ANHRI Weekly Update #397, 8th yearApril
ANHRI
Weekly newsletter 397
9/ 4/ 2012 – 16/ 4 / 2012
8th year
Egypt
Deportation of Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab from Cairo Airport
ANHRI denounced today what was done by the security authorities of the Cairo International Airport on Wednesday 11 April when in a repressive not justified act security prevented the Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab from entering Egypt and deported him back to Bahrain claiming his name to be in a list of banned persons from entering Egypt.
Rajab, the Director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights traveled to Cairo invited by the Cairo Center for Human Rights Studies to attend a number of events and activities about the ongoing violations of human rights in Bahrain in the presence of a number of representatives of international human rights organizations, however, he was surprised after his arrival at Cairo airport that he is prohibited from entering, and on this base was deported back to Bahrain, after the failure of many attempts by lawyers and activists.
Source: ANHRI
For more information about Egypt: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
Bahrain
Jailed Bahraini activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja’s life in danger
The Bahraini authorities must immediately and unconditionally release a prominent human rights activist whose health is rapidly deteriorating as he passes his 60th day of hunger strike, Amnesty International said today.
Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, 52, who is serving a life sentence for his role in anti-government protests last year, has been denied visits by his family and lawyer in the past four days. He has been on hunger strike for 62 days in protest at his unfair imprisonment.
Amnesty International considers Al-Khawaja and 13 other prominent opposition activists held with him to be prisoners of conscience, held solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly, and who have not advocated violence.
“These 14 men should all be immediately and unconditionally released – but instead the Court of Cassation has adjourned their appeal and denied them bail,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International.
“In the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, this delay will have potentially disastrous consequences for his health, which continues to deteriorate as a result of his hunger strike. We hold the Bahraini authorities responsible for his situation.”
“Their single-minded determination to persecute him seems to override any consideration for justice or humanity.”
“At the very least, the authorities must immediately allow Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja’s family and lawyer to visit him.”
Source: AMNESTY
For more information about Sudan: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
Emirates
A call upon UAE: Release the seven reformers
ANHRI denounces the arrest of six activists, who have had their citizenship revoked by the UAE authorities. The arrests followed their refusal to sign an undertaking to take on another nationality.
An officer of the Immigration and Nationality Service of the Emirates called the six activists on the morning of 9 April to ask them to amend their citizenship status within two weeks and to sign a pledge to adopt another nationality. He went on to state that their presence in the country is now illegal, following the revoking of their citizenship four months ago. Authorities have demanded the six reformists present nationality documents from another country in order to obtain permission to remain in the UAE legally. The six activists refused to sign the undertaking, particularly since there has yet to be an official decision publicly stating that their citizenship has been revoked.
The activists are now detained in Al Shahama prison in Abu Dhabi, after being accused of treason following their signing of a reform petition presented to the ruler of the UAE demanding legislative reforms.
Source: ANHRI
For more information about Jordan: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
Sudan
A New strategy to censor the press
Sudanese authorities have a long history of closing newspapers and silencing journalists. But the government security agents who carry out official censorship have launched a new strategy this year that focuses on economic impoverishment–leaving newspapers more vulnerable than ever.
Agents of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) now raid printing presses and confiscate newspapers on grounds that publications are covering topics barred by the NISS. The agency’s red lines are numerous, changeable, and ungoverned by law or judicial order. The NISS demands, for example, that newspapers abstain from covering the International Criminal Court, government corruption, human rights violations, Darfur, the war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, armed movements, and many other subjects.
Source: Committee to Protect Journalists
For more information about Jordan: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
Kuwait
Writer sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment
ANHRI condemns the sentencing of Kuwaiti writer Mohamed al-Melify to 7 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 18 thousand dollars, on charges of spreading false statements via Twitter. He was arrested by the authorities last February.
The Kuwait Criminal Court on Monday found the writer guilty of spreading false news through his personal Twitter page about sectarian divisions in the country and publishing insults against Shiism in addition to charges of libel and defamation of the MP Ahmed Lari. Al-Melify was arrested in February and was detained for 40 days and then released on bail.
Source: ANHRI
For more information about Emirates: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
Saudi Arabia
7 citizens including two Egyptians charged of incitement against the rulers
ANHRI denounced the judgment issued yesterday by the SCC Arabia by imprisonment and a fine against a cell of the “7″ among which the Saudi preacher Sheikh Yusuf Al-Ahmed,” and six others, two of them are Egyptians all accused of using the Internet to incite against the rulers, and sedition among the citizens.
Saudi Court of Criminal announced on Wednesday, a judge may be appealed against Yusuf Al-Ahmed the academic preacher and faculty member in Jurisprudence Department of “Imam Muhammad bin Saud University in Riyadh of five years in prison and travel bans plus a fine of $ 100 thousand Dollars.
Yusuf was arrested last July after posting a video on “YouTube”, criticizing the policy of a Saudi Arabia detective system, which is spreading terror among people, and sent a letter to the king of Saudi Arabia and his interior minister holding them the responsible of the thousands of detainees in prisons without trials, and warning them of the injustice and its effects, and demanding that the Saudi king would devote some time to these issues as the time he devoted to attend a sports match.
That was what annoyed authorities to arrest Yusuf on charges of violating public order, and dissemination of what raises sedition and incitement to the guardians
Source: ANHRI
For more information about Saudi Arabia: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
Yemen
Gunmen attack a Yemenis press in Sanaa
New York 12 April 2012 – Mohammed Maqaleh the Yemeni senior journalist was attacked by armed men linked to a tribal group on his way to visit a governmental official’s home, according to the journalist statement to CPJ today. Al Maqaleh has published several articles on the activities of the tribal groups in Yemen before.
Al Maqaleh works as the editor of the news web site Al Eshteraki of the Yemeni Socialist Party. He went to visit the home of Defense Minister Mohammed Nasser Ahmed in the capital Sanaa on Saturday, to question about the justification for the high prevalence of armed elements wearing military uniforms in his neighborhood, according to the journalist statement to CPJ.
When the press began to speak with the men outside the home that were linked to the Red tribe, the most influential tribal group, they attacked him with their guns and threatened him by many threats, according to news reports. The press was not hurt by any surgeon, but militants broken the glass of his car as stated by Al Maqaleh to the Committee to Protect Journalists. And “although the defense minister was present during the assault, he did not stop the aggressors because he does not have authority over them” said AL Maqaleh.
Source: Committee to Protect Journalists
For more information about Morocco: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
Tunisia
IFEX-TMG alarmed by ongoing attacks targeting demonstrators, media, performers and academics
(IFEX-TMG) – The International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Tunisia Monitoring Group (IFEX-TMG), a coalition of 21 IFEX members, is alarmed by ongoing attacks targeting journalists, artists, performers and women for the “crime” of freely expressing their opinion as well as by the Tunisian security forces’ alleged inaction during most of these instances in the past year. Furthermore, the IFEX-TMG condemns the use of force by police or other parties against journalists covering demonstrations, as well as long sentences for Facebook users on religious morality charges.
In an extremely alarming development, on 28 March, Ghazi Beji and Jabeur Mejri were sentenced to over seven years in prison for posting online manuscripts critical of Islam which included caricatures of a naked Prophet Mohammed. This comes just a fortnight after authorities announced 13 March would be marked as the national day for internet freedom.
Source: IFEX Tunisia Monitoring Group
For more information about Yemen: http://www.anhri.net/en/?s=
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ANHRI issued ten statements about freedom status in the Middle East and North Africa this week as followed:
Egypt Deportation of Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab from Cairo Airport
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=
Emieates A call upon UAE: Release the seven reformers
Kuwait Writer sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=
Saudia 7 citizens including two Egyptians charged of incitement against the rulers
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=
Tunis Suppression of a peaceful demonstration and attacks on journalists
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=
Saudia Saudi Arabia banned human rights activist “Mukhlif Shammari” from travelling
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=
Tunisia Freedom of expression status Monitoring Group (TMG) in Tunisia is concerned about continuing the attacks targetting protesters and journalists, artists and academics
Kuwait ANHRI is concerned that Kuwait approved Death penalty as a punishment for those who dare to Godself and the divine messenger
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=7864
Egypt Draft Law for the Nationalization of Civil Society and Transforming it into a Government Institution
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=
Egypt Press conference to announce the Documentary Book of names of the martyrs and accused of murder cases with the details of the martyrs
For more of ANHRI press releases:
http://www.anhri.net/en/?cat=1
