A/HRC/23/51 - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

18
Date
Type
10/12/2012
JUA
Case No
Country Mandate(s) Summary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> allegation transmitted Reply
LKA 6/2012
Sri Lanka
Disappearances;
Freedom <strong>of</strong>
expression; Freedom
<strong>of</strong> peaceful assembly
and <strong>of</strong> association;
Human rights
defenders;
Alleged unlawful arrest <strong>of</strong> members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Asian Federation Against
Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) in Colombo. According to <strong>the</strong>
information received, on 3 December 2012, at <strong>the</strong> closure event <strong>of</strong> AFAD‘s
Council Meeting, six persons were arrested, including two elderly women
family members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> disappeared, Ane Teresa Fernando and Ariyawathi
de Silva. The o<strong>the</strong>r persons arrested were <strong>the</strong> Secretary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Families <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Disappeared (FOD), Wasantha Ranile Kumara; Executive Director <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Right to Life, Mr. Philip Dissanayake; a vehicle driver and a friend.
Reportedly, <strong>the</strong> reason for <strong>the</strong> arrest was <strong>the</strong> presentation <strong>of</strong> a video on <strong>the</strong>
recent commemoration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> anniversary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Monument <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Disappeared in Seeduwa, held on 27 October 2012. It was fur<strong>the</strong>r reported
that Mr. Brito Fernando, President <strong>of</strong> FOD, was told that he would also be
arrested on <strong>the</strong> charges <strong>of</strong> showing a video documentary against President
Mahindra Rajapaksa. After <strong>the</strong> legality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> arrests were contested, <strong>the</strong> six
persons were released, and Mr. Brito was not arrested.
12/12/2012
15/02/2013
A/<strong>HRC</strong>/<strong>23</strong>/<strong>51</strong>
11/12/2012
JAL
HND 12/2012
Honduras
Health; Violence
against women;
Supuesta penalización de la píldora Anticonceptiva de Emergencia. Según
la información recibida, en abril de 2009, el Congreso de Honduras aprobó
el Decreto No. 54-2009, que establece sanciones penales para la promoción
de uso, venta, compra y cualquier política relacionada con la Píldora
Anticonceptiva de Emergencia, así como toda comercialización de fármacos
anticonceptivos de emergencia. Violaciones al decreto implicarían las
mismas sanciones que se imponen para la penalización del aborto en el
Código Penal de Honduras, las cuales oscilan entre los tres a diez años de
prisión para cualquier persona que practique o se someta a un aborto. El 15
de mayo de 2009, el entonces presidente José Manuel Zelaya Rosales vetó
el Decreto, enviándolo así a la Corte Suprema de Justicia para que se
pronuncie sobre su constitucionalidad. Mientras tanto, la Secretaria de la
Salud aprobó el Acuerdo No. 2744, que incluía las mismas prohibiciones en
cuanto a la anticoncepción de emergencia. El 14 de febrero de 2012, la
Corte Suprema confirmó el Decreto y lo declaró constitucional.