International Observatory of Human Rights

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International Observatory of Human Rights
FoundedNovember 2017; 6 years ago (2017-11)
TypeNon-profit
INGO
HeadquartersLondon,
United Kingdom
FieldsPress freedom, Refugee Advocacy campaigns, research, advocacy, web TV
Key people
Valerie Peay (Director)
Websiteobservatoryihr.org

The International Observatory of Human Rights (also known as IOHR) is a London-based non-governmental organization focused on exposing human rights violations.[1] It runs a TV channel dedicated to human rights campaigns, the first of its kind, via the netgem.tv interactive platform.[2]

Profile[edit]

Established in November 2017, IOHR has focused on a number of themes relating to prisoners of conscience, arbitrary detentions, the refugee crisis, the challenges of extremism and radicalism, social injustice, and violations of international law. It has also been active on the subject of media freedoms and minority rights.[3][4][5] It is a nonprofit organization based in the United Kingdom.[6]

The IOHR was founded by Valerie Peay, who also serves as its director.[7] Peay is also a Trustee Director of the Royal Caledonian Educational Trust in Scotland.[8]

Recent campaigns[edit]

#BeARefugeeSponsor[edit]

IOHR launched the #BeARefugeeSponsor campaign to call for the expansion of the UK Community Sponsorship of the Syrian Refugees scheme.[9] In August 2018, IOHR held a third event in its #BeARefugeeSponsor series with the aunt of Alan Kurdi, highlighting the benefits of Community Sponsorship and the Canadian experience.[10] Matthew Ryder, London's Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement lent his support to their appeal.[11]

#NotBornARadical[edit]

IOHR launched the "Not Born A Radical" campaign to address causes of radicalisation and provide progressive platform for educating and empowering the youth, and engaging returning fighters, prisoners and family members.[12][13][14] It has hosted events at King's College London[15] and the University of Rostock.[16]

#FreeRouhaniHostages[edit]

IOHR has sought to highlight the case of a growing number of dual citizens who have been incarcerated on return visits to their native Iran.[citation needed] In June 2018 IOHR partnered with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in inviting Mrs. Vida Mehrannia, the wife of imprisoned Iranian-Swedish professor Dr Ahmad Reza Jalali, to Brussels and Strasbourg to appeal for an urgent intervention from diplomats and members of the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe the week before President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Europe.[17][18][19]

IOHR TV[edit]

IOHR launched IOHR TV, a video content channel, in January 2019 to optimise its campaigning activities.[20][2] It also broadcasts stories on the IOHR website. The format of video material often comprises one-on-one interviews with guests to discuss topical issues. Output also includes content from IOHR events.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Alan Kurdi's aunt stops in Halifax for book tour | The Chronicle Herald". www.thechronicleherald.ca. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  2. ^ a b "First human rights TV channel vows to "give a voice to voiceless"". Reuters. 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  3. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (2018-09-26). "UN Secretary-General calls on Myanmar to pardon and release imprisoned Reuters reporters". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  4. ^ Şafak, Yeni. "Protest held in London against oppression of Uighurs". Yeni Şafak.
  5. ^ "London event discusses oppression of Uighur Muslims". www.aa.com.tr.
  6. ^ "INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATORY OF HUMAN RIGHTS LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  7. ^ "'Iran gebruikt mensen met dubbele nationaliteit als onderhandelingsmiddel'". MO*.
  8. ^ Digital, Connect. "Royal Caledonian Education Trust: Scotland's Armed Forces Children's charity – » About us – RCET Team". www.rcet.org.uk. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  9. ^ Woods, Al (21 June 2018). "Is the UK playing its part with refugee resettlement?". Flux Magazine. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  10. ^ Sadeghi, Bahram (2018-09-17). "'Ik bleek de wind te zijn die Abdullahs gezin de zee op had gedreven'". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  11. ^ Ryder, Matthew (15 August 2018). "Thank you to @observatoryihr Director Valerie Peay, @CitizensUK and others for a moving evening at the National Liberal Club, hosting #TamiKurdi @noursakr6 and Syrian families sharing their accounts of fleeing war and finding refuge. #BeaRefugeeSponsorpic.twitter.com/WUCnfu3WHw".
  12. ^ Davidson, Tom (2019-02-22). "Grandparents of baby born to UK jihadist killed in Syria want him to come home". mirror. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  13. ^ "Grandparents of boy born to jihadist fighter in Syria beg for his return to UK". Metro. 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  14. ^ "BBC Two - Victoria Derbyshire, 22/02/2019". BBC.
  15. ^ "Countering radicalisation and safeguarding human rights". European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. 2018-04-27. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  16. ^ "Forscher in Rostock: Kämpferin oder gute Ehefrau | svz.de". svz. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  17. ^ "Wife of VUB guest lecturer dr. Ahmadreza Djalali meets top Flemish and European policymakers". VUB Today. 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  18. ^ Libre.be, La (2018-06-26). "J'attends de la Belgique et de l'Europe qu'elles arrivent à annuler la peine de mort de mon mari". www.lalibre.be (in French). Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  19. ^ News, Flanders (2018-06-26). "Wife of Tehran death-row lecturer in Brussels". vrtnws.be. Retrieved 2019-05-28. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ "UK gets world's first human rights TV channel to 'give a voice to voiceless'". Metro. 2019-01-18. Retrieved 2019-05-28.