Brief 1:
De 68-jarige voormalig ambtenaar Anchan Preelert zou van haar pensioen moeten genieten. In plaats daarvan loopt ze het risico de rest van haar leven in de gevangenis door te brengen. Haar misdrijf? Ze deelde het politieke commentaar van iemand anders op YouTube en Facebook. Ze kreeg hiervoor een absurd hoge gevangenisstraf, die afloopt wanneer ze 107 zou zijn. Amnesty roept de minister-president van Thailand op om Anchan Preelert onmiddellijk vrij te laten. Ze heeft niets misdaan.
Brief 2:
In januari deed de politie een inval in de huizen van elf journalisten die betrokken zijn bij onderzoek naar corruptie in Kirgizië. Onder hen zijn de prominente journalist Makhabat Tazhibek-kyzy en Aike Beishekeeva, een 23-jarige factchecker. Ze zouden met de publicatie van een online video oproepen tot ongehoorzaamheid, massarellen en geweld. De journalisten riskeren tot 10 jaar gevangenisstraf enkel en alleen vanwege hun kritiek op de overheid. Amnesty roept de president van Kirgizië op de ongegronde aanklacht tegen de elf journalisten onmiddellijk in te trekken.
Brief 3:
De Azerbeidzjaanse econoom en politiek activist Gubad Ibadoghlu werd in juli vorig jaar opgepakt voor handel in vals geld; een overduidelijk verzonnen aanklacht. Hij wordt enkel gestraft vanwege zijn kritische mening. Ibadoghlu is de voorzitter van een sociaaldemocratische politieke beweging en deed onderzoek naar corruptie. Hij verliet Azerbeidzjan in 2017, maar keerde begin 2023 weer terug. Amnesty roept de president van Azerbeidzjan op Gubad Ibadoghlu onmiddellijk vrij te laten.
Brief 1:
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin
The Secretariat of The Prime Minister
1 Phitsanulok Road, Dusit,
Bangkok 10300
Thailand
Arnhem, May 2024
Dear Prime Minister,
I wish to express my concern about the continued arbitrary detention of 68-years-old civil servant, Anchan Preelert. She was arrested in 2015 for posting another person’s political commentary online. Preelert is currently serving a harsh sentence of 43 years and six months imprisonment in the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok. This means, she will spent the rest of her life in prison, solely for using her right to freedom of expression.
I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Anchan Preelert and grant her reparations for her arbitrary detention as requested by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. In addition, I call on you to protect the right to freedom of expression, including by supporting moves to review legislation to ensure it conforms to Thailand's international human rights obligations
I am kindly awaiting your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Brief 2:
Sadyr Japarov, President of Kyrgyzstan
Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic
207 Abdumomunov Street
720003, Bishkek
Kyrgyz Republic
Arnhem, May 2024
Dear Mr President,
I am writing to express my concern about the arbitrary detention and criminal prosecution of Makhabat Tazhibek-kyzy, Aike Beishekeeva, and nine other journalists and media workers associated with “Ayt Ayt Dese” and Temirov LIVE projects. I believe that criminal charges have been brought against them solely to punish them for their criticism of the authorities.
I am also deeply concerned about allegations that Makhabat was tortured or otherwise ill-treated in pre-trial detention on 5 April 2024. The Office of the Ombudsman for Human Rights in Kyrgyzstan has confirmed these allegations.
I urge you to immediately release the eleven journalists, drop all charges against them and enable them to continue their professional activities freely and without fear. Pending their release, I call on you to ensure they are protected from torture and other ill-treatment in detention.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
Brief 3:
Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan
Office of the President
19 Istiqlaliyyat Street
Baku AZ1066
Azerbaijan
Arnhem, May 2024
Dear President,
I am writing to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Gubad Ibadoghlu, a prominent academic and political activist. He is being targeted for his anti-corruption work and criticism of the Azerbaijani authorities, and was detained on 23 July 2023 on fabricated charges. He remains in Kurdakhani detention centre, where his health is deteriorating due to poor conditions and lack of adequate healthcare for his diabetes and heart conditions. The International Committee of the Red Cross have not been granted access raising further concerns that the state of his health and his conditions are very poor and being concealed by the government.
Ibadoghlu has not committed any crime and the charges against him are trumped up. The conditions of his detention and the denial of adequate health care may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
I urge you to take steps to ensure Ibadoghlu’s release and immediately provide him with the health care he requires.
Yours sincerely,
