Rights on the Line

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www.frontlinedefenders.orgSeason 2, Episode 1FLD Intro: 00:00 - 02:51Interview with Yara Hawari, Palestine: 02:51 - 12:48Interview with William Amanzuru, Uganda: 12:48 - 26:36Interview with Sara García Gross, El Salvador: 26:36 - 33:03As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the globe, and communities seek to protect themselves however they can, governments are being challenged to respond. While the vast majority of governments have not done well in initial responses, some have been transparent, direct and engaged with their citizens – and the global community. Others, particularly those with authoritarian features or tendencies, are engaged in responding to the crisis that puts political and economic interests out front, crafting policy and decree accordingly. The declaration of emergency rule in too many countries only solidifies what was already there in practice, and leaves many people scared not only of the virus itself, but what may come next when life returns to what we now call normal.Human rights defenders are responding to these challenges, as they always do – by working hard, reaching out to their communities, identifying those who are struggling or are in need or who have been left out, and trying to help. They are calling out government abuse and excess and finding new ways to communicate with each other and the outside world to challenge power.Today, Front Line Defenders relaunches its ‘Rights on the Line’ podcast, to offer another platform for the voices, perspectives and experiences of human rights defenders at risk and leading struggles for the health, wellbeing and rights of their communities.In this episode, Front Line Defenders speaks to feminist activist Yara Hawari from Palestine about the consequences of the pandemic for a population under military occupation. Then we discuss government response in the context of the environment in Uganda with the founder of Friends of Zoka, William Amenzuru. Finally, we hear from Sara Garcia Gross from El Salvador, a leading women’s rights defender about the government’s response in the context of its dark past, the rampant violence against women in the country and the current dispute between the President and the opposition.Music notes:1. "Freedom" by Yung Kartz (http://yungkartzbeats.com/) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.2. "Bazar (ID 822)" by Lobo Loco (www.musikbrause.de)is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.3. Q-Burns Abstract Message feat. Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry - "Wake Up - It's Africa Calling" by IntraHealth International is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.4. "Cumbia Bichera (Tremor Mix)" by El Remolón (http://www.elremolon.com/) is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

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#UDHR70 Listen to this episode of #RightsOnTheLinePodcast to hear HRDs reflect firsthand on the importance of - and limitations of - UN Declarations on the 70th anniversary of the UN Declaration on #HumanRights and 20th anniversary of the Declaration on #HumanRightsDefenders.

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Rights on the Line brings you a brief bulletin from Paris today where a hundred and fifty human rights defenders from across the globe have gathered for the Human Rights Defenders World Summit.

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Brazilian human rights defender Pâmella Passos. Pamella spent six weeks in Dublin as part of Front Line Defenders’ Rest and Respite program earlier this summer, just months after the death of her friend and well-known human rights defender and councilwoman Marielle Franco, who was murdered in Rio de Janeiro in on the 14th of March.

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On this episode we talk about elections and how they can impact human rights defenders. By looking at some of the federal elections that have taken place this year, we’ll be able to see the different and nuanced ways political changes at the national level can impact the situation for those fighting for human rights in that country. Over the next half hour we’ll be moving region to region across the globe to discuss recent elections in Mexico, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Cambodia.

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Front Line Defenders boardmember Arnold Tsunga speaks from Mozambique today, to give update on the situation in Zimbabwe following Monday's presidential election. Six people have been killed by police who fired at protestors with live rounds, tear gas and water cannons. In addition to the violent response to demonstrations, there are reports of the military preemptively targeting Human Rights Defenders to prevent dissent.

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Today, Rights on the Line brings you a brief bulletin on the current election in Zimbabwe. Front Line Defenders Boardmember, Africa Director of the International Commission of Jurists and Executive Director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Arnold Tsunga, has returned to Zimbabwe to participate in today’s federal election. Arnold, who is part of a team conducting election monitoring, spoke with Rights on the Line from a polling station in Mutare earlier today to update us on how election day is going.

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On 20 June, at an event alongside the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Front Line Defenders released a report on the killings of HRDs wordlwide. Focusing on the six countries with the highest number of killings, and by that we mean targeted attacks, assassinations, extrajudicial killing by the state or authorities. To bring you additional insight into this issue, Rights on the Line spoke to human rights defenders from Mexico, the Philippines and Brazil, three of the six countries profiled in the report.

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While in town to meet with legislators on the potential Occupied Territories Bill, Palestinian human rights defender Shawan Jabarin sat down with Rights on the Line to discuss his work defending human rights in Palestine as well as responsibility of the international community to intervene and advocate on behalf of those subject to actions that violate international human rights law.

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#LGBTRights On the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, Rights on the Line brings you three interviews with three LGBTI rights defenders. Listen to hear them speak about the work they do, the consequences they face for their advocacy and the unique challenges LGBTI defenders face within the human rights movement. Tune in to hear from:Anouar Rahmani, independent novelist and LGBT rights defender in AlgeriaBlessol Gathoni, LGBT activist and community organizer working in KenyaYildiz Tar, the Media and Communications Officer for Turkish LGBT organization Kaos GL

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