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Weekly update for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information # 207
Year 5
18 April 2007 - 24 April 2008
Jordan
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Amman center concluded the second workshop about "media laws" in which 25 persons from different media fields participated.
The course tackled many media laws-related topics such as the chronological development of human rights and the international mechanism to protect it. Also, it tackled the international criteria of the freedom of expression, printings law and the articles of defaming. The workshop discussed the right to know and the laws of information handling and what is legal and what is illegal in political expression, besides the international criteria for fair tribunals.
Sources :
Amman center for Human Rights Studies
For more details visit /jordan
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Bahrain
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The "Ihtram" (respect) trend affiliated to Bahrain Association for Human Rights Watch, asked for settling equal rights for the Bahraini women and enhancing their citizenship rights. The trend pointed out that although the Bahraini constitution settled equality between men and women in liabilities and rights, there is discrimination in many law articles such as the law of nationality. The trend demanded issuing a law of civil status which is still absent despite the reformation project of Bahrain issued 7 years ago. The trend also asked for the immediate stop of thwarting against the woman rights activist Ghada Gamshir, the president of Al Areeda Al Nisaiea committee.
Along the past four weeks, about 47 persons from Shiite villages were detained. Some of them were released later and they said that they were maltreated and physically abused. About 26 persons are still detained.
Sources :
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Ihtram Trend for Human Rights
For more details visit : /bahrain
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Tunisia
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On Friday April 18, 2008, the Tunisian capital witnessed a security red alert to prevent the activities of the political prisoner day. The non uniformed policemen prevented many lawyers and civil society activists form reaching the prisons general administration headquarter. They were going to submit requests to visit some political prisoners.
The Tunisian security forces always tend to confiscate printings and thwart against the freedom of expression. Reporters without Boarders organization sent a request to the French president who were to visit Tunisia on April 28, demanding him to propagate the freedom of expression to the Tunisian officials.
Sources :
Reporters without Boarders
For more details visit /tunisia
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Syria
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An appeal to King Abdullah
The Syrian Human Rights organization along with the families of Feras Al Aghbar and Feras Al Maktabi who are sentenced to death in a drug dealing case in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, made an appeal to King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz. They demanded him to personally interfere to stop executing such sentences. Death sentences are widely debated on especially after settling new penal codes instead of death penalty which can not be rescued in case of fault sentences.
The Syrian government is practicing pressures against journalist and activists defending the freedom of expression.
On April 8,2008. Gaber Bakr lost his job in the website www.esyaria.sy for being a member in an out-lawed organization. Gaber joined the Syrian center for media and freedom of expression affiliated to Reporters without boarders organization before joining this website on February 2008.
On April 15, 2008 the senescence in the case of defaming the center president Maroun Darwish was delayed to next May 12. Arbitrary practices by the Syrian security continues against activists. Both human rights activists Anwar and Akram Al Bunny's wives lost their jobs after the formers arrest.
Also, the security prevented activists Rasim Al atasi, Ahmad Mangouta, and Mahmoud Mar'i from traveling to participate in the Arabic Organization meeting held in Cairo.
Syrian security arrests Kurdish students in Damascus university
On April 18,2008 the Syrian security forces besieged about 350 Kurdish student who were gathering near Al Mowasa hospital in Damascus. The students gathered to set out for a trip to Leticia. The security forces toke their IDs and arrested some of them.
Sources :
The Syrian Organization for Human Rights
The Arabic Organization for Human Rights
The Syrian Human Rights Observatory
Reporters without Boarders
For more details visit :/syria
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Iraq
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28 persons executed after an unfair tribunal
In a hustle tribunal, 28 persons were executed after being charged with being involved in fights during the last three weeks. The International Amnesty Organization condemned these unfair sentences and procedures. The organization stated that executing those people in such a short period gives dangerous reference to the unfair tribunals procedures. The organization demanded the Iraqi authorities to reveal all facts and information about these tribunals including permitting the executed to get lawyers or not.
More violations against the freedom of expression
Violations against newspapers and journalists continue in Iraq. This weak witnessed a case filed by the secretary general of the Iraqi Olympic sports committee Husain Al Amidi against (Riyada wa Shabab) "sports and youth" newspaper. Also some official authorities launched a case against Al Shahed newspaper.
On April 19,2008 the journalist Laith Muhammad, the Al Ain news agency reporter was arrested during performing his work. Also, some unknown armed persons attacked the Biladi space channel team work on April 22,2008 and shot their car. The channel reporter Hasan Al Rakani and his cameraman Humaid Hashim along with the driver were injured. The case of journalist Muhammad Saleh Haji in Kurdistan region is still on hearings.
Sources :
Press Freedoms Observatory
The Iraqi association for defending journalists rights
For more details visit /iraq
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Palestine
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A call for investigating the murder of a photographer and other civilians
The International Amnesty organization stated that on April 18, the Israeli troops killed not less than 18 Palestinians in Gaza strip, among them were children and civilians. Also, more than 30 persons were injured due to the air and land attacks launched by the Israeli troops who used tanks and air fighters in the attack on Gaza strip.
Ruters photographer journalist Fadl Shana's met his end by an Israeli tank which fired him while trying to take a photo despite being in a car bearing a significant sign of TV- Media.
The organization called the Israeli government to comprehensively investigate the blood shed done by the Israeli troops in Gaza strip.
Many organizations condemned the Israeli escalation against Gaza strip and the dispute between Hamas and Fatah movements. Also, they condemned the violation against the peaceful march called for by Fatah movement on April 13, 2008 for solidarity with the Palestinian POWs in the Israeli prisons. The Hamas supporters assaulted the march participants using sticks and intensive non-targeting shooting.
Sources :
The Palestinian Initiative for deepening the International debate and democracy
Reporters without Boarders
Al Mizan Center for Human Rights
The National Association for Democracy and Law
International Amnesty Organization
For more details visit /palestine
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Saudi Arabia
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On April 12,2008 the Human Rights Watch Organization released a report intited (Perpetual Minors).
The 44-page report discuss the male guardianship on women. The report is based on 100 interviews with Saudi women to document the discrimination against women and violating their fundamental rights. To read the report http://hrw.org/arabic/reports/2008/saudiarabia0408/
Sources :
Human Rights Watch Organization
For more details visit http://www.hrinfo.net
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Lebanon
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On April 8,2008 near the Palestinian Red Crescent Hospital (balsam) and the Armed Struggle Center located in Al Rashidia refugee camp, south Lebanon, an armed group kidnapped Rajeh El Husain (a Palestinian refugee, born in 1969 suffering from Paraplegia).
Sources :
Rasid Human Rights Organization
For more details /lebanon
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Egypt
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The Egyptian security forces on April 15, arrested three journalist before the Cairo military court where brotherhood group activists were being judged. The Spanish news agency (EFE) photographer, BBC reporter Mowad Gouda and Abu Dhabi channel cameraman were arrested during covering some demonstrations on the tribunal background. They were arrested for 4 hours and their recordings were confiscated.
The National party secretary in Hawamdia abandons a symposium held by the New Woman foundation
Many human rights organizations signed a statement condemning the violations against the right of peaceful gathering. The new woman organization was about to hold a symposium about the amendments on children law. On April 41, 2008, the symposium organizer went to a civil association to arrange for the symposium. She was surprised on receiving a telephone call from the national party secretary in the region who told her that the symposium was abandoned and she had to come out the association and never come back it.
Sources :
Reporters without boarders.
The Egyptian Human rights organization
New Woman Foundation
For more details visit /egypt
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Morocco
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In a recent statement, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights condemned the dangerous level of health centers in Ghafsay. The health centers officials are neglectful and do not attend their work regularly and do not provide any care for the people of Ghafsay, Tawnat. The statement called the government to take its legal liability to punish those who don't care about citizens health and to work on providing good service to maintain the physical and mental health of citizens.
Sources :
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights
For more details visit /morocco
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Yemen
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The Yemeni organization for defending rights and democratic freedoms is deeply concerned about the case of Ibrahim Ali Al Sinidar, a Yemeni citizen who always meets molestations and harassments since his return to Yemen. This is because his religious opinions (he belongs to the Shiti doctrine). The organization calls for the international organizations to offer him legal assistance.
Sources :
The Yemeni organization for defending rights and democratic freedoms
For more details visit /yemen
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The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
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The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information stated that the Egyptian government started in a dodging and cruel policy to thwart against space channel.
the security forces broke through the headquarter of Cairo News Company and confiscated five live broadcasting devices without giving any considerable justifications. The network requested the Egyptian government to release these devices and stop all forms of direct and indirect thwarting against the freedom of space broadcasting and the freedom of information handling. The Network also requested the government to stop the shameful practices instead of covering them by miserable means of information blackout.
In a statement on April 19,2008 the Network braded the continuing detention of Mos'ad Abu Fagr as a sever violation against judicial sentences. Donzens of learned people and 14 human rights organizations requested his release as a respect to the judicial sentences. Also many poets and famous personalities signed a statement of solidarity with Abu Fagr and his family.
Also, on April 22,2008 the Network urged the Egyptian president to stop the brutality of the ministry of interior and order to release the internet activist Israa Abdul Fattah who was arrested by the interior ministry under the emergency law despite judicial decisions to release her on April 14. The Executive Director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said "the interference of the President himself for the release of these prisoners is becoming necessary after the Ministry of Interior has gone maniac, as clearly evidenced by the arrest of a girl under the emergency law on the backdrop of her mere participation in the call for a peaceful strike on the 'FaceBook' website ". Network condemned the detention of the university student Bilal Diabwho was arrested by the security bodies for a few hours because of his call for the Prime Minister to release the Internet activists during a meeting with the students of Cairo University. This confirms the severity of the security bodies in the face of freedom of opinion and expression.
For more details visit /press
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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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