Hungary: Release Ahmed H and stop abusing terrorism laws

Ahmed has been labelled a terrorist and jailed for 10 years after using a megaphone to call for calm during clashes at the Hungarian border.

In August 2015, Ahmed left his family home in Cyprus to go and help his elderly parents and six other family members flee Syria and find safety in Europe. One month later, they found themselves among hundreds of refugees stranded at the Hungarian border after police fenced off the crossing with Serbia.

Clashes broke out as some refugees attempted to get through. Hungary’s police responded with tear gas and water cannon, injuring dozens. Some people threw stones, including Ahmed. But news footage also clearly shows Ahmed using a megaphone to call on both sides to remain calm.
For this, a Hungarian court found him guilty of an “act of terror”, under Hungary’s extremely vague counter-terrorism laws, and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Does this sound like terrorism to you?

Ahmed remains in prison, separated from his wife and young daughters, waiting for an appeal hearing in the hope of being able to return to them in Cyprus.

Tell the Hungarian authorities to:

• Release Ahmed H and stop abusing terrorism laws.
• Stop making statements linking migration and terrorism, which could prejudice the prosecution of Ahmed.
• Coordinate efforts to ensure Ahmed’s swift return to Cyprus as soon as his appeal hearing is finished.

Take Action

Defend the brave: release Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam

Dr Mudawi bravely spoke up for families fleeing violence in Sudan, as well as on many other human rights issues. Because of this, he is now in prison and is facing the death penalty.

 

Dr Mudawi was arrested for his human rights work and held without charge for almost five months. He has now been charged with six offences, two of which are punishable by life imprisonment, or worse, death.

He is a Professor of Engineering at the University of Khartoum. He also founded and is the former director of the Sudan Social Development Organization. Dr Mudawi won the 2005 Human Rights First award and the 2005 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk, for fighting for the rights of others in Sudan.

Witnesses have stated that Dr Mudawi was tortured in prison including being chained to a pole with his hands cuffed and his legs shackled, as government agents brutally beat him. Dr Mudawi went on hunger strike protesting his imprisonment, and even though he suffers from chronic respiratory and heart complications, he has only been allowed access to a doctor three times since his detention in December. He was only allowed to speak to his lawyer for the first time 77 days after he was imprisoned. 

Help defend the brave and sign the petition to release Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam.

We will hand in the signatures to the Sudanese government, demanding they release Dr Mudawi immediately and unconditionally, asking that they ensure he is not tortured or mistreated pending his release and that allegations of torture and ill-treatment in detention are investigated. 

Click here to act now

Free Fomusoh Ivo Feh

Cameroon: Free Fomusoh Ivo Feh

 

Fomusoh Ivo Feh has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for forwarding a joke SMS to friends

 

Fomusoh Ivo Feh had a bright future ahead of him. He was just about to start university in Cameroon, where he lives. But an SMS message changed everything.
One day, Ivo received a text message from a friend, saying: “Boko Haram recruits young people from 14 years old and above. Conditions for recruitment: 4 subjects at GCE, including religion”.
His friend’s message was a comment on how difficult it is to find a good job without being highly qualified – joking that even Boko Haram (an armed group) won’t take you unless you did well in your exams.

Ivo forwarded the message to a friend, who sent it to a friend in secondary school. A teacher saw the text, having confiscated the phone, and showed it to the police. Ivo, his friend and the young student were all arrested sometime between September and December 2014.
On 2 November, a military court sentenced Ivo and his two friends to 10 years in prison for “crimes” related to terrorism. They shouldn’t have to pay with their futures for sharing a private joke.

Sign the petition to the President of the Republic of Cameroon:

 

I urge you to free Fomusoh Ivo Feh and his friends, Afuh Nivelle Nfor and Azah Levis Gob, without delay.They have been sentenced to 10 years in prison – all because they shared a joke SMS message with each other.

Please don’t make them pay with their futures for this.

Please Act Now