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The Internet In the Arab World
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No Rules, No Limits
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Freedom of expression is missing despite a decision banning imprisonment for press crimes
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The weekly update for ANHRI # 238
Fifth Year
29th November – 6th December
Jordan
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Students’ movement wins victory against university system
The National Campaign for Students’ Rights (Thabahtouna) has succeeded in overturning the ruling of the Jordanian University Students’ Union which had previously declared that the University Council had the right to appoint half the members of the students’ council. This is a momentous victory for the students’ movement against the system which gives de facto the president of the Jordanian university the right to appoint half of the members of the students’ council. The failure of this system has been proved by the fact that the elections were nothing but a formality with councils elected on tribal, regional and factional bases. And moreover the elections of these councils have lead to an increase in racist incidents until the election themselves have become synonymous with on campus violence.
Sources
National Campaign for Students Rights.
More information and topics on Jordan page: http://anhri.net/jordan
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Tunisia
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Journalist arrested for expressing his views on displaced people
The day after yet another security policy was introduced, the effect of which is to further transform the republic of Tunisia into one enormous prison state, where the police and political police chiefs arrest the citizens, confirmation was received that this policy does indeed result in frequent detention and arrest for political and human rights activists.
The journalist Abdallah Al Zwari, was shocked when a large group of political police stopped him on the road and took him by force to the office of the chief of police, who interrogated him about his opinions and viewpoints on the problems of exiled politicians, the coalition of 18th October, and the problems of the youth. At the end of the six hour interrogation Al Zawari refused to sign a document undertaking not to give any statements, expressing his rejection of the idea of being silenced.
Sources
International Association for Solidarity with Political Prisoners
More information and topics on Tunisia page: http://anhri.net/tunisia
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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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An innocent person might be killed on the 2nd day of the Eid
In a confusing trial, with at the very least serious flaws in the judicial procedure, the verdict must be challengeable and questionable.
The death sentence was passed on Abdallah Fandi Al Shamri, to be carried out on the second day of the Eid Al Adha, despite the intervention of the Human Rights Corporation on behalf of the defendant, and despite what has been written in Saudi newspapers, supporting the demands of the defendants’ attorney for re-trial.
Sources
Human Rights First Society
More information and topics on Kingdom of Saudi Arabia page: http://anhri.net/saudi
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Sudan
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Violence in Darfur continues despite a government campaign to whitewash the situation
Recent claims by the Sudanese government that the situation in Darfur is improving are not borne out in reality, said a report released by fifteen different organizations today. In an effort to bolster their argument that the UN Security Council should suspend the International Criminal Court's (ICC) consideration of an arrest warrant against President Omar al-Bashir, Sudan has contended that there have been serious improvements in Darfur. In stark contrast to Khartoum's claims, the twenty two page report, Rhetoric vs. Reality: The Situation in Darfur, prepared by a coalition of nongovernmental organizations claims that more than four million people in Darfur remain in need of humanitarian aid, but the dire security situation prevented aid agencies’ access to quarter of a million people in September, the greatest number so far this year.
Sources
Human Rights Watch
More information and topics on Sudan’s page: http://anhri.net/sudan
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Syria
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Articles put their authors at risk of execution
For the third time during the rule of Bashar Al Assad, the Syrian writer and political opponent Habib Saleh, is being put on trial for posting articles on the internet, calling for reform, democratic progress, and protection of freedom of opinion. The first time he was prosecuted was on charges of disseminating false news, inciting sedition, and insulting the president of the republic and his friends and the western diplomats were prevented from attending the session though it was held in public.
Sources
The Kurdish Committee for Human Rights
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
Syrian Organization for Human Rights
SK Eyes
More information and topics on Syria page: http://anhri.net/Syria
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Somalia
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Four journalists kidnapped in Bosasso
An unidentified gunmen kidnapped UK journalist Colin Freeman who works for the Daily Telegraph, and the journalist free lance photographer, Spaniard Jose Cendon, as well as Awali Gami’ Slad, and Mukhtar Said from Somalia, both independent journalists who were working with the two foreign journalists in Bosasso commercial city north-east Somalia on 26th November.
Sources
Justice Watch Association
For more information and topics on Somalia page: http://anhri.net/somalia
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Iraq
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Doctor jailed in Kurdistan for writing about homosexuality
Adel Hussein, a doctor was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 1250,000 dinars (85 Euros) on 24th November in the Kurdish city of Erbil for writing an article about homosexuality for the independent weekly Hawlati. He was found guilty of offending public decency under article 403 of the criminal code.
Sources
Reporters without Borders
More information and topics on Iraq page: http://anhri.net/iraq
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Palestine
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Increased deterioration in freedom of media
The Palestinian territories are witnessing an increase in the deterioration in media freedoms, and state security has arrested Mohamed Esthiwi the head of Al Aqssa TV in the West Bank. To add to the situation journalist Alaa Salama who works for Quds Radio has been assaulted and humiliated by the security apparatus of the Hamas government in Rafah city. In Ramallah a correspondent from Al Jazeera Saudi newspaper based in London, Al Bayan Nael Mahmoud Nakhla, was summoned for investigation by the Palestinian intelligence apparatus.
Sources
Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)
More information and topics on Palestine: http://anhri.net/palestine
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Egypt
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Demands to release the prisoners of conscience and political opponents
On the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, twenty three Egyptian human rights organizations have called on the president of the republic to release and pardon all prisoners of conscience whose freedoms have been restricted arbitrarily or after unfair trials. In this context they have demanded the release of Ayman Nour, Khairt Al Shatir, Aboud, Tariq Al Zamr, Kareem Amer and Mosaad Abu Fajr, and his companion Yahia Abu Nasira and Reda Abdel Rahman.
Sources
Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies
More information and topics on Egypt’s page: http://anhri.net/egypt
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Yemen
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Al-Khaiwani banned from traveling to human rights conference in Cairo
In a violation of the right to freedom of movement and travel, elements from the national security have prevented journalist Abdulkarim Al-Khaiwani from traveling to participate in a regional conference on human rights in Cairo. This does not comply with the presidential pardon issued by the president of the republic, which guaranteed the ending of arbitrary legal measures against this journalist, which had previously threatened him with arrest if he tried to travel.
Sources
Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights
More information and topics on Yemen’s page: http://anhri.net/yemen
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Iran
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Closing down newspapers and prosecuting the journalists
The Iranian authorities closed down several newspapers, before arresting a fifth Kurdish journalist, Bahman Totonchi a former contributor to the weekly Karfto, in Kurdistan. A week into his detention no charges have yet been brought against him. Mohamed Mohammad Khaleghi, a journalist based in Takab who writes for the ASR Iran news website, was seriously injured when he was attacked on 24th November by two men on a motorcycle who were armed with a knife and a bolt cutter. This attack comes only a few days after he had covered protests by residents of Takab about gas distribution problems, and had questioned government handling of the issue, prompting Takab’s governor to demand his dismissal and accuse him of being “morally incompetent”.
Sources
Reporters without Borders
More information and topics on Iran’s page: http://anhri.net/Iran
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Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
Legal Aid Unit for Freedom of Expression
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The Egyptian interior minister breaks emergency law - Mohamed Adil is kidnapped and detained in an unidentified location
Cairo, 4 December, 2008
ANHRI’s legal aid unit for freedom of expression said today that it has filed a petition with the council of state against the minister of interior demanding that he explain the reasons behind the arrest of blogger, Mohamed Adil on 20th November, and disclose his current whereabouts.
ANHRI’s legal aid unit for the freedom of expression and the blogger’s father have submitted two petitions to the attorney general since his kidnap, when they learnt that he had been arrested. ANHRI finally obtained a permit to visit the blogger, but the prisons administrators claim that he is not in their custody.
To read the full topic: http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/2008/pr1204.shtml
For more of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information’s press releases:
http://www.anhri.net/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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