One year after: Authorities must comply with Federal High Court decision to release Mubarak Bala on bail
GENEVA (28 April 2021) – UN experts today called on Nigerian authorities to comply with the decision of the Federal High Court to release the prominent humanist and rights defender Mubarak Bala on bail. “Today marks one year since Mr. Bala was arrested and detained in Kano State, without any formal charges, on allegations of blasphemy. His arbitrary detention has continued despite our appeals to the Government in May and July last year,” the human rights experts said. As president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, Mr. Bala had led human rights education campaigns promoting freedom of religion or belief and worked to raise awareness about religious extremism. His arrest on 28 April 2020 followed a petition filed with Kano police a day earlier alleging that he had insulted the Prophet Muhammad in Facebook posts.
UN experts concerned about independence, integrity of NHRC
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Nepal: UN experts express concerns for independence and integrity of the NHRC
GENEVA (27 April 2021) – UN Human rights experts expressed serious concern for the independence of Nepal s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) after the recent appointment of new members that they regard as being inconsistent with international standards. The experts urged the Government to rectify the situation immediately. We are deeply concerned that the appointment process is not in line with international standards and that it undermines the independence, integrity and legitimacy of the NHRC, which restricts the ability of the people of Nepal to access appropriate remedies for alleged human rights violations, the experts said. This will have a chilling effect on civil society actors.
Azerbaijan: UN experts urge release of ailing Government critic Huseyn Abdullayev
GENEVA (27 April 2021) – UN human rights experts today urged the immediate release of infirm inmate Huseyn Abdullayev, a vocal opponent of the Government of Azerbaijan, who has been granted asylum in Germany on political grounds.
Mr. Abdullayev was arrested in Turkey on 21 April 2018 and forcibly transferred to Azerbaijan the following day. On 1 October 2019, he was sentenced to six years in prison by the Baku Military Court.
In August 2020, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded in its Opinion No. 48/2020 that the detention of Mr. Abdullayev was arbitrary given the absence of a legal basis. It was also established that basic guarantees of due process and a fair trial were not respected, including the trial proceedings before a Military Court, despite Mr. Abdullayev s civilian status. The Working Group further concluded that the extradition of Mr. Abdullayev, who was entitled to i
Guatemala: UN expert deeply concerned by Congress refusal to reappoint top judge
GENEVA (19 April 2021) – A UN human rights expert today expressed serious concerns about Congress’s refusal to swear in Gloria Porras - a judge renowned for her decisions regarding protection and guarantees of human rights and the rule of law - to Guatemala’s Constitutional Court, condemning the continued harassment and intimidation of the judiciary in the country.
The former president of the Court was re-elected to the bench on 4 March, and had been due to resume her duties for another five-year term on 14 April.
“I am extremely concerned about the systematic use of legal weapons to obstruct the swearing in of Judge Porras,” said Diego García-Sayán, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, adding Porras had been subjected to various other forms of judicial harassment, hate speeches and stigmatization campaigns in social media, including for gender reasons. “T
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