Learning from HRDs: Working as a journalist in the media and human rights hostile environment of Ethiopia
January 27, 2017 @ 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm at Alcuin Research Resource Centre
Speaker: Getachew Simie, CAHR visiting fellow Getachew Simie is a well-known journalist in Ethiopia. He will speak about the difficulty of working with independent media and promoting freedom of expression in his home country. Starting in 1997, Getachew Simie worked as a freelance journalist for newspapers published in the official language, and later on as a reporter for a weekly official language newspaper. Beginning from 1999, he has worked as a senior reporter, Editor and Editor-in-Chief in highly circulated privately owned national newspapers and magazines. Throughout his career in journalism Getachew Simie has faced threats, harassment, detention and imprisonment as a result of the stories published in the newspapers he has worked for. He has covered different issues ranging from investigative reporting on corruption and on the violation of children’s rights, to the rights of women and of people in detention. He was arrested and then released number of times due to the pressure from the then journalist association and a campaign by the media. In the aftermath of the contested 2006 election, a large number of journalists and political opposition leaders were arrested and imprisoned. Among them, Getachew Simie was imprisoned for three months. Getachew Simie has served in the Ethiopian Free Press Journalist Association (EFJA) as a public relations officer and has been awarded a certificate from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) for his contribution to the media landscape in Ethiopia. His journalism work has also been recognised by the International Press Institute (IPI) and he received an honorary membership in the year 1999. He has also been awarded a peace ambassador certificate from Universal Peace Federation based in Seoul, South Korea, as a recognition for the contribution he made for peace when working as a journalist. Getachew Simie is currently a visiting fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) under the auspices of the Protective Fellowship Scheme for HRDs at Risk. The Learning from HRDs lecture series showcases front line human rights work conducted by CAHR’s visiting human rights defenders.
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Learning from HRDs: The Human Rights Crisis in Burundi
February 10, 2017 @ 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm at Alcuin Research Resource Centre
Speaker: Marc Niyonkuru, CAHR visiting fellow Marc Niyonkuru is an independent journalist from Burundi who has reported on human rights violations since 2008. He has investigated and disclosed arms trafficking and human rights abuse during the electoral process. In April 2015, the Burundian government created a paramilitary movement called Imbonerakure. This movement is supporting policemen and soldiers who are involved in violence around the country. Before the war, journalists tried in vain to prevent the violence in Burundi. They explained that in the absence of space for political opposition and the reduced space for freedom of expression, the country was going towards war. Instead freedom of expression has been reduced and a paramilitary movement has been trained by the government. After about a year and half of violence in Burundi, how can we protect people from being killed by security institutions and promote freedom of expression in the country? Marc Niyonkuru is currently a visiting fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) under the auspices of the Protective Fellowship Scheme for HRDs at Risk. The Learning from HRDs lecture series showcases front line human rights work conducted by CAHR’s visiting human rights defenders.
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Learning from HRDs: Rehabilitation of Torture Victims in Chad
February 24, 2017 @ 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm at Alcuin Research Resource Centre
Speaker: Nodjigoto Charbonnel, CAHR visiting fellow, Centre de Réhabilitation des Victimes de la Torture (Chad) Chadian human rights defender Nodjigoto Charbonnel will discuss the current political crisis in his country and the work he does in the field of rehabilitation of torture victims. Charbonnel is the director of the Centre de Réhabilitation des Victimes de la Torture (AJPNV) in Chad. AJPNV works primarily towards the rehabilitation of torture victims, the abolition of torture, and the education of citizens of Chad on human rights. It provides medical, psychosocial and legal support to victims of torture, IDPs, and female victims of sexual violence. Nodjigoto Charbonnel is currently a visiting fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) under the auspices of the Protective Fellowship Scheme for HRDs at Risk. The Learning from HRDs lecture series showcases front line human rights work conducted by CAHR’s visiting human rights defenders.
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Learning from HRDs: Defending the right to protest and to dignity in detention in Egypt
March 10, 2017 @ 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm at Alcuin Research Resource Centre
Speaker: Doaa Mostafa Hassan, CAHR visiting fellow, Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms Doaa Mostafa is a lawyer and Criminal Justice Programme Director at the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF), an NGO that was established in 2013 and has quickly become one of the leading human rights organisations in the country. ECRF have led the campaign to Stop Enforced Disappearances in Egypt, a human rights violation that has increased dramatically over the past few years. Doaa will discuss her work defending the rights of protesters, who are often arbitrarily detained by security forces, and many put through unfair trials. She works in a hostile environment where critical, independent NGOs are viewed by the government as enemies of the state, and in a country where gender biases are high. She is currently the only female lawyer working on enforced disappearances in Egypt. She is also involved in trial monitoring and has won cases defending freedom of assembly. Doaa Mostafa Hassan is currently a visiting fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) under the auspices of the Protective Fellowship Scheme for HRDs at Risk. The Learning from HRDs lecture series showcases front line human rights work conducted by CAHR’s visiting human rights defenders.
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