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Stella Nyanzi Uganda

Ugandan women’s rights activist Dr. Stella Nyanzi’s conviction was overturned on the basis of violations identified by a TrialWatch report submitted to a Ugandan appeals court.

Dr. Nyanzi was prosecuted for posting a poem critical of the Ugandan President on Facebook in a trial which TrialWatch monitored and graded a “D”.

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Nicholas Opiyo holding a prize Uganda

In Uganda, TrialWatch helped secure the dropping of charges against Nicholas Opiyo, a prominent human rights lawyer. Mr. Opiyo was charged with money laundering – an example of how sometimes the charges brought can be a smokescreen for the true motivation of the trial.

TrialWatch reviewed the charge sheet and issued a statement raising concerns about the lack of...

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Jounalist Askhat Zheksebaev Kyrgyzstan

Askhat Zheksebaev, a 47-year-old opposition activist from Kazakhstan, was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for peaceful social media posts and private messages in support of an opposition party. His sentence was later commuted to a suspended sentence but he was banned from public activism, had his assets frozen, and was subject to severe restrictions on movement....

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Omoyele Sowore Nigeria

Journalist and opposition figure Omoyele Sowore, who was detained and charged with conspiracy to commit treason after calling for a peaceful political revolution, was freed and awarded damages in Nigeria after TrialWatch monitored his trial and published a report on his case.

The report found the authorities offered shifting justifications for pursuing the case and that the charges appeared...

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Mikhail Benyash with signs of physical assault on his face and neck Russia

Russia’s long-running campaign against 45-year-old human rights lawyer Mikhail Benyash culminated in his March 2023 retrial and conviction for allegedly assaulting the police.

TrialWatch monitored the first trial against Benyash in 2019 as part of its focus on how Russia is stifling dissent.

Our Fairness Report was used by the defense in its successful appeal that resulted in...

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Paul Rusesabagina escorted in handcuffs from the courtroom in Kigali, Rwanda September 25, 2020. Rwanda

A vocal critic of Rwanda’s ruling party, Paul Rusesabagina, was convicted of terrorism-related activities for his alleged role in attacks perpetrated by the National Liberation Front (FLN) following a sham trial.

In March 2023, two and a half years after he was arrested in Rwanda, Rusesabagina’s 25-year prison sentence was commuted and he was freed. Our monitoring and reporting were...

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