Bahrain: free political prisoners
Campaign Features
Journalist and prisoner of conscience released in Iran
Prisoner of conscience Roxana Saberi was released from prison on 11 May 2009.
Prisoner of conscience released in Sudan
Mohamed Al Mahjoub was released without charge on 17 April 2009. He appears to have been detained solely because of his work for the treatment and rehabilitation of victims of torture in Sudan.
One Million Signatures Campaign activists released in Iran
Khadijeh Moghaddam and Mahboubeh Karami have both been released on bail from Evin prison, Iran, along with 10 other people.
Chinese human rights lawyer released
Human rights lawyer Wei Liangyue and his wife Du Yongjing have been released and returned home after 30 days of detention.
Burundian prisoner of conscience released
Alexis Sinduhije was released on 11 March 2009, and the charges against him were dropped, on the orders of the Burundian High Court.
Detained for expressing solidarity with people of Gaza
Philip Rizk was released uncharged on 11 February 2009 after having spent four days in incommunicado detention in the custody of the Egyptian State Security Investigation services.
Death penalty commuted to life imprisonment
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland granted clemency to Jeffrey Hill on 12 February 2009. He had been due to be executed on 3 March.
Head of forensic organisation in Guatemala no longer in danger
Fredy Peccerelli is no longer in immediate danger of the death threat he received on 8 January 2009.
Conscientious objector allowed to stay in Canada
Dean Walcott has been allowed to stay in Canada until the country’s Federal Court decides whether or not to review his case. It is not yet known when this will be decided. He had been due to be deported to the USA on 30 January 2009. If deported to the USA, he risks being court-martialled and imprisoned for between one and five years and would therefore be a prisoner of conscience.
Family of murdered Brazilian investigative journalist now safe
The family of murdered investigative journalist Luiz Carlos Barbon have now entered a witness protection program and are safe.
Seriously ill Russian man released
Vasilii Aleksanian - who developed AIDS, lymphatic cancer, tuberculosis, a cataract and a tumour in his kidney - was released on bail on 31 December 2008. Under Russian law, a person diagnosed with such serious health problems should not be kept in pre-trial detention. However, Vasilii Aleksanian had been detained since 2006.
Indigenous leader in Bangladesh released
The Bangladesh High Court ordered the release of Rang Lai Mro, the head of a community of indigenous Mro people. He had been detained since 22 February 2008, charged with possessing a pistol without a license.
Member of Arab minority in Iran free on bail
Jamila Nabgan, who Iranian authorities detained for 14 hours a day because of her family links to a political party promoting the rights of the Arab minority in Iran, is now free on bail.
Sudanese human rights defenders released
Two Sudanese human rights defenders were released. Both Osman Hummaida and Abdel Monim Elgak were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment while in detention.
Iranian Azerbaijani activists releaed on bail
Four Iranian Azerbaijani activists were released on 8 November 2008 on US$250,000 bail each. They are still to face trial.
Iranian academic released
Dr Mehdi Zakerian, a scholar of international relations and international law, was released around 20 October 2008.
Thai student activists released
Five Muslim university students who were detained by a military unit in southern Thailand on 15 August 2008 have been released.
Malaysian activist acquitted after 12 years of legal battles
The Kuala Lumpur High Court acquitted a prominent migrant workers' rights activist on 24 November 2008. The decision ended one of the longest-running court cases in Malaysian legal history after more than 12 years of legal battles.
Iranian activist released from prison
A prominent activist for the rights of the Iranian Azerbaijani minority, Abbas Lisani was released from Yazd Prison in central Iran, on 29 October 2008 after serving two consecutive sentences totaling 30 months’ imprisonment.
Women’s rights defender freed in Iran
Journalist and women's rights defender, Mahboubeh Karami, was acquitted by an Iranian court on 11 November 2008. The court found that there was insufficient evidence against her in relation to the charges of 'acting against state security' and 'disturbing public order'.


Thanks for this - a great read and so important right now. Keep it coming :)
Join the debate
11 May 2012, 12:20PM