Venezuelan prisoner of conscience, Leopoldo López, continues to be denied access to his lawyers since 8 April. Despite authorities allowing family visits since 7 May, they continue violating his right to a defence.

According to sources, three Lao human rights activists, Soukan Chaithad, Somphone Phimmasone and Lodkham Thammavong, were sentenced to between 12 and 20 years’ in prison following a secret trial held in April 2017.

The health of jailed trade unionist Esmail Abdi has deteriorated following a hunger strike he started on 30 April in protest at the criminalization of peaceful trade unionists.

Petr Jezek, Hassan A. Kodi and Abdulmonem Abdumawla have been released after a presidential pardon.

Four activists have been indicted for “inciting subversion of state power” for producing and promoting their own baijiu (a popular Chinese liquor) that commemorated the 27th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown.

A fundraising update for our youth network. This month's update features news of an upcoming fundraising month on our I Welcome campaign and news of some exciting fundraising events organised by our young supporters.

Authorities forcibly searched the home of human rights defender Ehisler Vásquez and prosecutors threatened to indict him when he requested information on the reason for the search.

On 20 April, University professor and father of four Dr Salem Mohamed Beitelmal was kidnapped by local militias on the outskirts of Tripoli.

Three Turkish men who had been arbitrarily arrested and detained in Malaysia between 2 and 4 May under anti-terrorism legislation were extradited to Turkey on 11 May.

On 5 May, Nizar al-Qari, a member of the opposition party al-Wefaq, was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), where he alleges he was deprived of sleep and handcuffed behind his back for long periods of his detention.