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Weekly update for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information # 223
Year 5
8 August 2008 - 14 August 2008
Bahrain
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Regional Training Course in Human Rights
Under the framework of the regional program for building the capacities of human rights and media activists in the Gulf States and Yemen, the Bahraini Capital, Manama, will host the Second Regional Training Course organized by the Human Rights Information and Training Center in cooperation with the Bahraini Association for Human Rights from August 10th to 14th, 2008, with the support of Future Foundation, and the participation of 35 mixed genders participants from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Yemen.
Sources
Bahraini Association for Human Rights
More information and topics on Bahrain Page: http://www.anhri.net/bahrain
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Tunisia
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A Campaign to Save the Lives of "2 Decades of Prisoners" and to End the “Slow Death Policy!”
The International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners and the Vérité-Action (Geneva) launched a joint writing and communications campaign to save the lives of political prisoners who have spent more than 2 decades in Tunisian prisons because of their intellectual and political activities. These prisoners – as well as their families- live under very tough conditions and are suffering severely. The prisoners have been subjected to methods of torture that are both physically and morally destructing including humiliation, hunger, blackout, lengthy solitary confinement, separation from families, and deprivation from education means and world news, as well as the right to medical treatment. These types of conditions have come to be known as the "Slow Death Policy".
Sources
The International Association for the Support of the Political Prisoners
More information and topics on Tunisia page: http://www.anhri.net/tunisia
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Syria
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Release of the Detainees Ghazi Gadour, and Na'im Nesla
Syrian authorities have released human rights activist Ghazi Gadour, a member of the Committee for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria and of the Civil Society Revival Committee. Gadour was required to approach the same agency that detained him the next morning. He was arrested on Monday 11 August, following a security raid on his house, and he was taken to the quarters of a security agency.
At the same time, a Czech Doctor of Syrian origin Na'im Nesla(75 years old) was also released after he was arrested on 8th August in Aleppo's International Airport, upon his arrival from the Czech Republic to visit his homeland. The arrest was based on a warrant issued by the Palestine branch of the Syrian Military Intelligence, which was referred to on Sunday 10th August. The National Organization for Human Rights in Syria praised the decision that freed both Gadour and Nesla, demanding in the same communiqué the release of other prisoners of conscience and demanding that Syrian authorities issue strict instructions to stop harassing Syrian expatriates during their visits to their homeland.
Sources
National Organization for Human Rights in Syria
More information and topics on Syria page: http://anhri.net/syria
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Iraq
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French Journalists Depart Al Kut
According to the Press Freedoms Observatory, a French media mission was exposed to threats and harassment by alleged intelligence elements in Al Kut city upon their arrival on 11th August, when some of these elements came to the hotel where they live and started to inquire with the front desk about the French journalists and claiming that they are "spies." The alleged intelligence agents left following a phone call from an intelligent officer. The French journalists departed Al Kut the next morning due to fears for their personal safety; they suspect this incident to be an attempt to kidnap them. The PFO demands the opening of an investigation into this incident, to assess the legality of such procedure, and to ensure that the security position will not be used as a cover for other purposes that target journalist visiting the governorate.
Sources
Press Freedoms Observatory
More information and topics on Iraq’s Page: http://www.anhri.net/iraq
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Palestine
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Israeli Military to Hold Palestinian Soundman for Six Months
Reporters Without Borders condemned the announced decision by the Israeli Military to detain Ibrahim Hamad, a soundman employed by the Palestinian news agency Ramattan, for six months without charge and without taking him before any court. Israeli soldiers arrested him at his home near the city of Ramallah, on 15 July. This military decision was taken without bringing the soundman before the court, and without directing any charges to this employee.
MADA Center: Mass Violations of Media Freedoms in July 2008
In a detailed report about the violations committed by both the Israeli authorities and Palestinian security agencies in July 2008, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms stated that a large number of journalists, editors and correspondents were exposed to arrest and assault in the West Bank and Gaza. In addition, some TV and Radio Stations were shut down and or had their equipments confiscated by the Israeli authorities and Palestinian security apparatus. In addition to this, the distribution of Al Quds, Al Ayam, and Al Hayat newspapers were banned. The Center condemned all media freedoms violations, called for an end to the violations, demands that authorities respect the freedom of opinion and expression provided by the UDHR, and called on authorities to release all of the detained journalists in Israel and the National Palestinian Authorities. The Center has called for an end to the assault on the media and demanded that all
distribution of Palestinian newspapers in the West Bank and Gaza are remain allowed.
Sources
Reporters without Borders
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms
More information and topics on Palestine page: http://www.anhri.net/palestine
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Egypt
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Prosecution of Two Publishers for Statement about Censorship
"The private presses’ refusal to print some publications and their omission of some quotes resembles a new seizure on freedom of opinion and expression, without any basis in the Egyptian law, and conforms a new constraint on the freedom of opinion and expression and press freedom to be added to the legislative and governmental restrictions.", stated Hisham Mubarak Law Center in its August 12th communiqué in solidarity with both of the director of Malamih Publishing Co., and the director of Merit Publishing Co. In light of their prosecution. A Misdemeanor claim filed by a private press company has charged the two publishers with defamation and demanded their punishment according to articles 171, 302, 303, 306 of the Penal Code, because of their statements in the Arts News Journal, within a journalist article entitled " The Pressman as a Watchman".
The Fifteenth Annual Training Course in Human Rights for University Students Begins.
The fifteenth annual training course in human rights for University Students started on 11 August 2008. The event is organized by Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and is being attended by a diverse group of 30 students from 4 Arab States. The training course curriculum is designed to provide practical skills for the human rights field, a foundational knowledge of human rights, and some other aspects of the field that are of concern to the participants. The training course introduces the participants to key rights issues and how to confront the different kinds of human rights and freedoms violations
Sources
Hisham Mubarak Law Center
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
More information and topics on Egypt’s page: http://anhri.net/egypt
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Yemen
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The Security Option in Dealing with Forms of Peaceful Expression Makes Human Rights Vulnerable to Serious Violations
The Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights condemned the continuation of political prosecutions, forced disappearances, extrajudicial arrests, and all of the forms of security violations in Yemen. Such violations not only cause serious damage to the reputation of Yemen internationally but also exposes the policy of using repressive security methods to deal with forms of peaceful expression and social protests which is contradictory to the constitution, Yemeni law, and the announced obligations of Yemen to protect public freedoms and guarantee the civil and political rights of its citizen. This puts human rights in Yemen at risk for dangerous violations.
The Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights also demanded the disclosure of the fate of those who have forcefully disappeared and to immediately release political detainees, in particular those who suffer health issues, starting with the Legend Sheikh Mohamed Muftah, the head of the Shoura Council of the Haq "Rights" Party, Laui Al Moaid, Hassan Baoum, Yahia Al Shauibi, and all of the detainees of the Southern movements whom were detained on the background of Saada's War.
Sources
Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights
For more information and topics on Yemen’s page: http://anhri.net/yemen
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Morocco
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Moroccan Security Elements Illegally Abducted and Secretly Detained a Group of Citizens
Security elements in civilian clothing raided the houses of some Moroccan citizens in the city of Al Marsa, south of Al Oyoun on July 25th, a Friday evening. Observers believe that the abductions were based on the relationship of those citizens with the forcefully disappeared citizen Ramdan Al Zaitoni, who had some trade activities with them during his stay in Al Marsa city and before his recent abduction. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights demanded the disclosure of the fate of the disappeared citizens and that they be released or brought before courts according to the law and with respect to the international oaths and covenants that they be guaranteed fair trials. The Association also demanded that security agents involved be held accountable for the unlawful raid and abduction.
Sources
Amnesty International
More information and topics on Morocco’s page:http://www.anhri.net/morocco
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Iran
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Nobel laureate threatened by state news agency allegation
Reporters without Borders- in its 8th August press release- had firmly condemned an allegation made by the official news agency IRNA on 6 August that endangers Nobel peace laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi and her family. An IRNA report claimed that Ebadi’s daughter “converted to the Bahai religion nearly a year ago.” The government-controlled agency accuses her of apostasy, which is punishable by death in Islam. Shirin believed that those accusations were made because of her acceptance to take a part in defending members of Bahai group arrested on 14th May. The Bahaism is not recognized as a religion in Iran and its followers are harassed and persecuted. Around 1000 of them have executed since 1978.
Sources
Reporters without Borders
More information and topics on Iran’s page:http://www.anhri.net/iran
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International and Regional
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EGYPT: Still no word, five years after editor disappeared
The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed it is dismay by the failure of the Egyptian authorities to shed light on the disappearance of a prominent journalist, Reda Helal, five years ago today, he had mysteriously vanished while he was on his way home from work in a heavily guarded area in the center of the Egyptian capital. CPJ has repeatedly requested to meet with officials from the Interior and Information ministries and also with Al-Ahram’s chief editor. Those requests, placed respectively through the Egyptian Embassy in Washington and Egypt State Information Service in Cairo, have all been ignored. CJP said, “Helal’s disappearance has for years spurred a strange silence in the usually vocal Egyptian media. CPJ has also criticized the unceasing police and judicial harassment of many journalists over the past few years, which has prompted self-censorship and led to deterioration of press freedoms in Egypt.
Israel: Don’t Destroy Homes: Collective Punishment Violates International Law
The Israeli government should reject plans to resume the demolition or confiscation of the homes of alleged terrorists, Human Rights Watch said today. These measures would violate international legal prohibitions against collective punishment, as they affect the owners or inhabitants of the homes who have no involvement in terrorism.
Sources
Committee to Protect Journalist
Human Rights Watch
More information and topics on the regional and international page: http://www.anhri.net/mena
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The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information-
Legal Aid Unit for Freedom of Expression
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Hesba Lawyer Demands the Flogging of an Egyptian Female Film Director
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information ANHRI.NET condemned in its communiqué issued on 13th August, that the Hesba (Actio Popularis) claimed by one of the lawyers close to the Egyptian National Party, against the female famous film director Enas El-Dighaidy, accusing her of defaming the reputation of “Egypt’s girls”, because of her film “ Dairies of a Teenager Girl”. The Arabic Network said that: “ Hesba has become a nightmare for authors and artists. Such Hesba cases could not have increased without the blessing of the government and cooperation with the Hesba lawyers.”
For full review of the statement: http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/2008/pr0813.shtml
For more of ANHRI’s 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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