Dear friends and colleagues,This month, I had the pleasure of attending the European Union's 2017 Human Rights Defenders Award ceremony where Pamela Angwech,

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Dear friends and colleagues,This month, I had the pleasure of attending the European Union's 2017 Human Rights Defenders Award ceremony where Pamela Angwech,

a courageous human rights defender (HRD) from Northern Uganda, was recognised for her tireless work with victims of the Lord's Resistance Army. All five HRDs who were nominated for this prestigious prize have done exceptional work, standing up a

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a courageous human rights defender (HRD) from Northern Uganda, was recognised for her tireless work with victims of the Lord's Resistance Army. All five HRDs who were nominated for this prestigious prize have done exceptional work, standing up and speaking out for the most vulnerable groups in society, including women and minority groups.

In May, DefendDefenders travelled to Niger to attend the 60th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Commission), where Ihighlightedthe challenges HRDs across the East and Horn of Africa continue to face. The African Commission offers a unique opportunity for HRDs to interact with both government representatives and their NGO counterparts from across the continent. During this session, DefendDefenders advocated for strong action toward establishing accountability mechanisms for Eritrea and South Sudan, as a clear signal that a culture of impunity is one of the major impediments to stability and long-term peace on the continent. We believe the African Commission has a critical role to play in ensuring justice for victims of human rights violations on the continent, and urged them to work closely with the African Union to ensure that perpetrators of grave and serious crimes in Eritrea and South Sudan are brought to account.

Despite their invaluable contributions to the promotion of human rights worldwide, there has been a renewed effort by governments in the East and Horn of Africa to undermine, hinder, and delegitimise the work of HRDs. Our bi-annualsubmissionto the African Commission paints a worrying picture of growing threats against HRDs at an institutional and individual level across the sub-region. Authorities have levelled spurious criminal proceedings against HRDs in response to their legitimate human rights work, with two Sudanese HRDs currentlyfacingcapital charges.

The threat against the very recognition of the work of HRDs is not only felt domestically, but also at an international level. During the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Russia madeattemptsto weaken the definition of HRDs by removing key language from the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

In light of these threats, I was encouraged to see that the African Commissionadopteda Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Africa, therefore reaffirming the importance of promoting and protecting their work. As members of the Study Group on Freedom of Association in Africa, established by Resolution ACHPR/Res.186 (XLIX) in May 2011, we also welcome the adoption of landmark Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa in May 2017.

Yours in solidarity,

Hassan Shire
Executive Director

Updates from the sub-region

Burundi

Several prominent civil society leaders wereexcludedfrom the latest briefing of the inter-Burundian dialogue in Uganda, after facilitator William Benjamin Mkapa declined to invite HRDs that are wanted by the government, despite the lack of international recognition for the arrest warrants in question.

Ethiopia

On 24 May, the Federal High CourtconvictedGetachew Shiferaw, editor of the news websiteNegere Ethiopia, on charges of inciting subversion over an alleged exchange of private Facebook messages. Mr. Shifarew will appeal the decision, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Eritrea

Journalist Dawid Isaak, arrested during a media crackdown in September 2001 and heldincommunicadodespite repeatedcallsfor his release, wasawardedthe 2017 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

Sudan

On 5 May, the recently appointed Attorney General of Sudanretractedan earlier order to release HRDs Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris. Three days later, Dr. Mudawi waschargedwith undermining the constitutional system and waging war against the State, which are capital offences in Sudan. Both HRDs were arrested in late 2016 amid a general crackdown on civil societyfollowinga national civil disobedience campaign and reportedlysubjected to torture and ill treatment in detention.

Uganda

On 28 May, unknown assailantsbrokeinto the offices of Mifumi and the Kadama Widows Association, two Kampala based NGOs, killing the guard on duty. In the last 4 years, close to 30 NGOs had their officesburgledand, despite commitments by the government to investigate the matter, none of the culprits have been held to account;
The Media Councilbannedthe movie "The Dinner Club”, which was due to be shown by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the European film festival,claimingit glorified homosexuality and other acts conflicting with Ugandan values.

DefendDefenders

Provided support to 15 HRDs and referred 1 other case to partners;
Conducted 2 capacity building workshops for HRDs;
Attended the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights with a delegation of HRDs from Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda;
LaunchedStand Up,a new security manual for HRDs;
Together with PAHRDN,launchedthe State of African HRDs in Niamey, Niger;
Travelled to the Stockholm Internet Forum to discuss how a free, open and secure internet promotes human rights and development worldwide;
Joined its fellow research partners of theCIVICUS Monitor, an online platform that tracks civic space worldwide, in South Africa to evaluate the first year of the project;
Attended a dinner with a delegation from the Austrian parliament to discuss the human rights situation in Uganda.

From our network

Applicationsfor the 15th International Human Rights Colloquium in Brazil are open until 15 June. HRDs from Africa working on innovations in strategies are invited to apply;
Amnesty International is looking for a new Regional Director for East Africa. Applications will beaccepteduntil 9 June;
Amnesty International is also recruiting a Country Campaigner for South Sudan and Sudan to join their Nairobi office. Applications will beaccepteduntil 26 June;
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rightslauncheda new mobile application aiming to provide easier access to human rights information;
The Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rightslauncheda new handbook for parliamentarians, looking at how they can contribute to greater human rights protection;Human Rights Watch and ARTICLE 19launched"Not Worth The Risk", a new report looking at violations committed against journalists ahead of the August 2017 elections;
Conectas Human Rightsand theFund for Global Human Rightsinvites contributions in the form of articles, case studies, and institutional reflections – with preference given to activist voices from the Global South – for the 26thedition of theSur International Journal on Human Rights, to be published in December 2017. The special edition will focus on the responses to the crackdown on civil society currently seen around the world.Find out morehere.