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The Internet In the Arab World
A New Space of Repression?
No Rules, No Limits
United Arab Emirates:
Freedom of expression is missing despite a decision banning imprisonment for press crimes
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Weekly update for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information # 221
Year 5
25 July 2008 - 31 July 2008
Bahrain
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Bargaining Civil Rights for Economic and Social Rights
The Bahraini government required the citizens of the area of Al Malikia, with Shiite majority, to choose between practicing their civil and political rights of protest or having services and city development.
The King has linked the development of Al Malikia conditionally with refraining from protests against state policy, described protestors as “strangers” who are threatening the security of the area, and called on the citizens of Al Malikia to confront the protestors. At the same time the Council of Ministers announced that: “ development depends on security and stability.” The minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture warned that “ all approved development projects will only be implemented when citizens perform their national security role.”
Sources
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
More information and topics on Bahrain page: http://www.anhri.net/bahrain
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Tunisia
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Depravation of Security on the Anniversary of the Declaration of the Republic
The celebration of the Republic Declaration on 25th July coincided with an abduction raid in Bizerte city, that extended too many prominent rights activists (Osman Al Gamili, Fawzi Al Sadgawi, Khalid Bou Jom’a, and Ali Alnaftati) following a peaceful gathering, in which a large number of rights and political activists had participated, under the slogans of liberty, republic values respect, and the political prisoners release, as well as condemnation of the life-time presidency and corruption. The security depravity continued late into the night, when they hacked the e-mail of thousands of Tunisian citizens and independent rights associations, including the International Association for Support of Political Prisoners which was exposed to interception and correspondences’ theft.
Sources
International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners
National Council for Freedoms in Tunisia
More information and topics on Tunisia page: http://www.anhri.net/tunisia
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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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The Government Should Cancel the Decision to Expel The Egyptian Resident Abdallah Al Khyat
Saudi authorities have decided to expel Egyptian national (Abdallah Al Khayat) who has been a resident of Saudi Arabia for 44 years, because of his writings on the internet and some newspapers, in which he addressed only his grievances and opinions about Egypt. Al Khayat did not prejudice any Saudi related matters and did not breach either Egyptian or Saudi laws.
Al Khayat approached authorities to renew his residence permit on 21st July 2008 and was shocked by the decision to expel and deport him from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia without providing any reasons within a week.
Sources
Arabic Information for Human Rights Information
More information and topics on Saudi Arabia page: http://www.anhri.net/saudi
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Sudan
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Sudan Bans the YouTube Website
The Sudanese government has blocked the YouTube website (www.youtube.com) and made it inaccessible to the internet users in Sudan since July 22nd, following to publicity of some video clips by activists, that expose the Sudanese security personnel while they were torturing and beating some detained minors whom were arrested on the background of the 10th of May events and the attack on Omdurman. When trying to visit the YouTube website, a message appears instead stating that the Sudanese National Telecommunication Corporation had blocked the site, providing no reasons for the blockage of the worldwide popular website.
Four Women were Raped, and 6,000 Displaced Persons Arrived to Zamzam Camp
The UNMID in Darfur stated that about 6,000 displaced person have arrived to Zamzam Camp for Internally Displaced Person’s IDPs in the North of Darfur, which is already populated by 62,000 who have arrived in recent months. The Mission indicated that its security had received reports about four women who were raped, in addition to assault of one of its locally employed staff in Ginina Police Station before releasing him.
UNAMID confirmed that there is a continuous air strike in parts of South, West and North of Darfur, but the current weather conditions did not allow investigating the population movements.
Sources
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
More information and topics on Ifham Darfur website:http://ifhamdarfur.net
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Syria
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Freedom for Arif Dalila
26 rights organizations had expressed their deep concerns towards the deteriorating health situation of Dr. Arif Dalila, who is still under the solitary confinement despite health issues that are seriously endangering his life.
Dr. Arif Dalila the first opinion prisoner in Syria, was given an unfair prison sentence of 10 years of hard labor by the Damascus Supreme State Security court on 31st July 2002, because of his interest in the public issues, his call for peaceful democratic change, as calls for reforming the country’s economy, and countering the corruption. Dalila used to participate and speak in forums. His famous lecture entitled: “ The Syrian Economic- Problems and Solutions” was presented at the Gamal Al Attasi Forum in Damascus in 2nd of September 2001.
Sources
The Syrian Alliance for Defense of Human Rights
More information and topics on Syria page: http://anhri.net/syria
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Palestine
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Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank Suffers from Factional Strife
Human Rights Watch organization issued a report on 30 July, on the internal fight between Fatah and Hamas, entitled: “Internal Fight: Palestinian Abuses in Gaza and West Bank.” In it they documented the serious abuses committed by the Hamas movement against Fatah in Gaza, and by the Fatah movement against Hamas in the West Bank since June 2007. It has well documented the cross-raids between the two factions against each other’s supporters, particularly the three blasts in Gaza which resulted in death of a 4 years old girl, and five members of the Hamas armed wing, apparently in a revenge action. Security agencies in the West Bank had withheld around 100 persons who were suspected of having ties with Hamas. Half of them are from the Nablus area, there are also academics and local government officials among the detainees.
To review the report press on the link: http://hrw.org/reports/2008/iopt0708
Sources
Human Rights Watch
More information and topics on Palestine page: http://www.anhri.net/palestine
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Egypt
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Justice Balance is Unbalanced
This week the Safaga Misdemeanor Court acquitted the owner of the “Steamer of Death”, Mamdouh Ismail and five others suspected to have caused the death of 1,034 Egyptian citizens and injury of 385 others were on board the Steamer when it sank. At the same time, 600 km away in Alexandria, the general prosecutor challenged the appeal court’s decision to release 14 Egyptian youth of the Facebook activists known as “6 of April Youth and to continue their detenetion after security forces arrested them on July 23rd during a trip the made to Alexandria. Their only crime was to raise the Egyptian flag and sing nationalist songs.
Sources
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
More information and topic on Egypt page: http://anhri.net/egypt
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Morocco
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Abduction of Civil Rights Activist Khadija Zyane
Khadija Zyane, rights activists and member of the Moroccan Center for Human Rights, the Sidi Efini’s Branch, was abducted outside of the local prison in Inezgane in Agadir state, while visiting the detainees accompanied by some of their family members, Khadija Ayane is known of her social and humanitarian local and regional initiatives.
Sources
Moroccan Center for Human Rights
More information and topics on Morocco page: http://www.anhri.net/morocco
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Yemen
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A Call for Solidarity with Abdel Karim Al Khaiwani,
The Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights had called on all rights activists, journalists and concerned persons to show solidarity with Abdel Karim Al Khaiwani by attending his appeals session which was postponed from July 29th to the 9th of November 2008.
Abdel Karim Mohamed Al Khaiwani works as the editor-in-chief for Al Umma newspaper, and Al Shoura weekly newspaper, as well as the electronic news website “Alshoura.net”.
He has published sensitive files including the famous file of Inheritance of State Rule and Employment Positions, and the Corruption in the Oil Sector. He was subjected to repression and harassment by the government. He has also been prohibited from traveling abroad, and has been repeatedly given death threats. In addition, a judicial verdict was handed to him in 2004 on the backdrop of many charges included the contempt of the President of the republic. He was released at the end of 2005, by a presidential pardon. However, he was prosecuted again and convicted in June 2008, where he was given a harsh prison sentence of up to 6 years, for accusations of having ties with Al- Houthi Insurgence in the North of the Yemen.
Sources
Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights
More information and topics on Yemen page: http://anhri.net/yemen
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Iran
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Allow Activist Freedom of Movement
Intelligence and security agents routinely prevent opinion-makers, activists, and dissidents from travelling abroad to attend international conferences in an effort to keep their voices from international audiences.
The Iranian government prevented Abdollah Momeni, a well-known human rights activist, from travelling to Malaysia to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Forum in Malaysia on 25 July, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said on 28th of July.
The Iranian security agency had prevented Abdolfattah Soltani, well-known human rights defender and lawyer, from travelling to Geneva to attend a meeting of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council last June.
In the past year, several other activists have been barred from travel by security agents in airports, including Hashem Aghajari, Issa Saharkhiz, and Taqi Rahmani.
Sources
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
More information and topics on Iran page; http://www.anhri.net/iran
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Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
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Using the Internet is Punishable in the Arab World
In two separate statements, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information –ANHRI.NET, addressed two models for Arab governments reactions towards Internet and Internet users in the Arab Area.
Calling on the Saudi authorities to revise its decision to expel (Abdallah Al Khayat) the Egyptian national resident in Saudi Arabia, because of his writings on the internet, considering the future of Al Khayat’s children and grandchildren who study in Saudi universities and schools, as well as the impact of this decision as a proof of the Saudi government hostility against the freedom of expression and opinion.
ANHRI had demanded the Sudanese government in its 29th of July statement, to lift the ban on the YouTube website and end the policy of blockage and prohibition that considered as a violation of Internet and Information freedom. Where the Sudanese government has blocked the Youtube.com website and made it inaccessible to the internet users in Sudan since 22nd of July, according to decision made by the National Telecommunication Corporation.
To review the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information press releases:
http://www.anhri.net/en/reports
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anhri is a legal organization that defends the freedom of opinion and expression of the press and the right to exchange information. Moreover, it works on collecting the publications of nearly 140 Arabic human rights organizations from 18 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, which are published in Arabic and presented in one website. It also provides human rights Sources in the Arab world for media workers, journalists, activists and the public in an attempt to increase the number of internet users and those interested in human rights issues in the Arab speaking world. Though one of many human rights groups serving the Middle East and North Africa, it is the only one in the Arab world devoted exclusively to protecting the freedom of expression across the region.
For more information, suggestions or membership in the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, please contact anhri at:
Address: 19-26 July st-Downtown - Cairo- 4th floor - suit 55
Phone Number: (00202) 27736177
Email address:
info@anhri.net
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