Latest news with #MaryLawlor
Irish Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Palestinian activist Omar Barghouti prevented from travelling to speak at Dublin festival
UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor has called on 'all EU states' including Ireland to challenge Israel 's refusal to provide travel documents to Palestinian activist due to speak in Dublin this month. Omar Barghouti, co-founder of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, is due to speak at the Robert Tressell festival in Liberty Hall on May 24th. The festival, named after the Irish author of The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists, is also due to hear from US Senator Bernie Saunders and British trade unionist Mick Lynch. Mr Barghouti remains in Israel however unable to leave as authorities have failed to renew his travel documents, in apparent contravention of a 2017 order by Haifa District Court that his documents must be renewed annually. READ MORE Though a permanent resident of Israel Mr Barghouti is based in Amsterdam where is completing a Phd. He is legally required to renew his documents each year and to return to Israel to do so. [ Israeli strikes on Syria hit area near presidential palace in Damascus Opens in new window ] He travelled from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv on March 25th to renew documents which expired in April 9th, and visit family in Acre, planning to return to Europe on April 12th. Despite repeated visits to the relevant authority, however, his documents have not been renewed. Mr Barghouti, co-recipient of the 2017 Ghandi peace award, told The Irish Times on Thursday: 'Apartheid Israel is punishing me yet again with this de facto travel ban to intimidate me into silence about its genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza – the world's first live-streamed genocide. 'As a Palestinian human rights defender for over four decades, I worry about my safety, of course, but I do not get bullied or deterred easily. They cannot stop me from advocating for ending the genocide and dismantling apartheid.' Asked about missing the Robert Tressell festival, he said it was 'very important' to him that he should attend. 'I am being denied a right to participate. It is my right. It is not a charitable act they give me.' Asked if the Irish Government could intervene, he said: 'I expect a lot from the Irish Government but not on my case. I would not want them to worry about me, if they could just end their complicity with Israel – all the planes flying though Shannon and so on.' Ms Lawlor said on Mr Barghouti: 'Of course he should be allowed to travel. The question is why are Israel preventing him from doing so? 'He is a human rights defender. The human rights violations that Israel is committing on this massive scale against the Palestinians are only possible with international complicity. 'Omar has been one of the lead voices speaking against that for years. All states who say they support human rights defenders, and all EU States say they do, should be calling for his freedom of movement to be respected.' Ethel Buckley, deputy general secretary of Siptu said the union was 'very concerned about the refusal of the Israeli authorities to provide the visa documents required to allow Omar Barghouti to travel to Ireland to attend an event in Liberty Hall this month. 'Omar is a prominent human rights and peace activist and has been a regular participant at SIPTU conferences over recent years. He is widely respected for his work as co-founder of the BDS campaign. 'He has been a key spokesperson globally on behalf of the people of Palestine and particularly in opposition to the ongoing and genocidal war on Gaza.' The Department of Foreign Affairs has been contacted for comment. The Israel embassy in Dublin has been contacted for comment.
Arab News
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan charges Baloch activist with ‘terrorism'
QUETTA: Pakistan on Sunday charged a Baloch rights activist with terrorism, sedition and murder after she led a demonstration which ended in the death of three protesters, according to police documents. Mahrang Baloch, one of Pakistan's most prominent human rights advocates, has long campaigned for the Baloch ethnic group, which claims it has been targeted by Islamabad with harassment and extrajudicial killings. Pakistan's military and the central government in Islamabad strongly refute her allegations. Pakistan has been battling a separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades, where militants target state forces and foreign nationals in the mineral-rich southwestern province bordering Afghanistan and Iran. On Friday, she and other activists took part in a sit-in protest outside the University of Balochistan in the provincial capital of Quetta. They demanded the release of members of their support group, whom they allege had been detained by security agencies. Police launched a pre-dawn raid on Saturday, arresting Baloch and other activists, during which at least three protesters died. Both sides blamed each other for the deaths. Mary Lawlor, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders, said she was 'very concerned' at Baloch's arrest. Baloch and other protesters have been charged with terrorism, sedition and murder, according to the police charge sheet seen by AFP. Hamza Shafqaat, a senior administrative official in Quetta, said that Baloch and other activists were held under public order laws. Her lawyer, Imran Baloch, confirmed she was detained in a jail in Quetta. Baloch was barred from traveling to the United States last year to attend a TIME magazine awards gala of 'rising leaders.' Protests among the Baloch are often led by women. Baloch, now in her 30s, began her activist career aged 16 when her father went missing in what his supporters said was an alleged 'enforced disappearance.' His body was found two years later. Earlier in March, the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) — which accuses outsiders of plundering the province's natural resources — launched a dramatic train siege that officials said ended in around 60 deaths, half of whom were separatists behind the assault.
Khaleej Times
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Pakistan charges Baloch rights activist with terrorism
Pakistan on Sunday charged a Baloch rights activist with terrorism, sedition and murder after she led a demonstration which ended in the death of three protesters, according to police documents. Mahrang Baloch, one of Pakistan's most prominent human rights advocates, has long campaigned for the Baloch ethnic group, which claims it has been targeted by Islamabad with harassment and extrajudicial killings. Pakistan has been battling a separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades, where militants target state forces and foreign nationals in the mineral-rich southwestern province bordering Afghanistan and Iran. On Friday, she and other activists took part in a sit-in protest outside the University of Balochistan in the provincial capital of Quetta. They demanded the release of members of their support group, whom they allege had been detained by security agencies. Police launched a pre-dawn raid on Saturday, arresting Baloch and other activists, during which at least three protestors died. Both sides blamed each other for the deaths. Mary Lawlor, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders, said she was "very concerned" at Baloch's arrest. Baloch and other protesters have been charged with terrorism, sedition and murder, according to the police charge sheet seen by AFP. Hamza Shafqaat, a senior administrative official in Quetta, said that Baloch and other activists were held under public order laws. Her lawyer, Imran Baloch, confirmed she was detained in a jail in Quetta. Baloch was barred from travelling to the United States last year to attend a TIME magazine awards gala of "rising leaders". Protests among the Baloch are often led by women. Baloch, now in her 30s, began her activist career aged 16 when her father went missing in what his supporters said was an alleged "enforced disappearance". His body was found two years later. Earlier in March, the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) — which accuses outsiders of plundering the province's natural resources — launched a dramatic train siege that officials said ended in around 60 deaths, half of whom were separatists behind the assault.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pakistan charges Baloch activist with 'terrorism'
Pakistan on Sunday charged a Baloch rights activist with terrorism, sedition and murder after she led a demonstration which ended in the death of three protesters, according to police documents. Mahrang Baloch, one of Pakistan's most prominent human rights advocates, has long campaigned for the Baloch ethnic group, which claims it has been targeted by Islamabad with harassment and extrajudicial killings. Pakistan has been battling a separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades, where militants target state forces and foreign nationals in the mineral-rich southwestern province bordering Afghanistan and Iran. On Friday, she and other activists took part in a sit-in protest outside the University of Balochistan in the provincial capital of Quetta. They demanded the release of members of their support group, whom they allege had been detained by security agencies. Police launched a pre-dawn raid on Saturday, arresting Baloch and other activists, during which at least three protestors died. Both sides blamed each other for the deaths. Mary Lawlor, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders, said she was "very concerned" at Baloch's arrest. Baloch and other protesters have been charged with terrorism, sedition and murder, according to the police charge sheet seen by AFP. Hamza Shafqaat, a senior administrative official in Quetta, said that Baloch and other activists were held under public order laws. Her lawyer, Imran Baloch, confirmed she was detained in a jail in Quetta. Baloch was barred from travelling to the United States last year to attend a TIME magazine awards gala of "rising leaders". Protests among the Baloch are often led by women. Baloch, now in her 30s, began her activist career aged 16 when her father went missing in what his supporters said was an alleged "enforced disappearance". His body was found two years later. Earlier in March, the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) -- which accuses outsiders of plundering the province's natural resources -- launched a dramatic train siege that officials said ended in around 60 deaths, half of whom were separatists behind the assault. mak-zz/pjm
