Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network – EMHRN – April-May 2007

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Egypt: Muslim Brothers Arrested Ahead of Elections	Date: 31-05-2007
Author: HRW
(Cairo, May 30, 2007) – The Egyptian government has intensified its arrest campaign against the Muslim Brotherhood ahead of elections to the upper house of parliament, Human Rights Watch said today, as the organization released video interviews with former Brotherhood detainees. Read more

In two letters to the President and Prime Minister, Al Mezan calls for sober tackling of the internal fighting and security chaos profiles	Date: 31-05-2007
Author: Al Mezan
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights sent letters to the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, yesterday, 28 May 2007. Read more

Israeli Forces Carry Out Targeted Assassination of Palestinian in Ramallah	Date: 30-05-2007
Author: Al Haq
As a human rights organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq is gravely disturbed by the extrajudicial execution carried out on 29 May 2007, Read more

Tunisia: Lassad Jouhri agressed by the police	Date: 30-05-2007
Author: CNLT
Lassad Jouhri, human rights defender in Tunisia, has been agressed by the police Read more

Algeria: The whereabouts of Fethi Hamaddouche are unknown	Date: 30-05-2007
Author: Amnesty
The whereabouts of Fethi Hamaddouche, who was last seen by his brother on 5 March in thecustody of the Department for Information and Security (Département du renseignement et de la sécurité,DRS), are unknown. Amnesty International fears that he is held incommunicado by the DRS and that he is at risk of torture or other ill-treatment. Read more

Chaos in the Occupied Palestinian Territory under Israeli occupation. FIDH calls for a cease of the attacks	Date: 29-05-2007
Author: FIDH
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) expresses its great concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in the Gaza Strip in particular. Read more

Families of the Disappeared create a regional federation in Beirut	Date: 29-05-2007
Author: Solida
The Euro Mediterranean region is widely affected by the phenomenon of enforced disappearances that is firmly condemned by human rights defenders and, from now on, also by the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances adopted on December 21st, 2006 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Read more

PCHR’s Office in Jabalya and Other Civilian Property Heavily Damaged by Israeli Air Strikes on Northern Gaza Strip	Date: 29-05-2007
Author: PCHR
At approximately 23:00 on Saturday, 26 May 2007, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a security room belonging to the Executive Force of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior near Timraz fuel station in the center of the densely populated Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip Read more

serious human rights violations inTunisia	Date: 25-05-2007
Author: CRLDHT
The CRLDHT launches a campaign aiming at informing people about the reality in tunisia and the serious human rights violations Text in french Read more

Lebanon: Concerns on fighting between army and Fatah al-Islam group	Date: 24-05-2007
Author: Amnesty
Amnesty International is greatlyconcerned about the death of civilians as a result of the fighting in the Nahr al-Bared campbetween heavily armed fighters of Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese army. Amnesty International is particularly concerned about the army's use of artillery and other heavy weapons, including tank fire, against heavily-populated areas. Whatever the weapons used and the tactics adopted, including during any attempt that may yet be made to take control of the camp by force, the Lebanese army must use proportionate force and take the necessary precautions at all times to protect and ensure the safety of civilians. Read more

Woman killed and man injured in Qassam attack on Sderot	Date: 24-05-2007
Author: B'Tselem
B'Tselem again sharply condemns the Qassam rockets fired at Israeli communities by Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip, which on 21 May killed a woman and injured a man in Sderot. Aiming attacks at civilians, regardless of the circumstances, is a "grave breach," a war crime, under international humanitarian law. Read more

Humanitarian conditions worsen in Gaza under IOF military operations	Date: 24-05-2007
Author: Al Mezan
Palestinians' humanitarian conditions have substantially deteriorated since the beginning of 2006 as a result of Israel's closures and withholding of custom and tax monies. The situation was exacerbated by the international financial sanctions on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Read more

Moroccan journalists are not satisfied with the Moroccan administration on information	Date: 24-05-2007
Author: CMF MENA
A CMF MENA national survey reveals that the Moroccan journalists are not satisfied with the Moroccan administration on information. Read more in french Read more

Farewell to Idriss Bin Dhikri: The lofty symbol of struggle for human rights	Date: 24-05-2007
Author: CIHRS
The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) is announcing with great sorrow and anguish the death of prominent Moroccan human rights activist and statesman Idriss Bin Dhikri, who passed away yesterday at dawn after a long and bitter struggle with illness. Read more

UN Rejects Jewish National Fund's Application for Consultative Status	Date: 24-05-2007
Author: Adalah
On 18 May 2007, the United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) rejected the application of the Jewish National Fund (JNF)-USA for consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) by a vote of eight to seven with three abstentions. Read more

Amnesty report 2007 shows EU in denial of its human rights problems	Date: 23-05-2007
Author: Amnesty
(Brussels, 23 May) Powerful governments and armed groups are deliberately fomenting fear to erode human rights and to create an increasingly polarized and dangerous world, said Amnesty International on the day it publishes its annual report on the state of human rights in the world. (Brussels, 23 May) Powerful governments and armed groups are deliberately fomenting fear to erode human rights and to create an increasingly polarized and dangerous world, said Amnesty International on the day it publishes its annual report on the state of human rights in the world. Read more

Report 2007: Politics of fear creating a dangerously divided world	Date: 23-05-2007
Author: Amnesty
(London) Powerful governments and armed groups are deliberately fomenting fear to erode human rights and to create an increasingly polarized and dangerous world, said Amnesty International today as it launched Amnesty International Report 2007, its annual assessment of human rights worldwide. Read more

Jordanian Coalition for Civil Society Concluded the Second Training Course in Election Monitoring	Date: 22-05-2007
Author: ACHRS
The Arab Organization for Human Rights , in cooperation with the Jordanian Coalition for Civil Society Organizations and the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies, concluded the second training course in elections monitoring. Read more

Lebanon: PHRO Field Monitor in Naher El-Bared Camp reported that the number of the civilian victims are rapidly increasing	Date: 22-05-2007
Author: PHRO
The Palestinian Human Rights Organization – PHRO Field Monitor in Naher El-Bared Camp reported that the number of the civilian victims (dead and wounded) are rapidly increasing... Read more

Hiding Under Palestinian Names and Slogans …The Hand of Terrorism Attacks the Security in Lebanon	Date: 22-05-2007
Author: PHRO
PHRO Condemns & Denounces the Organized Terrorism & Calls for Rescuing the Civilians & Avoiding them the Fire Fighting Read more

Bulgaria: 68 Sign Protest Letter Against Bulgarian FOI Amendments	Date: 21-05-2007
Author: Article 19
A letter calling on members of the Bulgarian National Assembly not to pass proposed amendments which would substantially weaken the national system for access to information was endorsed by 68 organisations and individuals from around the world. The letter, drafted by ARTICLE 19, was sent to legislators earlier today. Read more

Morocco Loses Leading Human Rights Activist	Date: 21-05-2007
Author: HRW
Human Rights Watch mourns the death of Moroccan human rights activist Driss Benzekri, who died on Sunday after a long illness at the age of 57. Read more

Tunisia: A workshop forbiden by the police	Date: 21-05-2007
Author: CNLT
CNLT together with Frontline was to organise a workshop on « digital security & privacy » in Khamsa Corinthia Hotel in Tunis... Read more in french Read more

Week of Disappearances: “We and They”	Date: 20-05-2007
Author: Human Rights Association
Twenty seven years ago, just 6 days after from the military coup of 12th September 1980, Mr. Huseyin Morsumbul was forcibly taken out among us and disappeared. Read more

47 Killed and Scores Injured in Internal Fighting Between Fatah and Hamas	Date: 20-05-2007
Author: PCHR
PCHR welcomes the new cease fire agreement announced yesterday between Hamas and Fatah under the sponsorship of the Egyptian Security Delegation. At the same time, the Centre calls upon the PNA to form a judicial commission of inquiry into the clashes, which included willful killing and other crimes; so as to bring the perpetrators to justice. Read more

One of our interns expelled from Algeria!	Date: 20-05-2007
Author: Collectif des familles de disparu(e)s en Algérie
Text in french Read more

Letter by Palestinian HR Organisations Submitted to Member States and Observers of the UN Human Rights Council	Date: 20-05-2007

As Palestinian NGOs based in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq, Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Defence for Children International – Palestine Section, Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights regularly employ the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council (the Council) in our human rights work, and we have been attentively following the progress of the Working Group on the Review of Special Procedures. Read more

Turkey: Second trial started against Mr. Ragip Zarakolu, journalist, author and owner of Belge Publishing House	Date: 17-05-2007
Author: HRA
A second trial started under Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code (TCK)continues against Mr. Ragip Zarakolu (journalist, author and owner of Belge Publishing House), on the ground of the publication of the book by Dora Sakayan entitled: “An Armenian Doctor in Turkey: Garabed Hatcherian: My Smyrna Ordeal of 1922 (Istanbul: Belge 2005)”. Read more

Summary of the Israeli High Court of Justice’s Hearing of the al-Nu’man Petition	Date: 17-05-2007
Author: Al Haq
On Sunday, 13 May 2007, the Israeli High Court of Justice heard the petition brought by Al-Haq, Defence for Children International – Palestine Section and the residents of al-Nu’man village. The following is a brief summary of an unofficial translation of the court hearing. Read more

Algérie: Sasine of the emergency procedure of the UNO Working group on forced disappearances	Date: 17-05-2007
Author: Collectif des familles de disparu(e)s en Algérie
Fethi Hamaddouche, 24 years old, disappeared on the second of March in mostaganem... Read more, in french Read more

Israel: Sderot residents wounded by Qassam rockets	Date: 17-05-2007
Author: B'tselem
B'Tselem again sharply condemns the Qassam rocket-fire by Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip at Israeli communities, which yesterday wounded five civilians in Sderot. Since June 2004, Qassam rockets have killed ten Israeli civilians, five Palestinian civilians, and one foreign national. In addition, hundreds of persons have been wounded or suffered post-traumatic stress syndrome as a result of rocket fire. Read more

Gaza clashes toll rises to 42; 160 wounded Al Mezan condemns the armed clashes and disregard to civilian life and property	Date: 17-05-2007
Author: Al Mezan
Security deterioration continued in the Gaza Strip as a state of chaos prevailed today. Armed clashes were focused in Gaza City where masked armed groups erected checkpoints in main streets and searched people. Read more

Latvia: Amnesty International shows solidarity with Riga Pride 2007	Date: 17-05-2007
Author: Amnesty
This year, Amnesty International will participate actively in the Riga Pride march on 3 June 2007 with a delegation of between 50-100 persons from at least eleven different countries who will exercise their right to peaceful assembly at the march. Amnesty International is taking this action as a demonstration of solidarity with the Latvian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. Read more

Lebanon: Investigate Torture Allegations at Ministry of Defense	Date: 16-05-2007
Author: Human Rights Watch
Lebanon’s judiciary should investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment of nine detainees whose trial before a military court began on April 21, Human Rights Watch and CLDH (Lebanese Center for Human Rights) said today Read more

Egypt is Not Fit for Membership of the UN Human Rights Council	Date: 15-05-2007
Author: CIHRS
19 Egyptian Human Rights NGOs Appeal to the United Nations Egypt is Not Fit for Membership of the UN Human Rights Council Read more

SYRIA: deepest concern regarding the condemnation of MM. Michel Kilo, President of the Organisation for the Defence of Freedom of Speech and Press.	Date: 15-05-2007
Author: FIDH/OMCT
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) express their deepest concern regarding the condemnation, on 13 May 2007, of MM. Michel Kilo, President of the Organisation for the Defence of Freedom of Speech and Press and Mahmoud Eissa, a Syrian opponent, to three years in prison for “weakening the national ethic”, following proceedings marred with irregularities. Read more

2 Palestinians Killed and 6 Injured including a Woman in Clashes in the Gaza Strip	Date: 14-05-2007
Author: PCHR
PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 11:30 on Sunday, 13 May 2007, three unknown gunmen traveling in a car fired at Baha Mousa Abu Jarad (34) from Beit Lahia and an activist in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah. Abu Jarad was traveling in a pick up truck at the time, and was on his way home. He was hit by a bullet to the chest; and was rushed to Kamal Odwan Hospital for treatment. From there he was transferred to Shifa Hospital due to the severity of the injury. He died of his wounds shortly afterwards. Read more

Tunisia: Extremely serious maltreatments on political prisoners	Date: 14-05-2007
Author: CRLDHT
Text in french Read more

Tunisia: Political lynching on PDP	Date: 14-05-2007
Author: CRLDHT
The democrat and progressist party is one of the major legal opposition party in tunisia... Text in french Read more

Blair’s Legacy: Official Secrecy or Open Government?	Date: 12-05-2007
Author: Article 19
The very day Blair formally announced his intention to step down as leader of the Labour Party, an Old Bailey judge sentenced a whistleblower to six months’ imprisonment and issued a gagging order against the media, sending a clear signal that government secrecy remains strong. Parallel efforts by the government to undermine the two-year old Freedom of Information Act reinforce that message. Read more

Egypt: Judiciary harassment against free information websites	Date: 12-05-2007

Egyptian justice is about to censor 50 websites... Read more , in french Read more

Hungary: Justice denied to victims of rape in the home	Date: 11-05-2007
Author: Amnesty
Hungary: Justice denied to victims of rape in the home "... The difference between rape in films and marital rape is that we cannot scream, as our child might wake up in the other room. Or our child is right there next to us, her or his face distorted with terror. And another difference is that the person who does this to us is someone we used to love, someone we once trusted more than anyone else. And there is another difference, too: that others say that we invented the whole thing..." Read more

Syria: Peaceful Activist Gets 12 Years With Hard Labor	Date: 11-05-2007
Author: Human Rights Watch
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should immediately exonerate prominent human rights activist Dr. Kamal al-Labwani, who was sentenced today to 12 years in prison including hard labor on politically motivated charges, Human Rights Watch said. Read more

Morocco: Solidarity with 7 imprisoned AMDH members and with all the political prisoners	Date: 11-05-2007
Author: AMDH
Morocco: Solidarity with 7 imprisoned AMDH members and with all the political prisoners In french Read more

Al-Haq Intervention to Diplomatic Representatives Regarding the Extrajudicial Executions of Palestinians in the Jenin Area	Date: 10-05-2007
Author: Al Haq
As a Palestinian organisation dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq would like to raise its serious concern regarding the ongoing extrajudicial executions of Palestinians. Read more

Credibility of UN rights council rests on the adoption of reforms this June	Date: 10-05-2007
Author: CIHRS
Democratic countries from every region must work together in the next two months to ensure the UN Human Rights Council adopts mechanisms that will strengthen its ability to address human rights violations around the world. Specifically, the Council must preserve the independence and flexibility of the system of “special procedures” that monitor human rights worldwide. Read more

Israel: Adalah to Supreme Court: Reject State's Request to Delay Implementation of Courts Ruling in National Priority Areas Case	Date: 09-05-2007
Author: Adalah
On 11 April 2007, Adalah demanded that the Supreme Court reject the Attorney Generals request to extend a deadline requiring the state to cancel Governmental Decision 2288 regarding the classification of towns and villages as National Priority Areas (NPAs) in the field of education. Read more

Security chaos continues in Gaza; new honor killings go uninvestigated	Date: 09-05-2007
Author: Al mezan
In the second case of its kind in days, a woman was killed today on honor grounds in the town of Rafah. No information about investigation by the PNA into the crime has been available to Al Mezan yet. Moreover, a charity building was set to fire also in Rafah today. Read more

PCHR Strongly Condemns Bloody Attack in Rafah: A Palestinian Killed and 7 Others Wounded	Date: 08-05-2007
Author: PCHR
PCHR strongly condemns the bloody incidents that took place on Sunday noon in Tal al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, which took the life of a bodyguard of Majed Abu Shammala, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), and wounded 7 others, including 3 children. Read more

Tunisia: Walid Layouni has been transfered to a psychiatric hospital	Date: 08-05-2007
Author: CRLDHT
Walid Layouni has been transfered to a psychiatric hospital where he is chained to his bed... Read more in french Read more

Morocco: Composition of the new AMDH administrative commission	Date: 08-05-2007
Author: AMDH
After the AMDH 8th national congress, composition of the new administrative commission In french Read more

Jordan: Prior Censorship Must be Abolished	Date: 07-05-2007
Author: Article 19
ARTICLE 19 is deeply concerned by the Jordanian government’s recent violations of freedom of expression. In a matter of two weeks the Jordanian authorities carried out two acts of prior censorship which violate its constitution and its international obligations. Read more

Palestine: al-Nu’man Petition to be Heard by Jerusalem High Court of Justice	Date: 07-05-2007
Author: Al Haq
At 9:00 am on Sunday, 13 May 2007, the Jerusalem High Court of Justice will hear the petition brought by Al-Haq, Defence for Children International – Palestine Section and the residents of al-Nu’man village. Read more

Tunisia: Save the life of the political prisoner Walid Layouni

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