Bangladesh’s elite security forces arrested 28 young men on 19 May 2017 at a social event where more than 150 people were gathered and which is known to be frequented by members of the LGBTI community.

Bangladesh’s elite security forces arrested 28 young men on 19 May 2017 at a social event where more than 150 people were gathered and which is known to be frequented by members of the LGBTI community.

On 16 May 2017, Amnesty International launched a new global campaign, BRAVE, to strengthen the recognition and protection of human rights defenders around the world. The campaign is in response to the increased attacks and targeting of Human Rights Defenders, Activists and civil society organisations around the world. The campaign will run until the end of 2019.

Three men arbitrarily detained at a prison at the National Security Service (NSS) headquarters in Juba died in February and March as a result of poor prison conditions and lack of appropriate medical treatment.

Dr Stella Nyanzi, an academic and feminist, has been released on conditional bail. She was arrested on 7 April and subsequently charged with insulting the president and violating his right to privacy.

A former government official has been sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in the killing of a young woman.

The health of Iranian women’s rights activist, Atena Daemi, has sharply deteriorated. After 46 days on hunger strike, she is critically ill and her body has started rejecting water.

Salomée T. Abalodo, farmer and community leader, has been released after the Tribunal of Pagouda (Kara, northern region of Togo) dropped all charges against her.

Human rights lawyer Xie Yang was released on bail the day after his trial for “inciting subversion of state power” and “disrupting court order”. The verdict has not yet been announced and he continues to be kept under tight surveillance.

In the case of two Timorese journalists, the lead prosecutor has recommended imprisonment of one year for Raimundos Oki, and a two year suspended sentence for Lourenco Vicente Martins if they are convicted of “defamatory false information.”