Pakistan: Protect human rights defenders and ensure justice for murdered activists

Farida Afridi working in her office. (Photo: Express Tribune)

Equality Now has issued an Alert calling on the Government of Pakistan to ensure that the murders of activists Farida Afridi and Zarteef Khan Afridi are immediately and fully investigated and prosecuted and to ensure the safety of human rights defenders, particularly women.

On 4 July 2012 Farida Afridi, Executive Director of women’s rights organization Sawera based in Northwest Pakistan, was shot to death outside her home after facing threats for her women’s rights work. Additionally, in December 2011, Zarteef Khan Afridi, a coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), was similarly murdered, reportedly by extremist elements from the same region. A suspect has been arrested in Farida’s murder but the perpetrators in Zarteef Khan Afridi’s case remain at large.

Threats to the lives of human rights defenders are common in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and the neighboring FATA region, and they are routinely criticized for their work to further the rights of women and accused of promoting a ‘western agenda.’ The provincial government has not taken any steps to protect human rights activists and rights groups working in KP and FATA are losing staff whose lives and safety are threatened. This is particularly concerning as the region is rampant with violations of women and girls’ rights and NGOs working there urgently need the encouragement, support and protection of the government.

Please join Equality Now in supporting the Charter of Demands drafted by the End Violence against Women and Girls (EVAW/G) Alliance KP & FATA and calling on Pakistani authorities to:

ensure that Farida Afridi’s and Zarteef Khan Afridi’s murders are immediately and fully investigated and all perpetrators prosecuted for their crimes to the full extent of the law
ensure the safety of human rights defenders, particularly women, and criminalize intimidation, harassment, threats, or attacks upon persons
criminalize public statements or decrees inciting actual violence against human rights defenders

Subject:

Your Letter:

I am deeply concerned about the recent attacks and threats upon human rights defenders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and FATA.

In particular, I am troubled by the 4 July 2012 murder of Farida Afridi, Executive Director of women’s rights organization Sawera based in FATA, who after facing threats for her women’s rights work, was shot to death outside her home. Additionally, in December 2011, Zarteef Khan Afridi, a coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), was similarly murdered, reportedly by extremist elements in FATA. A suspect has been arrested in Farida’s murder but the perpetrators in Zarteef Khan Afridi’s case remain at large.

According to NGOs in the area, threats to the lives of human rights defenders are common in KP province and FATA. Reportedly, during a sermon on 4 May 2012, a politically influential religious cleric, Maulvi Abdul Haleem, from Kohistan district in KP province warned women NGO workers against entering Kohistan and threatened to forcibly marry violators to locals. Such statements have led to fear amongst NGO workers, particularly women. I am troubled that the provincial government has not taken any steps to protect human rights activists in the region and rights groups working in KP and FATA are losing staff whose lives and safety are threatened.

The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders specifies the obligations of States to guarantee and protect the rights of human rights defenders. Pakistan also has a duty to protect all human rights established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (Article 2), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) (Article 2) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (Article 3). The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Rashida Manjoo have both taken note of violations against human rights defenders working on women’s rights in Pakistan and have highlighted the State’s responsibility to investigate and promptly ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. Additionally, in the June 2008 report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan, Pakistan was called upon to ‘combat impunity for attacks on human rights defenders by effectively investigating allegations and by prosecuting those responsible.’

I support the Charter of Demands drafted by the End Violence against Women and Girls (EVAW/G) Alliance KP & FATA and join them in urging you to: 
·ensure that the murders of Farida Afridi and Zarteef Khan Afridi are immediately and fully investigated and all perpetrators prosecuted for their crimes to the full extent of the law 
·ensure the safety of human rights defenders, particularly women and criminalize intimidation, harassment, threats, or attacks upon persons 
·criminalize public statements or decrees inciting actual violence against human rights defenders

Thank you for your attention.

Mr. Raja Pervez Ashraf

Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Mr. Amir Haider Hoti

Chief Minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Barrister Syed Masood Kausar

Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Mr. Mutahir Zeb

Political Agent, Khyber Agency

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Street

Street 2

City*

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country*

Organization

Add me to the following list(s):

WAN Yes, please send me actions by email

To learn more about the campaign & for a list of full contact information for the government officials above, see:
http://www.equalitynow.org/take_action/urgent_alert_pakistan_farida_afridi

Equality Now

Pakistan: Protect human rights defenders and ensure justice for murdered activists

Mr. Raja Pervez Ashraf

Mr. Amir Haider Hoti

Barrister Syed Masood Kausar

Mr. Mutahir Zeb

Equality Now:

Stay Connected: