send the Nazis home!

Urgent request for help from Milan, Italy: we are experiencing an incredible presence of neo-nazi and neo-fascist organisations in our city from the past weeks throughout all May 2010.

Please take voice against this attempt, help us to ask for the immediate cancellation of the neo-nazi and neo-fascist events and demos, from the 2nd of May to the "European Hammerfest" scheduled in Milan on May 29, 2010. From your country and from Europe help us to ask for a stop to this dangerous initiatives, and help us to ask to the local and national italian politicians of Berlusconi's coalition to stop immediately to support this extreme right wings organisations.

We ask to european organisation, ngos, movements and european institutions to take voice and take action:

> Sign this call
> Spread this call for help

> Contact us directly if you think you can do something more from your country and/or give pressure on european institutions and european parliament
> Send us documents / dossiers about european neonazi/neofascist groups to unmask them and denounce the danger they represent
> Send us press release / spread them to local and national mass-media / publish them on website / spread the by mailinglists and newsletters

Our contacts: milanoamalaliberta@gmail.com, phone +390236511380, http://www.cantiere.org


European institutions, Italian government, Municipality of Milan: From all Europe we all say no to the neo-nazi and neo-fascist italian and europe an events and demos scheduled from May 2nd to May 29th in Milan, Italy.

Many italian and european neo-nazi and neo-fascist groups are organising several  conventions/events/demos in Milan, Italy for all this month May 2010. The local coalition of Berlusconi it is absolutely majority on the local government of the municipality and county of Milan, those institutions are giving political and economical support to those organisations, despite many democrats and anti-racist and anti-fascist organisations (http://www.cantiere.org; http://lombardia.indymedia.org; http://www.osservatoriodemocratico.org).

The italian extreme right wing organisations involved are different groups, all have been recently officially admitted to be part or partner of the Berlusconi's party called PDL/Partito delle Liberta? so called "freedom's party". The italian national and local government of Berlusconi is doing nothing against those groups, their ideas and symbols and celtic crosses are spreading more and more and so their violence. In the last 2 years Italy is experiencing many dangerous attacks to the freedom and growing and growing escalation of historic rehabilitation of fascism and xenophobic violence against minorities: migrants, romas people, GLBTQ communities.

On our days, both for economical and political reasons, Berlusconi's government is more and more evolving like an authoritarian government which represents a growing alarm for the italian democracy and for all Europe. We all ask to italian Berlusconi's national and local government of Milan to stop the coalition with this extreme right-wing groups.

During the whole last week, from 24th April 2nd May they were scheduled a big neo-nazis and neo-fascists convention in Milan. Thanks to several initiatives, demos and actions made in Milan by many democratic, antifascist and antiracist organizations, some of their events have been blocked or posticipied, but fascists could do a demonstration in the streets of Milan with celtic crosses and fascist slogan, and even with support and participation of Berlusconi's PDL councilors. They also could do a day full of events form the morning of 2nd May untill the night. All this happened in Milan under the complete silence of insitutions, because of their connivance with neofascist movement, and neither the majority of mass-media took explicity part against it.

In the next weeks of May there are still other events organized by extreme right wing, in particularly we ask to stop immediately the support of following conventions:

- the 2nd tattos conventions with groups from Italy, France, Portugal, Spain and Belgium scheduled in Milan on May 8 and 9 organised from the Hammerskin (http://www.skinhouse.info/index1.htm)

- the national italian neo-fascist demonstration scheduled in Milan on 22nd May organized by Forza Nuova and its leader Roberto Fiore (http://forzanuova.org/articoli/il-22-maggio-milano-forza-nuova-contro-le-banche) in which will take part also european delegations from spanish and french neonazis, but expecially from Hungary: in fact Laszlo Toroczkai will come to Milan, he's th leader of HVIM and of the Jobbik party from the Hungarian nazi-extreme-right-wing

- the european neo-nazi convention, so-called "European Hammerfest 1990-2010, 20 years of European Brotherhood" scheduled in Milan on 29th May, 2010 (http://www.skinhouse.info/index1.htm).

Expecially about this we ask european organization to take voice and denounce with us the danger that extreme right wing groups represent: in all europe right wing is growing stronger and in Italy this is happening with the complete support and connivance of goverment parties and institutions.
We all united ask to european organisation, ngos and european institutions to take voice and take action in order to stop those events and generally this alliance extremely dangerous for democracy and freedom, not just for Italy but for all Europe.

Sign this call, Spread it, Contact us directly if you think you can do something more from your country and/or by giving pressure on european institutions and european parliament | to send us press release or documents/dossier

our contacts: milanoamalaliberta@gmail.com, phone +390236511380, http://www.cantiere.org

The case of Alicjia Tysiac

Women’s rights activists, reproductive rights activists and activists for the separation of Church and State in Europe are invited to support Alicjia Tysiac against Catholic fundamentalists in Poland, by sending letters of support (Amicus Curiae) to the Polish Court of Appeal in Katowice, where a first audience has been scheduled for February 19.

 

The facts:


Alicjia Tysiac won litigation against Poland after a long struggle, when the European Court of Human Rights (Strasbourg) decided that Poland had not respected its own laws by denying her an abortion for health reasons. As a consequence this working class woman has since to live with a severe handicap (becoming almost blind). Since the Court published the verdict, Alicjia has become the target of a terrible defamation campaign. From pulpits and through Catholic media, Alicjia is called a “potential child murderer” who sued her country for hindering her to kill her own child. Photos and the names of her children were published in a diocesan weekly that opened its pages for a hate debate. She and the European Court of Human Rights have been compared to nazi criminals., etc.. In the past exacerbating Polish Catholic fundamentalists about a justice system that does not pronounce the sentences they wish to hear has had lethal consequences.
She sued the editor of Gosc Niedzielny, the Silesian diocesan weekly, and its owner, the archdioceses for defamation and won. On September 23, the court condemned the wekkly to publish formal excuses to Alicjia Tysiac and pay her a compensation of Euro 10 000. But the bishops decided to appeal.
An appeal process will deal with formal errors.

An analysis of the arguments of the bishops (they have published them on the internet and are seeking support) by Alicjia’ lawyers show the following strategy:

1.     The ECRH sentence is not relevant for Polish jurisprudence as not published in Polish (the ECHR only publishes its verdicts in French and English)

2.     Freedom of expression allows to comment sentences of the ECHR

3.     The Concordat has legal preeminence as an international treaty, and article 20 of the Concordat would be violated by the verdict of the local tribunal

4.     The young woman judge at the local Court misinterpreted the ECHR verdict. She is anyhow decried as totally incompetent

5.     The sentence of the local Court did not take into account that the Polish public opinion condemns Alicjia and the ECHR verdict

6.     EU institutions have no say concerning Churches as the relationship with these depends on the national State (principle of subsidiarity)

The main arguments of Alicjias lawyers are:

1.     Poland signed the European Convention of Human Rights and is consequently submitted to the jurisdiction and jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.

2.     It is unacceptable to instrumentalise the Shoah for opposing abortion

3.     It is unacceptable to compare the ECHR with nazi criminals.

4.     A Court needs to make decisions independently from public opinion.

5.     Freedom of expression has limits, in particular when the one attacking is a very powerful institution and the one attacked a weak individual.


Monika Karbowska, French-Polish feminists prepared a synthesis of the 80 pages of Alicjias lawyers. If you wish to receive it (in Polish, French or Spanish), please do not hesitate to request it.

This case is emblematic for the struggle of religious fundamentalism against the separation of religion and politics. Alicjia’s victory at the local tribunal was a huge victory. For the first time the Polish hierarchy was condemned to publicly apologize to a woman for not respecting her decision to have an abortion, in conformity with the laws of her country.

A victory of Alicjia’s at the Katowice Court of appeal would go further. Not only would it be a victory for women’s reproductive rights in Poland and in Europe but also and above all it would be a victory of the Lay
State over the ultraconservative Catholic hierarchy in Poland. It would show that the European Court of Human Rights is a guardian of the universality of Human Rights in Europe against the privileges of a powerful faith based institution.

The support received by Alicjia for the trial at the local Court was very helpful. It showed that the international community was watching. Of particular importance was the letter of support addressed by the progressive
European Catholics (European Network Church on the Move). It allowed for Polish media and the public opinion to learn that Catholics in other European countries disagree with the bishops on women’s rights.

Amicus Curiae letters (letters of the Friends of the Court) should be addressed:

MENTIONING Gosc Niedzielny vs. Alicjia Tysiac

Via snail mail to:

Sad Apelacyjny
Al.W.Korfantego 117/119
40-156
Katowice
Poland

An electronic copy of your letter should be sent by February 10 to Elfriede Harth (e.harth@yahoo.com) to be included in a file to be handed out to journalists at a press conference organized by the Committee of Support on February 19.

Everything is OK

Everything is OK is a collaborative art project aimed at provoking people to more critically consider the status quo.




more info here

Israel continues to violate rights of human rights defenders and peaceful activists

Addameer * Al-Haq * Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights* Al Dameer Association for Human Rights * BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights DCI – Palestine Section * ENSAN Center * Jerusalem Legal Aid Center * Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling

Ramallah, 30 December 2009

Israel has for too long been allowed to violate the rights of human rights defenders and activists. As an occupying power and State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Israel is obliged to respect the rights of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as guaranteed under the ICCPR. Palestinian human rights defenders must be guaranteed their right to  freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and their right to liberty and security of person.

Since September 2009, Israel has intensified a repression campaign against Palestinian human rights defenders, activists and demonstrators protesting against the Annexation Wall. As part of their repression campaign, which coincided with the release of the Goldstone Report, the Israeli forces have re-launched daily dawn raids in villages affected by the Wall, arresting youths and children, for the purpose of extracting confessions about prominent community leaders advocating against the Wall, and continued to intimidate activists by destroying their private property and threatening them with detention. Finally, Israel has directly targeted the Grassroots "Stop the Wall" Campaign by arresting and intimidating its leaders.

With the recent arrests of Jamal Juma', a prominent Palestinian human rights defender and coordinator of the "Stop the Wall" Campaign, Abdallah Abu Rahma, the Head of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Bil'in and the administrative detention of Mohammad Othman, a youth coordinator with "Stop the Wall", it became increasingly clear that Israel is seeking to hinder human rights defenders from carrying out their peaceful work, exercised within the framework of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Additionally, in the villages of Bil'in, Ni'ilin, Beit Duqqu, Jayyous and Al-Ma'sara, Israeli soldiers have been reported to throw stones at activists' houses, storm their homes in the middle of the night, fire tear gas at them and destroy their personal belongings. Seemingly, these measures are implemented to deter Palestinian activists from attending weekly demonstrations against the Annexation Wall. The Israeli authorities have also summoned for interrogation a number of youth activists engaged in organizing peaceful demonstrations and solidarity events involving international supporters. Similarly, they launched an intimidation campaign against witnesses of human rights violations. On 17 December, for example, the Israeli soldiers raided the family house of eighteen-year old Salam Kanaan in Ni'lin, who became famous after she filmed an Israeli soldier shooting blindfolded and handcuffed Ashraf Abu Rahma in the foot and released it through the Israeli NGO's, B'Tselem's "Shooting Back" project. The soldiers came looking for the tape and when they did not find it, they left a notice, in which they summoned Salam's family members for interrogation. In Al-Ma'sara, members of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, including Mohammad Birjiyah, Hassan Birjiyah and Mahmoud Zawahreh, who were arrested in May 2009 for their participation in demonstrations and subsequently released on bail, now face not only restrictions on their community work, but are also subject to constant delays and humiliation at Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank.

It is common Israeli practice to interrogate and detain Palestinians without charge and prevent lawyers from visiting their clients. Arbitrary detention violates the rights of human rights defenders and Israel must stop these illegal practices. Israel's history of subjecting detained Palestinians to torture, inhumane and cruel treatment must also be noted. As Palestinian human rights organizations we demand that such practices are not used against any detained Palestinian, including Jamal Juma', Mohammad Othman and Abdallah Abu Rahma. Importantly, tarrest of Jamal Juma', Mohammad Othman and Abdallah Abu Rahma constitutes a violation of various international human rights instruments, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. The Declaration provides for the right of everyone to meet or assemble peacefully, which includes the right to form, join and communicate with non-governmental organizations, associations or groups. The Declaration further emphasizes the right of an individual to the lawful exercise of his or her profession, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and to solicit, receive and utilize resources for the purpose of protecting human rights. Additionally, the Declaration declares that people have the right to express concern about the policies and actions of individual officials and governmental bodies with regard to violations of human rights.

Although not legally binding, the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders served as a basis for the drafting of the EU and Norwegian Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, which follow the Declaration in recognizing everyone's right to promote and strive for the protections and realization of human rights, both individually and collectively. protection of human rights defenders has thus been recognized not only a moral obligation, but also as a social, individual and collective right and responsibility and became an important element of the European Union's human rights external policy.

As Palestinian human rights organizations, we call upon the international community, including diplomatic missions in the occupied Palestinian territory and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene with Israel for:

• the immediate release of Jamal Juma', Mohammad Othman and Abdallah Abu Rahma, and all other local activists;

• an end to the Israeli practice of arbitrary detention;

• full adherence to the ICCPR as applied to the Palestinian population in the OPT; and

• full respect of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

In addition, we call upon members of the European Union and Norway to fully comply with the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders and the Norwegian Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders; develop and adopt an effective strategy aiming to provide protection to Palestinian human rights defenders working in the OPT and Israel, by:

• Regularly attending trials of Palestinian Human Rights Defenders (HRD) who are held in detention. Exert pressure on the Israeli Military Court of Administrative Detainees to attend closed hearings of HRD held in administrative detention. Additionally, establish rotation routines for trial observation on behalf of the local Presidency.

• Regularly visit HRD in custody prior to trial.

• Ensure a permanent and institutionalized presence of EU monitors in areas where human rights are violated on a regular basis to prevent the arbitrary arrest of Palestinian HRD. These areas include:

villages affected by the Annexation Wall; parts of East Jerusalem, where houses are at risk of demolition and families are at risk of eviction; and, Palestinian villages located near settlements. Additionally, ensure EU presence at all house demolitions or evictions in East Jerusalem.

• Issue public statements condemning the arbitrary arrest and detention of HRD.

• Raise specific cases of HRD in detention with the Israeli authorities under the EU-Israel political dialogue.

BACKGROUND ON THE ARREST OF "STOP THE WALL" ACTIVISTS

1. Mohammad Othman, who is a youth coordinator with the "Stop the Wall Campaign", was arrested by the Israeli soldiers on 22 September 2009 at the Allenby Border Crossing as he returned home to the West Bank from an advocacy tour in Norway where he attended several advocacy meetings and spoke about the Wall, and its associated unlawful regime. Since then, he has been held for 61 days in interrogation, and barred from access to his attorney for two weeks. After his two months of interrogation proved nothing, no external evidence was brought to the attention of the court and the military prosecution was unable to formulate substantiated allegations or charges against him, he was placed under administrative detention a day after the Military Court of Appeals decided to release him on bail. On 22 December, Mohammad's administrative detention order was renewed for another month, ending on 22 January 2010.

2. On 15 December 2009, Jamal Juma', a prominent Palestinian human rights defender, coordinator of the "Stop the Wall" campaign and a founding member of several Palestinian civil society networks and non-governmental organizations, was summoned for interrogation by the Israeli Police. He was asked to go to the Qalandia checkpoint, where he was subsequently handcuffed and taken to his home. His home was searched for two hours in the presence of his wife and three young children where his cell phone and computer were confiscated. Jamal was then brought to Moskobiyyeh Interrogation Center in West Jerusalem, where he was subjected to interrogation. Two subsequent court hearings, on 21 December and 24 December extended Jamal's detention period for the purpose of interrogation based on "secret information" that was made available to the military judge by representatives from the Israeli Security Agency (ISA). The content of the "secret information" was not however disclosed to Jamal's attorney. Although a resident of occupied East Jerusalem, Jamal is currently being interrogated under the Israeli military orders, with no access to the outside world, and until 27 December, without any access to his attorney due to a court's decision to implement a ban on lawyers' visits. Practice shows that the military court always allows the interrogation of East Jerusalemites under the military orders in order to extend the interrogation period to the maximum, allow the outmost flexibility for Israeli Security Agency (ISA) officers in their conduct of the interrogation and reduce legal safeguards to the minimum. Prior to his arrest, Jamal has been actively campaigning for the protection of Palestinian human rights defenders and activists protesting against the Annexation Wall, including his colleague, Mohammad Othman.

3. On 10 December 2009, the Israeli forces arrested Abdallah Abu Rahma, a high school teacher and the Head of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements, in the village of Bil'in, where the Israeli authorities have annexed close to 55 percent of the village's land for the construction of the Wall and the expansion of Israeli settlements. Abdallah is currently tried on three charges, namely incitement, stone throwing and the possession of arms. It is clear from Abdallah's indictment that he was arrested for his leading role in mobilizing a non-violent resistance movement against the Annexation Wall and its associated, unlawful regime. Among the accusations under the banner of "incitement", the military prosecution listed Abdallah's instrumental role in organizing and leading demonstrations against the Wall and distributing Palestinian flags to participants of the demonstrations, which sixteen years after the signing of the Oslo Accords is still considered a "security offence" under Israeli military regulations. In relation to the last charge, the Israeli army accuses Abdallah of collecting empty sound and gas grenades, as well as M16 bullets used by the soldiers to disperse the crowds at demonstrations and showing them as an exhibit in the village's museum to raise awareness of Israeli practices against unarmed civilians. However, documenting human rights violations, collecting evidence, providing support and assistance to victims seeking remedies, combating cultures of impunity and mainstreaming human rights culture and information on an international and domestic level have been recognized by the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders as legitimate activities that need to be not only protected but also promoted. Further, the non-violent character of the demonstrations has been, amongst others, recognized by the Elders organization, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former president Jimmy Carter and former Irish President, Mary Robinson, who visited Bil'in and met with Abdallah Abu Rahma during their mission to the OPT in August 2009.

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.

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.

The Positive Ladies Soccer Club

Médecins Sans Frontières presents a documentary about an HIV positive ladies soccer team in Zimbabwe. Directed by Joanna Stavropoulou. 

A group of HIV ladies in one of the poorest township’s of Zimbabwe, Epworth, decide to form a football team. Women in Zimbabwe don’t usually play football and HIV positive women are stigmatized so much that they are afraid to disclose their status even to close family members. This group of women has to overcome all this and find strength within themselves against great odds.

The film is about their football team, the ARV Swallows and focuses on the lives of four players. We hear their stories; follow them in their daily lives, in their visits to the clinic, to church, to practice and to the football games.

The idea of an all-female team is laughed at by the local population. Men especially are very scornful at the idea of women playing football. And the first training sessions seem to prove that the men are right – the Swallows are hopeless and the coach walks off the training grounds in despair.

Team captain, Annafields is determined that ARV Swallows will be a success. She gives the team a pep talk which motivates the ladies and they start to training intensely even at their homes by themselves, with other team mates or even with their children. We follow their training regime and how they fit exercise and practice around all their other daily responsibilities.

But attending regular football practice is not easy for Meria. Her HIV positive husband is suffering from tuberculosis and needs daily injections over a period of two months at the local clinic. The only way for him to get to the clinic is for Meria to push him there in a wheelbarrow. Then she has to wheel him back from the clinic, find enough firewood so she can cook a meal for her family and take care of the children. After that, finding the energy to go to soccer practice is a real struggle, but her teammates won’t let her give up and, through their help, finds the strength to continue.

Defender Nyarai describes her HIV diagnosis as the saddest time in her life. Her neighbors advised her that it would be better if she took poison and killed herself. Being part of the team has provided her with support and given her a place to talk about her problems and seek comfort and advice.

"Even though we have the HIV virus, we are not AIDS victims 

 Annafields Phiri, team captain "

The women confront their situation with tenacity, determination and above all, joy. Despite their difficulties they sing, dance and cheer.
All the Swallows have overcome difficulties in their lives and a lack of football skills is just one of them. China became so ill that she had a near death experience. She was revived by her son and sought treatment after being tested positive for HIV. She now makes a living selling firewood she collects with her son. On days when there is not enough money for food, they light a fire so that the neighbors think they are cooking, yet they go to bed on empty stomachs. China has a strong character and upon discovering her husband is promiscuous she chases him away. Her position as the team striker has given her a sense of pride.
HIV positive women are so stigmatized in Zimbabwe that many are afraid to tell close family members about their status. Many HIV patients suffer from depression and discrimination. When Annafields discovered that she had HIV her landlady laughed at her, yelling at her “Annafields, come see others like you, they are dying.” Ironically, the landlady herself becomes HIV infected and Annafields helps her to see that this disease does not have to be a death sentence.

"I have to score a goal, I have to score a goal,thinks Annafields during the final as the game hangs in the balance 1-1. Our team has to win. We will show the whole world. They will never look down on us again!"

For Annafields winning the tournament will prove this to the whole world.

check out the Club's website

His name is Ezra Nawi...

Ezra Nawi has been active for years in the area known as South Mt. Hebron. The Palestinians in this small desolate area in the very south of the West Bank have been under Israeli occupation for almost 42 years; they still live without electricity, running water and other basic services, and are continuously harassed by the Jewish settlers who constantly violate both Israeli and International law, and are backed by a variety of Israeli military occupation forces, all of which operate in an effort to cleanse the area from its Palestinian inhabitants and create a new demographic reality in it.

Nawi's persistent NON VIOLENT activity in the area is aimed both at aiding the local population in its plight to stay on their lands, but also at exposing the situation in the area to both the Israeli and international public eye. The latter is very much not in the interest of the Israeli settlers who complain that Nawi is disturbing the "status quo" in the area. Nawi has received threats on his life from the settlers in the past. The chief of the investigations in the Hebron Israeli Police once admitted that what Nawi is doing in the area is "exposing the dirt laying under the rug..."

Ezra Nawi's efforts have been fruitful in the sense that the attempt to cleanse the South Mt. Hebron from its Palestinian inhabitants has become a visible, internationally acknowledged issue.
The settlers, military occupation forces and Israeli police have a strong interest to restrict his movement and ban him from the area. Therefore they constantly falsely accuse him of violating the law. Lately he has been pronounced guilty of assaulting a police officer who was demolishing a Palestinian house on July 22, 2007. He will be sentenced this coming July.

As chance would have it, the demolition and the resistance to it were captured on film and broadcasted on Israeli news. As depicted on the film (a must see), Nawi, the man dressed in a green jacket, not only courageously protests the demolition, but after the bulldozer destroys the buildings he also tells the border policemen what he thinks of their actions. Sitting handcuffed in a military vehicle following his arrest, he exclaims: "Yes, I was also a soldier, but I did not demolish houses... The only thing that will be left here is hatred..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysIaQUJWBdk

Nawi's case is not only about Nawi. It is also about Israel and Israeli society, if only because one can learn a great deal about a country from the way it treats its human rights and pro-democracy activists.

Please join this group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=78657164089 to show your support for Ezra Nawi and your objection to his imminent imprisonment.

International Committee Supporting Ezra:
Noam Chomsky
Elle Flanders
Charles Glass
Naomi Klein
Sheldon Pollock
David Norris
Eliot Weinberger

Today, July 1, Ezra was supposed to be sentenced according to his conviction of assaulting a police officer and participating in a riot.

More than 70 people gathered outside the courthouse to support Ezra in his sentencing. Only a few managed to get in. At first, Ezra requested that everyone be permitted to enter and that the sentencing will take place in a larger hall, but his request was denied, and therefore the hearing did not start on time. As a result, the judge decided to postpone the sentencing to August 16, 8.30 AM.

When told about the amount of letters sent on behalf of Ezra (more than 15,000 signatories through the Jewish Voice for Peace campaign -- we brought a stack of 100 papers with a list of names), the judge said, "Wow, that much..."

Ezra's lawyer, Lea Tzemel, is convinced that the international campaign has a positive impact on the case. Please continue to spread the word, tell your friends and family to sign the letters in the campaign JVP is running (http://www.freeezra.org).

Ezra has written a letter that was placed on The Nation on 30/6/09 http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090713/nawi

As mentioned in his letter, the international pressure did not fall on deaf ears, as the Israeli Ministry of Justice and other governmental bodies have responded to his supporters letters with confused and irrelevant statements such as "Mr. Nawi provokes the local residents. [ie. Jewish Settlers]" or "...Mr. Nawi who has often uses insults..."; the official response can be found here: http://www.supportezra.net/JusticeMinistry.pdf

We still demand the complete exculpation of Ezra, and the investigation of his continual harassment by the Israeli police, Israeli army and the civil administration.

Please post and forward his letter to your friends; as Ezra says

"What strengthens me and gives me energy is the widespread and constant support I have always received."