RAPAR /// The Manchester-based Human Rights Organisation PRESS RELEASE /// For immediate release /// May 16th 2012Lydia and Bernard Must Stay Campaign Click here to download a copy of this press release, see here for Lydia and Bernard's campaign page. See also article in the Manchester Mule here. LYDIA BESONG AND BERNARD BATEY WIN THEIR ASYLUM CASE Tribunal recognises their political and cultural activities will place them at risk if they are returned to Cameroon- “This is a deeply important victory for everyone interested in ensuring the safety of our refugees” - Gary McIndoe, Lydia and Bernard’s solicitor
Cameroon playwright Lydia Besong and her husband Bernard Batey heard today that they have won their asylum case. Their solicitor Gary McIndoe, of Latitude Law, Manchester, said: “The Tribunal has recognised that Lydia and Bernard’s political and cultural activities will place them at risk if they are returned to Cameroon. This is a deeply important victory for everyone interested in ensuring the safety of our refugees.” Lydia and Bernard, both long standing human rights activists who currently live in Bury, have fought a high profile campaign for asylum in the UK. They were forced to flee Cameroon more than five years ago after they were both imprisoned, tortured and persecuted for their political activities as members of the SCNC – Southern Cameroon National Council - a peaceful organisation which campaigns for the independence of Southern Cameroon. While she was in prison, Lydia was raped by a uniformed guard. Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Africa Tawanda Hondora has said: “Political opposition is not tolerated in Cameroon. Any dissent is suppressed through either violence or abuse of the legal system to silence critics.” Lydia’s most recent play Down with the Dictator – recently performed in Manchester and Bury – is set in Cameroon and explores themes of power, political corruption and censorship. Her earlier play How I Became an Asylum Seeker was performed in cities throughout the UK. It helped raise awareness of women who escape persecution in their home countries and seek asylum in the UK. In Cameroon, Lydia was a teacher and Bernard ran his own business. They claimed asylum when they arrived in the UK at the end of 2006 and were housed in Rochdale where they were members of the congregation at St Ann’s Church, Belfield. The priest and parishioners at St Ann’s have continued to support their campaign. They now live in Bury where they are members of the Bury AcaPeelers Choir and they also have links to Holy Innocent’s Church, Fallowfield, Manchester, one of the venues for the performance of Lydia’s latest play. The couple, who have both been detained twice over the last two and a half years, have continued their human rights work while they have been living in Greater Manchester. Lydia is a member of the management committee at WAST (Women Asylum Seekers Together) and Bernard, as part of the RAPAR Leadership Group, helped set up Manchester’s first Voucher Exchange Scheme. He also volunteered with a project in Rochdale which worked with refugees and people seeking asylum. English PEN, the organisation which campaigns for persecuted writers internationally, has supported Lydia and Bernard's campaign for the last three years. High profile supporters also include former Children's Laureate and author of War Horse Michael Morpurgo, actor Juliet Stevenson, leading lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy, Stockport-born writer and broadcaster Baroness Joan Bakewell, and the Bishop of Manchester. At this year’s Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression annual awards, Michael Morpurgo spoke about Lydia's story and her campaign to remain in the UK. For more information, please contact: Kath Grant - 07812471047 www.rapar.org.uk
 Bahrain Press Association - Press Release 22/04/12, for immediate release(See below for Arabic version, see RAPAR's Bahrain Solidarity Campaign page here)
BPA: Bahrain is racing F1 cars in persecuting media professionals and freedom of expression
LONDON, April 22, 2012 – Bahrain Press Association ("BPA"), the London-based association concerned with defending and addressing issues related to Bahrain media and press people, condemns the apprehension of Activist Mohamed Hasan for his participation in the famous American Documentary Dan Rather. Mr. Hasan (pictured below) received many threats via telephone by the security forces before being directly hit and brutally abused by security squads.
BPA's representative has affirmed the arrest of Mr. Hasan after being injured in the village of Bilad Al Qadaeem when he was escorting foreign reporters. He was then admitted to the Salmaniya Medical Complex, the country's main medical hospital, where he was arrested and kept in custody for one day. Mr. Hasan was released in the early hours of this Saturday morning.
The BPA is highly concerned about the rolling back of arrests and torture against those participating in media shows on the international scale. Such abuses have been the norm by the regime since February 14, 2011 as the Bahraini authorities have arrested and interrogated scores of media professionals, journalists, and human rights activists who took part in different international shows highlighting the Bahraini cause. The BPA has documented many violations against media professionals including assaults and verbal abuses inside the interrogation rooms and upon arresting.
Along with this, many international media outlets have documented the ban imposed by the Bahraini regime on their correspondents from entering the country. The BPA considers such step to be notorious and complies with the policies practiced by the Information Affairs Authority to tighten all the media coverage of the crisis rocking the country. In a televised interview, the Bahraini Crown Prince, Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, did not deny the ban imposed on foreign correspondents but he simply commented that the responsible body for such a ban is the government!
The list of the banned correspondents to enter Bahrain includes FT's correspondent Siomon Ker, The Times's journalist Karen Lee, CNN's correspondent Amber lyon, and two reporters from the Associated Press. The Bahraini regime has also denied entry to all non-sport correspondents from Reuters as the prominent news agency reported in a statement.
Concurrent with the knock-out qualifying laps of the F1 Grand Prix, and despite international calls to stop harassing Bahraini journalists in 'fabricated' criminal cases that are related to the freedom of expression in essence, the Bahraini judiciary convicted journalist Reem Khalifa (pictured below) in the case known as "The Irish Physicians Press Conference Case" as the judge decided to fine the journalist BD 600 (around US$ 1600). The court refused to listen to the defendant's witnesses; an action seen by many observers to be as an implementation of politically-based ruling.
The High Criminal Court sent back the case of those accused of torturing France 24's reporter, Bahraini journalist Nazeeha Saeed (pictured below), to the public prosecution. This raises many questions as to the seriousness of the Bahraini judiciary to truly implement the recommendations contained in Bassiouni's report, especially in what relates to bringing to justice those responsible for torture as well as the calls released by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Reporters Without Borders (RWB), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) pertaining to opening an investigation into the torturing of Nazeeha Saeed and putting the torturers on trial.
It is worth mentioning that the Bahraini media professionals including journalists, photographers, and bloggers were subjected to mass arrests after the declaration of the martial laws in March 15, 2011. This was followed by the murdering of publisher Kareem Fakrawi and blogger Zakariya Al Asheeri along with the arrest and torture of more than 140 media professionals. Likewise, tens of foreign correspondents were temporarily detained, forcefully deported, or denied entry to Bahrain.
--Ends--
For more information, please contact:
Bahrain Press Association
UK +447821135441
US +12403869925
Email: Info@Bahrainpa.org
 Mohamed Hasan |  Reem Khalifa |  Nazeeha Saeed | رابطة الصحافة البحرينية
للنشر في وسائل الإعلام
رابطة الصحافة البحرينية: البحرين تسابق سيارات الفورمولا
في التنكيل بحرية التعبير والإعلاميين
لندن، الأحد22/4/2012: تشجب رابطة الصحافة البحرينية اعتقال السلطات البحرينية للناشط محمد حسن إثر ظهوره في البرنامج الوثائقي الأميريكي الشهير دان راذر، وتلقيه اتصالات تهديد من الأجهزة الأمنية عبر الهاتف وإصابته بإستهداف مباشر من قبل قوات الأمن، وتعرضه للإعتداء الجسدي.
وأكد ممثل الرابطة في البحرين إعتقال الناشط محمد حسن بعد إصابته في منطقة البلاد القديم برفقة مراسلين أجانب، ونقله إلى مستشفى السلمانية الطبي حيث تم اعتقاله، واحتجزت السلطات الأمنية حسن ليوم كامل، وأفرجت عنه في الساعات الأولى من صباح اليوم السبت.
وتبدي رابطة الصحافة البحرينية قلقها جراء عودة سياسات الإعتقال والتنكيل بالمشاركين في البرامج التلفزيونية والإذاعية للقنوات الدولية، وهي سياسات دأبت السلطات على انتهاجها منذ 14 فبراير 2011، إذ سبق للسلطات الأمنية في البحرين أن اعتقلت وحققت مع العديد من الإعلاميين والصحفيين والنشطاء السياسيين والحقوقيين ممن كان لهم مشاركات في شاشات التلفزة الدولية. ووثقت الرابطة العديد من حالات الإعتداء الجسدي، والإهانات اللفظية أثناء عمليات التحقيق والإعتقال.
إلى ذلك، أكدت العديد من وكالات الأنباء والقنوات التلفزيونية والصحف العالمية منع السلطات البحرينية لمراسليها من دخول البحرين، في خطوة تعتبرها رابطة الصحافة البحرينية أسلوباً مفضوحاً ضمن سياسات هيئة شؤون الإعلام الحكومية في التضييق على التغطيات الإعلامية للأحداث التي تعصف بالبحرين. ولم ينفي ولي عهد البحرين الشيخ سلمان بن حمد آل خليفة في مقابلة تلفزيونية منع المراسلين الأجانب من دخول بلاده، وأكتفى بالتعليق بأن الجهة المسؤولة عن هذا المنع هي الحكومة !
وتضم قائمة المراسلين الممنوعين من دخول البحرين مراسل فايننشال تايمز سيمون كير، والصحفية في جريدة التايمز كارين لي، والصحفية الأمريكية في قناة CNNأمبر لايون، وصحفيان من وكالة أنباء أسوشيتدبرس، كما منعت الحكومة البحرينية دخول جميع المراسلين غير الرياضيين في وكالة رويتر، وأكدت الوكالة منع مراسليها من دخول البلاد.
وقبل انطلاق التجارب الأولية لسباق الفورمولا 1، ورغم عديد المناشدات الدولية بالتوقف عن استهداف الصحافيين البحرينيين في قضايا جنائية (ملفقة) تتعلق بحرية التعبير في أساسها، أدان القضاء البحريني الصحافية ريم خليفة في القضية التي عُرفت بـ (قضية المؤتمر الصحفي للأطباء الإيرلنديين) وأصدر القاضي حكماً بتغريم الصحافية 600 دينار (1600 دولار أمريكي)، ورفض القضاء البحرين الإستماع لشهود النفي في القضية وهو ما يؤكد أن المحاكمة كانت لأهداف سياسية.
كما أعادت المحكمة الكبرى الجنائية قضية مُعذبي مراسلة فرانس 24 الصحافية البحرينية نزيهة سعيد الى النيابة العامة، وهو ما يثير العديد من التساؤلات حول جدية السلطات القضائية البحرينية في تنفيذ توصيات بسيوني، خصوصاً فيما يتعلق بمحاكمة المسؤولين المتورطين في قضايا التعذيب، بالإضافة إلى المطالبات التي أطلقها الإتحاد الدولي للصحفيين ومنظمة مراسلون بلا حدود ولجنة حماية الصحفيين في التحقيق في قضية تعذيب الصحافية نزيهة سعيد، وتقديم المُعذِبين للعدالة.
يذكر أن الإعلاميين البحرينيين من صحافيين ومصورين ومدونيين قد تعرضو لحملة اعتقالات موسعة بعد اعلان حالة الطوارئ في 15 مارس 2011، تبع ذلك مقتل الناشر كريم فخراوي والمدون زكريا العشيري، بالإضافة لإعتقال وتعذيب وإقالة أكثر من 140 إعلامياً، خلاف العشرات من المراسلين الأجانب الذين تعرضوا للإعتقال المؤقت، والترحيل القسري من البلاد، أو المنع من دخول البحرين.
- انتهى -
PRESS RELEASE /// FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE /// 13th APRIL 2012 RAPAR /// THE MANCHESTER-BASED HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION Lydia and Bernard Must Stay Campaign LYDIA BESONG'S NEW PLAY OPENS IN BURY AS APPEAL IS HEARD AT ASYLUM TRIBUNAL · SUPPORTERS TO HOLD VIGIL OUTSIDE TRIBUNAL OFFICES – 9.30am Friday, April 20th, Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, Moseley Street, Manchester Playwright Lydia Besong's new work, Down with the Dictator, will be performed in Greater Manchester for the first time on the same day as her asylum appeal hearing The play, set in Cameroon, is at Bury Met Theatre on Friday, April 20th – earlier that day, Lydia, her husband Bernard and supporters will be at the Asylum and Immigration tribunal in Manchester for their asylum appeal. Supporters will hold a vigil outside the tribunal at 9.30 am. Lydia and Bernard, both long standing human rights activists currently living in Bury, have fought a high profile campaign for asylum in the UK. They were forced to flee Cameroon more than five years ago after they were both imprisoned, tortured and persecuted for their political activities as members of the SCNC, a peaceful organisation which campaigns for the independence of Southern Cameroon. While she was in prison, Lydia was raped by a uniformed guard. Down with the Dictator explores themes of power, political corruption and censorship. It reminds us of the consequences this can have for people all over the world – and shows why so many people are forced to flee from oppressive regimes. The play is directed by Magdalen Bartlett, it is produced by Manchester-based Afrocats and supported by Community Arts North West as part of their Exodus Refugee Arts programme. Performances of the play in Greater Manchester are: · Friday, April 20th - Bury Met Theatre, Bury. 7.30pm · Saturday, April 28th – Zion ArtsTheatre, Hulme, Manchester. 7.30pm · Saturday, May 5th – Holy Innocents Church, Fallowfield, Manchester. 7.30pm · All performances will be followed by a post show discussion. Lydia's previous play, How I Became An Asylum Seeker, focused on the experiences of women escaping persecution in their own countries and seeking asylum in the UK. The powerful production toured cities throughout the UK and was acclaimed by actor Juliet Stevenson who took part in an after play discussion at the performance in London. English PEN, the organisation which campaigns for persecuted writers internationally, has supported Lydia and Bernard's campaign for the the last three years. Leading writers, including former Children's Laureate and author of War Horse Michael Morpurgo, sent an Open Letter to The Guardian in support of Lydia - and high profile lawyers, including Baroness Helena Kennedy, sent a similar letter to The Times. Other supporters include Stockport-born writer and broadcaster Joan Bakewell, who now sits in the House of Lords, and the Bishop of Manchester. At the recent Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression annual awards, Michael Morpurgo spoke about Lydia's story and her campaign to remain in the UK. For more information, please contact Kath Grant - phone: 07812471047 email: kath.northernstories@googlemail.comSee here or more details about Lydia and Bernard's campaign For more information about Lydia's play, please contact Katherine Rogers, Exodus Co-ordinator, Community Arts Northwest. 0161 234 2987 katherine@can.uk.com www.can.uk.com
RAPAR volunteer to join international group in solidarity visit to Palestine: RAPAR member Sandy Broadhurst, a retired teacher and former Stockport councillor, will join 1,500 international supporters of Palestine who plan to spend a week visiting the Israeli occupied territories in the West Bank. Sandy will fly from Manchester to Tel Aviv on Sunday, April 15th. She is one of an international contingent who are travelling as part of the “Welcome to Palestine” initiative, which was set up by Palestinian civil society organisations in the West Bank to draw attention to Israel's border policies and life under Israeli occupation. Read the full press release here.
Press release: RUNNING FOR RAPAR
Family on point of being removed from UK have won asylum case.
Brothers to raise money for RAPAR in the Great Manchester 10k Run.
 An Iranian family - who went into hiding only hours before UK Border Agency officers arrived at their home in Gorton, Manchester, to forcibly remove them from the UK - have won their case for asylum. The family's eldest son Farid's case is separate and still ongoing - his campaign for asylum continues. Farid and Farhad are members of RAPAR whose volunteers have been working with them on their asylum cases for nearly two years. On May 20th, they will take part in the Greater Manchester 10k run to raise funds for RAPAR. To read the full press release, click here.To sponsor the Vahidi brothers, go to: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/vahidibrothers
MARATHON WOMAN Journalist and teacher Rakhi Sinha will be running for RAPAR when the Marathon returns to Manchester for the first time in 10 years. The gruelling 26 mile race will start and finish in Longford Park, Stretford, on April 29th and the route will take thousands of runners through Trafford. Rakhi has been pounding the streets in preparation for the Marathon but says she could do with an extra boost to help her across the finishing line. To find out more about the race, Rakhi's training schedule and how you can sponsor her, please click the links below: To sponsor Rakhi visit: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/rakhisinha Follow Rakhi's training schedule: http://www.bodyconfidential.co.uk/Fitness/Manchester-Marathon-Training-Week-Five Rakhi adds: “Knowing that RAPAR will benefit from any money I manage to raise is enough to stop me from being tempted to ignore my alarm clock come Marathon Day! Please give whatever you can – every donation, however small, will help RAPAR continue its fantastic work.”
*WAR HORSE AUTHOR SPEAKS UP FOR REFUGEE PLAYWRIGHT LYDIA BESONG AT AWARDS CEREMONY*Lydia and Bernard Must Stay Campaign The author of War Horse and former children's laureate, Michael Morpurgo, gave the keynote address to the Index on Censorship Feedom of Expression annual awards at St Pancras Hotel, London.
In his speech Morpurgo told the story of Lydia Besong, an English teacher and playwright who sought asylum in the UK in 2006 after experiencing persecution for her peaceful political activities in her home country of Cameroon.
He said: "It is clear that if she is deported back to Cameroon she will be in grave danger, in a country where as Amnesty says, freedom of expression is stifled, and conditions in prison are harsh, often life threatening. In this country where we think we supposedly so value our free speech, do we sometimes turn a blind eye when it is convenient, do we walk by on the other side?"
Morpurgo has previously spoken up for Lydia Besong when she was detained and threatened with forced removal in January 2012. He is now showing support for her in the run up to her appeal hearing on 20 April.
Lydia Besong's first play, How I Became an Asylum Seeker, was performed in 2010 in London. Her new play, Down with the Dictator, was performed for the first time on 27 March 2012 in Bristol Festival of International Theatre.
For more information about the campaign, please contact Kath Grant: 07812471047
CHOIR SINGS TO KEEP MARY SAFE Manchester Community Choir will sing at the launch of RAPAR's asylum campaign for Mary Adenugba, who was trafficked from Nigeria to the UK in 2004. She suffered years of abuse and exploitation before she finally escaped and built a new life for herself. The launch will take place on Friday 30th March, 7-9pm, at Cross Street Chapel, Manchester. Read the full press release here. For more information about this event, please click here or contact Helen - helen@rapar.org.uk
LYDIA BESONG'S NEW PLAY OPENS AT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THEATRE FESTIVAL ON TUESDAY, MARCH 27th. Cameroonian playwright Lydia Besong's new work, Down with the Dictator , will be performed for the first time at the COAST International Festival of Community Theatre on Tuesday, March 27th. READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE.
Press release /// For immediate release /// 22nd March 2012 RAPAR /// The Manchester-based human rights organisation See below or download hereRAPAR MEMBERS HELP CREATE UK'S FIRST MURAL DEPICTING HOPES AND FEARS OF DISABLED ASYLUM SEEKERSMembers of Manchester-based Human Rights organisation RAPAR have been working with the UK Disabled People's Council on an arts project which is being unveiled in Bristol tomorrow (Friday, March 23rd).
The project has produced the country's only public art work created by the UK's “hidden community” of disabled asylum seekers. The mural is being installed in the “Bear Pit”, the multi-road roundabout in the centre of Bristol, and is composed of drawings and ideas from disabled refugees who have worked with artist Andrew Bolton.
Manjeet Kaur lives in Whalley Range, Manchester, and is one of the RAPAR members who has worked on the mural with Andrew. She is attending the official opening tomorrow along with RAPAR members Mary Adenugba and Sandy Broadhurst.
|  [click to zoom] RAPAR member Manjeet Kaur helping to create the mural. |
Manjeet, who uses a wheelchair, is seeking asylum in the UK after her husband, a journalist and human rights activist, disappeared following his publication of articles and books critical of the Indian government's policies in Kashmir. Manjeet, who was born and grew up in Afghanistan, was forced to leave India two months after her husband's disappearance when she herself was attacked and threatened. She said: “Working on the mural and meeting other disabled asylum seekers from different parts of the UK has been a great experience for me. I feel much less isolated knowing that I am part of a wider community. “Andrew, the artist, and Rebecca from the UK Disabled People's Council worked with us and helped us to articulate and illustrate all our anxieties, hopes and fears. I think that, for all of us, expressing these thoughts through the mural has been very educational and therapeutic.” One asylum seeker who has mental health problems and has no money and no fixed abode drew a picture of a sun hidden by a cloud, explaining: “For me, there is no sun.” Another refugee drew a picture of herself jumping out of a tower block when she sees a police car: “If the police come to my house, I will kill myself. I won't stop to ask what they want. I would rather die than be deported.” A 19 year old deaf woman who took part in the project has been in the country for five years. She is destitute, has never been to school here and has no contact with other deaf people. The art work forms part of a national research project run by the UK Disabled People's Council with funding from the Big Lottery. Co-ordinator Rebecca Yeo explains: “I have worked with disabled people in many countries and living in a wide range of different circumstances. Nowhere have I come across greater hardship and injustice than that experienced by disabled asylum seekers in this country. But, equally, nowhere have I come across greater compassion for others.” · The work will be officially opened at 11 am on 23rd March. For more information contact Kath Grant at RAPAR on 07812471047 or Corrie Pegg at UKDPC 0208 522 7433 · or see www.disabilitymurals.org.uk and www.rapar.org.uk You can read more about this project and view the completed mural on the Platforma website: http://www.platforma.org.uk/news/disabled-asylum-seekers-claim-space-bristol  Manjeet and other contributing artists at the launch of the Bristol Disability Mural
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