On 18 July 2022, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) participated in the event to mark the 2nd anniversary of #StandAsMyWitness campaign, which was organised by CIVICUS, the World Alliance for Citizen Participation, of which GCHR is an active member. The event featured many speakers, many of whom are human rights defenders.
The list of speakers also included Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS, Brian Dooley, the Senior Advisor to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Khalid Ibrahim, Executive Director of the GCHR, and Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS. The event was moderated by Benjamin Tonga Campaigns Officer at CIVICUS.
On 18 July 2020, CIVICUS launched the #StandAsMyWitness campaign to commemorate Nelson Mandela Day – an international day observed annually in honour of Nelson Mandela.
The #StandAsMyWitness campaign advocates for the release of human rights defenders who are behind bars, harassed and persecuted for standing up for fundamental rights and freedoms. These human rights defenders face reprisals from governments and corporations for their activism and for seeking human rights accountability.
The event opened with a speech by Lysa John who encouraged the participants to provide recommendations on how best to support the detained human rights defenders.
Brian Dooley discussed the UN Special Rapporteur’s mandate and outlined her efforts to ensure the release of detained human rights defenders.
Khalid Ibrahim started by the following, “Thank you, a lot, to our colleagues at CIVICUS for giving me this important opportunity to talk at the 2d Anniversary of the #StandAsMyWitness Campaign which I will use to be the voice of the voiceless, talking on behalf of our colleagues who are behind bars across the MENA region in a contribution to our advocacy efforts online and beyond. As you know we have no local remedy and the only option that is available to us is international advocacy.”
He then went on to mention several chronic cases of women/human rights defenders who are still in prisons across the MENA region from the following countries: UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
Ibrahim stressed the need to find new ways to secure the release of detained defenders.
He also called for joint efforts to end the unconditional support given by the US and the UK to oppressive governments in the MENA region and other regions. He finished by stating, “I believe strongly that this is one of the main reasons that our colleagues are still in detention.”
Mandeep Tiwana concluded the event by paying tribute to the detained human rights defenders and thanking all the participants.
N.B: The main image is courtesy of CIVICUS.
