|
|
|
|
| About Us | Reports & Press Releases | Newsletter | Topics For Discussion | Step Forward | HR Agenda | ||
| Home »» Hrinfo Newsletter |
|
The Weekly Update for HRINFO, no. 151
Fourth year 1 March 2007 - 7 March 2007 Tunisia ======== Two years behind bars The first of March marked the second anniversary of the imprisonment of Mohammed Abbou, the Tunisian prisoner of opinion who was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months imprisonment following an unjust trial. He was punished for practicing his right ot freedom of expression that is guaranteed by the Tunisian constitution and international covenants, which Tunisia ratified. Five Tunisian organisations issued statement with regards to this issue. The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) issued two statements calling for the release of Abbou and condemning the inhumane treatment he gets in prison and the harassment that his family faces. The international association for the support of political prisoners sent an appeal to the Tunisian authorities to respond to local and international demands for Abbou's release. The National Council for Liberties responded and criticised to a statement pushed by the Tunisian government claiming that Abbou is not a prisoner of opinion but rather he is in prison for attacking a lawyer. From outside of Tunisia, the Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) of IFEX issued a statement expressing its resentment to the behaviour of authorities as the TMG mission in Tunisia was banned from visiting Abbou in prison. TMG Chair Carl Morten Iversen declared: "I'm utterly outraged by what happened in Le Kef today. Unidentified men prevented us from accessing the street leading to the prison where Mohammed Abbou, the famous prisoner of opinion, is jailed, thus preventing us even from asking for permission to visit Mohammed Abbou. This is an abuse of power. Tomorrow we will be having a meeting at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights where we will be demanding answers vis-à-vis these events, while reiterating our call for the immediate release of Mohammed Abbou." Egyptian human rights organisations issue a statement condemning the ongoing imprisonment of Abbou. Activists from Reporters without Borders (RSF) protested in front of the Tunisian tourist office in Paris. For more information please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2007/pr0301.shtml More oppression Tunisian organisations cover the oppressive environment in Tunisia. The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) covers the case of Rachid Elchamli, the academic researcher and member f the LTDH. Elchamli started a hunger strike on 1 March 2007 in protest of harassment he has been suffering for many years on the professional and scientific academic levels. The Tunisian Observatory for Democracy and Human Rights issued a long statement on documented human rights violations in Tunisia since the beginning of 2007. The International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners calls for the end of inhuman treatment of prisoners in Al-Mernakiaya Prison. Prisoners and their families suffer the worst kinds of violations in what is considered a blatant violation of prison laws and penal procedures. From Syria, the Syrian Organisation for Human Rights issues a statement condemning authoritative harassments by Tunisian authorities against the LTDH in addition to the increasing restrictions imposed by the Tunisian state. Sources For more information in Arabic, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/tunisia/ ========================== Sudan ======== War Crimes In a statement issued this week by Amnesty International in the occasion of the International Criminal Court identifying two persons accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. The statement calls the Security Council to demand the Sudanese government to arrest the accused and hand them to the ICC. To read the complete statement, please visit: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGIOR100022007?open&of=ENG-2AF Sources For more information in Arabic, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/sudan ========================== Syria ======== Trials The trial of political activist, Michel Kilo, who has been imprisoned since May 2006 was the focus of three statements issued by Syrian organisations. The military prosecutor in Damascus added new charges against Kilo. The statements also tackled issues with regards to martial courts trying several activists in Syria. Sources For more information in Arabic, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/syria ========================== Iraq ======== Journalists The Iraqi Association for the defence of Journalists' Rights condemned the terrible crime committed against journalist Gamal Al-Zebeidi, editorial manager of the Iraqi Al-Safir newspaper. Al-Zebeidi's body was found, after he was abducted. It was clear that he was shot in the head. Iraqi journalists continue to face threats to their lives. Jouranlist Mohan Al-Zaher, editorial manager of the Al-Mashreq newspaper was found dead on 4 March 2007 in front of his home in Baghdad. Sources For more information in Arabic, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/iraq ========================== Lebanon ======== Demanding freedom of expression The Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Rased) issued a statement on the protests called for by a group of Palestinian institutions and civil groups in Saida in cooperation with the International Group for Human Rights and Humanitarian Institutions in the Middle East and North Africa and Reporters with Restrictions at the entrance of Ain El Helwa refugee camp. This is in support of Al-Jazeera Cameraman, Sami Al-Hajj, to demand respect of the right to freedom of expression and the international protection of journalists and media personnel all over the world. Sources For more information in Arabic, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/lebanon ========================== Palestine ======== Chaos and Israeli aggression Affirming the necessity to end the militerisation of the Palestinian society and start consolidating the culture of democracy and human rights and building a civil Palestinian society in which justice and equality are the basic rules, was the message sent by all participants to a workshop held by the national Association for Democracy and Law. Revenge even to the dead The Prisoner of War club condemned in a statement Israeli forces for holding back the bodies of 18 dead from Bethlehem since many years. The Israeli forces calls for the bodies to return to the families. The Palestinian government demanded the formation of a legal committee to start suing the Israeli government and work on retrieving the bodies of the dead to be buried in their graves. Sources For more information in Arabic, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/palestine ========================== Egypt ======== What after torture? Al-Nadim centre exposes another case of torture in Damyatta as stated by the victim. The torture started with the detention of Fawzy and his son Al-Sayed for 17 days. During that time they were exposed to torture: electrocution and beating and punching while naked. Accusations of theft were then framed to one of the sons. The court found him innocent as the accused was out of Egypt during the time of the theft. On nearly a daily basis, the family faces harassments that include force entry into their house and breaking its door and destroying the furniture. The family are ordered to not fix the door and to leave it open day and night so that the officers can go in and out whenever they like. For reading the report in Arabic please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt/nadeem/2007/pr0303.shtml In another statement Al-Nadim centre publishes a statement of one of the victims that was sent to the centre after the victim was released. At the end of the press release, Al-Nadeem asks a question to everyone: Is there anyone who can guarantee for the victim to be arrested in a police station where there is no torture or fear that he will be shot by an angry officer who does not believe in justice or law. The question to all human rights organisations and all advocates of liberties: Are we ready to protect the victim? Will anyone succeed in answering this question? To read the statement in Arabic, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt/nadeem/2007/pr0303-2.shtml Another blatant violation was exposed by a statement issued by the Egyptian Al-Awn association for human rights. The Kafr Shokr prosecutor started an investigation in an incident of sexual assault against a woman. Freedom of expression The National association for the defence of Rights and Liberties issued a statement on the Islamic Research Compound which filed a complaint to the public prosecutor accusing Nawal Al-Saadawy of insulting religions and God and calling for the confiscation of her play. Sources More in Arabic can be found on: http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt ========================== Yemen ======== Hood follows the case of Ahmed Al-Maeely against the president. The accused has been imprisoned in central prison for more than five years without any judicial sentence or clear decree by the head of the central authority for political security affiliated to the president of the state. This means that the president is responsible for what happened to him as stipulated by the law. Sources More in Arabic can be found on:http://www.hrinfo.net/yemen/ ========================== Arabic Network for Human rights Information ======== The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information issues a statement marking the second anniversary of the imprisonment of Mohammed Abbou who has held strongly to his right to freedom of expression and resisted submission to extortion. For reading the statement, please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2007/pr0301.shtml To follow news on HRinfo please visit: http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/ ========================== Please feel free to contact HRinfo for any quiries, suggestions or input
Address: 5,105 St, 2nd floor, Al-Hurria Sq, Maadi, Cairo, Egypt Tel&Fax: 00202- 5249544 E-mail: info@hrinfo.net |
|
|
|||
|
The published articles reflect the author's opinion, either individual or organization, it does not necessarily present the Network's opinion
Copyrights© 2003 - 2004 The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information |
