Release / Torture and ill-treatment - YEM 001 / 1006 / OBS 130.1

09/11/2006
Urgent Appeal

The Observatory has been informed about the release on November 5, 2006, in the afternoon, of Mr. Ali Al-Dailami, Executive Director of the Yemeni Organisation for the Defence of Human Rights and Democratic Freedoms.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Yemen.


New information:

Mr. Ali Al-Dailami reported that he was subjected to acts of torture and ill-treatments whilst in custody by the political security forces in Sana’a.

Although the authorities did not provide any official reason for his detention, Mr. Al-Dailami would have been told that he was arrested in order to be “given a lesson” because of his human rights activities. The political security forces would also have wanted him to admit that he was related to Al Qaeda. Mr. Al-Dailami was released without charges.

The Observatory welcomes the release of Mr. Ali Al-Dailami, and thanks all the persons, institutions and organisations who intervened in favour of his release.

Background information:

On October 9, 2006, Mr. Ali Al-Dailami was arbitrarily arrested at the airport of Sana’a, the capital, by the Yemeni security forces, while he was heading to Copenhagen (Denmark), in order to participate in a conference organised by the Danish Institute for Human Rights about its programme of cooperation with some Yemeni NGOs.

Mr. Al-Dailami was detained incommunicado, the political security forces (al-Amn al-Seyasi) refusing to say where he is detained and the reasons for his arrest.


Actions required:

Please write to the Yemeni authorities urging them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ali Al-Dailami, as well as of all human rights defenders in Yemen;

ii. Order that an independent and impartial enquiry be conducted immediately to investigate into the allegations of torture to which Mr. Ali Al-Dailami would have been subjected whilst in custody, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and pronounce sentences proportional to the gravity of their crimes;

iii. Put an end to any kind of harassment against all Yemeni human rights defenders;

iv. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, “to communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organisations” (article 5c), and article 12.2, which states that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by the Republic of Yemen.

Addresses:

General Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of the Republic of Yemen, Sana’a, Yemen. Fax: + 967 127 4147

Ambassador, Mr. Farag Saeed Bin Ghanem, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Yemen to the United Nations in Geneva, 19 Chemin du Jonc, 1216 Cointrin, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 799 05 10. Fax: +41 22 798 04 65, E-mail: mission.yemen@ties.itu.int

Ambassador, Dr. Hamid GAAFER, Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Brussels 114 av. F.D. Roosevelt, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium. Tel: + 32 2.646.52.90, Fax : + 32 2.646.29.11, Email : yemen@skynet.be

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of the Republic of Yemen in your respective countries.

***

Geneva-Paris, November 8, 2006

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.

The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail : Appeals@fidh-omct.org
Tel et fax FIDH : + 33 1 43 55 55 05 / 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel et fax OMCT : +41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29

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