Urgent Action: Fears for safety of murder victim's family in Venezuela
Luis Urbano, son of human rights defender José Luis Urbano, was murdered by police officers in the state of Anzoátegui, Venezuela, on 10 October. The safety of his family is at risk.
Urgent Action: Paramilitary activity threatens peace community in Colombia
Over the last few months, there has been an increase in paramilitary activity in the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó in north-western Colombia.
Urgent Action update:Ali Isa Al-Tajer's trial adjourned to 3 November in Bahrain
Ali Isa al-Tajer’s trial on terrorism charges began on 23 August. The judge did not respond to the allegation that his confessions were extracted under torture.
Urgent Action: Female detainees sexually attacked in prison in Somalia
For the past month, female detainees at Gabiley prison have complained of sexual violence, including rape, and other forms of torture and ill-treatment by the male guards at the prison.
Urgent Action: Detained opposition members risk ill-treatment in Ethiopia
Ethiopian security forces have arrested Aweke Tezera, Blen Mesfin, Eyasped Tesfaye, Abebe Akalu and Tena Yitayew for exercising their freedom of expression to criticise the government.
Urgent Action: Vietnamese human rights blogger arrested
Human rights defender Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh, known as blogger Mẹ Nấm (Mother Mushroom) was arrested on 10 October and has been charged with “conducting propaganda” against the state under Article 88 of Viet Nam’s Penal Code.
Urgent Action update:Tajikistani lawyers jailed on politically motivated charges
Tajikistani lawyer Buzurgmekhr Yorov, and his co-defendant, lawyer Nuriddin Makhkamov, were sentenced on 6 October to 23 and 21 years in prison respectively.
Urgent Action update: Omani journalists released, next hearing date set
Azamn editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Maamari and deputy editor-in-chief Youssef al-Haj were released on 10 October after the Appeal Court in Muscat reduced their bail. The next hearing in the case has been set for 7 November.
Urgent Action: Two journalists on trial for defamation in Timor Leste
Two Timorese journalists, Raimundos Oki and Lourenco Vicente Martins, are facing trial on criminal defamation charges filed by Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister over a 2015 article they published about irregularities during the tendering process for a government IT project.
Urgent Action: Student leader's fate and whereabouts unknown in Pakistan
24-year-old student leader Shabbir Baloch may have been subjected to enforced disappearance by the security forces during a day-long military operation in Gwarkop in Balochistan, Pakistan.