Elwaleed Imam Hassan Taha and Alaa Aldin al-Difana have been released from the custody of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) without charge. A third activist, Elgassim Mohamed Seed Ahmed, remains in detention pending further investigations into his online activities.

Formally arrested for “inciting subversion of state power” in December 2016, Liu Feiyue, founder and director of Hubei-based human rights website “Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch” (www.msguancha.com), is to face an additional charge of “leaking state secrets”. He could face a sentence of life imprisonment if convicted of this additional charge.

On 22 August, the governor of Missouri issued a stay of execution for Marcellus Williams who was due to be put to death later that day. The governor will appoint a Board of Inquiry to review the case and make a recommendation on clemency.

Chile’s Constitutional Tribunal has ruled in favour of decriminalizing abortion under three specific circumstances. This is an important step toward ensuring the protection of women and girls’ human rights across the country.

Crimean Tatar protestor Server Karametov was released from police custody in Simferopol, Crimea on 19 August after serving his full 10-day sentence. He was arrested on 8 August while engaging in a peaceful protest outside Crimea’s Supreme Court.

University professor Ahmad Qatamesh was released from administrative detention by the Israeli authorities on 13 August. His three-month detention order was not renewed after it expired. He is now back home in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank with his family. Ahmad Qatamesh was a prisoner of conscience.

This training pack has been created by Amnesty International UK on the BRAVE global campaign which campaigns to strengthen the recognition and protection of human rights defenders.

September marks the start of an international period of fundraising on the I Welcome campaign. The International Secretariat is calling on Amnesty International sections around the world to work with their members and supporters to organise fundraising events themed around the I Welcome campaign.

Kenya’s NGO Coordination Board threatened to arrest George Kegoro, Executive Director of Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Gladwell Otieno, Executive Director of African Center for Open Governance (AfriCOG) and Maina Kiai, former UN Special Rapporteur and a member of AfriCOG’s Board of Directors on 16 August.

Former prisoner of conscience, Nguyễn Bắc Truyển was last seen on 30 July 2017 after dropping off his wife outside her place of work in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.