This campaign is now closed.
Please take a moment to visit our active campaigns page.
Djibouti: Free jailed teacher trade union leaders
 | In partnership with the Education International, a global union federation of 396 associations and unions in 171 countries and territories, representing some 32.5 million educators and support professionals. |
Omar Ali Ewado and Ahmed-Kadar Nour, respectively Deputy General Secretary and General Secretary of the teacher union SEP (Syndicat des Enseignants du Premier Degré), were arrested on March 19th and 20th 2017 by Djibouti's Security Services. The authorities have not commented on the reasons for these arrests. We are concerned for their physical and psychological well-being while in detention, especially as Mr. Ewado has started a hunger strike in protest at his arrest. These arrests of two union leaders are only the latest developments in the ongoing harassment and repression of teachers and trade unionists seeking to exercise and enjoy their legitimate rights and freedoms in Djibouti. For many years, teacher union members and leaders have been targeted for arrests, salary suspensions, harassment, forced early retirements, or forced transfers. Last year, Mr. Ewado, who is also President of the Human Rights League of Djibouti, was arrested for denouncing human rights abuses by the authorities. We call on you to urgently demand that the authorities of Djibouti free Omar Ali Ewado and Ahmed-Kadar Nour, and stop the persecution and harassment of teacher unionists and human rights defenders in the country.
