an excellent documentary of Elisabeth COSIMI and Vincent RIOUX : «Paris Calais - Calais Paris»
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
18 December - International Migrants Day
a song and a video dedicated for those who don't know that it 's THEIR day...
December 18th
A year ago today, tens of thousands demanded the release of Israel's youngest prisoners of conscience, the Shministim.
These 12th graders courageously chose prison time over serving in the occupying Israeli army, and became heroes to us and the entire world.
Last Chanukah, just one day after Tamar Katz was released from solitary confinement, the young Shministim gathered to celebrate and to decide how to thank the 20,000 (and counting) Jewish Voice for Peace members who wrote letters, attended rallies, and wrote articles on their behalf.
This is the message they carefully wrote together. One year later, as Shministit Or Ben-David sits in prison in Israel, and as Jews around the world prepare to celebrate the last night of Chanukah, it seems appropriate to share it with you again. We can't imagine a more important message during this festival of lights.
Dear friends and supporters,
During Chanukah the festive of lights, we, the Shministim, would like to take a moment to thank you for all you've done for us and for our struggle.
While we sit down with our families and light the first candle of the holiday, symbolizing the rebellion against an occupying army, some of us are still behind bars, denied the freedom to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones, denied the right to freedom of thought and political consciousness.
During this dark period of consecutive jail terms, military trials and attempts to break our beliefs, you were our light.
Each and every one of you who helped with the campaign, who sent a supporting letter, who sent the link of the website to a friend. You've let our struggle be heard around the world, the letters, the postcards and posters, the demonstrations, all of those actions fulfilled our wildest dreams.
We would like to thank you once again and wish you all a happy and free holiday.
in solidarity,
The Shministim
The struggle for freedom continues.
Palestinian human rights activists like Abdallah Abu Rahmah and Mohammad Othman now sit in Israeli prisons with you as their most important global advocates.
P.S. A new class of Shministim are now courageously saying no to the occupation. They need your support.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF ARTICLE 217 OF THE DRAFT REVISION OF THE RWANDA PENAL CODE ACT WHICH CRIMINALIZES HOMOSEXUALITY
A 48-hour marathon by the Parliament of Rwanda to criminalize homosexuality is under way
Horizon Community Association (HOCA), an LGBTI organization in Rwanda, in collaboration with the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) calls on all human rights defenders, organizations, governments, civil society, globally, to immediately take action against a proposed article in the draft Penal Code Act in Rwanda which would criminalize homosexuality.
Background
In November 2009, a draft revision on the Penal Code Act of Rwanda was tabled in the Parliament of Rwanda. Article 217 of the draft act would introduce new, oppressive legislation—the criminalization of consensual same-sex acts and relationships as well as criminalizing the work of LGBT human rights defenders. Homosexuality has never been a crime in Rwanda.
The lower house of the Rwandan Parliament will hold its final debate on this draft code Wednesday December 16, 2009. A vote on this draft code will occur before the end of this week.
Article 217 reads:
Any person who practices, encourages or sensitizes people of the same sex, to sexual relation or any sexual practice, shall be liable for a term of imprisonment ranging from five (5) to ten (10) years and fine ranging from Two Hundred thousand Rwanda Francs (200.000 RwF) to one million (1,000,000)Rwanda francs.
This article is a violation of basic human rights and is contradictory to the Rwandan Constitution as well as various regional and international human rights treaties and conventions. This proposed law stands in direct conflict with the rights to human dignity, personal freedom (Article 12), Equality (Article 16), Expression (Article 18), and Privacy (Article 22) ensured by the Rwandan Constitution, and in particular, Article 22(1), which states that "the private lives of individuals shall not be infringed upon in any way." Likewise, this proposed article is counter to the guarantees of nondiscrimination and equality before the law in Articles 2, 3, and 28 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. Furthermore, laws criminalizing and detentions of people because of consensual sex between persons of the same sex are arbitrary and violate Articles 2 and 26 on the rights to equality before the law, freedom from discrimination, and privacy of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Rwanda is a party (Toonen v. Australia, 1994).
If the new Penal Code includes this provision, it will also hinder the implementation of the Rwanda National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS by the National Commission of Fight against AIDS (CNLS), which is currently considering the inclusion of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in the plan. A law of this nature would be a major setback to the Rwandan Government's commitment to national unity, tolerance, inclusiveness, dialogue, social cohesion and security among Rwandan citizens and residents.
HOCA, CAL and IGLHRC are calling on you to;
1. Send letters to the following officials demanding immediate withdrawal of 217 from the draft revision of the Penal Code Act;
1. H.E Paul Kagame
President of the Republic of Rwanda
Phone: +250 818 2105/590 62105/818 2000/59062000
Fax: +250 572 431
2. Rt. Hon. Bernard Makuza
Prime Minister of Rwanda
Phone: +250 585 444/5, +250 584 648
Fax: +250 583 714
Email: primature@gov.rw
3. Tharcisse Karugarama
Minister of Justice
Phone: +250 586398/586561/585844
Fax: +250 586509
Email: mjust@minjust.gov.rw
4. Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo
Minister of Health
Phone: +250 77458/77910
Fax: +250 76853/77458
Email: gsante@rwandatel.com
5. Joseph Habineza
Minister of Sports and Culture
Phone: +250 5835315
Fax: 583518
Email: minispoc@gov.rw
6. Minister of Gender and Family Promotion
Phone: +250 577626/577203/576455
Fax: +250 577543
Email: migeprofe@gov.rw
7. Solina Nyirahabimana
Minister in the Office of the President
Email: gfrank@presidency.gov.rw
2. Call on the Government of Rwanda to recognize, protect, respect and promote the human rights of all citizens and residents of Rwanda, including LGBTI people;
3. Protest against Article 217 for LGBT at the Rwandan Embassies in your country;
4. Lobby your Government (especially the Presidency and Foreign Ministries) to put pressure on the Government of Rwanda through diplomatic and other means possible; and to
5. Engage the press in your call for the promotion of human rights for all people in Rwanda.
Thank you.
For Press Contacts;
1. Naome Ruzindana
Director, HOCA
Phone: +250 788 790353
2. Fikile Vilakazi
Director, Coalition of African Lesbians
Phone: +27 11 918 2182
Mobile: +27 83 947 5052
3. Victor Mukasa
Research and Policy Associate
Horn, East and Central Africa
IGLHRC
Phone: +27 21 469 3701
Mobile: +27 79 275 4207
Email: vmukasa@iglhrc.org
--
Victor Mukasa
Research and Policy Associate for East, Central and Horn of Africa
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
3rd floor, Constantiaberg H'se
66 plein street, Cape Town, 8001
vmukasa@iglhrc.org
+27 21 469 3701, direct
+27 79 275 4207, mobile
+256 753 116 034, Uganda
+1 718 701 4476, calling from USA
+27 21 462 3024, fax
Skype: victoriglhrc
Url: www.iglhrc.org
Rwandan Parliament to Vote on Criminalizing Homosexuality this Week
On December 16, 2009, the lower house of the Rwandan Parliament will hold its final debate on a draft revision of the penal code that will, for the first time, make homosexuality a crime in Rwanda. A vote on this draft code will occur before the end of the week. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has learned that the proposed Article 217 of the draft Penal Code Act will criminalize "[a]ny person who practices, encourages or sensitizes people of the same sex, to sexual relation or any sexual practice." Rwanda's Chamber of Deputies will vote on the draft code December 16, 2009. If the Chamber of Deputies approves, the draft code will go before the Rwandan Senate most likely in early 2010.
Article 217 violates Rwandans' basic human rights and is contradictory to the Rwandan Constitution as well as various regional and international conventions. IGLHRC, the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL), and Rwanda's Horizon Community Association (HOCA) will shortly issue a call to action to demand that the Rwandan Parliament withdraw this article. We urge the international community to act against this proposed law and support the equality, dignity, and privacy of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Rwanda.
This draft provision targeting LGBT people closely follows the introduction of a similar measure in neighboring Uganda, where the nation's parliament is currently debating an Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The proposed Ugandan law would prohibit all LGBT activism and organizing, would further criminalize consensual same-sex conduct between adults, which is already illegal in Uganda, and in some cases apply the death penalty.
Background
In November 2009, a draft revision on the Penal Code Act of Rwanda was tabled in the Parliament of Rwanda. Article 217 of the draft act would introduce new, oppressive legislation—the criminalization of consensual same-sex acts and relationships as well as criminalizing the work of LGBT human rights defenders. Homosexuality has never been a crime in Rwanda.
The lower house of the Rwandan Parliament will hold its final debate on this draft code Wednesday December 16, 2009. A vote on this draft code will occur before the end of this week.
Article 217 reads:
Any person who practices, encourages or sensitizes people of the same sex, to sexual relation or any sexual practice, shall be liable for a term of imprisonment ranging from five (5) to ten (10) years and fine ranging from Two Hundred thousand Rwanda Francs (200.000 RwF) to one million (1,000,000)Rwanda francs.
This article is a violation of basic human rights and is contradictory to the Rwandan Constitution as well as various regional and international human rights treaties and conventions. This proposed law stands in direct conflict with the rights to human dignity, personal freedom (Article 12), Equality (Article 16), Expression (Article 18), and Privacy (Article 22) ensured by the Rwandan Constitution, and in particular, Article 22(1), which states that "the private lives of individuals shall not be infringed upon in any way." Likewise, this proposed article is counter to the guarantees of nondiscrimination and equality before the law in Articles 2, 3, and 28 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. Furthermore, laws criminalizing and detentions of people because of consensual sex between persons of the same sex are arbitrary and violate Articles 2 and 26 on the rights to equality before the law, freedom from discrimination, and privacy of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Rwanda is a party (Toonen v. Australia, 1994).
If the new Penal Code includes this provision, it will also hinder the implementation of the Rwanda National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS by the National Commission of Fight against AIDS (CNLS), which is currently considering the inclusion of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in the plan. A law of this nature would be a major setback to the Rwandan Government's commitment to national unity, tolerance, inclusiveness, dialogue, social cohesion and security among Rwandan citizens and residents.
HOCA, CAL and IGLHRC are calling on you to;
1. Send letters to the following officials demanding immediate withdrawal of 217 from the draft revision of the Penal Code Act;
1. H.E Paul Kagame
President of the Republic of Rwanda
Phone: +250 818 2105/590 62105/818 2000/59062000
Fax: +250 572 431
2. Rt. Hon. Bernard Makuza
Prime Minister of Rwanda
Phone: +250 585 444/5, +250 584 648
Fax: +250 583 714
Email: primature@gov.rw
3. Tharcisse Karugarama
Minister of Justice
Phone: +250 586398/586561/585844
Fax: +250 586509
Email: mjust@minjust.gov.rw
4. Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo
Minister of Health
Phone: +250 77458/77910
Fax: +250 76853/77458
Email: gsante@rwandatel.com
5. Joseph Habineza
Minister of Sports and Culture
Phone: +250 5835315
Fax: 583518
Email: minispoc@gov.rw
6. Minister of Gender and Family Promotion
Phone: +250 577626/577203/576455
Fax: +250 577543
Email: migeprofe@gov.rw
7. Solina Nyirahabimana
Minister in the Office of the President
Email: gfrank@presidency.gov.rw
2. Call on the Government of Rwanda to recognize, protect, respect and promote the human rights of all citizens and residents of Rwanda, including LGBTI people;
3. Protest against Article 217 for LGBT at the Rwandan Embassies in your country;
4. Lobby your Government (especially the Presidency and Foreign Ministries) to put pressure on the Government of Rwanda through diplomatic and other means possible; and to
5. Engage the press in your call for the promotion of human rights for all people in Rwanda.
Thank you.
For Press Contacts;
1. Naome Ruzindana
Director, HOCA
Phone: +250 788 790353
2. Fikile Vilakazi
Director, Coalition of African Lesbians
Phone: +27 11 918 2182
Mobile: +27 83 947 5052
3. Victor Mukasa
Research and Policy Associate
Horn, East and Central Africa
IGLHRC
Phone: +27 21 469 3701
Mobile: +27 79 275 4207
Email: vmukasa@iglhrc.org
--
Victor Mukasa
Research and Policy Associate for East, Central and Horn of Africa
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
3rd floor, Constantiaberg H'se
66 plein street, Cape Town, 8001
vmukasa@iglhrc.org
+27 21 469 3701, direct
+27 79 275 4207, mobile
+256 753 116 034, Uganda
+1 718 701 4476, calling from USA
+27 21 462 3024, fax
Skype: victoriglhrc
Url: www.iglhrc.org
Rwandan Parliament to Vote on Criminalizing Homosexuality this Week
On December 16, 2009, the lower house of the Rwandan Parliament will hold its final debate on a draft revision of the penal code that will, for the first time, make homosexuality a crime in Rwanda. A vote on this draft code will occur before the end of the week. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has learned that the proposed Article 217 of the draft Penal Code Act will criminalize "[a]ny person who practices, encourages or sensitizes people of the same sex, to sexual relation or any sexual practice." Rwanda's Chamber of Deputies will vote on the draft code December 16, 2009. If the Chamber of Deputies approves, the draft code will go before the Rwandan Senate most likely in early 2010.
Article 217 violates Rwandans' basic human rights and is contradictory to the Rwandan Constitution as well as various regional and international conventions. IGLHRC, the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL), and Rwanda's Horizon Community Association (HOCA) will shortly issue a call to action to demand that the Rwandan Parliament withdraw this article. We urge the international community to act against this proposed law and support the equality, dignity, and privacy of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Rwanda.
This draft provision targeting LGBT people closely follows the introduction of a similar measure in neighboring Uganda, where the nation's parliament is currently debating an Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The proposed Ugandan law would prohibit all LGBT activism and organizing, would further criminalize consensual same-sex conduct between adults, which is already illegal in Uganda, and in some cases apply the death penalty.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Exarhia, cultural shock...
a short film documentary, on occasion of last December's assassination of 15 years old Alexis Grigoropoulos, by a police officer in Exarhia area in Athens and the riots that followed...
(subtitled)
(subtitled)
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