Violations against the press in the Arab world [Archives:2006/992/Front Page]

Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Hrinfo) is a central repository for human rights information and websites in Arabic throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Hrinfo depends on the Internet to free the activities of human rights organizations from the restrictions they now face. Hrinfo collects the publications, campaigns, reports, and statements of the various human rights organizations, so that the daily product of those organizations will is available in one place, updated daily.

UAE

The policies adopted by UAE towards human rights advocators are so contradicted with the statements of the government. While the government says that the country is tolerant and looking for development, the state harasses human rights activists and tries hard to silence them. Dr. Mohamed Al-Mansoury the chairman of UAE Human Rights Association was arrested and prohibited from traveling abroad. Also, Dr. Mohamed Al-Roken suffered many security harassments.

Since 2004, Ministry of Social Affairs did not respond to two applications submitted by two human rights groups attempting to get the legal license for foundation. UAE Associations' Code binds the ministry to respond to such applications within 30 days.

KSA

This week witnesses the memory of Hady ben Said ben Hamad Al Matif, the Saudi citizen who was punished with death in 1996 as a result of charging him with the so-called “defamation of the Prophet Muhammad” in December 1993.

The Judge was completely against Al Matif because he is a follower of Ismaeli Solimani belief. As a result he had no fair trial. The basic rules of fair trials were not considered, which means that the sentence award is not valid.

SYRIA

The Syrian security forces prevented with using force a peaceful strike which was supposed to take place before the Syrian Cabinet headquarter in the 44th memory of exceptional census in Syrian Haska governorate in 1962. It led to degrading more than 150 thousand Kurdish people from their Syrian nationalities. The strikers were beaten and insulted by security forces which arrested most of them.

Syrian authorities arrested the communist activist Eng. Ghassan Ismael upon a report submitted by one of his students to the Security Forces.

The house of the citizen Mohamed Haout ben Omar in Klassa neighborhood of Halab city was penetrated by policemen. Haout was arrested and his family does not know where he is now and the reason why he was arrested.

Many trials were held this week. They include the trial of Anwar al-Biny and many other citizens only for adopting ancestor's religious ideas. The detainees are Jihad Abdullah, Feras Abdullah, Husam Abdullah, Mohamed Jamil, Ahmed Samak, Mostafa Ali Ka'ka, Fahed Adel Mohsen, Hassan Jasem Al-wasel, Yasser Bayoumi, Khedhr Aloush, Mazen Al-Khateb, and others.

TUNISIA

While Tunisian Association for Democratic Women calls for holding a seminar on the national campaign to fight poverty, state authorities put Khalifa Shoshan on trial with the charge of attacking a police man in civil wear. That took place before the Ministry of Education headquarters which he was visiting to demand his right to work. Authorities also prevented the meeting of Benzart branch of Tunisia Bond for Human Rights with other three US diplomats who asked for visiting the Bond during their visit to Benzart.

IRAQ

Do not allow words to pass, if you want to keep Iraqi incidents unknown to the world. This is the slogan adopted by those who kidnap and kill journalists. In mid-September, unidentified gunmen kidnapped Iraqi news announcer; Mohamed Abdul Rahman who works for a local radio station. In another incident, unidentified gunmen attacked the house of journalist and human rights activist; Yasser Abdel Amer who works as the manager of Al-Mathni branch of Iraqi Association for Journalists' Rights.

The corpse of Azad Mohamed Hassan, the reporter of Dar Al-Salam radio station was discover seven days of abduction. Torture signs are clearly seen on his body.

EGYPT

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) declares its solidarity with Essa and his colleagues and is taking part in defending them. HRinfo calls upon the Egyptian community to confront attempts to terrorize and hinder Al-Dostour newspaper, which contributed to regaining trust in Egyptian independent press. HRinfo thus calls upon Egyptian and international civil society, especially those defending freedom of expression, to support Al-Dostour and advocate the right to freedom of expression and press freedom in Egypt. The court postponed the case to 14 November 2006.
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