5 USA Group 48

3.16 1 DEMOCRATICNewsletter REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Urgent Action - Caroline Keyzor Two Year Prison Term For Six Lucha Activists

3 SAUDI ARABIA: Urgent Stock.Xchng Action - Poet Resentenced To Prison And Flogging

5 CHINA: Urgent Action - Tibetan Writer Imprisoned After Unfair Trial 7 : Urgent Action - Tortured Filmmaker And Musicians Face Jail DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Urgent Action - 9 URGENT ACTION - Two Year Prison Term For Six Lucha Activists Convicted Blogger Appeals Rebecca Kavugho, Serge Sivyavugha, case were delivered by the prosecutor Sentence Justin Kambale Mutsongo, Melka and the defense teams. They remain Kamundu, John Anipenda and Ghislain detained at Muzenze prison in Goma. 10 URGENT ACTION: Two Muhiwa (m,f) Their lawyers intend to appeal this deci- Lucha Activists And One sion within 10 days. Six members of the Lutte pour le Youth Denied Bail Changement (LUCHA) youth move- In the early morning of February 16th, ment have been sentenced to two years authorities forced their way into a AIUSA-Group 48 in prison on charges of “attempting to house where the six LUCHA activists http://aipdx.org incite disobedience”. The six were ar- had spent the night preparing messages 503-227-1878 rested on February 16th in Goma, hours for the general strike, called for by the Next Meeting: before a general strike held in protest opposition and civil society. The general Friday March 11th against delays in organizing the 2016 strike was in protest against attempts to First Unitarian Church general elections in Democratic Repub- delay preparations for the 2016 general 1011 SW 12th Ave lic of Congo. elections, which would extend Presi- 7:00pm informal gathering dent Kabila’s rule beyond the timeframe 7:30pm meeting starts Rebecca Kavugho, Serge Sivyavugha, outlined in the Constitution of the Justin Kambale Mutsongo, Melka Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kamundu, John Anipenda and Ghislain NewsLetter Designed Muhiwa were sentenced to two years Amnesty International believes the six By Michelle Whitlock in prison on February 24th immedi- activists have been convicted solely for MichelleWhitlock.com ately after closing arguments in their peacefully exercising their rights to» AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 2

freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and considers Suite 725 them to be prisoners of conscience. Washington, DC 20036 Tel: 202 234 7690 Action Please write immediately in French or your own language: Fax: 202 234 2609 ◌◌Calling on the DRC authorities to drop all charges against Email: [email protected] the six LUCHA activists in Goma and to immediately and Please let us know if you took action so that we can track our unconditionally release them; impact! EITHER send a short email to [email protected] with ◌◌Urging them to ensure that the six LUCHA activists are not “UA 37/16” in the subject line, and include in the body of the subjected to torture and other ill-treatment while in deten- email the number of letters and/or emails you sent, OR fill tion. out this "https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X59XS23"short online form to let us know how you took action. Appeals To PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE APRIL 11th 2016 TO: Thank you for taking action! Please check with the AIUSA Minister of Justice Urgent Action Office if taking action after the appeals date. Monsieur Alexis Tambwe Mwamba Ministry of Justice Additional Information 228 Avenue de Lemera The DRC’s Constitution limits a presidential mandate to two BP 3137 consecutive five years terms. Tensions have increased as the Kinshasa – Gombe incumbent President Kabila is prevented by the Constitution DRC to seek another term after he was declared the winner of two consecutive elections in 2006 and 2011. Email: [email protected] Salutation: Honourable Minister President Kabila has never declared his intention to stay in power beyond the Constitution’s limit of terms. However, Minister of Interior and Security there have been several attempts by the ruling majority to Professor Evariste Boshab change the Constitution to allow him to stay in office or ex- Ministry of Interior and Security tend his rule beyond the timeframe fixed by the Constitution. Avenue Roi Baudoin Kinshasa – Gombe LUCHA is a youth movement that was created in Goma, east- DRC ern DRC in 2012. It is a community based organization the Email: [email protected] holds sit-ins, demonstration and other actions to campaign for human rights and on social issues. LUCHA has been vocal Salutation: Honourable Minister in campaigning calling for the authorities to observe electoral Copies To deadlines in the Constitution, and for the president to respect Prime Minister term limits as enshrined in the Constitution.» His Excellency Augustin Matata Ponyo Office of the Prime Minister Postage Rates 5 Avenue Roi Baudoin Kinshasa – Gombe Within the United States DRC $0.35 - Postcards Email: [email protected] $0.49 - Letters and Cards up to 1 oz. Ambassador François Balumuene, To all international destinations $1.20 - Postcards Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo $1.20 - Airmail Letters and Cards up to 1 oz. 1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 3

The government has accused LUCHA fo being criminal least 19 people connected to LUCHA are currently in jail. movement, set up with the aim of disturbing public order. At SAUDI ARABIA: Urgent Action - Poet Resentenced To Prison And Flogging Ashraf Fayadh (m) General Court found the poet’s repentance in relation to the charge of apostasy to be satisfactory. The Court of Ap- peal, however, recommended that he should nevertheless be sentenced for apostasy and sent the case back to the General Court, which in turn sentenced him to death for apostasy on November 17th, 2015. Ashraf Fayadh was denied access to a lawyer throughout his detention and first instance trial, in clear violation of both international and national law. Griszka Niewiadomski Stock.Xchng Action Please write immediately in English, Arabic or your own Palestinian poet and artist Ashraf Fayadh has had his death language: sentence overturned by a court in Saudi Arabia. He has been ◌◌Calling on the authorities to release Ashraf Fayadh imme- re-sentenced to eight years in prison and 800 lashes. He is a diately and unconditionally, as he is a prisoner of conscience, prisoner of conscience. held solely for peacefully exercising his human right to free- dom of expression; Ashraf Fayadh’s death sentence was commuted by the General Court in Abha, southwest Saudi Arabia, on February 2nd. He ◌◌Urging them to ensure that Ashraf Fayadh’s conviction is has been re-sentenced to eight years in prison and 800 lashes. quashed; According to his lawyer, the Court has also ordered Ashraf ◌◌Urging them to immediately establish an official mora- Fayadh to publicly announce his repentance in official Saudi torium on all executions as a first step towards total aboli- Arabian media. The same court initially sentenced him to four tion, and abolish flogging and all other cruel, inhuman and years in prison and 800 lashes on the same charges, before degrading punishments. sentencing him to death upon the recommendation of an ap- peal court. His lawyer has stated that he will appeal the latest Appeals To sentence. PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE MARCH 15th 2016 TO: King and Prime Minister The 35-year-old Palestinian poet and artist, born and resid- His Majesty King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud ing in Saudi Arabia, was first arrested on August 6th, 2013 The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques following a complaint by a Saudi Arabian citizen alleging that Office of His Majesty the King the poet was promoting atheism and spreading blasphemous Royal Court, Riyadh ideas among young people. He was released the next day, but rearrested on January 1st, 2014 and charged with apostasy Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to his supposed questioning of religion and spreading Fax: (via Ministry of the Interior) atheist thought via his poetry. He was also charged with +966 11 403 3125 (please keep trying) violating Article 6 of the country’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law by Twitter: @KingSalman taking and storing photos of women on his phone. Salutation: Your Majesty Ashraf Fayadh was sentenced by the General Court in Abha Minister of Justice on April 30th, 2014 to four years in prison and 800 lashes for His Excellency Dr Walid bin Mohammed bin Saleh the charges relating to images of women on his phone. The Al-Samaani» AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 4

Ministry of Justice of their retrial before the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC, University Street, the counter-terrorism court). Only two members remain at PO Box 7775, Riyadh 11137 liberty, pending the outcome of their ongoing trials in front Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of the same Court. Dr Abdullah al-Hamid, Dr Mohammad Fax: +966 11 401 1741 / 402 031 al-Qahtani, Dr Suliaman al-Rashudi, Dr Abdulkareem al- Salutation: Your Excellency Khoder, Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid, and Fowzan al-Harbi, are currently serving prison sentences for up to 15 years, to Copies To be followed by a travel ban of equal duration, for their peace- President, Human Rights Commission ful activism. Abdulaziz al-Shubaili and Issa al-Hamid are still Bandar Mohammed ‘Abdullah al-Aiban free pending the outcome of their trials. Saleh al-Ashwan has Human Rights Commission been detained since April 2012 without any charge or trial. In PO Box 58889, Riyadh 11515 March 2013 the court also ordered the disbanding of ACPRA, King Fahd Road confiscation of its property and the closure of its social media Building No. 3, Riyadh accounts. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Other peaceful activists persecuted by the authorities include Fax: +966 11 418 5101 human rights defenders Waleed Abu al-Khair and Fadhel al-Manasif (see "https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ Ambassador Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir, mde23/1546/2015/en/" https://www.amnesty.org/en/docu- Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia ments/mde23/1546/2015/en/ and "https://www.amnesty.org/ 601 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20037 en/documents/MDE23/008/2014/en/" https://www.amnesty. Fax: 1 202 944 5983 org/en/documents/MDE23/008/2014/en/ respectively). Phone: 1 202 342 3800 Email: [email protected] Activist Abdulaziz al-Sunaidi was sentenced on October 13th to eight years in prison followed by an eight-year travel ban,» Please let us know if you took action so that we can track our impact! EITHER send a short email to [email protected] with Democratic Republic of Congo: Action “UA 24/16” in the subject line, and include in the body of the for Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala email the number of letters and/or emails you sent, OR fill out this "https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DS78PFN"short March 15, 2016 will mark a year since Fred Bauma online form to let us know how you took action. Thank you and Yves Makwambala, two human rights activ- for taking action! Please check with the AIUSA Urgent Ac- ists, were arrested in Kinshasa. The two are facing tion Office if taking action after the appeals date. charges of “treason, attempted coup and an attempt to take the life of a Head of State”. Fred Bauma and This is the first update of 265/15. Further information: https:// Yves Makwambala were featured in the Amnesty www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde23/2925/2015/en/ International latest Write for Rights campaign and Additional Information remain in detention. Since 2012, the Saudi Arabian authorities have been perse- cuting human rights defenders, civil society activists and Please help us promote this social media critics with complete impunity, using both the courts and Thunderclap action calling for their immediate administrative means such as the imposition of travel bans. release. https://www.thunderclap.it/ Members of the independent Saudi Civil and Political Rights projects/38276-drc-free-fred-and-yves Association (ACPRA) bore the brunt of this persecution. Thank you, Terrie Rodello Eight of the organization’s founding members are currently in AIUSA Central Africa Activist Network Coordinator prison either serving their sentence or awaiting the outcome AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 5

and a fine of 50,000 Saudi Arabian riyals (about US$13,300) cord” and “reducing people’s respect of the rule of law”. The by the SCC in the capital Riyadh, for among other things Court also ordered him to erase his social media accounts. It violating Article 6 of the Anti-Cyber Crime Law through his suspended two years of his four-year sentence because of his tweets and writings. Throughout his detention, interrogation health, but indicated it would reimpose them if he “offended” and trial Abdulaziz al-Sunaidi was denied access to a lawyer. again. It is believed that Dr Zuhair Kutbi was arrested on July 15th because of comments he made on June 25th on the Dr Zuhair Kutbi, a prominent writer, commentator and critic TV show Fi al-Samim (To the Point), on the Rotana Khalijia was found guilty of violating the Counter-Terror Law and satellite channel, in which he criticized political repression Article 6 of the Anti-Cyber Crime Law and sentenced on in Saudi Arabia and argued for reforms such as transforming December 21st, 2015 to four years in prison followed by a the country’s political system into a constitutional monarchy. five-year ban on overseas travel, a fine of 100,000 Saudi Ara- Amnesty International considers all of the above activists bian riyals (about US$26,600) and a 15-year ban on writing and critics to be prisoners of conscious, detained solely for and giving interviews to the media, after he was found guilty peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression and of violating the Counter-Terror Law and Article 6 of the Anti- assembly, and calls for their immediate and unconditional Cyber Crime Law by “inciting public opinion”, “sowing dis- release.

CHINA: Urgent Action - Tibetan Writer Imprisoned After Unfair Trial Druklo (pen-name Shokjang) (m) detention or during his trial, and his family were only in- Marcel Hol Stock.Xchng formed that his sentencing would take place two days before. Druklo will appeal against the verdict. Druklo is a prominent Tibetan writer and blogger known for his critical articles about the current situation in Tibetan areas. On March 16th, 2015, Druklo had written an article on his blog about the 56th anniversary of the failed Ti- betan uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, describing the increased police patrols on the streets of Tongren County (Rebkong). Druklo was previously detained in 2010 when he A young Tibetan writer and blogger, Druklo (pen-name was studying at China’s Northwest University for Nationalities Shokjang), was sentenced to three years imprisonment, in Lanzhou, Qinghai province, for writing about the Tibetan almost one year after he was first detained. It is believed protests of 2008. that this is as a result of an article he wrote describing the increased presence of Chinese security officers ahead of a Action Please write immediately in Chinese, English or your own politically-sensitive Tibetan anniversary. language: On March 19th, 2015, Druklo (pen-name Shokjang) was ◌◌Urging the authorities to release Druklo immediately and taken away by national security police officers in Tongren unconditionally; County (Rebkong) in the Huangnan (Malho) Tibetan Auton- ◌◌Pending his release, urging the authorities to ensure that he omous Prefecture, Qinghai province, in northwest China. On has regular, unrestricted access to his ffamily and lawyers, and February 17th, 2016, Druklo was sentenced to three years in is protected from torture or other-ill-treatment. prison by the Peoples’ Intermediate Court in Tongren County (Rebkong). The exact charges are unknown, but are related to Appeals To separatism. He did not have access to a lawyer throughout his PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE APRIL 8th 2016 TO: » AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 6

Director Thank you for taking action! Please check with the AIUSA Wang Hucheng Urgent Action Office if taking action after the appeals date. Huangnan Aut. Prefectural Public Security Bureau Additional Information Huangnan People’s Government Building Ethnic Tibetans in China face discrimination and restrictions No.10 Xiaqiong Zhonglu on their rights to freedom of religious belief, expression, as- Longwuzhen, Tongren County sociation and assembly. Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Qinghai Province 811300 Druklo was born in Xiahe (Labrang) in Gansu province, in People's Republic of China the Tibetan area of Amdo. He is popular among Tibetans for Salutation: Dear Director his critical writings, including his books written in Tibetan language: For freedom, I have no regret and The courage Director of Rangdrol, as well as articles posted online such as Con- Jiang Mingkuan flict and Resolution: A Response to Liu Junning, which is a General Office of the Huangnan People’s Government rumination of China’s ethnic policies, and Tonight, I am in Huangnan People’s Government Building the Grasslands of my Hometown, which is a critique of the No.10 Xiaqiong Zhonglu Chinese government’s resettlement of Tibetan nomads. Longwuzhen, Tongren County This is the second time Druklo has been targeted by the Chi- Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture nese authorities. OApril 6th, 2010, while he was still attending Qinghai Province 811300 the Northwest University for Nationalities in Lanzhou, Druk- People's Republic of China lo was detained with a fellow student Teurang, for co-editing Salutation: Dear Director the banned literary magazine the Shar Dungri (Eastern Snow Mountain) in which articles touching on the 2008 protests in Copies To Tibetan areas of China had been published. The authorities Director accused him at the time of having been in contact with the Wang Zhengsheng Tibetan Youth Congress, a Tibetan exile organization. He was Qinghai Provincial State Security eventually released on 8 May 2010. Department No 50 Bayi Zhonglu AIUSA Group 48 Contact Information Xining 810007 People’s Republic of China Group Coordinator Prisoners’ Cases Megan Harrington Jane Kristof Ambassador Cui Tiankai, megan.harrington [email protected] Embassy of the People's Republic of China @gmail.com 3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 Treasurer Jama Chorush Fax: 1 202 495 2138 Tena Hoke [email protected] Phone: 1 202 495 2266 [email protected] Concert Tabling Email: [email protected] Newsletter Editor Will Ware Dan Webb [email protected] Please let us know if you took action so that we can track our [email protected] Central Africa/ impact! EITHER send a short email to [email protected] with OR Area Coordinator OR State Death Penalty Abolition “UA 85/15” in the subject line, and include in the body of the Marty Fromer [email protected] Terrie Rodello email the number of letters and/or emails you sent, OR fill [email protected] out this "https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q36DTCC"short Indonesia Max White online form to let us know how you took action. [email protected] AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 7

IRAN: Urgent Action - Tortured Filmmaker And Musicians Face Jail Mehdi Rajabian, Hossein Rajabian, Yousef Emadi (m) 2013. At their appeal hearing, the judge told them that having a lawyer was “pointless” and that they would have to offer “full explanations” themselves. Their “confessions” were used as evidence against them to secure their convictions even though they told the judge that they were obtained through slawek geryy Stock.Xchng torture. They had no access to a lawyer at any stage of their arrest, detention, trial or appeal. Iranian filmmaker Hossein Rajabian and musicians Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi have each been sentenced to six Mehdi Rajabian is the founder of the Iranian website Barg years in prison, in connection with their artistic work. They Music, which was launched in 2009 and distributed unli- have appealed their sentences. If jailed, they will be prisoners censed alternative music. In Iran, only music that passes of conscience. official censors receives licenses, and musicians without licences are driven underground. Barg Music distributed Filmmaker Hossein Rajabian, his brother Mehdi Rajabian and Persian-language music by Iranian singers, including rappers Yousef Emadi, both musicians, have been sentenced to a total and rockers, from outside the country, some of whose lyrics of six years’ imprisonment and fined 200 million Rials (about and messages are political or cover taboo social subjects, thus US$6,625). They had been convicted, after a three-minute drawing official disapproval. They include famous Germany- trial, of the charges of “insulting Islamic sanctities”, “spread- based Iranian rapper Shahin Najafi whose 2012 song referenc- ing propaganda against the system”, and “illegal audio-visual ing a Shi’a religious figure caused such controversy that some activities” before Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Iranian clerics issued fatwas calling him an “apostate”, which Tehran on April 26th, 2015. The charges against them arose is considered punishable by death under Iranian law. The from their artistic work, including Hossein Rajabian’s feature Barg Music website had apparently attracted 300,000 visitors film dealing with women’s right to divorce in Iran and Mehdi a day and had exclusive contracts with popular Iranian artists Rajabian and Yousef Emadi’s distribution of unlicensed mu- who mentioned the website’s name in their videos. Mehdi sic. Their appeal was heard on December 22nd, 2015 before Rajabian had been recording the history of an Iranian musical Branch 54 of the Court of Appeal in Tehran. All three men instrument called setar when he was arrested. The arresting are at liberty while they await the verdict of their appeal. officers searched his studio, confiscating his recordings and Hossein Rajabian, Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi had other materials related to this project, and have not returned been arrested, tasered, and blindfolded by Revolutionary them. Hossein Rajabian was arrested after making his first Guards officials on October 5th, 2013 while they were work- feature film, called “Inverted Triangle”, about women’s right ing in their office in the northern city of Sari, Mazandaran to divorce in Iran. The arresting officials confiscated all the Province. For the next 18 days, they were held at an unknown materials related to the film and have yet to return them. The location where it is believed they were tortured or other- film has not been allowed to be broadcast. Mehdi Rajabian wise ill-treated, including by electric shocks. They were then and Yousef Emadi have been accused of broadcasting the transferred to solitary confinement in Section 2A of Tehran’s voices of female singers, as well as those of “anti-Islamic , which is under the control of the Revolutionary Revolution” singers. The Iranian authorities place restrictions Guards, where they were held for the next two months. Their on female singers, with a ban on women singing solo in front interrogators apparently pressured them into making tele- of men. Conservative clerics say that women’s voices have vised “confessions”, threatening them with life in jail if they the potential to trigger immoral sensual arousal. In Febru- failed to do so. All three were released on bail in December ary 2015, conservative cleric Grand Ayatollah Hassan Nouri » AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 8

Hamedani said “We will stop any film, book, or music that is authorities stepping up their attacks on artists, musicians and anti-Islamic and anti-revolutionary…No action can normal- filmmakers and continuing to censor or ban many forms of ize women’s singing, and we will stop it.” cultural and artistic expression. The Ministry of Islamic Cul- ture and Guidance has, in recent years, banned or prevented For most of the time they were detained, Hossein Rajabian, the work of numerous writers, publishers, filmmakers and Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi were held incommuni- musicians. Many others have been arrested and jailed because cado. In the last few weeks of their detention, and after they of their work. had been forced to “confess” in front of a video camera, they were allowed intermittent four-minute telephone calls with Action their families. Ten days after their three-minute long trial Please write immediately in English, Persian, Arabic or your on April 26th, 2015, Hossein Rajabian, Mehdi Rajabian and own language: Yousef Emadi were told that the verdict had been issued and ◌◌Calling on the Iranian authorities to quash the convictions they should go to the courthouse to read it. They were each of Mehdi Rajabian, Hossein Rajabian and Yousef Emadi as sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for “insulting Islamic they arise solely from the men’s peaceful exercise of their sanctities”, one year imprisonment for “spreading propaganda rights to freedom of expression and association through against the system”, and fined 200 million Rials for “illegal music and film; audio-visual activities”. They were not given the written ◌◌Reminding them that Articles 19 and 22 of the Interna- judgement, but were told by a court clerk they had 20 days tional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is to lodge an appeal, which they did without the assistance of a state party, protect the right to freedoms of expression and a lawyer. They represented themselves during their appeal association; hearing on December 22nd, as they were told by the presid- ◌◌Expressing concern that Revolutionary Court hearings ing judge that they were not entitled to have a lawyer present. continue to be seriously flawed and do not meet international At both trial and appeal, the men told the presiding judges fair trial standards. that their “confessions” had been extracted under torture and other ill-treatment and while they were held incommuni- Appeals To cado. The investigator at the Office of the Prosecution in Evin PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE APRIL 5th, 2016 TO: Prison told them that being tortured in the secret detention The Office of the Supreme Leader facility in the city of Sari was irrelevant in Tehran. The presid- Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei ing judge at their appeal hearing before the Court of Appeal Islamic Republic Street- End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street in Tehran warned them against talking about their torture Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran allegations and threatened to give them harsher sentences if Email: via website they did so. http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php? p=letter Twitter: @khamenei_ir (English) Mehdi Rajabian suffered a seizure following beatings while Salutation: Your Excellency he was detained in Sari and has suffered more seizures since. Following his release, he was diagnosed with epilepsy and has Head of the Judiciary been taking daily medication to treat the condition. Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani c/o Public Relations Office Number 4, Deadend of 1 Azizi In December 2013, more than 400 Iranians, including promi- Above Pasteur Intersection nent musicians, signed a petition addressed to Iran’s Minister Vali Asr Street of Culture and Islamic Guidance, calling on him to put an Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran end to the crackdown on the artistic community and release Email: [email protected] Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi. The petition was initi- Salutation: Your Excellency» ated amid a crackdown that has continued with the Iranian AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 9

Copies To public of Iran President 1250 23rd ST. N.W. #200, Washington, D.C. 20037 Hassan Rouhani The Presidency Please let us know if you took action so that we can track our Pasteur Street, Pasteur Square impact! EITHER send a short email to [email protected] with Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran “UA 41/16” in the subject line, and include in the body of the Twitter: @HassanRouhani (English), email the number of letters and/or emails you sent, OR fill @Rouhani_ir (Persian) out this "https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MQGMBVH" short online form to let us know how you took action. Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States. Instead, please send copies to: Thank you for taking action! Please check with the AIUSA Embassy of Pakistan - Interests Section of the Islamic Re- Urgent Action Office if taking action after the appeals date. URGENT ACTION - Convicted Blogger Appeals Sentence Darya Poliudova (f) such as “No war in Ukraine but a revolution in Russia”. Under one photo of her protesting against the Russian government, she posted a message blaming President Vladimir Putin for “acts of terror and catastrophes in Russia” that had occurred during his time in office. The judge considered that some of Shamseer Sureash Kumar Stock.Xchng her online posts and comments on Ukraine were evidence Blogger Darya Poliudova was sentenced on 21 December that she wanted “a violent overthrow of the constitutional 2015 to two years’ imprisonment in an open prison colony for order”. criticizing the Russian government. The appeal hearing will Action take place on 10 March. Please write immediately in Russian, English or your own Political activist and blogger Darya Poliudova was sentenced language: on December 21st 2015 by the Oktiabrskii District Court in ◌◌Insisting that the sentence against Darya Poliudova is Krasnodar, southern Russia, to two years’ imprisonment in quashed and urging the Russian authorities to stop the crimi- an open prison colony. She has already spent six months in nal proceedings against her; pre-trial detention which will be counted against the sentence. ◌◌Stressing that Darya Poliuodva is being prosecuted for The Court found that her posts on the Russian social media peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression; site VKontakte (VK) criticizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea ◌◌Urging them to respect and protect the right to freedom of and the official policy towards Ukraine constituted “calls to expression, peaceful assembly and association for all people in commit extremist activities” and “calls to take action threat- Russia, without discrimination against people with dissenting ening the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation”. The political and other views. judge did not order her immediate detention but she remains under travel restrictions. Appeals To PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE APRIL 8th, 2016 TO: Darya Poliudova insists that she only exercised her right to Prosecutor of Krasnodar Region freedom of expression and appealed the sentence. The appeal Leonid Gennadevich Korzhinek hearing will take place on 10 March at the Krasnodar Re- Prokuratura of Krasnodar Region gional Court. Ul Sovetskaia 39 The charges against Darya Poliudova relate to her social me- 350063, Krasnodar dia posts in which she peacefully expressed her views, includ- Fax: +7 (863) 287 70 01 ing photos of herself carrying political banners with slogans Salutation: Dear Prosecutor » AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 10

Prosecutor General of the Russian Please let us know if you took action so that we can track our Federation impact! EITHER send a short email to [email protected] with Yurii Yakovlevich Chaika “UA 160/15” in the subject line, and include in the body of Prosecutor General’s Office the email the number of letters and/or emails you sent, OR fill ul. B. Dmitrovka, d.15a out this "https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KQ9LKY9" short 125993 Moscow GSP- 3 online form to let us know how you took action. Thank you Russian Federation for taking action! Please check with the AIUSA Urgent Action Office if taking action after the appeals date. This is the sec- Fax: +7 495 987 5841 / +7 495 692 1725 ond update of UA 160/15. Further information: https://www. Salutation: Dear Prosecutor General amnesty.org/en/documents/EUR46/3053/2015/en/ Copies To Colonel General Igor Kolosov Additional Information Darya Poliudova is well known locally for her street actions Head of the Regional Federal Security Service of the Russian and online activism. She is a vocal critic of the Russian au- Federation for Krasnodar Region thorities, particularly for their policies towards Ukraine. She Ul. Mira 46 has been detained on numerous occasions for her peaceful 350063, Krasnodar street protests against the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s Fax: +7 (861) 268 43 59 involvement in the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. Email: [email protected] On August 29th, 2014, she was arrested under Articles 280(2) Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak and 280.1(2) of the Criminal Code (“public calls to commit extremist activities” and “calls to commit actions threaten- Embassy of the Russian Federation ing the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation”). Both 2650 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007 Articles carry a sentence of up to four years’ imprisonment. Phone: 1 202 298 5700 She was released from detention on February 26th, 2015 and Fax: 1 202 298 5735 placed under travel restrictions pending the court hearing on Email: [email protected] her appeal. URGENT ACTION: Two Lucha Activists And One Youth Denied Bail Bievenu Matumo, Marcel Heritier Kambale Kapitene, Victor Tesongo (m) Bienvenu Matumo and Marc Heritier, LUCHA youth activ- ists, were arrested on the early morning of 16 February at a hotel where they were hiding. Their arrest, which authorities Stock.Xchng C D.C denied at first, occurred just hours before a general strike held in protest against delays in preparations for the 2016 general On 25 February a court in Kinshasa denied a bail request by elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Victor three young men, two of whom are members of Lutte pour Tesongo, who was helping them prepare leaflets for the strike, le Changement (LUCHA). The tribunal also authorized an was arrested the night before. The three were held incommu- extension of their provisional detention at Makala Prison for nicado until they were presented at the Prosecutor’s office in 15 days. the Gombe neighbourhood of Kinshasa on 19 February. A bail request by Bienvenu Matumo, Marcel Heritier Kambale The three are detained at Makala Prison on a provisional Kapitene and Victor Tesongo was denied by the Peace Tribu- warrant on the charges of “spreading rumours”, “incitement to nal in Ngaliema, in Kinshasa on 25 February. The Tribunal disobedience” and “undermining national security”. also authorized an extension of their provisional detention for 15 days. Their lawyers will appeal this court decision. Amnesty International considers the three activists to be prisoners of conscience detained solely for peacefully exercis-» AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 11

ing their right to freedom of expression. They are at risk of 1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 725 ill-treatment while in detention. Washington, DC 20036 Tel: 202 234 7690 Action Please write immediately in French or your own language: Fax: 202 234 2609 ◌◌Urging Congolese authorities to drop all the charges against Email: [email protected] Bienvenu Matumo, Marcel Heritier Kambale Kapitene and Please let us know if you took action so that we can track Victor Tesongo and immediately and unconditionally release our impact! EITHER send a short email to [email protected] them; with “UA 36/16” in the subject line, and include in the body ◌◌Urging them to ensure that they are not subjected to ill- of the email the number of letters and/or emails you sent, OR treatment while in detention; fill out this "https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8VWMMSK" ◌◌Calling upon them to uphold the rights to freedom of ex- short online form to let us know how you took action. pression and peaceful assembly. Thank you for taking action! Please check with the AIUSA Appeals To Urgent Action Office if taking action after the appeals date. PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE APRIL 8th, 2016 TO: This is the second update of UA 36/16. Further information: Minister of Justice Monsieur Alexis Tambwe Mwamba https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr62/3493/2016/en/ Ministry of Justice Additional Information 228 Avenue de Lemera As the November 2016 general elections draw closer, calls for BP 3137 President Kabila to step down have intensified, as has the gov- Kinshasa - Gombe ernment’s crackdown on dissent. President Kabila took over DRC the presidency after the death of his father in 2001. He was Email: [email protected] declared winner of the 2006 and 2011 general elections. Salutation: Honourable Minister The DRC Constitution limits a president to two consecutive Minister of Interior and Security terms in office. Professor Evariste Boshab Ministry of Interior and Security President Kabila has not been clear about his intentions on Avenue Roi Baudoin whether he will seek another term in office or not or whether Kinshasa-Gombe he intends to stay in power beyond the timeframe stipulated DRC by the Constitution. His party which is the ruling majority Email: [email protected] has been accused by the opposition of obstructing the prepa- Salutation: Honourable Minister rations for the general elections in 2016.

Copies To LUCHA is a youth movement created in Goma, the provin- Prime Minister cial capital of North Kivu. LUCHA has been campaigning His Excellency Augustin Matata Ponyo peacefully in DRC since 2012. Its members and sympathizers Office of the Prime Minister organize sit-ins, demonstrations and other actions to claim 5 Avenue Roi Baudoin their rights and those of the people of DRC. They have con- Kinshasa-Gombe tinuously called for respect of the Constitution with regards DRC to the timelines for general elections and strict respect of the Email: [email protected] presidential term limits. Ambassador François Balumuene, Authorities have accused LUCHA of being a criminal move- Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo ment, set up with the aim of disturbing public order. At least 19 people are currently in jail in connection with LUCHA. AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016 Pg 12

Group 48 Membership Group 48's membership fee is due every January. If you join Group 48 after January in any given year, we appreciate you pay the full membership fee at the time you join us or you have the choice to pay in January of the following year. Please send a check or money order payable to Amnesty International Group 48 and the form below to our treasurer: Tena Hoke, 5026 SE 46th Ave, Portland OR 97206. None of your contact information will be shared with any other organization. If you wish to pay online, go to: http://aipdx.org/donate/ Name ______Please add my email address to the Group 48 email list. Address ______$15 Regular membership City/State/Zip ______$25 Family membership Phone ______Email ______$50 Generous donor $100 Amnesty Angel Note: Group 48 is not a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations to Group 48 are not tax-deductible. $5 Limited income

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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter March 2016