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Human Rights Reports
Tunisia: Former political prisoners face harassment
Amnesty International - November 13, 2008 - 10:00pm
The hunger strike staged since 2 October by former political prisoner, Abdellatif Bouhajila, to protest against the authorities' denial to grant him access to medical care and to issue him a passport is a stark reminder of the harassment faced by former political prisoners in Tunisia, said Amnesty International today
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Bahrain: End Threats to Rights Activists
Human Rights Watch - November 11, 2008 - 10:00pm
Interior Minister Warned of Criminal Punishment for ‘Foreign’ Contacts Bahrain’s government should withdraw a threat by the interior minister to prosecute human rights activists for having met with foreign government officials while abroad, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Award to Saudi Human Rights Lawyer
Human Rights Watch - November 11, 2008 - 10:00pm
(New York, November 11, 2008) – Human Rights Watch today honored Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, a Saudi human rights lawyer, with the 2008 Human Rights Defenders Award in London. Al-Lahim is prevented from traveling abroad by the Saudi authorities (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/08/28/saudia19710.htm), and was unable to receive the award in person. He prepared a speech representing his personal views that was read to assembled guests on his behalf (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/11/11/saudia20182.htm).
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Egypt: End ‘Shoot to Stop’ Practice at Sinai Border Crossings
Human Rights Watch - November 10, 2008 - 10:00pm
Israel and Egypt Should Halt Forced Returns to Abuse (Cairo, November 12, 2008) – Since June 2007, Egyptian border guards have killed at least 32 African migrants trying to cross into Israel, and Israel has forcibly returned at least 139 border crossers to Egypt, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Egypt has detained those returned, not revealed their whereabouts, and reportedly deported some to their home countries where they face a substantial risk of persecution.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
UN: World Leaders Should Press Saudis on Intolerance
Human Rights Watch - November 9, 2008 - 10:00pm
King Abdullah to Speak at Saudi-Sponsored UN Interfaith Meeting World leaders should press King Abdullah to end systematic religious discrimination in Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch said today. The leaders will gather on November 12 at the United Nations for an interfaith meeting spearheaded by Saudi Arabia to foster the culture of peace.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Tunisia: Longtime Political Prisoners Freed
Human Rights Watch - November 5, 2008 - 10:00pm
End Harassment of Ex-Prisoners and Declare Amnesty President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia freed several prominent political prisoners on November 5, 2008, and Human Rights Watch urged authorities to release all persons held for nonviolent political activities and to end the harassment of former political prisoners.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT): Gaza ceasefire - Israel and Hamas must step back from the brink
Amnesty International - November 4, 2008 - 10:00pm
Amnesty International is concerned that the spate of Israeli and Palestinian attacks and counter-attacks in the past 24 hours could spell the end of a five-and-a-half-month ceasefire and put the civilian populations of Gaza and southern Israel once again in the line of fire
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Lebanon: Act Now on Steps to Prevent Torture
Human Rights Watch - November 4, 2008 - 10:00pm
Country’s Report on Torture Is Seven Years Overdue Lebanon should take concrete and public measures to stop the use of torture in detention facilities and submit a long-overdue report on the subject to the United Nations, a group of eight Lebanese and international human rights organizations said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Iran: Amnesty international condemns the latest execution of a juvenile offender
Amnesty International - November 3, 2008 - 10:00pm
Amnesty International condemns the Iranian authorities' execution of Gholamreza H
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Iran Hangs Seventh Juvenile Offender This Year
Human Rights Watch - November 2, 2008 - 10:00pm
Iran hanged a juvenile offender on October 30, 2008, the seventh this year, only two days after Iranian authorities “categorically denied” that it still executes juveniles, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and Human Rights Watch said today. Both organizations appealed to Iranian authorities to end such executions immediately.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Syria: USA must investigate reports of killing of civilians
Amnesty International - October 29, 2008 - 10:00pm
Amnesty International is calling on the US authorities to investigate reports that a cross-border raid from Iraq into Syria by US forces on Sunday killed eight civilians, including one child, in a village east of Damascus, and to disclose whether prisoners were taken during the attack, as one report suggests
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Syria: Harsh Sentences for Democratic Opposition
Human Rights Watch - October 29, 2008 - 10:00pm
Damascus Declaration Trial a Transparent Bid to Silence Critics Syria’s sentencing of a dozen leading democracy advocates to more than two years in prison is the latest evidence of Syria’s repression of opposition groups, Human Rights Watch said today. The democracy activists, including doctors, lawyers, writers, and an artist, were sentenced on October 29, 2008 to 30 months in prison on politically motivated charges.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Syria: Amnesty International condemns sentencing of 12 pro-democracy activists
Amnesty International - October 28, 2008 - 10:00pm
Amnesty International condemns today's sentencing by a Syrian criminal court of 12 pro-democracy activists to two and a half years in prison
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Morocco/Western Sahara: Release school student imprisoned for offending the King
Amnesty International - October 28, 2008 - 10:00pm
Amnesty International is urging the Moroccan authorities to order the release and drop the charge against Yassine Bellasal, an 18 year old student, sentenced to a one year prison term for allegedly insulting Morocco's King, and to investigate allegations that he was beaten and threatened in police custody following his arrest
Categories: Human Rights Reports
US: Iraq Security Deal Should Shield Detainees
Human Rights Watch - October 28, 2008 - 10:00pm
To Avoid Torture Risk, Include Provision to Challenge Transfer The United States should not transfer detainees in US military custody to Iraqi custody under a US-Iraqi security agreement if they face the risk of torture, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Iran: Attacks Escalate Against Women’s Rights Activists
Human Rights Watch - October 27, 2008 - 10:00pm
The Iranian government is escalating its attacks against women activists, subjecting them to arbitrary detention, travel bans, and harassment, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
UK: Terror Suspect Should Not Be Deported to Jordan
Human Rights Watch - October 26, 2008 - 10:00pm
Risk of Torture Too Serious to Permit Abu Qatada’s Return The British government should drop its efforts to deport a Jordanian terrorism suspect who risks torture and an unfair trial if returned to Jordan, Human Rights Watch said today. The Jordanian government’s promises of humane treatment and a fair trial on return cannot be trusted, Human Rights Watch said.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
United Arab Emirates: Whereabouts of men arrested in raids on coastal towns must be revealed
Amnesty International - October 23, 2008 - 10:00pm
Amnesty International is seeking urgent clarification regarding the whereabouts and legal status of 20 to 30 young men arrested in early October 2008 in the town of Khor Fakkan in the Emirate of Sharjah and surrounding areas located in the Emirate of Fujairah, both of which form part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Yemen: Hundreds Unlawfully Arrested in Rebel Conflict
Human Rights Watch - October 23, 2008 - 10:00pm
Investigate Arbitrary Detentions and ‘Disappearances’ Yemeni security forces have systematically and unlawfully detained several hundred people, including journalists, in the context of the four-year civil war with rebel forces in northern Yemen, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Human Rights Watch urged Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh to establish an independent commission to investigate arbitrary arrests and “disappearances” and to punish those responsible.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
United Kingdom: Stop Deportations to Risk of Torture
Human Rights Watch - October 21, 2008 - 10:00pm
Promises From Algeria and Jordan Unreliable in Preventing Abuse The British government should immediately halt plans to deport foreign terrorism suspects to countries that offer unreliable promises not to torture them, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
