Defence of human rights
| Subject: International Cooperation, Sensibilization
Three guest advocates outlined the situation in their Mediterranean countries
On 27 September, AMB organised a round table discussion with three renowned human rights advocates from the Mediterranean at the IBEI. The three guest advocates outlined the situation in their countries, the actions that they carry out as activists defending human rights, and their situation as women defending human rights. This event was part of the Cities Defending Human Rights, project, in which several Catalan municipal councils and institutions are participating.
Contributing to guaranteeing and defending human rights in the fields in which AMB works is a priority for the institution. Accordingly, AMB's International Cooperation Service has carried out numerous projects to guarantee fundamental rights in a number of areas as well as in the metropolitan area, such as the We have rights, we weave freedoms programme, which this year was dedicated to the human rights of refugees in the Mediterranean.
Experience of the three human rights advocates
The round table discussion was begun by Aisha Altubuly, a Libyan political science student at the American University in Cairo. During her talk, she outlined her commitment to Libyan civil society, and especially to working towards an egalitarian community between men and women, and stressed the importance of young people's involvement in the defence of human rights.
Hatice Kamer, a Kurdish film director and journalist, and an activist for the collective rights of the Kurdish people and refugees, continued the discussion. She explained how human rights have been violated in Kurdistan, in Turkish territory, by the Erdogan government as a result of last year's coup attempt. She explained the difficulties she has encountered first-hand when working as a journalist in the region.
Finally, Wafae Charaf, a political activist and member of the Moroccan Human Rights Association (AMDH), concluded the discussion. She strongly condemned her prison sentence for peacefully demonstrating in favour of workers' labour rights. She also rejected the political and constitutional reforms used by the Moroccan regime to curtail freedom of expression.
In hindsight, the issues on which the advocates placed the strongest emphasis were the violation of the rights of peoples, of expression, of the defence of labour rights, and of the rights of women and young people, among others.
The event ended with questions and contributions by both IBEI researchers and students attending the event. They all expressed sensitivity and solidarity towards the human rights advocates who had attended the round table discussion.
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