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Weekly update for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information # 204
Year 5
27 March 2007 - 3 April 2008
Tunisia
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After 7 years of the accident, the victim Ali Bin Salim is to be medically checked up
April8 2008 is the date on which the Tunisian file will be discussed by the human rights committee in Geneva. In an attempt to appear innocent, the Tunisian government is trying to practice virtue by investigating an old case. The 70-year old Ali Bin Salim, the dean of human rights activists was physically abused by the political police seven years ago. He was beaten and severely injured without any kind of aid for paying a visit to Mr. Tawfiq Bin Biraik who was going on hunger strike at that time. After being thrown in a remote place in coma for hours, Mr. Ali was taken to hospital by some citizens where he got first aids and was given a medical report defining his serious injuries. The report recommended Mr. Ali to undergo a surgery in the backbone.
Seven years after this assault, the investigating judge issued a summon on March 29, 2008 to Mr. Ali to be medically checked for that assault. We have nothing to say except the proverb which states, "delaying justice is the mere injustice".
Sources
Association Intrenationale de Soutien aux Prisonniers
For more information about Tunisia visit /tunisia
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Syria
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The Arab Summit is unworthy since human values are unprotected
On holding the Arab league summit in Syria, the Human Rights Watch organization sent a letter to the Arab league secretary general to urge him to use his position as Secretary General of the League of Arab States (“Arab League”) to raise human rights issues at the Summit of the Arab League in Damascus. This summit was the first summit following the entry into force of the Arab Charter on Human Rights (the “Arab Charter”). By adopting the Arab Charter, Arab states have agreed to place human rights at the centre of the key national concerns. This comes at the time in which many member states witness human rights violations, specially Syria, the host of the Arab summit. In spite signing the Arab Charter, Syria, along the last two years, witnessed a severe escalation in suppression against activists.
The Arab summit was held in an atmosphere of political and media blackout regarding the violations against human rights taking place in Syria on particular, and in the Arab states in general. These violations are represented in opinion prisoners, shooting the peaceful protesters, unfair tribunals and prisoners disappearing. Since this is the situation of human beings in the Arab world, what will be the value of a summit that sets the human rights unprotected?
Sources
Human Rights Watch Organization
The Syrian Committee for Human Rights
For more information visit /syria
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Iraq
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More violations against journalists
In Iraq, journalists, who experience all kinds of violations, may meet their ends during revealing the truth,. On March 25, on his way back home, journalist Muhammad Al Hilali, the reporter of Al Iraqia space channel was physically and verbally abused by the Iraqi police in Al Shatra despite having an official permission to roam during the curfew.
In Misan governorate, the journalist Mohannad Al Hashimi, the secretary general of youth journalists was deprived from entering the police headquarter. Also, the sixth unit of the Iraqi army arrested journalist Ahmad Mahmoud Hassan, the reporter of Al Soumaria space channel during covering some events in Al Mahmoudia on March 30. On March 27, at the noon time, in Wasit governorate, the house of journalist Bashir Taban was assaulted by unknown armed persons who set fire in the house and in the journalist's private car.
Sources
The Iraqi Committee for Defending Journalists Rights
Journalistic Freedoms Observatory
For more information about Iraq visit /iraq
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Palestine
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Al Azhar University was broken through by Islamic bloc students
On March 31, 2008, a group of students belonging to the Islamic bloc (student faction of Hamas Movement) broke through the campus of Al Azhar University in Gaza. The students placed Hamas slogans and flags on the university building despite the university administrative decisions that ban all political activities within the university campus. Some small fights happened in which the bloc students assaulted university administrative members and students council members as well. Some professors, students and administration members went in a set-in as a protest. The policemen dispersed them and beaten them too.
The Palestinian POW day
In 1974, the National Palestinian Council declared April 17, the day of the Palestinian POW. Since that time, all Palestinians everywhere in the world celebrate that day.
Abdul Nasir Awni Farwana, a researcher in POWs cases urged all Palestinians to reconsider the case of the Palestinian POWs through the peaceful activities that reflect the sufferings of the Palestinian and Arab POWs in the Israeli prisons. He also urged the Palestinians to exercise pressures, through such activities, on the international community to change its way of handling that case and to force the occupation government to respect the international treaties and conventions regarding human rights.
Sources
Palestine Behinds the Bars
Al Mizan Center for Human Rights
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights
For more information visit /palestine
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Libya
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All that is left to do is to and ask us to bow before his picture
In a common statement to the Libyan authorities, both Human Rights Watch and Doctors for Human Rights Organization called for Al Jahmi’s immediate and unconditional release. Al Jahmi is a political prisoner who suffers health problems.
Internal security forces first arrested Al Jahmi, an engineer and a former provincial governor, on October 19, 2002, after he criticized the government and Libyan leader Mu`ammar al-Qadhafi, calling for the abolition of al-Qadhafi’s Green Book, free elections in Libya, a free press, and the release of political prisoners. A court sentenced him to five years in prison.
On March 1, 2004, US Senator Joseph Biden met Al Qadhafi and called for al-Jahmi’s release. Nine days later, an appeals court gave Al Jahmi a suspended sentence of one year and ordered his release on March 12.
That same day, Al Jahmi gave an interview to Al Hurra television, in which he repeated his call for Libya’s democratization. He gave another interview to the station four days later, in which he called Al Qadhafi a dictator and said, “All that is left for him to do is hand us a prayer carpet and ask us to bow before his picture and worship him.” Then, and on March 26, security agents arrested Al Jahmi, his wife and their eldest son. The Internal Security Agency detained them in an undisclosed location for six months, without access to relatives or lawyers.
After this Al Jahmi was held in a special facility on the coast near Tripoli because he is, allegedly “mentally disturbed.”
Sources
Human Rights Watch Organization
For more details visit /libya
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Egypt
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Death is the price for bread
This weak witnessed many events and violations and witnessed a sentence that supported the right for organizing.
Such events were represented in the great rise in prices in Egypt and some citizens were reported dead during standing in queues to get some bread. The right of getting enough food is strongly associated with human dignity. It is a fundamental right that enables people to get their other rights stated in the international convention of human rights. To get that right , a government should adopt, domestically and internationally, suitable political, social and environmental policies to eliminate poverty.
What is going on in Egypt nowadays represented in high prices and bread crisis is a severe violation against the right of getting enough food in Egypt. All civil society organizations and state along with the private sector should activate that right and achieve food security which is one of the fundamental human rights.
Inactivating the decision of abandoning the registering of syndicate and labor services house
On March 30, the administrative court issued a sentence in the case filed by the syndicate and labor services house association against the resolution issued by the minister of social integration by which he refused registering the association. The court accepted the case and inactivated the contested resolution. The minister leaned on the objection of security authorities on establishing the association. The syndicate and labor services house association handed a request in 2003 and 2007 to the ministry of insurance and social affairs to get registered and be declared public but got no reply till the period of 60 days defined by the law ended and the association was legally declared public and registered. In March and April 2007, the association branches in Naj' Hammadi, Al Mahallah Al Kubra, and Cairo, were closed for being illegal.
Sources
The Civil Observatory of Human Rights Association
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
The Arab Association for Supporting Civil Society and Human Rights
For more details visit /egypt
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Yemen
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Military manifestations in Al Dhali and Lahaj disturb the social peace
In the period between March 31 and April 1, 2008 , violence events took place in both governorates of Al Dhali and Lahaj and led to violations against public and private properties.
The events were dramatically developed and bad reactions were done. Reactions were represented in detention campaigns launched by security forces against leaders of the Yemeni Social Party. The illegalized detention campaigns led to terrifying citizens since the security forces broke through citizens' houses at midnights. Also, tanks and armored were spread escalating the military manifestations in both governorates of Al Dhali and Lahaj . This led to disturbing the social peace and created a case of violence to be prevailing neglecting all legal guarantees.
Sources
Al Shaqaiq Forum for Human Rights
For more details visit /yemen
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The Arab Network For Human Rights Information
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Banning the Al Hiwar space channel on the Nile Sat
On April 2, 2008 The Arab Network For Human Rights Information condemned the banning of the Al Hiwar space channel on the Nile Sat by the Egyptian state-owned Nile Sat administration. The channel was banned without any explanations on April1, 2008. This comes as an activation of the document of " Principles for Organizing Satellite Radio and TV Broadcasting in the Arab Region" approved by the Arab information ministers last February.
This decision reveals the false allegations of the Arab information ministers who said that the document will not harm the serious channels. The Al Hiwar channel started in the middle of 2006, and was known for its serious and objective handling of public issues.
The Network urged all expression freedom defenders to stand against this police-like censorship and to advocate the right of the viewers to watch serious and trustful channels.
Shame on democracy propagators for letting Abu Fagr confronting the Egyptian suppression alone
The Network stated that the blogger and novelist Mos'ad Abu Fagr is suffering from cruel punishment according to detention decision issued by the security forces in spite of the judicial sentences of setting him free. Abu Fagr is detained in a cell one weak ago till April 2.
In December 2007, Abu Fagr was detained and then was release and was detained again in February 2008 in the name of emergency law. "It is so difficult for a citizen to have a government as a foe" said Gamal Eid, the executive director of the Arabic Network. "It is an unequal and unfair state of discord , it is shameful to us and to all democracy propagators to let Abu Fagr confronting the Egyptian suppression alone", added Gamal Eid.
The Network details are available on : /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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