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Our Reports
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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The Arab Network for Human Rights Information
Weekly Update #230
September 29 – October 8, 2008
Bahrain
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Ministry of Information Prosecutes a Website
The Bahraini Ministry of Information had referred the Assarah al-Wattani Forum website (National Monument Forum) to the Prosecutor General after accusing him of “violating the Press Law”. The website under interrogation is known of its rapid news publishing, and posting the press releases of the NGOs and opposition parties. As well as being a forum where unspeakable files are discussed. Bahrain Center for Human Rights considers this action as an attempt to silence the opponent voices.
Sources
IFEX
More information and topics on Bahrain Page: http://www.anhri.net/bahrain
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Tunisia
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Six Bizerte Youth Remain Detained
Following the harassment against them since the first day of the Eid holidays the political police of Al Habib Bou Gatfa-Bizerte City had arrested Nour Al Haq Balshiekh, Iskender Boughanmi ,and his brother Hakim, and Husni Boughanmi, Walid Boukra’een, and Mohamed Amin from their city, and taken them to an unidentified location, what caused worries to their families who are gathered outside the Police zone in a fear for their member’s fate. The Tunisian rights organization Horrya and Insaf called on for releasing the detained youth and to bring to an end the arbitrary detention and political trials, and the respect of the law.
Sources
Eye on Tunisia
More information and topics on Tunisia’s page: http://www.anhri.net/tunisia
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Syria
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In the Anniversary of the Exceptional Census
On 5th of October 2008, the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria called on the Syrian authorities to implement their promises to resolve the issues of the citizens who were deprived and striped from the Syrian nationality according to the unfair census took place on 5th of October 1962, according to which thousands of Syrian Kurdish populations and minor number of the Syrian Arabic in the Peninsula area from their Syrian Nationality. This racist measurement had imposed on its victims various kinds of discrimination and deprivation from civil, political, and economical rights like right to vote, work, travel, and register marriage and births as well as ownership.
Sources
National Organization for Human Rights in Syria
More information and topics on Syria page: http://www.anhri.net/syria
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Iraq
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The Authorities Continues to Harass Iraq Journalists
A number of the satellites channels and news agencies had complained about the ill-treatment they received from the Council of Al Basra Governorate chairman while they were attending a conference in the building of the governorate council. Where the chairman had expelled them all, although they came according to an official invitation from the Media Department of the council to attend and cover the conference events. The Press Freedom Observatory condemned the council chairman manner and expulsion of journalists and media workers considering it as indication of personal decision that might affects negatively the freedom to access to information, and required the council chairman and members to apologize to journalists.
Sources
Press Freedoms Observatory
More information and topics on Iraq’s Page: http://www.anhri.net/iraq
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Egypt
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Law Should be Enforced in Sectarian Violence Cases
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights announced the primary finding of its investigations in the sectarian violence events took place in Atteiba village – Smalout Center in Almenia governorate last Friday 3rd of October, which resulted in death of a citizen and four injuries beside burning and destroying a number of houses, lands and properties. The Egyptian Initiative required the Prosecutor General to guarantee the independence of the prosecution investigations in the events and enforcing the law on the offenders regardless of any political considerations. EIPR had also urged the executive and clergy leadership to well regard the victims’ rights and ensure that there is no way for criminals to escape punishment under the pretext of reconciliation. The Initiative said also that authorities should apply pressure on victims to compromise their rights for closing the case file as they used to do.
Sources
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
More information and topics on Egypt’s page:http://www.anhri.net/egypt
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Palestine
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The Occupation Forces Violations in Palestine
The Palestinian Center for Defense of Prisoners stated in a report that the Israeli occupation forces had arrested about 260 persons including children, elderly, girls, journalists, medicine doctors, students, youth and foreign advocates. In the same report that Palestinian Center had revealed that the occupation had carried out around 70 night raids on a large number of Palestinian citizens houses in 12 governorates in Gaza and Western Bank as well as the occupied Jerusalem. The center had reported also that the occupation soldiers had torn a copy of the Holy Quran and thrown it in water closet in Alami’s house in the occupied town of al-Khalil.
Sources
Palestinian Center for Defense of the Prisoners
More information and topics on Palestine page: http://www.anhri.net/palestine
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Morocco
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Sahrawi Political to Present Before Akadir Appeal Court
8 Sahrawi political prisoners including the Sahrawi human rights defender “Yahia Mohamed Al Hafiz”-member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, Tantan Branch, and a member of the Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders Assembly- are expected to present before the court on 9th of October, 2008 in the Penal Hall, of the First Degree Judiciary Akadir Appeal Court. In a fifth in kind prosecution against those detainees, after many postponements for absence of Moroccan Police personnel involved in this case.
Sources
CODESA
More information and topics on Morocco’s page: http://www.anhri.net/morocco
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Yemen
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11 Local Organizations Calls on the International Community to Support Saada’s War Detainees
11 Local rights organization had called on the international community to bear its responsibility and work for the release of all the detainees in the Sanaa’s secretary, Heja, Hudaida, Saada, Karsh, and Aden. In the meeting for solidarity with Saada war detainees, the organization had also incited the civil community to stand against the arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearance, as well as the immediate action to release the prisoners and stop all forms of repression and discrimination against a specific group of people for their religious associations and religious beliefs, which indicates that the authorities is thinking of the return to war what raise worries among organizations and community members.
Sources
Yemeni Organization for Defense of Rights and Democratic Freedoms
More information and topics on Yemen’s page: http://www.anhri.net/yemen
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International and Regional
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Iran: Fears for Kurdish Prisoners Entered Hunger Strike in Iran
The International Defense Organization expressed its deep grieve towards the situation of the Kurdish prisoners in Iran, which include journalists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders, who entered a hunger strike since past August 25th, 2008, protesting the harsh conditions they live under and the continuous harassment against them. The Organization had also called on the UN council for human rights to work for ending the rapid deterioration of human rights situations in Iran. The Organization urged the NGOs to urge Iran to take practical measurements to bring the discrimination to an end, and all of the related violations of human rights according to its commitments in the International Human Rights Law. ID also required the governments to remind Iran of its responsibilities in guaranteeing the protection of human rights and dignity of all people within its territories.
Sources
International Defense Organization
More information and topics on International and Regional 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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Egypt: Despite the Presidential Pardon for Issa,
the Imprisonment Sentences Still Chase Outspoken Journalists
A presidential pardon in favor of Ibrahim Issa, editor- in chief of Addustour newspaper issued on 6th of October, 2008. Issa was sentenced to two months imprisonment on allegations of publishing false news on president' health. Legal Aid Unit of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information welcomes pardon decision, however it does not consider this order as a fulfillment of president's promise to abolish imprisonment penalties on publishing offenses, for still there are cases before courts against journalists threatened to be sentenced to terms in prison.
"The decision was naturally selective, an decision to pardon a certain journalist does neither mean necessarily ending the imprisonment in publishing offences, nor that the journalists will no more be imprisoned for expressing their opinions and publishing, following pardon order, for instance, the four editor- in chief are waiting trials including Issa himself, who is favored now from this presidential pardon, editor in chief of al-Fajr newspaper on allegation raised by Al Azhar’s Sheikh, as well as Abdel Halim Qandil and many others.” said Hamdi Al Assiouti, Legal Consultant of the Unit today.
To read the full statement: http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/2008/pr1007.shtml
For more of ANHRI’s Communiqués:
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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