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Weekly update for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information # 209
Year 5
2 May 2008- 8 May 2008
Jordan:
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Celebrating the International Labor Day, Amman Center for Human Rights Studies invited for and conducted a round of discussion. Jordanian Labor and Social Insurance Bill Proposal were discussed in the session. Jordanian syndic and laborious elite participated, as well as the Center's Laborious Education Committee.
Sources :
Amman Center for Human Rights Studies
For more information and topics on Jordan's web page: http://www.hrinfo.net/jordan
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Bahrain:
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In a report released by a regional group cooperatively with the “International Center for information Support” in Denmark included that the information monitoring in the Bahrain's most recent elections had revealed various failures in the Media performance, integrity, impartiality and professionalism. no matter whether regarding the government's Radio and TV stations or the private daily newspapers.
Further to this, the report stated that in spite of the relatively freedoms margin in Bahrain, comparing with other states in the region, the election monitoring findings has revealed the overall fact that the Media has played an obstructive role against democracy.
Sources :
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
for more information and topics on the Bahrain web page: http://www.hrinfo.net/bahrain
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Tunisia
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Reporters without Borders condemned the degrading treatment that Salim Bukhdair- Tunisian Journalist- received in the prison. The organization stated that this journalist suffers Scabies disease, and already started a hunger strike.
In this context the organization said: the conditions of Slim Bukhdair detention is intolerable, this maltreatment aims only to deprive him of dignity. RWB has stated that fact that other journalists who were imprisoned in Tunisia have faced the same fate. And this situation and other similar ones was concealed during the visit of the French President to Tunisia, during which he stated the progress of the human rights situation in Tunisia.
Reporters without Borders Organization described the President Zain El Abdeen Ben Ali as a “Press Freedom Predator”, and it demanded the Tunisian authorities to bring the suffering of the journalist Slim Bukhdair- as well as the other political detainees'- to an end.
In another side the International Association for Political Prisoners Support said that security personnel in civil uniforms in Tunisia arrested a group of girls after they went out of a mosque last Friday, the association learned- from the detainees families- that they were arrested on the background of their assembly to recite the Holy Quran. And the Security Personnel mostly belongs to the public guards and has deprived the girls of access to telecommunication to reach their families.
In the International Day for Press Freedom the Arab Commission for Human Rights directs its greeting respectfully to every journalist and blogger, who devoted to their career rather than the powerful positions, those who have been struggling with all of they got of fortitude and determination for defending the Arab people concerns, and right to express their opinions. Confronting the prohibition and oppressions raids they are exposed to. What has developed to a crucial level, especially after the Arab Information Ministers Document.
The Arab Commission directs its greeting to the two Tunisian legends, went in an open hunger strike since 26th of April, Who are Rashid Khashana, the editor-in-chief of the Mauqif newspaper, and Moungi Alluz the Managing Editor.
Since they non but their bodies to confront the arbitrariness that finely created by their country's authority. They have taken this step, defending the continuity of Al Mauqif Newspaper and the expression freedom in Tunisia.
The International Association for Political Prisoners Support said in its communique that the administration of Al Amery Tower Prison persist to deprive the prisoners under the so-called “Terrorism Combat” of the simplest rights that the prisons law guarantees for them, the prison adminstration objects respecting the related international conventions.
Moreover, the two prisoners Ahmed Al Murabit and Gamal El Din El Malakh are exposed to very bad treatment, where he prevented to receive messages for long months, as well as the refusal of the administration to provide the medical treatment, while he suffers a bad health situation. Gamal El Din El Malakh was exposed to visit-termination, for only one reason that his mother informed him that the Sudanese detainee Sami Al hajj was released from Guantanamo prison.
Sources :
Arab Commission for Human Rights
Reporters without Borders
International Association for Political Prisoners Support
More information and topics on Tunisia page http://www.hrinfo.net/tunisia
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Sudan
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Reporters without Borders have expressed -through a communique- its deep comfort and pleasure for the release of the Gazira Channel cameraman Sami El Hajj, who arrived to Khartoum, where his family was in his reception after more than 6 years of detention- since June 2002- in Guantanamo American Base.
In this framework, the Secretary General of the Organization Robert Minar, has congratulate the family of Sami El Hajj whome he has met with in Khartoum, El Hajj's Family was waiting for his return for more than 6 years. He Thanked to those who contributed in the campaign for his release especially in the European assemblies.
The Organization added: “Sami El Hajj should not be withheld for this lengthy period. Since the American Authorities could not never prove his involvement in any criminal activity. No doubt this case is representing the prevailed injustice in Guantanamo Base that should be closed down as soon as possible.”
Sources :
Reporters without Borders
Amnesty
More information and topics are on Sudan page: http://www.hrinfo.net/Sudan
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Syria:
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The Syrian Alliance for Defending Human Rights learned that the State Security Organ in Damascus city has arrested the Syrian citizen Essam El Hag Ahmed Al Dallu after he responded to a security summon he received upon his arrival to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 18/4/2008.
In this context the Syrian demanded finding an immediate solution for the issue of the voluntary and forced Syrian exilees through a general pardon ending this humanitarian crisis in a clear official form, and not through individual security arrangements that the Syrians exilees undergone with the Syrian Embassies abroad that the proved factually its lack of credibility most of the times.
In another context the president of Ireland, Mary McAleese, has passed the Front Line Foundation Prize for Human Rights Defenders Confronting Dangers to Anwar Al Beni from Syria, His wife Raghda Eisa Refqi has received the prize on his behalf.
The human rights organizations in Syria is watches with deep concern, the dangerous development regarding the detenainees on case of Damascus National and Democratic Change Declaration, and their trial before the Penal Court in Damascus, facing charges of harming the prestige of the state, and provoking the racist and sectarian Surges, and founding an association with intention to change the state entity, these charges are punished by the articles no. 285, 286 and 306 of the Penal Code.
The organizations condemned all of the arbitrary and harassing measurements practiced by the Syrian Security agencies against the democracy and human rights activist under the umbrella of the emergencies law, because of the balatant violation of the National Constitution provisions, and the International Convention for Human Rights.
The Kurdish Commission for Human Rights has received the news of the Kurdish young man- Bahrouz Sherif Yousif's detention, he works as a labor, resident in Damascus, as well another round had arrested the Kurdish young man Hussain Beru Darwish, born in Al Hassaka, Ras Al Ain, both detentions were arbitrarily taken place and without a warrant on the background of their activities in the public and Kurdish arenas.
Sources :
The Front Line International Foundation for The Protection of Human Rights Defenders
Syrian Alliance For Human Rights Defense
Arab Organization for Human Rights in Syria
Kurdish Commission for Human Rights
For more information visit Syria page http://www.hrinfo.net/syria
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Iraq
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The Iraqi Press Freedom Monitor revealed in its report that the new changes had taken place in the period 3May, 2007 and 3 May, 2008 could be described as danger on the future of the free performance of the Media in Iraq, and page the way in front of the expansion of oppression and prohibition policies of the governmental security agencies.
The cases of violations against journalists is indicating a remarkable increase to 60% for the last year. Regular monitoring operations recorded in field or of direct reports by victims are indicating the rise in the crackdown operations against Media workers, as assault and different forms of humiliation by the security agencies and special security elements, and preventing the Media workers from covering the hot events especially bombing. The Press Freedoms Monitor has recorded during this period the violations against journalists and media workers.
Sources :
Press Freedoms Monitor
For more information visit ; http://www.hrinfo.net/iraq/
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Palestine
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Ahrar Center for Prisoners Studies on the International Day for Press Freedoms had demanded of Reporters without Borders' Organization, and the International Press Union to defend 6 Palestinian journalists abducted in the occupation's prisons, most of them are languishing under in the administrative detention.
Says Fouad Al Khafsh, Director to Ahrar Center: “On such day we should recall those who carried their souls on their hands, stood up behind their cameras to picture the Palestinian nation's suffering and convey the truth, but their destiny was imprisonment and detention.
The National Monitor for Information and Communication stated on the occasion of the International Day for Press Freedom: “ The International Day for Press Freedom passes on Palestine in its worse times, the journalism work and Press Freedom is being exposed to a real massacre under the internal conflict ignition, which the journalists, media workers, media institutions and freedom of expression were its first victims.
Palestine had witnessed during both the last and current year the harshest moments in the long Palestinian press history.
In another context the National Monitor calls on all of the International Press Institutions and Human Rights Institutions to press on the occupation Israeli State for obliging her to regard the international laws to provide the protection and the freedom for the journalisim work to palestinian and foreign journalists in all of the West Bank and Gazza strip, charging the occupation state on all of the international assemblies for the slay, oppression and restriction operations that it practicing against the journalism act.
At the National Monitor for Information and Communication, we look up for the new year to be a year for press freedoms in Palestine and the world, through the all of the efforts collectively to protect the press freedoms from danger.
In a press release of the Conscience Foundation (Al Dhamir) said that closing the crossings and terminating the fuel supplies of Gaza strip is a real crisis, because of the semi-paralysis of all of the basic life utilities. The foundation watches concernedly the crucial consequences induced of the persisting occupied Israeli state that impose and practice an economical blockade policy, crossing borders and the related harsh and non-humanitarian measurements, disruption of international relief organizations role due to its disability to work under the aggravation of the crisis.
Sources :
Ahrar Center for Prisoners Studies
National Monitor for Information and Communication
More information and topics on Palestine web page: http://www.hrinfo.net/palestine
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Egypt
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In a communique of the Egypt Demonstrators Front
Mahla:
The security crowed did not stop arriving in Mahla City since yesterday late afternoon, the city become a military barracks, with static check points in every street, setting the area of the Egypt Spinning and Weaving Factory was set as -Non Approach and Photos Area, there were direct threats received by the labors that in case of demonstration and protesting, the response will be the fire-shoot.
Arab Tower Detention Facility:
The Front has managed to visit the Arab Tower yesterday, while we were going to visit the political prisoners in Buhaira, Kafr El Sheikh, Al Mansoura, Alexandria and Al Mahla, coincidently we discovered existence of 42 detainees of Al Mahla citizens were penally detained, and when we provided the Politicians Visit Permits we informed of a release order for some of them, the three Mahla Labors have told us the conditions and circumstances of their detention on 6 April, 10:00 am and before the protest would take place in Al Mahla. Karim Al buhari was arrested while he was accompanying the Arabic BBC Channel team, Tarek and Kamal were called by an individual introduced himself as “from the Arabic BBC Channel and would like to have an interview with them, where they approached the agreed-upon location they found out that it was an ambush.
Damhnor
Alla Ahmed Fauzi from Damnhor City was arrested yesterday.
In another context
Cairo Penal Court (11 circle) decided to release the activist and the author Musid Suliman Hassan, known as Mus'id Abu Fagr, in its session held on 19/4/2008, that was on the petition submitted against the resolution of his detention by the minister of interior, where the Interior Ministry objected the release decision, therefore another session was appointed to review the Interior Ministry objection on Monday 12/5/2008 before the (directorate 14) -Penals, to be held at the North Cairo Primary Court.
The New Woman Foundation organized a discussion round at its quarters, attended by the Parliament Member Mohamed Khalil Quitta, and a number of the civic organizations to discuss the proposed Law Bill of the Raped Female Abortion Permissibility, that submitted by the Member of the Parliament Mohamed Quitta, the agent of the foreign affairs committee at the People Assembly.
It worths mentioning that the republic Mufti Dr. Ali Gomma, and the Islamic Research Council, agreed upon referring the bill to the Legislative and Constitutional Committee at the Council.
In this context the New Woman Foundation consider the law bill as an ice break against the sexual assault crimes and the concealed mechanisms perceived as sexual crimes convict the victims not murder crimes against the women physical and psychological well-being, although it has overlooked the indecent sexual assault and incest adultery which are not less serious in its harshness or consequences than the rape crime.
Maat stated in its communique that the increase in prices that was approved by the government of the National Party using its majority in the parliament, was a blatant and direct threat to the social peace, and a new strong governmental incitement for protest and strike- even stronger than the face book youth incitements, or a bare invitation for who has the power or the authority to reproduce more corruption, and approve more bribes to achieve the self-adequacy that Egyptians used to, as a result of depriving of social and economical rights by their government that ignores the international oaths provides those rights.. days are upcoming while we are await- with the government- anticipating more of the results to its policies..!!
Sources :
Hisham Mubarak Law Center
New Woman Foundation
Maat for Legal and Constitutional Studies
More information and topics on Egypt web page: http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt
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Morocco
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The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights has released a communique in which it calls on for releasing the blockade against the detainees of Atals-Esni file after receiving complaints from the detainees families, the detainees are: Marzoug, Hamadi Radwan, Estiphan Eiet, Eder Eldin, who suffers an isolation for 10 years in the local prison in Sala, they are now in the central prison in Qunitra. information of persist in imposing the isolation on them for a month and a half in an entire depriving of break, sun, bath and using phones. which is reflects negatively on their health and psychological situation as well as on their children'.
The association has demanded the Clerk General to intervene immediately at the local administration of the Central Prison in Qunitra to work for the isolation-imposed on the mentioned detainees - break up, and assuring their enjoyment of humanitarian detention conditions, and respectful regards for what was set in the minimum standard regulations of prisoners treatment and the prisons regulating law98/23.
Sources :
The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights
More information and topics on Morocco web page: http://www.hrinfo.net/morocco
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Yemen
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The Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights has watched concernedly the sever neglect by the Yemeni and Saudi authorities in dealing with the terrible tragedy and the serious violation that a number of the Yemeni citizens were exposed to, describing them by “sneakers”in Khamis Meshit area, south of Saudi Arabia, who was exposed to- according to their testimonies- to burning by the Saudi security personnel, during their attempt to flee and hide so as to avoid being captured. Sisters demanded application of righteous treatment for them, and requested the Saudi security to conduct a serious, immediate and transparent investigation on the issue, and taking the required and deterring measurements against the perpetrators so as to prevent its re occurrence.
The participants in the First Forum for Consolidation- with the artist Al Qurani called on and demanded of some of the concerned journalists, academics, rights activists, artists who participated with the artist Fahd Al Qurani in Taiz, the Arab and International Rights Organization were requested to convict the human dignity degrading measurements that contradict with the rights guaranteed with human rights related international declarations, conventions and oaths.
The National Corporation to Adovcate Rights and Freedoms condemned the detention of an adolescent for two days, said that he went out for purchasing “milk” for his father, abducted by the Police station of the capital municipality for two days, an adolescent 13 years old, did not know that going out for a the neighboring grocery at 10 PM Thursday night, responding to his father request to buy some milk will prevent him from coming back home, spending the night with his parents and siblings, and force him to spend it at the “Living-grave” - as named by many people- to face various types of brutality, sometimes with a “thick” stick on his legs “Falaka” by the area police station manage, close to his place south to Sanaa the capital “Gulf Market neighborhood” “Shimila” and with assistance of his companion soldiers, guiltless was accused of theft, but later been acquitted of it by the Adolescents Prosecution, which released him in an earlier time after his father has surrendered him to the prosecution.
Sources :
Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights
National Corporation to Advocate Rights and Freedoms
National Committee for confronting Detention and Torture
More information and topics on Yemen Page: http://www.hrinfo.net/yemen/
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International and Regional
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Reporters without Borders commends to the further extent the assasination of the freelancer journalist Sirwa Abdel Wahab on 4th May, 2008 in Musul.
in this context the organization declared: this assisnation is adding more length to the list of the Iraqi Journalism martyrs, those who have been targeted by the armed group in the country getting advantage of the entire punishment failure, and demanded the Iraqi authorities to conduct an in depth investigation to identify the responsible bodies for this action, and to avoid any more similar assassinations in the future as in the other cases.
Sources :
Reporters without Borders
More information and topics on international and regional page : http://www.hrinfo.net/mena
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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
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