On November 23, 2008, human rights activist Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was released on bail after being arrested for unknown reasons in Tehran. DI extends its sincere thanks to DI member organisations, DI Defenders, subscribers, supporters and friends for sending letters or otherwise supporting the campaign.
DI Concerned Over Refugees On Iraq-Jordan Border
Defend International voices growing concern over the desperate state of a group of 194 Iranian Kurds, including a large number of children, who are living in a camp in No Man’s Land on the Iraqi-Jordanian border for the past three and a half years without access to adequate food, nutrition medical or proper hygiene.
Norway: Convention on Cluster Munitions Signing Conference
Over 100 states have decided to probibit the use, development, production, stockpiling and transfer of inaccurate and unrelibale cluster munitions. The signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions took place in Oslo from 2-4 December 2008. Cluster Munition Coalition, Defend International and civil society organisations around the world called on high-level representatives to personally sign the treaty in Oslo.
NY: NGO Presentation to the UN First Committee 2008
“The irresponsible transfer of conventional arms around the planet has destroyed millions of lives and livelihoods, and seriously violated the fundamental human rights of many more… Even today in some countries, such as parts of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, when you drop your children off at school on your way to work in the morning, you cannot feel sure that all of you will still be alive at dinnertime,” said Dr. Widad addressing the UN First Committee on Disarmament and International Security.