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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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Weekly update for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information # 197
Year 5
1 February 2007 - 7 February 2008
UAE
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Pretending democracy is undermining the human rights
The Human Rights Watch published its international report in 2008 which covers human rights violations in 13 middle-eastern countries. The report clarifies that the deep-seated regimes are accepting the unequal elections in order to achieve the political interests as the United States, the European Union and such effective regimes are contemporizing the undermine of human rights all over the world.
Despite of the continuous growth achieved in Emirates, the civil society still inactive as the progress in human rights field is slow. The authorities exercised restraints of censorship over large number of activists which hindered observation of violations which successively drew attention to human rights violations and helped in reducing it.
Sources
Human Rights Watch
For more information, visit /uae
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Bahrain
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Prosecuting activists in Bahrain
On Sunday February 3rd, 2008, a trial held in the Supreme Criminal Court to prosecute the civil society activists in attendance of some Bahraini citizens, supporters and human rights activists, in addition to international and local media bodies.
Bahraini security forces prevented the Bahraini citizens of entering the ministry of justice and closed the main entrance besides closing some other entries leading to the court with the aid of anti-riot police. The whole matter led to some injuries among the detainees families. It is worthy to mention that security forces prevented the press of entering to the ministry at the beginning.
After the court decision of adjourning the session to 3:00 pm, the defense decided not to attend because the session timing is out of official timing of the state ministries as the judge can't level accusations against the detainees in absence of their lawyers.
Sources
Defend International
For more information, visit /bahrain
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Tunisia
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Hurling challenge against judiciary
We can say that all the Tunisian affairs are in the security control starting from arrest, preventing of travel, censorship, faked accusations, torturing in prisons and unfair trials. Even if there is judgment pronounced that the security doesn't like, they shall not put into effect.
On Monday 4th February this week, the case of Ayman Al-Dardery who is sentenced to 4 years in prison by the court of first instance on charge of joining a terrorist group. This group is aiming to finance a terrorist organization related to the terrorist crimes.
Despite of the court judgment of adjourning the session to this 28th February and temporary release of Ayman Al-Dardery, the prison administration rejected the release on fragile pretexts. This means that El-Dardery is detained in arbitrary.
Sources
International Association to Support Political Prisoners
For more information, visit /tunisia
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Saudi Arabia
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Blocking live programs on official channels
As a sign of backwardness, the Saudi government stated its readiness to impose the precedent censorship over all television programs in the kingdom as the Saudi minister of information (Eyad Medani) pronounced the ban on broadcasting live programs all over the Saudi official channels after two days of dismissing the head of news sector as he exchanged with one off his most close supporters in the ministry. This came as a procedure aiming to prevent citizens of hearing their complaints live that broadcasting live discussion programs is representing a remarkable progress after reign taken by the Saudi government on the press since it prevented display of economic and social problems in the kingdom.
Sources
Reporters without Borders
For more information, visit /saudi
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Syria
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continuation of security campaign
Detention campaign continued this week in Syria on participating in the meeting the general secretariat of Damascus Declaration called for on Saturday December 21st, 2007. the state security apparatus in Damascus sent for the Syrian activist (Adnan Mekkieah) the member of the National Council of Damascus Declaration on February 2nd mourning. It is well known that Adnan is a member of civil society comities and a an activist in the general judicious and social affairs.
The number of Damascus Declaration detainees mounted to be 13. This detention confirms the extended continuation of security campaign, while the Syrian authorities ignoring the calls for seizing detention.
Sources
Committees for the Defense of Democracy Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria
Syrian Human Rights Organization
National Organization for Human Rights in Syria
Syrian Human Rights League
For more information, visit /syria
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Iraq
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Press suppression and hiding facts
On 2nd February, violations continued this week against the Iraqi journalists that a number of El-Simawah policemen hit and confiscated camera and recording tapes belongs to El-Simawah television channel teamwork (Ali Abdul-Kareem and photographer Basem El-Zalmy) while shooting policemen hitting of sporty audience in the stadium.
On 1st February, five journalists have been interrogated by Kurdish security forces on their defiance to the decision which prohibit access to the Iraqi- Turkish borders and prevent discussions with inhabitants about the aftermath resulted by the Turkish bombardment. On a legal action taken by the Iraqi president Galal Taliban, the Prosecution of Abd Aref the editor-in-chef of the independent magazine (Hawlaty) started before the criminal court on charge of "defaming" because the accused published the American scholar Micheal Rayan report that criticize many Kurdish personalities among which the Iraqi president.
Sources
Iraqi Journalists Rights Defending Association
Journalistic Freedoms Observatory
Reporters without Borders
For more information, visit: /iraq
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Palestine
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All are in dilemma at Rafah crossing point
The status quo in Gaza and its relation Egypt, Israel and Palestinian Authority is blending of the political issues and are dues paid by innocent people of Gaza strip inhabitants who are deprived of necessary needs of life like medicine, electricity and oil.
Since the Israeli government decision of blocking off all passageways leading into and from Gaza strip as a mass punitive action, all citizens had to break the siege and enter to the Egyptian lands to have their essential needs. In this way, Israel placed Hamas, Fateh and the Egyptian government in a dilemma that either they end the siege and be blackmailed or leave Gaza citizens be dead of starvation and be accused forever of committing a crime against humanity.
Sources
The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy / Miftah
For more information, visit /palestine
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Kuwait
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New coalition between the government and the tough current
Kuwait witnessed a struggle between two currents; the first is seeking civilization, development, protecting democracy values, creation and freedom of expression besides establishing a democratic margin that could be a more advanced model in the Gulf. The second is hard-line and seeking destroy of these values on the plea of defending morals and values as that current managed to impose restrictions on freedom of publication and creation in the last years. The restrictions represented in confiscating many literary and political books, prohibiting some cartoon movies and games besides shutting down many movie and song tapes shops.
Following the arrest of electronic activist Bashar El-Saiegh because of encroachment upon redlines (Kuwaiti government viewpoint). The government is going to impose more tough censorship in order to satisfy hardliners and to punish who criticizing it through a newly-enacted law concerning censorship on websites was submitted to the deputies' council, which considered opposite to the dominant trend in most democratic countries.
Sources
Arabic Network for human Rights Information
For more details, visit /kuwait
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Egypt
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A call for ratification on the international criminal jurisdiction agreement
10 years passed on the Rome Statute by which virtue, the international criminal jurisdiction is established as it is representing a permanent international institution to investigate and prosecute persons who are committing the most dangerous crimes which are genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.
The Arab countries among which Egypt continued the state of non ratification on the court, that the Arab Institute for Civil Society and Human Rights Support called the Arab countries especially those signed the agreement to continue its accession procedures and to ratify the international criminal jurisdiction agreement.
However, the institute welcomed the last sentence issued by the administrative law court on 3rd February of nullifying the judiciary committee president decision which observing the occupational unions elections. The decision was about the denial of setting certain time for running the elections as the court obliged the chancellor chairman of south Cairo court to convene a general assembly for the union members in order to identify when the elections shall run.
Sources
Arab Institute for Civil Society and Human Rights Support
For more information, visit /egypt
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Morocco
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Peaceful activities to face suppression and detention
Political detention phenomena declined by the end of the age of second Hassan, but it heavily emerged since 2003 that any thing said about equity and reconciliation are only slogans just to absorb anger of those rights were being violated in the past. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights in cooperation with various institutions of civil society inside or outside Morocco decided to organize a national week for the period February 13th-19th, 2008 titled "For the freedom of the Association detainees and all political detainees". This organized week aiming to exercise pressure for releasing all those detained on political grounds by using all peaceful means such as (issuing information, signing petitions, symposiums, gatherings, speech festivals and hunger strikes inside and outside prisons) besides all valid means which enables pressure on authorities to end the political detention and achieve breakthrough towards establishing the nation of right and law and community of free, equal and consolidated citizens.
Sources
Moroccan Association for Human Rights
For more information, visit : /morocco
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Yemen
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Partners in development as well as decision
On 2nd-4th , February, 2008, the conference of civil society freedom was held in San'aa under the slogan " Partners in development as well as decision". The participants set principles of San'aa Declaration for free independent responsible civil society because of their adherence to enforce the civil society role in development and establishment of justice. On the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights which became into practice by the beginning of 2008.
The declaration consists of ten points considering the right of establishing the civil society without guardianship, accession to the unions and local, regional and international networks, effective participation in social and political development, the right of obtaining information and the right of performing all peaceful means to express its opinions and situations in order to achieve its objectives of support and defending freedoms and rights. The civil society organizations were characterized by transparency and cooperation in administrative and financial transactions, adherence to basic system, administrative and financial statutes, controlling accounting books and preparing administrative and financial reports, besides taking responsibility before the judiciary for any shortage or failure in accordance to the applicable laws and legislations.
Sources
National Org for Defending Rights and Freedoms
For more information, visit : /yemen
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Arabic network for Human Rights Information
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Kuwait
a new law aggravating censorship and prevention
On 6th February, the Arabic network for Human Rights Information commented on the new law regarding censorship over the internet, as the Kuwaiti government is going to submit it law to deputies' council "this law is a contradiction with the overwhelming trend in most of the world democratic countries which recommends elaboration of freedom of expression especially over the internet. Gamal Eid, the executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said "we think that this new law is representing the gathering point of interests between the Kuwaiti government and some tough currents in Kuwait. Despite of the puritans call for imposing more stern censorship over he freedom of expression, and following few months of arresting the electronic activist Bashaar El-Saeigh because of his encroachment upon the redlines (from the Kuwaiti government point of view), the intention today is going to be focused on imposing more restrict censorship in order to satisfy the hardliners and to punish those who criticize the Kuwaiti government".
For more information, visit : /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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