Mr. Akbar Ganji (Iran), a journalist at the daily newspaper Sobh-e-Emrooz, was detained since 2000 at the Evin Prison in Tehran for having written numerous articles denouncing the involvement of the Iranian regime in the assassination of political opponents and intellectuals in 1998. Mr. Akbar Ganji was sentenced in July 2001 to ten years’ imprisonment on the charges of "undermining national security and propaganda against institutions of the Islamic State". In July 2005, Mr. Ganji was hospitalised at the Milad Hospital in Tehran after more than two months on hunger strike, to which he finally put an end in the night of 20 to 21 August 2005. During his hospitalisation, he was beaten by his guards in order to persuade him give up his views and promise his allegiance to the Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Khamenei. As he refused, he was sent back to prison on September 3, 2005, whereas he remained extremely weak both physically and psychologically, and was placed in solitary confinement in a special wing of the Evin Prison (See Observatory Annual Reports 2004 and 2005). On the occasion of the Persian new year, Mr. Akbar Ganji was granted an anticipated release on March 18, 2006, a few days before the end of his prison term (See press release of the Observatory, dated March 20, 2006).
Mr. Arnold Tsunga (Zimbabwe) is Chairman of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (Zimrights), Executive Director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), and a trustee of the radio station Voice of the People (VOP), which produces independent programmes on political issues. Mr. Tsunga has repeatedly denounced the legal system and the human rights situation in his country, and has, in turn, been constantly threatened and harassed. For instance, on January 21, 2006, two police officers and one soldier raided Mr. Tsunga’s home, in Mutare. Besides, on January 24, 2006, Mr. Tsunga, along with five other VOP trustees, were arrested. They were charged with "broadcasting without a license" (section 7.1 of the Broadcasting Services Act), liable with a two-year prison sentence before being released on bail on the same day. Furthermore, on January 26, 2006, an unknown man came to Zimrights’ office, asking to talk with Mr. Tsunga. As the latter was absent, this man, who seemed to be linked with the Army, explained that he had been visited twice by members of the Zimbabwe Military Intelligence Corps (ZIC), who told him that they had received orders from the government to hunt Mr. Tsunga down, and to kill him (See Observatory Urgent Appeal ZWE 001/0106/OBS 011, dated January 27, 2006).
OMCT and FIDH transmit their warm thoughts of congratulation to Mr. Akbar Ganji and Mr. Arnold Tsunga, as well as their support in their pursuit of their activities in favour of human rights. The Observatory calls on the Governments of Iran and Zimbabwe to ensure the safety of the laureates and allow them to work without intimidation and harassment.
The Chairman of the Jury of the MEA, Mr. Hans Thoolen, in announcing the laureates during the opening session of the Human Rights Defenders Policy Forum at the Carter Centre, described the two laureates as follows: "They are symbols of the human rights movement in their respective countries, where standing up for human rights and democracy is a dangerous activity". The Ceremony will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 12, 2006.
* The Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA), created in 1993, is a unique collaboration among eleven of the world’s leading non-governmental human rights organisations to give protection to human rights defenders worldwide. The Jury is composed of the following: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, FIDH, OMCT, the International Commission of Jurists, Diakonie Germany, International Service for Human Rights, International Alert, Front Line, and Huridocs.
The previous MEA laureates are: Aktham Naisse, Syria (2005); Lida Yusupova, Russia (2004); Alirio Uribe Muñoz, Colombia (2003); Jacqueline Moudeina, Chad (2002); Peace Brigades International (2001); Immaculée Birhaheka, DR Congo (2000); Natasa Kandic, Yugoslavia (1999); Eyad El Sarraj, Palestine (1998); Samuel Ruiz García; Mexico (1997); Clement Nwankwo, Nigeria (1996); Asma Jahangir, Pakistan (1995); Harry Wu, China (1994).
For more information on the MEA, please contact Mr. Luis Marreiros, Coordinator.
Tel: +41 22 809 49 25 (marreiros@martinennalsaward.org)
To contact the Observatory:
Tel and Fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
Tel and Fax FIDH: + 33 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80