Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network – EMHRN – August 2008

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Morocco: Open letter to Prime Minister Abbas Fassi	Date: 27-08-2008
Author: OMDH
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Petition demands to change the indictment filed against the officer and soldier filmed in Ni'lin: Severe abuse of handcuffed detainee is not "unbecoming conduct"	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: B'Tselem
This morning, Ashraf Abu Rahma, who was shot by IDF soldiers in Ni'lin while handcuffed and blindfolded, together with the Israeli human rights organizations B'Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Yesh Din filed an urgent petition to the High Court of Justice against the Judge Advocate General's decision to prosecute the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Omri Borberg, and the soldier who fired the shot, Staff Sgt. L, for "unbecoming conduct," a light offense that does not result in a criminal record. Read more

Tunisia: War on human rights and freedom defenders (In French)	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: CRLDHT
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Israeli Military Investigation Sanctions Wilful Killing of Civilians, including Reuters Cameraman, and Demonstrates Complete Disregard for Principle of Precautions in Attack	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: Al Haq
As a Palestinian human rights organisation, Al-Haq is deeply disappointed, but not surprised, by the finding of the Israeli military authorities that the tank crew responsible for the killing of Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana’a and five other unarmed civilians, including four children, acted appropriately and were guilty of no wrong-doing. Read more

Lebanon: Migrant Domestic Workers Dying Every Week	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: HRW
The high death toll of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, from unnatural causes, shows the urgent need to improve their working conditions, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on the official steering committee tasked with improving the situation of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon to investigate the root causes of these deaths and develop a concrete national strategy to reduce them Read more

Egypt: Deadly journey through the desert	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: Amnesty
"Here it is like war for us and back home it is war also, there is no difference." "We fled from death but death is after us; we don't know what is happening to our relatives back home in camps for the displaced. Staying there would have been better than what happened to us” A Sudanese refugee from the Darfur region who attempted to cross the border of Egypt with Israel and served a one year prison sentence in Egypt Read more

PCHR Calls for Schools to be allowed to operate without Destructive Political conflicts	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: PCHR
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is deeply concerned over the latest developments resulting from the conflict between the two Palestinian governments in Ramallah and Gaza, which have directly impacted on the educational sector in the Gaza Strip. This is threatening the future of thousands of students in public schools throughout the Gaza Strip, especially as these developments coincide with the beginning of the new academic year. Read more

	Date: 26-08-2008

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First Grade Class Opens for Arab Children at the al-Karma School for the Arts in Haifa	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: Adalah
Intensive negotiations undertaken by Adalah on behalf of the Association for the Development of Arab Education in Haifa with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Municipality of Haifa have resulted in an agreement to open a first grade elementary class at the al-Karma school for the arts in Haifa, from the beginning of the coming school year (2008-2009). Read more

Adalah Demands that Defense Minister Ehud Barak Revoke his Decision to Close Down the Al-Aqsa Association and to Proclaim it an Illegal Organization	Date: 26-08-2008
Author: Adalah
On 25 August 2008, Adalah sent a letter to Minister of Defense Ehud Barak to demand that he revoke his order to close down the Al-Aqsa Association for the Restoration of Muslim Holy Sites and withdraw his proclamation of the association as an illegal organization. Read more

Assault and intimidation acts against Mr. Mohamed Bayoumi	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits de l’Homme
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention regarding the following situation in Egypt. Read more

High Court suspends proceedings in Ni'lin shooting case	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: B'Tselem
Following the petition by Ashraf Abu Rahma, who was shot by IDF soldiers in Ni'lin while handcuffed and blindfolded, together with the Israeli human rights organizations B'Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Yesh Din, against the Judge Advocate General's decision to prosecute the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Omri Borberg, and the soldier who fired the shot, Staff Sgt. L, for “unbecoming conduct”, the High Court issued a Decree nisi, forcing the Judge Advocate General to justify his decision. The course also issued an interim order suspending military court proceedings until the petition is decided. Read more

police force broke arm of Mr. Hüseyin Beyaz, IHD Adana Branch Administrator	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: IHD
About 44 people, including administrators of Democratic Society Party (DTP) provincial and district organizations in Adana, Küçük Dikili Mayor Ms. Leyla Güven and Misis Mayor Mr. Burhan Ars were detained from their house in early morning on 14.08.2008. Within the framework of these detentions, police and gendarmerie forces planned to raid Adana DTP provincial organization. After an application via phone to Human Rights Association (İHD) Adana Branch, the president of the branch Mr. Ethem Açıkalın and an administrator Mr. Hüseyin Beyaz went to the scene to become observer and determine human rights violations at the scene immediately. Read more

Tunisia: Zakia Dhifaoui (In French)	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits de l’Homme
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Israeli Response to Death of Reuters Cameraman Makes Journalists Legitimate IOF Targets	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: PCHR
En anglaisThe Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the official response of the Israeli military Advocate-General to the death of a Reuters cameraman and three other civilians, including two children, who were killed in Juhor al-Dik in the central Gaza Strip, on April 16, 2008. The cameraman, Fadel Shana’a, and the other civilians were killed by an Israeli tank crew, who, according to Israeli military advocate-general, Brigadier General Avihai Mendelblit, acted properly and will therefore not face any legal action for killing these four unarmed civilians. Read more

Sihem Bensedrine assaulted and prevented from leaving Tunisia	Date: 20-08-2008

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Tunisia: Zakia Dhifaoui convicted	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: CRLDHT
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Open letter to Rama Yade	Date: 20-08-2008

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Lebanon bus bomb kills 14, including civilians	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: Amnesty
A bomb attack on a commercial bus containing civilians in Tripoli, north Lebanon, on Wednesday 13 August killed at least 14 people, according to reports. Read more

Punishing Saad El Din Ibrahim, A New Ring in the Chain of Opinion Trials	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: CIHRS
The Egyptian human rights organizations express their deep concern over the ruling rendered recently by “Al Khalifa Misdemeanor Court” –in absentia- against Dr. Saad El Din Ibrahim, an outstanding defender of human rights and democratic freedoms, professor of sociology, and Director of Ibn Khaldun Center for Developmental Studies. Read more

	Date: 20-08-2008

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Syria: Wives of Islamist Suspects Detained, Whereabouts Unknown	Date: 20-08-2008
Author: HRW
The Syrian government should immediately release three women detained by state authorities since July 31, 2008, unless they have evidence that these women have committed criminal offenses and intend to try them for these, Human Rights Watch said today. Read more

Government to Restrict Freedom of Expression of Former Diplomats and the Right to Information	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: Article 19
The government is imposing new restrictions on the right of former diplomats to freedom of speech. They will now be required to pledge that they will never publish any information relating to their experiences in the Diplomatic Service. These restrictions are excessively strict and will reduce the public’s right to access important information regarding foreign affairs. Read more

	Date: 13-08-2008

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Israel approves some 32,000 requests for family unification 90,000 Palestinians still waiting	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: B'Tselem
Since October 2007, Israel has approved 31,830 requests for family unification in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This is the first exception in Israeli policy on this issue since the outbreak of the second intifada, in September 2000, when Israel froze family-unification procedures and the granting of visitor’s permits. Read more

	Date: 13-08-2008

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	Date: 13-08-2008

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The International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED) requests NGOs and personaltities to sign an appeal to Heads of State all around the world to urge them to ratify and implement the Internatational Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances.	Date: 13-08-2008

“The convention against disappearances contains many elements to prevent, investigate and sanction the crime of enforced disappearance:” said Dave Hardy, the coordinator of the ICAED. “However, many more States need to ratify it than the current four (Albania, Argentina, Mexico and Honduras) for the Convention to realize the full protection it can offer.” Read more

PCHR Condemns Attacks on Civil Society Organizations and the Continued of Arrests against Hamas Members in the West Bank	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: PCHR
PCHR condemns the attacks on private and civil society organizations and the continued arrests by Palestinian security forces against Hamas members in the West Bank Read more

UN : a scathing report for France	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: FIDH
The UN Human Rights Committee, which monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, has just returned a scathing report on France’s compliance with its obligations. Read more

Supreme Court: Education Ministry, Haifa Municipality and Pupils’ Parents Must Enter Promptly into Negotiations over Establishing an Arab School for the Arts in Haifa	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: Adalah
On 4 August 2008, the Supreme Court of Israel heard a petition filed by Adalah and the Association for the Development of Arab Education in Haifa demanding that an official, special Arab school for the arts be opened in Haifa. The petition was submitted by Adalah Attorney Sawsan Zaher. Read more

Al-Haq. New report on arbitrary detention and torture in Palestinian prisons	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: Al Haq
Today Al-Haq, as a Palestinian human rights organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), is releasing its report, “Torturing Each Other: The Widespread Practices of Arbitrary Detention and Torture in the Palestinian Territory.”* Read more

Palestinian victim of shooting and Israeli human rights organizations demand suspension of legal proceedings in Ni’lin affair	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: B'Tselem
Following the indictments filed this morning (7 August) in the Ni’lin shooting affair, the Palestinian victim and four Israeli human rights organizations demanded that the military Judge Advocate General suspend legal proceedings against both the lieutenant colonel involved and the soldier who fired the shot. Read more

Conclusion of the Second Training Session on Human Rights Held for the Employees of the Jordanian House of Representatives	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: ACHRS
The training session on human rights for the employees of the Jordanian House of Representatives, organized by the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies [ACHRS] in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the House of Representatives was concluded. Read more

	Date: 13-08-2008

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Syria: Economist Freed as Crackdown Goes on	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: HRW
Syria’s release of prominent activist `Aref Dalila on August 7, 2008, after seven years in detention, is welcome, but the government should also free dozens more detainees being held for nonviolent political activities, Human Rights Watch said today. Read more

	Date: 13-08-2008

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Israel: Don’t Destroy Homes. Collective Punishment Violates International Law	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: HRW
The Israeli government should reject plans to resume the demolition or confiscation of the homes of alleged terrorists, Human Rights Watch said today. These measures would violate international legal prohibitions against collective punishment, as they affect the owners or inhabitants of the homes who have no involvement in terrorism Read more

Right to Life of Palestinian Children Disregarded in Ni’lin as Israel’s Policy of Wilful Killing of Civilians Continues	Date: 13-08-2008
Author: Al Haq
As a Palestinian human rights organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq is deeply disturbed by the excessive and disproportionate use of force employed by Israeli Border Police in the village of Ni’lin last week, resulting in the wilful killing of two Palestinian children. Read more

Egypt: No justice for 49 facing trial before emergency court	Date: 11-08-2008
Author: Amnesty
On the eve of the trial of 49 people for alleged involvement in violent protest, Amnesty International calls on the Egyptian authorities to stop trying individuals beforespecial emergency courts that flout basic guarantees for fair trial. The organization also urges the authorities to open immediately a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the defendants' allegations of torture. Read more

	Date: 26-08-2008

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