AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2016/17

In March, the UN Human Rights Council
adopted the outcome of the UN Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) process on Myanmar.
Although Myanmar accepted over half of the
recommendations, it rejected key
recommendations on the rights to freedom of
expression, of association and of peaceful
assembly, and the situation of the Rohingya. 9
In July, the UN Committee on the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women raised
concerns about discriminatory laws, barriers
to justice for women and girls, and their
under-representation in the peace process. 10
There was still no agreement to establish
an Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights in Myanmar.
1. “We are at breaking point”: Rohingya – Persecuted in Myanmar,
neglected in Bangladesh (ASA 15/5362/2016)
2. Myanmar: Investigate violent destruction of mosque buildings (News
story, 24 June)
3. Myanmar: Lift restrictions immediately on humanitarian aid (News
story, 24 October)
4. Myanmar: Continue efforts to release all remaining prisoners of
conscience (ASA 16/3981/2016)
5. New expression meets old repression: Ending the cycle of political
arrests and imprisonment in Myanmar (ASA 16/3430/2016)
6. Myanmar: Open letter on amending the Peaceful Assembly and
Peaceful Procession Act (ASA 16/4024/2016)
7. Myanmar: Scrap or amend new law that could grant immunity to
former president (News story, 28 January)
8. Myanmar: Why a UNGA resolution is still needed (ASA 16/4745/2016)
9. Myanmar: Amnesty International calls on Myanmar to protect the
rights of Rohingya and to release all prisoners of conscience (ASA
16/3670/2016)
10. Myanmar: Briefing to the UN Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women (ASA 16/4240/2016)
NAMIBIA
Republic of Namibia
Head of state and government: Hage Gottfried Geingob
Detainees acquitted after the long-running
Caprivi treason trial lived in fear of being
rearrested after the Prosecutor General
decided to appeal against the court ruling.
There was a high incidence of gender-based
violence, including rape, against women
and girls. Violations of the right to freedom
of expression continued.
BACKGROUND
Despite calls for the introduction of a
universal basic income grant after a
successful pilot project, the government
announced its intention to introduce food
banks in urban and peri-urban areas, failing
to address widespread extreme poverty in
rural areas.
CAPRIVI DETAINEES
Forty-two released Caprivi detainees –
accused of treason after their arrests in 1999
and acquitted between 2013 and 2015 –
continued to live in fear after facing threats
and intimidation. On 17 May, they were
notified that the Prosecutor General would
appeal against their acquittals.
The Vice Chairperson of the Caprivi
Concerned Group (CCG), Retief Kangongo,
went missing on 30 April following alleged
threats by the Inspector General of the
Namibian police. The CCG supported the
acquitted detainees. Retief Kangongo
reportedly sought asylum in Botswana.
In August, the Supreme Court ruled in
favour of Boster Mubuyaeta Samuele, one of
the Caprivi detainees. He had fled to
Bostwana, and, in December 2002, he was
abducted by Namibian security forces in
Botswana and brought to Namibia to face
trial. He then spent 13 years in prison. Boster
Mubuyaeta Samuele successfully argued that
the Namibian courts had no jurisdiction to
prosecute him since Namibian officials had
violated international law when he was
abducted and arbitrarily detained.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
On 15 April, two Japanese journalists
employed by Japan’s television group Asahi
were briefly detained by Namibian security
forces soon after interviewing the Deputy
Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at
the Hosea Kutako International Airport. The
journalists interviewed the Deputy Prime
Minister in connection with a munitions
factory being built by nationals of the
Amnesty International Report 2016/17 267