|
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
|
|
|
The Weekly Update for HRINFO, no. 183
Fourth year
19 October 2007 - 25 october 2007
Bahrain
========
26 local and international websites are banned
The authorities in Bahrain are still banning websites as a means to repress the opposite opinions and conceal the violations of human rights, the number of banned websites are 26, most of these sites are discussion forums and political websites played a role in uncovering the government measures to dabble with the demographic structure or what was dubbed as" Albandar's report", the financial and administrative corruption, discrimination, connections and embezzlement of public lands. The authorities took measures to prevent people in Bahrain from accessing the electronic website for the Haq for Freedoms and Democracy movement ,which is concerned with promoting awareness of freedoms and democracy in Bahrain.
Sources
Bahrin Centre for Human Rights
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/bahrain
==========================
Tunisia
========
Ex prisoner of conscience " Mohammed Abbu" denied from traveling
The police borders in the International Carthage airport in Tunisia on October 22 prohibited the lawyer and human rights activists Mohammed Abbu from traveling to Egypt after he was invited from the Arabic Network for Human Rights and in coordination with the National Council for Freedoms to attend the trial of Ibrahim Essa, the editor in chief of the Egyptian independent " Aldostur" on October 24.
Sources
The National Observatory for the Freedom of the press and Publication and Creation in Tunisia
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/tunisia
==========================
Syria
========
Honor Crimes
Anti- women torture campaign continued its activities which started in 2005 in Syria under the banner of "no to murdering women ....no to honor crimes" the campaign showed that using" traditions and customs" is a false pretext. The people in Syria are against killing in general regardless of any pretext.
Refugees
Refugees and arbitrarily displaced families became subjects of harassment on the Syrian borders and in Damascus International airport and Aleppo airport. Women and children face blackmails and assaults by members of the security services and intelligence
Sources
Syrian Women
The Syrian Committee for Human Rights
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/syria
==========================
Iraq
========
Journalists
Iraq became one of the biggest hostages markets in the world and one of the most dangerous places for media workers, during this week, unknown individuals set fire in " Ishrakat Alsadr" newspaper the mouthpiece of the Sadrists in Eastern Baghdad, those individuals sneaked into the newspaper's building and set it on fire. The correspondent of the American Radio Free Europe disappeared on October 22 , her driver's body was found later.
A militia group set a reward on the head of the official Iraqi TV correspondent in Dialy. They want him dead or live.
Sources
RSF: Reporters Without Borders
The Iraqi Society for Journalists' Rights
The Observatory of Press Freedoms
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/iraq
==========================
Palestine
========
A horrendous bloodshed in Nakb desert jail
The administration of the Nakb desert jail and its armed force broke into the detainees ward on the evening of October 21st and burned their tents down while severely beating them and drowning them in clouds of tear gas and pestering them with rubber bullets. Water and electricity was also cut, personal property was confiscated. The night's toll was 300 injured and one killed, Mohamed Safy Alashkar from Sidon Tolkarm, he was pronounced dead later on October 22.
Sources
Aldameer organization
Palestine Behind Bars
Mandela Organization for Human Rights
For more information: http://www.hrinfo.net/palestine
==========================
Egypt
========
Setbacks in the path of freedom of opinion and expression
Human rights organizations in Egypt followed closely the students' elections in the Egyptians universities and repression in general.
The students' elections this year saw the confiscation of students' freedoms and their rights to free elections by university administration. A number of students were surprised to learn that the administration refused to give them candidacy documents claiming that those student received penalties, in a response against this unjust measure, students organized sit-ins inside the university campus and in other universities against the administration's measures. Many Egyptian universities saw protests and demonstrations against these repressive measures which constitute a flagrant violation of student's freedoms in association and their right to organize their own association , these repressive measures explains the reasons behind the weak turn-out in there election which brought pre-picked students associations, which is another sign to the ineffectiveness of these associations.
Sources
The Egyptian Society for societal participation development
The Egyptian Society for Democratic Development
The Organization of Freedom of thought and Expression
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt
==========================
Morocco
========
Tamazight
The Tamazight is one of the minorities in the Northern Africa region who are deprived from their rights as a minority which induced the administrative committee of the Moroccan Society for Human Rights in its third session which was held on October 20 2007 and according to recommendation of the 8th national conference held on April 2007 and on the light of International documents on human rights , called for legal and constitutional protection for the Tamazight language and culture and to recognize the Tamazight language as an official language and also called for applying the recommendations of the Unesco on May 19 2006.
Sources
The Moroccan Society for Human Rights
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/morocco
==========================
Yemen
========
Assaults on journalists
The ministry of media suspended Aldiyar newspaper, despite the government's claims of cherishing the freedom of press. Aljazeera's Sana bureau was a subject of harassments and threats to deter the channel from covering the public festivals of 14 October in Riddvan. Abdellah Alwzeer the editor in chief of Albalagh and Sadam Alashmory from Yemen times were subjects of assault from members of securities during their news coverage of peaceful protests.
Sources
Female Journalists Without Constraints
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/yemen
==========================
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
========
A decisive week for the freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt
This week saw several trials that will have a great effect on the freedom of opinion, expression and press in Egypt.
the state council court " the administrative judiciary" decided to adjourn the case filed by Judge Abdelfattah Murad against the Egyptian government , demanding the government to shut down 51 blogs, news and human rights websites that uncovered the plagiarism he committed against the intellectual property of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, Murad copied the Network's report on the freedom of the internet in the Arab world and published it in a book he wrote to be sold in the market. He claims in his case that those websites cause harm to Egypt's reputation. The court decided to give its decision on December 8, just two days before the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In a northern Cairo court and after a long day of anticipation, judge Mahmoud Hamza decided to drop the appeal case filed by Huwaida Taha a producer journalist in Aljazeera who was sentenced last may, after an unjust trail, to 6 months in jail and 20,000 pounds fine, the bond was set at 10,000 pounds. She was accused of producing news material of a detrimental nature to the reputation of Egypt.
Another session shall be held before another judge to continue Huwaida Taha's appeal.
For more info: http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports
==========================
HRinfo 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 HRinfo at:
Address: second floor, flat 10, 5,105 St, Horriya Square, Maadi, Cairo, Egypt.
Phone Number: (00202) 5249544
Email address:
info@hrinfo.net
|
|
