, regime destabilisation. They have the highest per capita prison population in the world, they execute a large number of people, mostly poor black males, each year, they are responsible for torture in black prisons and war crimes such as the attack on fallujah, they spend more on weapons each year than the next ten nations or more combined, they are agitating for yet another war with Iran on the flimsiest premises. All this and much more besides, yet proportionally hardly a mention really by Amnesty.

Amnesty need to show more balance on their front page and more care in their choice of which talks to promote and host in capital cities or people may lose faith in their neutrality and start to question whether influence is being exerted on them by their funding and close links to american power.

And I say this as somebody who believes that Amnesty is a very worthwhile organisation as long as it doesn't allow itself to get co-opted as so often happens these days.

This high profile book promotion for a blatant servant of imperialism is an error of judgement on Amnesty's part.

by libertarian leninist Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:19

Front pages change from day to day. The issues that you and I think should be highlighted, Imperialist threats to Iran & Syria, the co-opting of Political Islam to the cause of Imperialism, Defence of Venezuela, will not always be the first priority of an International Human Rights Organisation with a Worldwide focus.

Amnesty UK Front Page
Sign our petition: no arms for atrocities

Emmanuel Jal was forced to join a militia group, pick up a machine gun and fight in Sudan’s bloody civil war when he was just eight years old. Sudan is just one of 19 countries where tens of thousands of children are still forcibly recruited as child soldiers. Their recruitment, abduction and arming would be a lot harder if the arms trade was globally regulated. It’s not. But the first global treaty regulating the trade could be created this year.

Hunger strike: Abdulhadi al-Khawaja is serving a life sentence for his involvement in Bahrain's protests last year. He has been on hunger strike for over two months. Act now

Women's rights: Since 2003 members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise have been arrested, harassed and severely beaten by police for providing women with a united voice. End this harassment

Nigeria: Patrick Okoroafor has been in custody since his conviction in 1997 following an unfair trial at the age of just 16. 15 years later he is still behind bars. Call for his immediate release

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:31

"Iran govt / palestinian authority / russian govt / syrian govt ??
It Reads like a US propagandists wet dream. doesn't it? Coincidence? I hope so! "

Amnesty International USA named US State Department official Suzanne Nossel as its executive director back in Nov 2011

This lady used to work for Hilary Clinton

The very same Hilary Clinton that is now involved in physically threatening the safety and security, the HUMAN RIGHTS of MILLLIONS of innocent people in Iran and syria

So given that Amnesty appoints people, to important positions within it's organisation, that actually could potentially end up in front of a War Crimes Tribunal - why should anyone continue to treat them as if they were still an impartial Human Rights Org, when obviously they have made a descision to ignore the past of Suzanne Nossel, and her work for one of the worst War-Mongers in recent decades?

Amnesty, far from being the impartail NGO we have come to see it as, seems to be allowing itself to become a haven for US State Dept propagandists

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:59

Upcoming events critical of US organised by Amnesty USA.

April 19, 2012 - April 20, 2012
Delaware Death Penalty Protests
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty, Amnesty International and the Delaware Repeal Project will be holding death penalty protest events on April 19th.

.April 17, 2012
Immigrants' Rights Are Human Rights!
HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA
Forum on immigration and human rights

April 24, 2012
Panel Discussion: The Human Face of Indefinite Detention: Shaker Aamer, Guantanamo & the NDAA
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
Join this FREE panel discussion with a former Guantanamo military prosecutor, Guantanamo defense lawyer, and journalist to learn about what is happening in our names at the US detention facilities.

April 26, 2012
Baltimore, We Love You
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
Screening of a documentary about poverty and human rights in Baltimore

SUN, 2012-04-29
The Hour of Sunlight: One Palestinian's Journey from Prisoner to Peacemaker

As a young Palestinian boy, Sami Al Jundi had one ambition: to live in a free Palestinian nation. When a bomb that he was building with friends exploded prematurely, killing one of the teenagers, Al Jundi was sentenced to ten years in Israeli prison. It was while there, unexpectedly, that ideas about nonviolence and reconciliation first took root and changed the course of his battle forever.
THE HOUR OF SUNLIGHT: One Palestinian’s Journey from Prisoner to Peacemaker (Nation Books), is Al Jundi’s story of self-discovery, groundbreaking activism, and a tireless struggle for peace, co-authored with American Jewish writer and social justice activist Jen Marlowe.

May 1, 2012
May Day Rally for Immigrant and Worker Rights!
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Rally with Amnesty International-Southern Region at this year's May Day Rally in Atlanta, GA. This year we rally for immigrants and workers, whose human rights under attack.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:10

I noticed that Amnesty decided to make an issue of 2 hunger dstrikers in Bahrain and Saudi

Then I remembered that there are at present something like 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers (80 times more than in Bahrain ansd Saudi combined -)

I figured that that number is something that would cause ANY decent Human Rights Org to take notice - so I went and looked at the Amnesty Site, as recommended by it's supporters above, and had to look long and hard to find ANYTHING regarding the 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers (80 times more than in Bahrain ansd Saudi combined )

Eventually I actually had to resort to an explicit search of the Amnesty Site , using the string 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers ebfore I even found anything related to the Palestinian Hunger Strikers

That article was dated over 2 weeks ago - since then we have confirmed that 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers (80 times more than in Bahrain ansd Saudi combined ) - yet AMnesty makes NO Mention of this fact - http://amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE15/017/2012/en

One might have thought that an NGO that claims to be concerned with Human Rights might find time to concentrate on the 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers (80 times more than in Bahrain ansd Saudi combined )

But one would have been completely wrong on that score

PS

Initiaially I searched the Amnesty site using 'Palestine Hunger Strike'

The article Amnesty returned to me was this one - http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/hamas-authorities-must-i...-18-0

No Mention there at all of Palestinian Hunger Strikers

SInce 3 Apr 2012 Amnesty have written NOTHING relating to the on going, and growing, Hunger Strike movement in Palestine

In fact as far as I can ascertain, one will not find ANY mention on the Amnesty site of the fact that there are currently 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers (80 times more than in Bahrain ansd Saudi combined )

So the question REALLY needs to be asked "Exactly what agenda is Amnesty operating to?"

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:16

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are both US client States. Amnesty is highlighting human rights abuse there.

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:19

I'll take this opportunity to shamelessly plug the demo.

Lunchtime Demo: Palestinian Prisoners Day – End EU Facilitation of Israeli Apartheid

To mark Palestinian Prisoners’ Day 2012, on Tuesday 17th April from 1-2pm the IPSC will be holding a symbolic lunchtime demonstration outside EU House, Molesworth Street (Dublin 2) to highlight the European Union’s ongoing facilitation of Israel’s apartheid policies and war crimes – including the imprisonment of over 4,400 political prisoners.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:26

Amnesty is IGNORING a far far more desperate situation in Paalestine

If that does not bother you, then perhaps you are not as concerned with Human Rights as you seem to think you are

The question of how ANY self-proclaimed Human Rights Org could ignore 160 Hunger Strikers is impossible to answer without SOME element of a deliberate descision being made within Amnesty to ignore it

So far not a word about the 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers oin the Amnesty Website - that is a SERIOUS ommision.

YOu simply pointing out that Bahrain and Saudi are US Client States in no way detracts from my point that Amnesty seems to be making a very deliberate descision to ignore the 160 Palestinian Hunger Strikers

One could for example intrepret your point to mean that Amnesty will criticise despotic Arab Regimes but will Ignore the far more despotic actions of the Jewish Regime

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:28

intertesting that to find something about Palestinian prisoners you went to the IPSC and NOT Amnesty, ain't it? ;-)

That pretty much proves the point am making

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:35

Its a Zionist Regime, not a Jewish Regime, don't make it easy for the f$!&ers to misrepresent us.

I fear you are throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Amnesty doesn't always prioritise the causes that I wish it would, but look at Amnesty holistically.

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:37

intertesting that to find something about Palestinian prisoners you went to the IPSC and NOT Amnesty, ain't it? ;-)

That pretty much proves the point am making

Touché!

But it is an IPSC demo.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:42

"Its a Zionist Regime, not a Jewish Regime, don't make it easy for the f$!&ers to misrepresent us."

Actually the Zios describe THEMSELVES as a 'Jewish' regime

Zios see 'Jewish' as a racial/ethnic designation

Perhaps you need to take that point up with THEM?

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:45

Mass hunger strike planned. According to press tv, 11 on hungerstrike at present.

1,600 Palestinian prisoners to go on open-ended hunger strike
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/236431.html
Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:20PM GMT

About 1,600 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails will go on an open-ended hunger strike on April 17 to protest imprisonment without charge and solitary confinement exercised by the Tel Aviv regime.

Issa Qaraqi, the Palestinian Authority minister for prisoner affairs, said on Saturday the detainees also demand Israel allow families to visit them.

“The situation inside Israeli prisons has become very dangerous and serious,” Qaraqi said.

April 17 marks the Palestinian Prisoners Day.

Meanwhile, reports say at least 11 prisoners are already on hunger strike and three of them have been transferred to hospital.

The latest plan by Palestinian prisoners comes days after Israel released female Palestinian prisoner Hana Shalabi on April 1. The female Palestinian detainee had gone on hunger strike after she was re-arrested without charge on February 16.

Shalabi was one of the detainees freed from Israeli jails in October and December of last year under a deal mediated by Egypt to free 1,027 Palestinian inmates in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Hana Shalabi is from the city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, but she was deported to the Gaza Strip by the Israeli regime.

According to a March 1, 2012 report published by the non-governmental Palestinian prisoner support and human rights association, Addameer, at least 4,637 “political” Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli jails.

HSN/JR

Israel Prison Service spokeswoman Sivan Weitzman put the figure of detainees on hunger strike at six.

Two of them, 27-year-old Bill Dab and 34-year-old Thayer Shalala, have both been refusing food for 48 days, with medics expressing concern for their deteriorating health.Although prisoners have been known to stage hunger strikes in the past, the practice of refusing food has becoming an increasingly popular form of protest since a landmark protest by another prisoner who went more than nine weeks without eating to protest his being held without charge

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:49

But they have things both ways: they'll accuse you of being an anti-semite for calling it a Jewish regime.

Don't give them, ammo, use Zionist, call them ZioNazis, that'll annoy them.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:00

BTW: thanks for not pointing out that I under-estimated the figure for Palestinian Hunger Strikers by a factor of 10 - so there are in fact 1600 Palestinain Hunger Strikesrs and not the mere 160 I mentioned earlier

That means that the numbers of Palestinian on Hunger Starike is 800 times larger than the number for Bahrain and Saudi combined

YOu had to go to Press TV to find that report - you didn't get it from Amnesty.

So, earlier I pointed out that Press TV had it's rights curtailed by the Brit Gov't and the controllers of the ASTRA Satelitte

Amnesty COULD have written something about the Brit Gov't's suppression of inconvenient Media organisations and their ability to broadcast Info not helpful to the war-mongering Mafia State Brit Gov't - but as we can all see Amnesty chose to ignore the Brit Gov't suppression of the Press

Instead Amnesty decided to attack the Russian Gov't for it's supposssed 'suppression' of Luke Harding, a man that alughably claims to be a Journalist, while ignoring the Brit Gov't actions in suppressing Press TV

Intelligent people will make up their own minds about the significance of Amnesty's actions (or lack of them in the case of the Brit Gov't vs. Press TV) - while others will probably go right on back to attacking anyone and anything that points out some of Amnesty's less salubrious activities and assocations ;-)

So again the question need answering:

How could ANY Human Rights Org, worthy of the name, deliberately IGNORE 1600 Hunger Strikers, and still expect to be taken seriously when it claims 'impartiality' for itself?

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:04

"But they have things both ways: they'll accuse you of being an anti-semite for calling it a Jewish regime."

And when they do, I will produce 10 or so direct Quotes from LKeading Zios themselves describing the criminal Zio Regime as 'Jewish'

That way I'll be able to show how hypocritical and dishonest they are.

Simples

"Don't give them, ammo, use Zionist, call them ZioNazis, that'll annoy them."

I've a better idea - why don't YOU call them that, and I'll decide for myself to call them whatever I want to call them, eh?

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:07

Actually Press TV say 11 are on hungerstrike. The mass hungerstrike starts tomorrow.

The IPSC site isn't up to date, I've contacted them regarding this and sent the Press TV piece. I don';t wish to digress but theres a lot more good stuff at Press TV.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:09

Which makes Amnesty's silence on the matter of Brit Gov't suppression of Press TV all the more suspect, no?

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:10

>I've a better idea - why don't YOU call them that, and I'll decide for myself to call them whatever I want to call them, eh?

No need to be so touchy, you give out a lot of advice and express your opinions as absolutes here. Relax, alternate real coffee with decaf.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:15

Amnesty International demands Russia allow US & NATO to commence the ruination and plundering of Syria. - http://landdestroyer.blogspot.de/2012/03/amnesty-intern....html

One might wonder why Amnesty International is clearly working in contradiction to their own mission statement to:

"protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied." Our first clue comes from who currently runs Amnesty International - Suzanne Nossel, Amnesty US Executive Director.


Nossel had just finished a stint as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organizations at the U.S. Department of State before being appointed as head of Amnesty. She was also vice-president of strategy and operations for the Wall Street Journal and a media and entertainment consultant at McKinsey & Company (a Council on Foreign Relations "founding" corporate member). Clearly manipulating public perception is a specialty of hers, one certainly being put into good use now regarding Syria.

Nossel, while at the State Department, speaks about the US-engineered "Arab Spring" and the US' role in supporting opposition groups. She is speaking at the National Iranian American Council, and specifically cites the Brookings Institution to make her case about human rights abuses in Iran. One wonders if Nossel also thumbed through Brookings' "Which Path to Persia?" report which openly conspires to overthrow Iran via covertly backed "color revolutions," arming listed terrorist groups (as the US is now doing in Syria), and provoking Iran into a war it does not want. Nossel is obviously continuing her work of undermining sovereign nations by leveraging the cause of human rights at Amnesty International.
....

How Amnesty International can be considered impartial when it's US-wing is run by a woman who is clearly a representative of American foreign interests, both in government and across its corporate-financier establishment, is astounding. What's worse is that Amnesty International is also indeed funded by government and big business. Amnesty International receives funding from Wall Street speculator George Soros' Open Society Institute (annual report page 8) as well as the UK Department for International Development (page 8), the European Commission and other corporate-funded foundations.

Amnesty International is compromised by a staggering conflict of interest where its organization is disproportionately funded and run by representatives of Wall Street and London. It is clear that not only is Amnesty International compromised, they are also disingenuously leveraging the noble cause of human rights to carry out a self-serving political agenda, which in Syria's case consists of regime change in favor of creating a Western client state.

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:17

>Which makes Amnesty's silence on the matter of Brit Gov't suppression of Press TV all the more suspect, no?

Yes, but it was done under OFCOM rather than by the UK govt. Press TV could have handled things better by appealing the original fine. Or did they? Actually you could add to the pool of knowledge here on this.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:18

Given that Amnesty appoints people, to important positions within it's organisation, that actually could potentially end up in front of a War Crimes Tribunal - why should anyone continue to treat them as if they were still an impartial Human Rights Org, when obviously they have made a descision to ignore the past of Suzanne Nossel, and her work for TWO (Richard Holbrooke and Hilary Clinton) of the worst War-Mongers in recent decades?

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:23

Yes, but it was done under OFCOM rather than by the UK govt.

That's like saying

"It was the Gestapo that tortured him, NOT the NAZI party!!"

Or

"The Israeli PRISON SERVICE are mistreating Palestinan, NOT the ISRAELI GOVERNMENT"

If your going to make arguments like that, I'll have a hard time taking YOU seriously. ;-)

Are you SERIOUSLY trying to claim that OFCOM (a branch of the Brit Gov't) was acting COMPLETELY independantly when it suppressed Press TV in the UK?

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:24

I reckon she was appointed because shes seen as a Liberal Democrat, but you really would have to ask Amnesty US as to why they appointed her. Its not a question that I could answer, but if you want to know my opinion then thats different, I don't think her appointment inspires confidence.

I haven't seen any falling off in Amnestys criticism of the US though.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:28

"I reckon she was appointed because shes seen as a Liberal Democrat,"

You have evidence for this I presume?

Because if not, it just comes accross as the argument of someone desperate to defend Amnesty at all costs

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:32

You asked a question, I answered it.

Do you always get annoyed when you don't get the answers you like?

Writing in UPPER CASE makes you look odd, it does not enhance your argument.

Now I am opposed to the Press TV ban, I find it a useful resource. If you are going to get Amnesty to take up the case of Press TV then we are going to have to show some evidence of political interference. Otherwise it will look as if Press TV was banned for not paying a fine and because its editorial control was not based in London (as if SKYs was based in London).

Likening OFCOM to the Gestapo or writing in UPPER CASE will not win rational people over to our position.

You could add more info re Press TV here but I think it really deserves a story line of its own.

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:37

>You have evidence for this I presume?

>Because if not, it just comes accross as the argument of someone desperate to defend Amnesty at all costs

I'm not, I don';t think her appointment would inspire confidence, but she would tick a lot of the LDs boxes, LGBT rights, pro choice etc.

I'm opposed to the US attacks on Syria & Iran, I support the Palestinian prisoners yet you see me as an enemy.

Have you ever worked in a solidarity group where peoples opinions differ from yours? In the real world people have different opinions.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:43

"Do you always get annoyed when you don't get the answers you like?

When you are reduced to trying to denigrate those putting forward an opposing viewpoint you really have lost the argument

BTW: Uppercase is easier than typing all the HTML codes one is required to type in order to add emphasis to text

If it bothers you so much perhaps you should stop reading what I write? . . (just a suggestion, not a demand ;-)

"Likening OFCOM to the Gestapo or writing in UPPER CASE will not win rational people over to our position."

I wasn't - I was showing how ridiculous your argument was - over-educted types tend to call that 'reductio ad absurdum' apparently. Perhaps you have heard of it?

PS: it's kinda funny that when I ask you for evidence you turn around and immediately accuse me of "always get[ting] annoyed when you don't get the answers you like?" - as far as I know that is what the over-educated like to call a form of 'ad hominem' attack. Perhaps you have heard of it?

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:45

"I'm opposed to the US attacks on Syria & Iran, I support the Palestinian prisoners yet you see me as an enemy."

Really?

You have evidence that I see you as 'the enemy' do you?

Seems to me you are indulging in a little of what Freud likeed to call 'Projection'

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:49

"I'm not, I don';t think her appointment would inspire confidence, but she would tick a lot of the LDs boxes, LGBT rights, pro choice etc."

But Amnesty ignored the FACT that this woman has willingly worked for TWO (Richard Holbrooke and Hilary Clinton) of the worst War-Mongers in recent decades.

You seem to think that that is some sort of minor beside-the-point issue

When the country-head of a Human Rights Org recently worked for TWO (Richard Holbrooke and Hilary Clinton) of the worst War-Mongers in recent decades, then that Org loses ALL credibility

by l Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:50

You seem to be the only person who can be right about anything, I'll leave you to it.

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:52

Like I said earlier When you are reduced to trying to denigrate those putting forward an opposing viewpoint you really have lost the argument

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:57

I'm not attacking you for your opinion - I'm asking YOU to back up that opinion with some actual EVIDENCE ;-)

Otherwise it's just the opinion of some anonymous person on t'internet

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 13:59

That you seem to percieve my asking you for evidence to back up your opinion as some sort of attack on you, says a lot about you, and almost nothing about me ;-)

by Putin Mon Apr 16, 2012 16:30

IF you could provide SOME evidence that during her career working for probable War Criminals and definite War Mongers (Holbrooke and Clinton) in the US State Dept, Nossel spent at least some of her time trying to protect the Human Rights of the people being bombed and murdered by US/NATO

Somehow I suspect you'll struggle mightily to provide ANY evidence of her being concerned with Human Rights of Serbians or Afghans or Iraqis.

That Amnesty saw fit to appoint her US director of Amnesty US is enough to SERIOUSLY call into question Amnesty International's commitment to actual Human Rights, rather than just the human rights of individuals in countries where the US would like to enforce some form of 'Regime Change'

by @ l Mon Apr 16, 2012 18:00

You keep saying things like

"I haven't seen any falling off in Amnestys criticism of the US though."

But it is a FACT that one of Amnesty's basic policies is that it's members do not work on most human rights issues within their own countries.

Therefore your pointing out that "Amnesty still criticises the USA", even after US State Dept Propagandist Suzanne Nossel's very dubious appointment as Director of Amneaty USA, is a complete red-herring, since Amnesty USA would NOT be involved in the publishing of reports critical of the USA.

by lefty Tue Apr 17, 2012 20:09

"But it is a FACT that one of Amnesty's basic policies is that it's members do not work on most human rights issues within their own countries. "

Hmm...that covers Nossels ass nicely doesn't it? Hell, Hillary herself could become head of amnesty US at that rate!! (well, she has already personally endorsed al jazeera hasn't she?). How about nobel peace prize winner Barrack Obama while you're at it? Or maybe Sarah Pallin perhaps? Basically it covers anyone who joins Amnesty in the US to further the aims of US imperialism by using human rights issues as a weapon to pressure states they want regime change in. Nice!

Hypothetically, that means I could co-opt Amnesty by just getting enough republican or tea party nutjob patriots who believe in PNAC to join up in the good 'ole US and start bitching about human rights in Iran and syria and any oil rich african countries I might have my eye on.

This rule (if it exists), while I can see arguments for having it in certain countries, (amnesty activists being arrested etc) surely shouldn't be applied to very big countries which are officially "democratic" and supposed to respect human rights such as the US and UK.

Surely the people best placed to write about abuses in a country (or by a country, more to the point) are the people living in that country? US members should be allowed to write about abuses in the US or perpetrated by the US.

What credibility would an Iranian human rights group have if they failed to highlight abuses in Iran?? IMHO the US, and not a few tinpot dictators, is probably the biggest state terrorist threat to humanity in the world today in so many respects, from global warming to pollution to resource exhaustion to nuclear annihilation and to democracy and human rights in many countries (including our own) as a result of it's wide ranging corporate driven and clandestine agendas. So what credibility has an organisation based in a so called democracy of 400 million people+ with huge resources have when it does not address human rights issues perpetrated by its own government or taking place in its own country?? i.e. What credibility has Amnesty US? And what influence does it have on other branches of amnesty in other countries?? I expect it is considerable!! These questions should be discussed. And probably not just by Amnesty.

by oldtimer Tue Apr 17, 2012 20:29

Amnesty campaigns on many issues in Ireland from LGBT rights, Mental Health, Prisoners, Constitutional Reform, Availability of Health Care. The Health Care ones puts them in direct conflict with the coalition.

It would be similar in the US, Immigration, Death Penalty, Prisoners Rights, Gitmo etc, But this doesn't mean anyone should support the appointment of someone who is obviously and blatantly compromised,

But Amnesty performs a lot of good work.

Many Political Prisoners or say POWs woukd endorse that.

Need to remember that

by Putin Tue Apr 17, 2012 22:42

"But this doesn't mean anyone should support the appointment of someone who is obviously and blatantly compromised,

But Amnesty performs a lot of good work.

Many Political Prisoners or say POWs woukd endorse that.

Need to remember that"

it is Amnesty themselves who have now very obviously compromised themselves through their appointment of Nossel, a willing associate of probale War Criminals clinton and Holbrooke, and also through their association and promotion of Luke Harding, a proven plagarist and all-round dishonest hack.

If Harding cannot be trusted to actually write the stories he files under his own name - something the Guardian actually admits is the case - then how the hell could anyone else trust anything he says in his book?

What are Amnesty doing promoting the so-called 'journalism' of such an obviously dishonest individual?

Amnesty cannot but be well aware of the compromised nature of ANYTHING written by Luke harding on the subject of Russia, and yet for some reason deliberately seek to promote this obvious charlatan.

This is not the action of a true unbiased organisation, concerned solely with human rights - it is the action of an organisation making a political descision in deliberately choosing to promote the 'work' of an individual it KNOWS to be a dishonest plagarist, at the very least

YOu claim that even though all I say may be true, that Amnesty still occasionally does 'good work.'

this may be the case, but it occurs to me that the continued occasional 'good work' could simply be a convenient cover, so that Amnesty can continue to retain support from people like yourself, when it so very obviously promotes the work of seriously compromised individuals such as addmitted plagarist, and obviously Anti-Russian propagandist Luke Harding.

Essientially because you percieve that amnesty occasionally 'does good work' you are willing to excuse Amnesty's deliberate actions in promoting the work of an obvious propagandist.

Thus begins the slippery slope to you continuing to support an Org that quite clearly is breaking almost every rule in it's own book, regarding bias honesty etc.

If yuou are willing to compromise your own principles on what is such an essential point one might ask the question "What else would you be willing to turn a blind eye to? Where exactly would your 'line in the sand' be in relation to Amnesty? How much are you willing to accept while Amnesty squanders the good name it has built-up over the years, as it promotes one obvious propagandist Hack after another?"

by Putin Tue Apr 17, 2012 22:59

What else would Amnesty be willing to turn a blind eye to? Where exactly would Amnesty's 'line in the sand' be in relation to known propagandists, plagarists and their 'journalism'? How low will Amnesty go as it squanders the good name it has built-up over the years, as it promotes one obvious propagandist Hack after another?

by Putin Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:14

The original article states

"The event is jointly organised by Front Line Defenders and Amnesty International Ireland.."

having been around the proverbial block more than a few times, I am always more than a little suspicious when I see a suppossed 'NGO' that I have NEVER heard of before, involving itself in some sort of political Propaganda campaign to smear a known target of the Western/Atlanticist/Nato War Machine

So that other group, the one I have never heard of before called "Front Line Defenders" is an obvious place to go digging for a little dirt, because quite frankly this whole polticial propagand promotion that Amnesty seems to be involed in stinks to high heavan IMHO

after a few seconds googling it turns out the Front Line Defenders is a Irish supposed-NGO founded after a 3 Million Euro donation from that very very well known dedicated, . . . NAY . . . indefatigable defender of Human Rights the world over MR Denis O'Brien.

Oh dear . . .

This just gets worse and worse,

No matter what way you look at it, Amnesty is NOT going to come out of this looking like anything other than a willing participant in a political propagandists smear campaign

I'm doing a little digging into the supposed 'NGO' "Front Line Defenders" and it's sources of funding

It REALLY ain't looking pretty, folks

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:32

Palestine-Update:Human rights defender Mr Shawan Jabarin allowed under strict conditions to travel to Geneva to meet a UN expert
Mr Shawan Jabarin
On 22 February 2012, the Supreme Court granted Mr Shawan Jabarin permission to go to Geneva to meet with Mr Frank La Rue, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression despite a travel ban being in place against him.

Mr Shawan Jabarin is the Director of Al Haq, one of the most prominent human rights groups in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and is known for his work in exposing human rights violations committed by the Israeli authorities, and for publicly condemning acts of torture perpetrated by the Palestinian authorities and suicide killings carried out by armed Palestinian groups.

On 22 February 2012, following an appeal hearing at the Israeli Supreme Court, the court allowed Shawan Jabarin to travel to Geneva once under strict conditions including the payment of a financial guarantee for the sole purpose of going to the UN offices to meet Mr La Rue.

In 2006, shortly after Shawan Jabarin was appointed director of Al-Haq, a travel ban was imposed against him based on “secret evidence” from Israel's General Security Service that neither Jabarin or his lawyers have been allowed to see or challenge. Since then he has not been permitted to travel outside of the Israeli- occupied West Bank which had negatively impacted on his human rights work.

Shawan Jabarin has not been charged with any crime and Front Line Defenders believes that the travel ban imposed against him is solely related to his human rights activities. While Front Line Defenders welcomes the news that Shawan Jabarin will be permitted to go to Geneva it expresses concern regarding the imposition of the travel ban against him and calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally lift the travel ban and guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Israel and OPT are free to carry out their human rights work without fear of reprisals and free of all restriction.

For further information please see Front Line Defenders urgent appeal dated 1 December 2011 (http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/16756).

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:35

Human rights defenders in the OPT are subjected to acts of harassment, restrictions on freedom of movement, stigmatisation, abductions, long periods of arbitrary detention usually under administrative detention orders, illegal searches of their homes and offices and killings. In the Front Line report on Palestine it is stated that “many of the violations are state-sanctioned, or if not sanctioned at the highest levels of the Israeli political and military establishment, then condoned by the ongoing policy of impunity which permeates the military and judicial system in relation to the OPT”. In some instances Israeli settlers have also been the perpetrators of violence against human rights defenders.

The situation of human rights defenders in the OPT is particularly complex as they are carrying out their work in the context of the Israeli military occupation and the second Palestinian Intifada (uprising) which began in 2000. People considered to be human rights defenders in the OPT include journalists, lawyers, medical workers, fieldworkers, international volunteers who act as independent observers and carry out human rights work and defenders working for economic, social and cultural rights. According to the report of the UN SRSG on the situation of human rights defenders it is impossible to calculate an exact figure for the number of human rights defenders working in the OPT as many are not affiliated with any organisation. As many human right defenders have to cross Israeli military checkpoints in order to go to work their freedom of movement is often restricted as they may suffer harassment, their identity documents may be confiscated, they may be arrested or detained or may be prevented from crossing the border into and out of Israel so they cannot go to work. Many defenders from the OPT have encountered problems when trying to travel abroad in order to attend human rights related conferences or events and international human rights defenders who work within the OPT have been refused entry as an attempt to impede their human rights work. A number of Palestinian human rights defenders have also been subjected to illegal detentions in the form of administrative detention orders – they are not officially charged or given a fair trial in accordance with international legal standards. Journalists in particular are targeted for reporting on the human rights situation and are abducted by armed groups. In 2005 Front Line and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) published a report entitled, “Front Line Palestine: Killings, Arbitrary Detention, Restrictions on Movement, Threats, Harassment and Other Forms of Intimidation of Human Rights Defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. Ms. Hina Jilani, the UN SRSG on the situation of human rights defenders, visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 5 – 11 October 2005.

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:38

Honduras: Death threat and ongoing intimidation against human rights defender Ms Dina Meetabel Meza Elvir

On 14 April 2012, journalist Ms Dina Meetabel Meza Elvir received the latest in a series of threatening messages,who has also been subjected to surveillance and intimidation for a couple of months.

Dina Meza is a member of the Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras - COFADEH (Committee of Relatives of the Disappeared in Honduras).

On 14 April 2012 Dina Meza received four telephone calls to her mobile phone. At 10:44am, 11:06am and 17:29pm her phone rang but the call was terminated before she reached it. At 17:29pm the phone rang again and she answered it. The person on the other end of the line asked “qué hay de nuevo” (anything new), and when the human rights defender responded that there wasn't, the person hung up. Dina Meza redialled the number from which the calls had come and asked the person on the other end to identify themselves. The person said his name was Miguel, before claiming to have dialled the wrong number. Before terminating the call he warned her “Cuídese la pipa” (Watch your ass [pipa is a vulgar term for the female genitals]).

On 22 February 2012, at 9:36am, Dina Meza received a text message, purportedly from a paramilitary group called Comando Álvarez Martínez – CAM, in which she was threatened “Les vamos a quemar con cal la pepa hasta q griten y luego toda la cuadrilla va a gozar pero q hablan y hablan con dios y con la patria CAM” (We are going to burn your ass [pepa is similar to pipa] with lime until you scream and then the whole gang will enjoy it but talk and talk to God and the homeland). Then at 9:38am a further message stated “CAM ya sabemos en lo q andan armados y formando insulgentes van a terminar como los del aguan muertos no hay nada más rico q coger a unas zorras” (we know what you're up to armed and forming insurgents you will end up like those dead in the Agúan there is nothing better than screwing some bitches).

On 24 February 2012, before 6am, one of Dina Meza's neighbours reported that he had seen a man lying on the ground close to her front door, partially in a black bag. He believed the man to be dead and so returned to his home in fear. When he left the apartment later he said the man was gone. This occurred shortly after the prison fire in Comayagua in which 360 persons died.

On 6 March 2012, at approximately 10:30am, Dina Meza was walking with her children close to her home when she saw two unidentified men taking photographs of her children.

Front Line Defenders believes that the death threat and intimidation against Dina Meza are directly related to her work in defence of human rights and come in the context of ongoing intimidation and attacks against human rights defenders in Honduras. Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Dina Meza and her family, and calls for immediate measures to protect those who remain at risk as a result of death threats. ,

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:40

Bahrain: COUNTDOWN TO FORMULA 1 - How long will our friend and former colleague Abdulhadi Alkhawaja survive?

Today the Supreme Judicial Council of Bahrain refused to allow Abdulhadi Alkhawaja to travel to Denmark for medical treatment. Today is also the anniversary of Abdulhadi's brutal arrest and detention and marks his 60th day on hunger strike.

PRESS RELEASE - For immediate release

"Front Line Defenders rejects the self-serving arguments of the Government of Bahrain that there are no security concerns in advance of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. They are choosing to ignore the shadow cast over the whole event by the critical condition of human rights defender Abdulhadi AlKhawaja" said Front Line Defenders Executive Director Mary Lawlor in Dublin today.

As the Bahrain Government and the leaders of Formula 1 maintain the ignominious charade of their dialogue of the deaf, an innocent man who has devoted his life to defending the rights of others is facing death. The count down has started to the celebrations linked to the Formula 1 Grand Prix - sadly a different count down is under way for Abdulhadi whose life is in imminent danger.

The Formula 1 authorities and the Government of Bahrain have made repeated statements seeking to reassure F1 fans that all will be well and that the Grand Prix will go ahead as if there was no shadow over this event. On 28th March the Daily Telegraph reported a FIA spokesperson saying: "We welcome the spirit of reconciliation expressed by all parties and look forward to an exciting F1 race at the Bahrain International Circuit." The arguments put forward by the Formula 1 authorities and the Government in support of “business as normal” are both spurious and disingenuous.

The reality is that the Formula 1 authorities do not seem to have spoken with all relevant parties in Bahrain and have instead relied on the assurances of the Bahraini Government. It is crucial that they speak with independent civil society, community leaders and opposition political figures in Bahrain.

“Having just returned from Bahrain where I witnessed the indiscriminate use of tear gas and met with the families and lawyers of those who continue to be detained and persecuted I can assure the Formula 1 authorities that the situation in the country has not returned to normal. Bahrain is definitely not a safe country for Bahrainis”, said Ms Lawlor.

“The security forces violently disperse protests on a nightly basis. There has been no resolution of the political crisis that has brought thousands of protesters onto the streets. If they proceed to blindly accept the assurances of the Bahraini authorities without speaking to representatives of the majority of the population who seek change they risk to see a lot of tear gas and maybe worse on the weekend of 20-22nd April”, added Ms Lawlor.

Former Formula 1 World champion Damon Hill put his finger on the nub of the matter when he said "What we must put above all else is what will be the penalty in terms of human cost if the race goes ahead....It would be a bad state of affairs, bad for F1, to be seen to be enforcing martial law to hold the race."

The Formula 1 authorities are seeking reassurances from the Bahraini authorities that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure that the race can go ahead safely. On that basis the Formula 1 leadership as well as the Government of Bahrain will be jointly responsible for whatever consequences arise from their insistence on going ahead with the F1 Grand Prix irrespective of the wishes of the people of Bahrain and the clear evidence of significant local opposition.

To the Formula 1 authorities Front Line Defenders would further add - the Bahrain police have used excessive and lethal force against demonstrators, they have abused and ill treated prisoners and subjected them to torture including sexual assault. Are they to be relied upon to provide security and protection to F1 fans? "But overshadowing all these considerations is the fact that the life of my brave and determined friend Abdulhadi hangs in the balance. His long service as a human rights defender working peacefully for the rights of others has made him a hero to many in Bahrain and across the region. If he dies before the Bahrain Grand Prix on the 22nd April it is impossible to imagine how it could go ahead", said Ms Lawlor.

The FIA has said that they are “constantly monitoring and evaluating the situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” and “are in daily touch with the highest authorities, the main European embassies and of course the local promoters at BIC (Bahrain International Circuit) as well as the international promoter.” It would be an act of generosity and basic human decency for the FIA to use those contacts before it is too late to secure the release of Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and ask that he be allowed to travel to Denmark for medical treatment as offered by the Danish Government. ENDS

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

JIM LOUGHRAN - FRONT LINE DEFENDERS - HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS

TEL +353 (0)87 9377586

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:42

Guatemala: Joint submission by Front Line Defenders and UDEFEGUA to United Nations Universal Periodic Review re situation of HRDs in Guatemala

Human rights defenders in Guatemala continue to be subjected to death threats, physical attacks, acts of harassment, surveillance, stigmatisation, judicial harassment, arbitrary detention, forced disappearances and killings.

Many of the violations are carried out by clandestine security organisations and illegal groups. The exceptionally high level of impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of such violations increases the risk exponentially for human rights defenders in the country.

The four years covered by this report (2008-2011) coincide with the government of President Álvaro Colom. During this period, 1,286 attacks were reported against human rights defenders, accounting for 51% of the total 2,491 reported attacks between 2000 and 2011.

These figures indicate the worsening situation in the country despite the existence of mechanisms for the protection of HRDs. During this period 55 human rights defenders were murdered, with many being killed by hired assassins or illegal groups.

Whilst the vast majority of human rights violations dating from the internal armed conflict (1960-1996) remain unresolved there has been some progress with the arrest and capture of some perpetrators, and specifically the convictions of those involved in the Dos Erres massacre and the prosecution initiated against former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt and former chief of police Pedro García Arredondo.

However the progress in these cases has also provoked an upsurge in attacks on human rights defenders working on cases of this type.

The issues included in this report include:

Vulnerable Groups

The Activities of Private Security Companies

Local Citizen Security Groups and Security Commissions

The Criminalisation and Public Stigmatisation of Defenders

The Fight Against Impunity

Protection Mechanisms

Front Line Defenders and UDEFEGUA call upon the UN to urge the Guatemalan authorities to prioritise the protection of human rights defenders and in doing so to:

1. Take urgent measures to end extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances of human rights defenders;

2. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into all reported cases, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

3. Take measures to strengthen and broaden State institutions working in the protection of human rights defenders. In particular, take concrete steps in order to establish the National Programme of Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala and increase resources to the Unidad de Derechos Humanos de la División Especial de Investigación Criminal de la Policía Nacional Civil (Human Rights Unit of the Criminal Investigation Special Division of the National Civil Police);

4. Promptly provide human rights defenders at risk with adequate protective measures tailored to their individual security needs with the aim of preventing future attacks and ensure that all human rights defenders in the Guatemala are free to carry out their human rights activities free from persecution;

5. Take measures to ensure that government officials or other public figures refrain from making public statements or declarations stigmatising the legitimate work of human rights defenders;

6. Immediately ensure full regulation of private security companies, Local Citizen Security Groups and Security Commissions and guarantee that any member acting outside of the law will be brought to justice in accordance with international standards;

7. Fully implement the adopted UPR recommendations on human rights defenders in a transparent and participatory manner with full involvement of human rights defenders at all levels.

The full text of the joint Front Line Defenders/UDEFEGUA submission is attached in PDF format ( English only).
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/files/front_line_defe...a.pdf

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:46

Russian Federation-Update: Governor signs homophobic law into force
Map of Russian Federation
On 12 March 2012, the governor of St Petersburg Mr Georgiy Poltavchenko signed a law banning the so-called 'propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism, and paedophilia to minors'.

The text was adopted in its third reading on 29 February 2012 by Saint Petersburg city parliament. The legislation will amend the Law of Saint Petersburg 'On administrative offences in St Petersburg' and introduces an administrative responsibility relating to the dissemination of information about the LGBT community and its rights. See Front Line Defenders urgent appeal here http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/17572

The law will come into force 10 days after its signature by the Governor.

On this occasion, LGBT organisation 'Coming out' issued the following a statement:

St. Petersburg, Russia: Governor Signed the Gay Gag Law

Statement by St. Petersburg LGBT organization Coming Out

Today it became known that the governor of St. Petersburg Georgiy Poltavchenko signed the homophobic law, imposing administrative fines on the so-called "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism" and paedophilia to minors.

Authors of the law maintain that it is designed to "protect children from information that can harm their physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual development". The term "propaganda" is defined as any uncontrolled and targeted distribution of information through any accessible means to minors that can […] form an incorrect perception of social equivalence between traditional and non-traditional conjugal relations". Authorities project "traditional values" and clerical rhetoric onto politics, and prioritize "interests of majority" over the value of human individuality. We realize that today, fascist-like rhetoric in Russia is becoming basis for legislative activity.

In fact, this law has little to do with protecting minors. Today, neither homosexual people, nor human rights defenders, nor lawyers can answer the question of how this law is going to be applied in practice, due to its vague nature and non-legal terminology. To talk about existence of homosexuality, to publicly denounce homophobic violence, to develop sense of self-awareness and dignity in homosexual people, to promote tolerance – all of these acts can fall under the "propaganda" law. This law will serve directly to further isolate and marginalize the gay community and encourage hate towards a social group.

60 years ago philosopher and founder of totalitarianism theory, Hannah Arendt, said that in a totalitarian state, citizens are "either victims or executioners and the movement by its ideology seeks to prepare them to fill either role." Handing out of roles has begun: Russian authorities legalized discrimination of homosexuals. What will come next?

We are convinced that no authority can deprive people of their right to dignity, to respect of private and family life, to freedom of expression and to protection from discrimination and violence. We are offended and outraged by this act by city authorities and will continue fighting for the rights of LGBT citizens until the barbaric law is repealed.

You can find additional information on the situation for human rights Defenders in Russia. HERE

by Putin Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:48

I mean see the press releases you are posting here, and I have to say that your cherry-picked press-releases look very nice indeed.

Ah, BUT . . . (there's always a 'but' ain't there?)

But then I've also had a quick look at the list of funding sources for Frontline Defenders, and to me at least it suddenly doesn't look so wonderful after all

Would FLD care to comment on FLD's list of funding sources?

Some of them look quite intereesting from a "Just who the hell are FLD?" point of view, IMHO

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:50

The US use Uzbekistan as a strategic centre for their Central Asian operations.

Uzbekistan-UPDATE: Reports of torture of imprisoned human rights defender Mr. Azam Farmonov not being investigated
Mr Azam Farmonov

Front Line Defenders expresses serious concern over the lack of investigation into the reports of torture of human rights defender Azam Farmonov while in detention.

Azam Farmonov is Chair of the Syrdarya regional branch of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU). He was arrested on 29 April 2006 and was sentenced to nine years in prison on 16 June 2006 for alleged extortion, under Article 165 of the Uzbek Criminal Code. Azam Farmonov is detained in prison colony N64/71 in Zhaslyk, Republic of Karapalkakstan, which is about 1,000 km from Gulistan City, where his family lives.

On 23 November 2011, a complaint had been made to the head of the prison colony in relation to the reported torture inflicted on Azam Farmonov in August 2011. Based on the complaint a service check was conducted. It is reported that the general prosecutor of republic of Karakalpakstan visited the prison, however, no officer in the prison was held accountable or punished for the acts of torture.

It is further reported that Azam Farmonov conducted a hunger strike on 21 February 2012 as he had not been given an appointment to see the head of the prison colony for over a year and he had become worried about the fact he had not received visits from his relatives for some time. Subsequently, Azam Farmonov was granted an appointment with the head of the prison colony and he was promised that his family would be contacted and a visit would be organised.

According to information received, Azam Farmonov's health is stable. However, the food in prison in is reportedly very bad.

Front Line Defenders expresses grave concern over the apparent lack of an investigation into the reported acts of torture to which Azam Farmonov was subjected in August 2011. Front Line Defenders reiterates its calls on the authorities in Uzbekistan to carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the reported torture of Azam Farmonov, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards, immediately release Azam Farmonov and quash his conviction as Front Line Defenders believes that he has been targeted solely as a result of his legitimate human rights work and to guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Uzbekistan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

For further information on this case please see Front Line Defenders' original appeal dated 29 November 2011 here http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/16700

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:54

USAF bases in Kyrgyzstan have been used to attack the Afghan people.

Kyrgyzstan-UPDATE: Two months after the Supreme Court's decision, the lawyer of human rights defender Mr Azimjan Askarov is still awaiting the written verdict
Mr Azimjan Askarov
Azimjan Askarov is a prominent HRD and director of the human rights organisation “Vozdukh” (Air) . His lawyer, Mr Nurbek Toktakunov, is still awaiting the text of the Supreme Court's verdict that was delivered on 20 December 2011.

Azimjan Askarov has been imprisoned since his initial arrest on 15 June 2010, supposedly on suspicion of having taken part in ethnic hostilities between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the south of Kyrgyzstan. On 20 December 2011, the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan upheld the conviction of life imprisonment against the human rights defender. See the urgent appeal http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/16958

Two months after the court hearing, Nurbek Toktakunov has still not received the written text of the Court's verdict. As the Supreme Court is the highest judicial institution of the country, there is no legal way of contesting this inaction. The absence of the written verdict is preventing human rights lawyer from sending a complaint on behalf of his client to the UN Human Rights Committee. It is also feared, that this delay may allow falsifications of documents in this controversial case.

by FLD Tue Apr 17, 2012 23:57

About Front Line Defenders

Front Line Defenders is the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.

Front Line Defenders was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line Defenders aims to address the protection needs identified by defenders themselves.

Front Line Defenders seeks to provide rapid and practical support to at-risk human rights defenders, including through:

international advocacy on behalf of human rights defenders at immediate risk;
grants to pay for the practical security needs of human rights defenders;
training and resource materials on security and protection, including digital security;
rest and respite, including the Front Line Fellowship;
opportunities for networking and exchange between human rights defenders, including at the biennial Dublin Platform;
the annual Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk;
an emergency 24 hour phone line for human rights defenders operating in Arabic, English, French, Spanish and Russian.
In emergency situations Front Line Defenders can facilitate temporary relocation of human rights defenders.

Front Line Defenders promotes strengthened international and regional measures to protect human rights defenders including through support for the work of the UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders. Front Line Defenders seeks to promote respect for the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Front Line Defenders has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Front Line Defenders has been awarded partnership status with the Council of Europe "in the light of its active cooperation with the Council of Europe in the field of human rights defenders, in particular with the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights.

Front Line Defenders has Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Front Line Defenders is a legally registered Irish charity Charity Number CHY 14029

by FLD Wed Apr 18, 2012 00:00

Staff
Executive Director - Mary Lawlor

Deputy Director - Andrew Anderson

Head of European Union Office – Vincent Forest

Head of Development - Charlie Lamson

Head of Media and Communications – Jim Loughran

Programme Manager - Tara Madden

Senior Protection Coordinator - Andrea Rocca

Protection Coordinator - Caitriona Rice

Protection Coordinator - Ordesse Hamad

Protection Coordinator - Maria Chichtchenkova

Protection Coordinator - Pokpong Lawansiri

Protection Coordinator (Grants) - Natacha O' Brien

Information Systems Co-ordinator - Wojtek Bogusz

Finance Officer - Clare Borinski

European Union Office Advocacy Officer - Leonor Rebassa

Training Coordinator - Anne Rimmer

Events & Promotions Coordinator - Michelle Foley

Fundraising Assistant - Rachel Breen

IT administrator - Ross O'Brien

Frank Jennings Intern, Dublin - Lisa O' Higgins

Frank Jennings Intern, Geneva - Matthew McEvoy

Intern at the African Commission on Human and People's Rights - Dieudonné Wedi

Admin and Publications Intern - Sara Dennedy

PA to Directors - Mary Quinn

Protection Coordinator Intern

Protection Coordinator Intern - Fernando Bissacot

Grants Intern - Jane O'Sullivan

by FDL Wed Apr 18, 2012 00:05

Act Now!

Across the globe human rights defenders face various forms of persecution in their everyday struggle for human rights
In Honduras an anonymous tip off alerts members of Cofadeh that their Director Bertha Oliva, and other prominent human rights defenders, are on a death list.

In Armenia Mr Arshaluys Hakobyan of the Helsinki Association is taken into custody and beaten.

In Thailand Ms Angkhana Neelaphaijit who is the chairperson of the Working Group on Justice and Peace (WGJP) and wife of the missing human rights lawyer, Somchai Neelaphaijit, who disappeared on 12 March 2004 in Bangkok, is subjected to an ongoing campaign of harassment and intimidation.

These few cases are typical of the thousands of human rights defenders who dedicate their lives and risk their personal security in defence of the rights of others.

Your support will help them to create more just and equal societies for all. These are the people with the power to change the world.

Send an international appeal and you can help protect human rights defenders

Had it not been for Front Line, who would have been my refuge and safety?"

Thompson Ade Bayor, lawyer and human rights defender, Liberia

by Putin Wed Apr 18, 2012 00:16

FLD seems not at all interested in discussing Frontline Defenders sources of funding

Lets start with the aforementioned Mr Denis O'Brien . . do I really need to lay out the compromised nature of funding from D'O'B?

I also counted FOUR NATO-membver Gov't amongst the list of funders. (Hardly impartial then, on the subject of Russia. Also: Does one get to still call one's self an 'NGO' when your funding sources include at least SIX Gov't?)

Something called the THE AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE - was also listed

Then curiously there was at least ONE 'foundation' for wich I could find NO official web presence at all - THE TIKVA GRASSROOTS EMPOWERMENT FUND - in an admittedly very cursory search the only hint I could find about what 'Tikva' means is that it seems to be a Hebrew word. I have no idea if that is in any way 'significant' - but tthe fact that it appears to have NO WEB presence was quite curious

Most curious of all though was US State Dept funded FREEDOM HOUSE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_House#Criticism - I guess that makes FIVE NATO Member Gov't funding this supposed 'Non GOVERNMENTAL Organisation (NGO) - how does THAT work?

Members of HOPI will especially like this little titbit

"The Financial Times has reported that Freedom House is one of several organizations selected by the State Department to receive funding for 'clandestine activities' inside Iran."

by Vlad the Prevailer Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:15

SOURCE: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/files/front_line_defe...h.pdf

• IRISH AID
  
• THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EIDHR) - Numerous EU Member states are also NATO Member states
  
• THE DUTCH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS - NATO Member
  
• THE AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE
  
• THE BELGIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS - NATO Member
  
• THE FORD FOUNDATION
  
• FOUNDATION OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE - George Soros
  
• FREEDOM HOUSE - ******** US State Dept funded - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_House - NATO Member
  
  
• THE EMBASSY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY IN DUBLIN - NATO Member
  
• HIVOS
  
• THE FINNISH NGO FOUNDATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - KIOS
  
• THE IRIS O’BRIEN FOUNDATION
  
• THE IRELAND FUNDS
  
• THE JOSEPH ROWNTREE CHARITABLE TRUST
  
• THE MICHAEL JACKSON FAMILY FOUNDATION
  
• THE NORWEGIAN ROYAL MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS - NATO Member
  
• THE OAK FOUNDATION - http://www.oakfnd.org/sites/default/files/oak_annual_re...0.pdf
  
  
• THE OVERBROOK FOUNDATION - http://www.overbrook.org/guidestar/Foundation_2010_Form...F.pdf
  
  
• SIGRID RAUSING TRUST
  
• THE SWISS FEDERAL DEPARTMENT FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
  
• THE TAIWAN FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY
  
• THE TIKVA GRASSROOTS EMPOWERMENT FUND - http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/76219/
  
  
• THE VIOLET JABARA CHARITABLE TRUST
  

******** - "The Financial Times has reported that Freedom House is one of several organizations selected by the State Department to receive funding for 'clandestine activities' inside Iran.[24] In a research study, with Mr. Ackerman acting as chief adviser, Freedom House sets out its conclusions: "Far more often than is generally understood, the change agent is broad-based, non-violent civic resistance - which employs tactics such as boycotts, mass protests, blockades, strikes and civil disobedience to de-legitimate authoritarian rulers and erode their sources of support, including the loyalty of their armed defenders."[24]

On June 8, 2006, the vice-chairman of Freedom House's board of trustees[25] asked the U.S. Senate to increase the share of NGO funding aimed at helping support non-violent foreign democratic activists organize for potential overthrows of their non-democratic governments. Palmer argued in favor of shifting funding away from NGOs working in already democratic nations to fund this effort.[26]

In May 2001, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations of the United Nations heard arguments for and against Freedom House. Representatives of Cuba alleged that the organization is a U.S. foreign policy instrument linked to the CIA and "submitted proof of the politically motivated, interventionist activities the NGO (Freedom House) carried out against their Government". They also claimed a lack of criticism of U.S. human rights violations in the annual reports. Cuba also claimed that these violations are well documented by other reports, such as those of Human Rights Watch. Other countries such as China and Sudan also gave criticism. The Russian representative inquired "why this organization, an NGO which defended human rights, was against the creation of the International Criminal Court."[27]

The U.S. representative stated that alleged links between Freedom House and the CIA were "simply not true." The representative said he agreed that the NGO receives funds from the United States Government, but said this is disclosed in its reports. The representative said the funds were from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which was not a branch of the CIA. The representative said his country had a law prohibiting the government from engaging in the activities of organizations seeking to change public policy, such as Freedom House. The representative said his country was not immune from criticism from Freedom House, which he said was well documented. The US representative further argued that Freedom House was a human rights organization which sought to represent those who did not have a voice. The representative said he would continue to support NGOs who criticized his government and those of others.[27]

Russia

Russia, identified by Freedom House as "Not Free", called Freedom House biased and accused the group of serving U.S. interests. Sergei Markov, a Duma deputy from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, called Freedom House a "Russophobic" organization. "You can listen to everything they say, except when it comes to Russia," Markov argued. "There are many Russophobes there," he asserted.[28] In response, Christopher Walker, director of studies at Freedom House, argued that Freedom House made its evaluations based on objective criteria explained on the organization's web site, and he denied that it had a pro-U.S. agenda. "If you look closely at the 193 countries that we evaluate, you'll find that we criticize what are often considered strategic allies of the United States," he said.[28]

Daniel Treisman, a UCLA political scientist, has criticised Freedom House's assessment of Russia. Treisman has pointed out that Freedom House ranks Russia's political rights on the same level as the United Arab Emirates, which, according to Freedom House, is a federation of absolute monarchies with no hint of democracy anywhere in the system. Freedom House also ranks Russia's civil liberties on the same scale as those of Yemen. In Yemen, according to the constitution, Sharia law is the only source of legislation, and allows assaults and killings of women for alleged immoral behaviour. Criticising the president is illegal in Yemen. Treisman contrasts Freedom House's ranking with the Polity IV scale used by academics and in which Russia has a much better score. In the Polity IV scale, Saudi Arabia is a consolidated autocracy (-10), while the United States is a consolidated democracy (+10); United Arab Emirates has the score -8, while Russia has the score +4.[29]

On December 7, 2004, U.S. House Representative Ron Paul criticized Freedom House for allegedly administering a U.S.-funded program in Ukraine where "much of that money was targeted to assist one particular candidate." Paul said that

"one part that we do know thus far is that the U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), granted millions of dollars to the Poland-America-Ukraine Cooperation Initiative (PAUCI), which is administered by the U.S.-based Freedom House. PAUCI then sent U.S. Government funds to numerous Ukrainian non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This would be bad enough and would in itself constitute meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. But, what is worse is that many of these grantee organizations in Ukraine are blatantly in favor of presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko."[30]

by Vlad the Prevailer Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:27

despite swamping this comment thread with cherry-picked press-releases copy&pasted directly from Frontline Defender's website, the person posting as 'FLD' really seems to want to NOT discuss the rather alarming, from a real 'human rights' point of view, list posted above.

The fact that so many of the funders listed are NATO members is bordering on a farce, given that for the last decade NATO and the US have been arguably the worst offenders globally with regard to Human Rights violations

To see now that Frontline Defenders and Amnesty seem to be teaming-up to promote the dubious 'work' of an admitted plagarist, and blatant Anti-Russian propagandist, Luke Harding, is very troubling indeed for anyone that expects some objectivity from any Organisation such as Amnesty that would protray themselves as 'neutral observers'

If supporters of Amnesty are prepared to just turn a blind eye to the fact that Amnesty seems to be willingly consorting with and lending it's credibility to, some very dubious, proportedly 'Non GOVERNMENTAL', Organisations, then there really is little hope for humanity

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:46

Phillip Agee's 'Inside the Company; CIA Diary' listed Amnesty among the many fronts used by the CIA for its psyops. That was 1975. The list is in the appendix.

Not that Amnesty does not have well motivated people, but these covert agencies are versatile in their manipulations and ever-ready to join and swing to suit agenda. We've seen the abilities of the MIs on this island to deep penetrate.

PS(Amazon has copies).

by lefty Thu Apr 19, 2012 08:25

Plagarist and so called journalist touted by Amnesty, (and dickhead IMHO!) Luke harding attacks Julian Assange interview and RT channel

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/apr/17/world-tomor...leaks

Well he's certainly on message for US imperialism!! Although who is the "useful idiot" here is open to debate. Personally I think it's Harding and perhaps Amnesty for promoting him.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Tue Apr 24, 2012 14:08

..when I spotted the Mafia State heading...it seems appropriate for this

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=30466

yottabytes, no les