IDHAE World  bservatory for Defence Rights and attacks against lawyers

Firmin Yangambi, 41, received a death sentence for trying to "organise a rebel movement" against the regime of DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila, the head of the military court in Kinshasa said giving the verdict.

The military Court has just pronounced the capital punishment against Me Firmin Yangambi, the prison with life for colonel Elia. Eric Kikunda and Ben Olangi bail out 20 years of principal penal constraint. It declared the infringement of established insurrection attempt. The death penalty is no longer applied in the country and is usually commuted to a life sentence.

Yangambi's rights group, “Peace on Earth” is accused of possessing weapons and attempting to build a rebel movement in Kisangani, northeastern DR Congo, lawyers said.

"It is a political affair. But it is God who will have the last word", the accused said.

Yangambi's lawyer said they would launch an appeal.

In 2006 Yangambi had expressed his intention to run in the presidential election, but did not pay the necessary $50 000 required to become a candidate.

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Urging the authorities to :

To investigate the seizure of a human rights lawyer’s passport by General Security, a group of 16 Lebanese and international human rights organizations said today.

·         Put an end to any acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against  Haytham El-Maleh and more generally against all human rights defenders in Syria;

·         Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, and Article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

·         Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by the Syrian Arab Republic.

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President

His Excellency Bashar al-Assad,

Presidential Palace,

al Rashid Street,

Damascus,

Syria Arab Republic,

Fax: +963 11 332 3410

Minister of Defence

His Excellency General,

Hassan Ali Turkmani,

Ministry of Defence,

O mayyad Square,

Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic,

Fax: +963 11 223 7842

Minister of Justice

His Excellency Mr. Ahmad Hamod Younes,

Mazeh “Otstrad”,

Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic,

Fax: +963 11 666 2460

Minister of Foreign Affairs,

His Excellency Wallid Mu’allim,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

al-Rashid Street, Damascus,

Syrian Arab Republic,

Fax: +963 11 332 7620

Minister of Interior

His Excellency Major Sa'id Mohamed Samour

Ministry of Interior

‘Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar Street

Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic

Fax: +963 11 222 3428

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