Transcript KEEPING SAFE WHEN PREVENTING

KEEPING SAFE WHEN PREVENTING
TORTURE & REHABILITATING SURVIVORS
MERINA HOTEL
YAOUNDE CAMEROON
Presentation by Taiga Wanyanja Centre : MATESO-KE
10/12/2012
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (HRDS) AT RISK:
Human Rights Defenders often face harassment, detention, torture, defamation, suspension
from their employment, denial of freedom of movement and difficult in obtaining legal
recognition for their association, on extreme HRDS are killed ,abducted or disappeared.
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All human rights defenders face risks
Not all HRDs are equal in front of risks
Risks depend on the political context
The political context changes ,it is dynamic .
Assessing Risks
Risk= Threats x vulnerabilities
Capacities
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Threats are the possibility that someone will harm somebody else physical or moral integrity
or property through purposely and often violent action.
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In order to reduce risks to acceptable levels-namely, to protect yourself ,must
Reduce threats
Reduce vulnerability factors
Increase protection capacities
HUMAN RIGHTS
DEFENDERS (HRDS) AT RISK
-Targeting
-Crime
-Indirect threats
-Situational analysis
-Threat assessment
Ways of reducing
vulnerability
RISK= Threats x Vulnerability
Capacities
Enhancing and
developing capacities
Threats
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some people who make threats ultimately pose a threat
many people who make threats do not pose a threat;
some people who never make a threat do not pose a
threat
Assessing threat
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To get as much information as possible about the purpose and source of
the threat (both will be linked to the impact of your work)
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To reach a reasoned and reasonable conclusive about whether the threat
will be acted on or not.
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To decide what to do.
Establish the facts
Establish the pattern over time
Establish the objective
Establish the source
Draw a reasoned and a reasonable conclusive about the feasibility of the
threat
Security incidents?
A factor or event which you think could affect your personal or
organizational security.
Dealing with security incidents;
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Register them
Analyze them
React to them
A: Severity
Grenade thrown
at the office
Legal Office raid:
Top secret info
taken
Legal Office Raid:
Public info only
taken
Office
Surveillance by
visible car
C4
Right after
office raid
C3
Once – just before
public audience
C2
Twice this year
- At no specifically
Critical moment
C1
Daily – same car
and time
B: Frequency / Timing
Probability of imminent more severe action against HRD from potential aggressor
Very low (A1 office surveillance by visible + B1 daily same car and time
Low (A2 legal office raid: public information only taken +B2 twice this year at no specifically critical
Moment)
High: (A3 legal office raid; top secret information taken (top secret witness names taken) + B3 once
just before public audience.
Very high: (A4: grenade thrown at the office + B4: Right after office raid C3)
Preventing and Reacting to aggression:
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Act against the threat and vulnerabilities and capacities
Be careful-reduce your exposure
Seek effective protection
Seek community protection.
Initiate surveillance and counter surveillance.
A Security Strategy:
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Responsiveness
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Reversibility
Adaptability
Sustainability
Effectiveness
Ways of dealing with risks:
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Accept the risk
Reduce the risk
Share the risk
Defer the risk
Ignore the risk
Security and Defenders work space
Persuasion
Deterrence
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Tolerance
Acceptance
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Work space
Security plan
A security plan is aimed at reducing risk:
Has to be implemented on at least three levels.
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The individual level
The organizational level
The inter-organizational level
It has three objectives:
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Reducing the level of threat you are experiencing
Reducing your vulnerabilities
Improving your capacities
A security plan should include day-to-day policies, measures and protocols for managing specific
situations.
Day-to-day policy and measures for routine work.
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Permanent advocacy, networking, codes of ethics, culture of security, security management
Permanent measures to ensure that torture work is done in accordance with security standards
Responsibilities & resources for implementing
the plan:
• Include security factors routinely into your schedule
• Regular and analyze security incidents
• Allocate responsibilities
• Allocate resources
Draft the plan;
• Select the threats
• List relevant vulnerabilities
• List relevant capacities
Preventive protocols
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for example on how to prepare a press conference or a visit to a
remote area.
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Emergency protocols for reaching to specific problems, such as
detention or disappearance.
IMPROVING SECURITY AT WORK AND AT HOME:
Prevent unauthorized access
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The office location
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Neighborhood; Relationships
Accessibility; Basic services
Street lighting; Susceptibility to Accidents or natural risks
Physical structure; Far vehicles( parking)
Third-party access to the office: physical barriers and visitor procedures.
Technical measures :lighting &alarm ,video cameras
Admission procedure, files –keep track or the package.
Checklist-General office security procedures
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Keys
Admission procedure
Regular inspection of office security
IMPROVING SECURITY AT WORK AND AT
HOME :
Mobile phones
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Do not keep information of such sensitive names/numbers or
messages in your phones.
Physical security of information in the office
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Keep the office locked at all times including doors and windows
Use keys that require specific authorization
Do not give the keys to third parties
Burn the waste paper
IMPROVING SECURITY AT WORK AND AT
HOME
Mobile phones
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Do not keep information of such sensitive names/numbers or
messages in your phones.
Physical security of information in the office
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Keep the office locked at all times including doors and windows
Use keys that require specific authorized
Do not give the keys to third parties
Burn the waste paper
IMPROVING SECURITY AT WORK AND AT HOME
Basic computer file security
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Lock computer away when leaving the office
Turn computer screen away from windows
Use surge protection for all power outlets
Keep back-up information, including paper files, in a secure, separate location on an
encrypted computer hard drive with a secure dale back-up organization on secured by
sophisticated physical locks
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To stop an access to your computer, passphrase-protect/shut off as you leave it.
Encrypt your files
Keep the encrypted back-ups away from your office in a safe place.
Use external server to backup your
on internet
Buy a computer from a trusted source, flaterit (reformat the hard drive. Only allow
hustled technicians to service your computer and watch them all times
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Unplug your computer/modem when leaving the machines unattended
IMPROVING SECURITY AT WORK AND AT HOME:
SAFE MAILLING;
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Never open an email from someone you don’t know
Never forward an email from someone you don’t know
Never download or open an attachment unless you know what it contains
and that it is secure.
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Don’t use HTML/MIME or rich text in your email-only plain text
Encrypt your email whenever possible
Use meaningful subject lines so the reader knows that’s intended.
Safer office management
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Being conscious of your information and who has access to it
Developing safe habits and using them consistently.
Using the tools properly
IMPROVING SECURITY AT WORK AND AT HOME
Internet security problem
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Use a good antivirus program and keep up to date with automatic
antivirus updating(check out the virus information library at
ww.vil.nai.com
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A good firewall can help you appear invisible to hackers and keep out
intruders trying to get into you r system
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A key logger system can track every keystroke you make
An email address can be spoofed(faked)or used by someone other than
the true owner
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Keep your browsing activity private by not accepting cookies and by
deleting your cache after every time you use the web
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Upgrade all web browsers to support bit of encryption.
Software administration
ASSESSING ORGANISATIONAL SECURITY PERFORMANCE
Acquired Security
Experience and
cohesion
Analyzing and
reacting
security
incidents
Security awareness
And attitude
Assignment of
responsibilities
Threats /consequences linked to searches
A search generates threats /consequences
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The threat that during a search somebody may suffer physical or psychological harm
The threat that the information may be taken away ,lost or destroyed
Related to that the information may be used inappropriately by a third party
The threat that contentious objects may be hidden( arms drugs, documents) in order later
to proceed ‘legally’ against the organization
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The threat /consequences or money and specific properties ( such as computers ) being
stolen or destroyed.
Secure management of information prevention procedure
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Source –information collection ,at meeting point
Transfer of the information
Processing and storage
Distribution
Threats /consequences linked to searches
Incase information is taken or stolen
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Immediately inform people at the organization
Access the quantity and sensitivity of the information lost or stolen
Inform other institution affected
Inform the authorities and report the event
Set in any other steps needed to avoid damage.
General strategy in the protection of defenders includes:
Protection and security capacity building and training
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Risk assessment ,security/protection management
Transfer of knowledge and tools
Protection research
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Study and elaboration of protection
Publication of information
Protection advocacy
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Distribution of information on protection among HRD and stakeholders
Promotion of debates and action to protect HRD
Protective videos
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Portraits of Human Rights Defenders
Protection desk
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Use HRD network
References:
To find out about Human Rights Defenders visit
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www.frontlinedefenders .org
www.protectionline.org
unhchr.ch/defenders/about.htm.
www.amnesty.org
The protection manual by Enrique Eguren and Maria Caraj
Thank you for your time.
Taiga Wanyanja-Coordinator-MATESO
Tel.+254 55 30248
Fax.+254 55 30248
[email protected]
www.mahteso.org