CHOGM 2009 Report: Human Rights Defenders and the Police

Every two years the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative publishes a report in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The 2009 CHOGM Report examines the ways that Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) suffer as a result of police action or inaction.

To this end, CHRI requires examples of cases and situations where police have committed human rights abuses against HRDs and the perpetrators have not been brought to justice in your country and/or contacts for organizations within your country that may hold such information.

Who is a HRD? The term ‘Human Rights Defender’ generally refers to “people who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights”. The most obvious example of HRDs are non-governmental organizations (NGO), or individual activists who campaign for the realization of human rights on a daily basis.

HRDs do not, however, need to work in the field of human rights consistently.

• For example, a journalist who generally writes articles about political issues, but who is targeted as the result of an article written about a human rights issue is considered a HRD for the purposes of the 2009 CHOGM Report.

Additionally, the abuse at the hands of the police does not need to happen directly to the HRD him or herself.

• For example, the HRDs family may be threatened or harassed by the police as a result of the HRDs work.

Furthermore, many people act as HRDs outside of formal employment on a voluntary basis.

The concept of a HRD is therefore broad and includes the following:

• journalists;
• doctors
• lawyers;
• teachers and students;
• trade unionists, and;
• members of women’s organizations, among others.

Examples of abuse: The abuses HRDs suffer at the hands of the police are varied and include:

• lack of action in responding to a complaint;
• restrictions on freedom of expression, movement or association;
• intimidation and harassment;
• arbitrary arrest;
• death threats, and;
• torture and/or death

If the above description applies to you please fill out the questionnaire. If this does not apply to, but you know of someone who has had an experience described above, please forward the questionnaire on to them.

Confidentiality: All contributions will be acknowledged in the Report; alternatively, specific details will remain confidential on your request.

If it would be more convenient to discuss these issues over the phone please send an email to: marisa@humanrightsinitiative.org or call 011-26850523 or 26528152 or 26864678 and ask to speak to Marisa Dowswell or Heather Collister.

The following questions are intended to be broad guidelines only. Please feel free to include any other relevant information.

Please fill the questionnaire and send it to marisa@humanrightsinitiative.org

Commonwealth Journalist Association's Comments on CHRI's developing Report for CHOGM 2009