Three political opposition activists are being held in prolonged detention without charge following their arrests in Khartoum by the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) between January and February 2017. They are being detained because they supported protests in November 2016 against economic austerity measures. They are at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.

On 7 April, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay of execution in the case of Paul Storey, who was scheduled to be put to death on 12 April. The case has been remanded to a lower court for further review of the claim that the prosecution presented false evidence at the trial.

The Belarusian authorities are threatening to take journalist Larysa Schiryakova’s 10-year-old son away from her. This threat follows her critical reporting of events in the country including the ongoing crackdown against peaceful protesters.

Iranian journalist Hengameh Shahidi is in a critical condition in Tehran’s Evin prison. She has been on hunger strike for 29 days in protest at her arrest on 9 March. She has a heart condition and is refusing her medication. She is being held in solitary confinement and has been denied access to a lawyer.

On the night of 3 April, unidentified people situated in front of human rights defender Rafael Maldonado’s house in Guatemala City, shot at a car nearby. Although he was unharmed, the defender believes the incident was intended to intimidate him and is concerned for his safety.

Ledell Lee, aged 51, is due to be executed in Arkansas on 20 April for a murder committed in 1993. There have been serious concerns about his legal representation.

Loghman Sawari, an Iranian refugee, is being detained at Waigani Police cells, Papua New Guinea, under new charges under the Migration Act. Currently on bail for similar charges under the Passport Act, the Court will determine a preliminary application to dismiss these charges on 18 April 2017.

On 27 March, the Supreme Court of Tucuman Province, northern Argentina, unanimously decided to acquit Belén, the 27-year-

Members of the Defence Movement of Earth, Environmental Protection and Access to Water are facing death threats because of their work defending the right to water in Petorca Province, central Chile.

Research student Siti Noor Aishah has been placed under ‘preventive detention’ for alleged possession of 12 books deemed ‘illegal’ by the Malaysian government.