Human rights activists barred from travel, arrested

EIGHT activists invited to attend a human rights gathering in Ireland this week have been barred from travelling or are being held in prison in their home countries.

One woman, an activist in Uzbekistan, was arrested last Friday and appeared in court yesterday on finance-related charges that the organisers of the conference believe are fabricated.

Frontline, an organisation set up three years ago to offer protection to defenders of human rights worldwide, has asked the Irish government to make representations on behalf of the eight activists.