Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network – EMHRN – September 2008

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B'Tselem launches an office in the United States	Date: 24-09-2008
Author: B'Tselem
B’Tselem today (Wed. 24 Sept.) launches its new U.S. office at a reception on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. Read more

	Date: 24-09-2008

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	Date: 24-09-2008

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The Labor Education Unit of the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies [ACHRS] voices solidarity with the democratic associations And labor unionists	Date: 24-09-2008
Author: ACHRS
The extraordinary conference of the General Federation of Labor Unions convened in Jordan and made illegal decisions that were taken in contrast with the goals of the labor union. The decisions have added further legal restrictions to the union freedoms and rights. Read more

Israeli Supreme Court: Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council whose Jerusalem Residency Status was Revoked Must be Given an Opportunity to Submit Applications to Reinstate it	Date: 24-09-2008
Author: Adalah
Following a hearing held before the Supreme Court of Israel on 10 September 2008 on a petition filed by members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and residents of East Jerusalem against the revocation of their permanent residency status, today, 17 September 2008, the court decided to give the men the opportunity to submit applications to the Israeli Minister of Interior to reinstate their residency status. Read more

Al Mezan Calls for Opening Investigation on Abu Maghassieb Killing As Domestic Violence Death Toll Rises to 110 in Gaza Strip in 2008	Date: 24-09-2008
Author: Al Mezan
Yesterday Naeem Abdelkareem Abdallah Abu Maghassieb, 33, was mysteriously killed after being shot in the chest. Kamal Ahmad al-Imam, 42, also passed away in a tunnel in Rafah city. Documenting and monitoring resources at Al Mezan show that the death toll of domestic violence rose to 110 since early 2008. Tunnels’ death toll during the same period also rose to 29 Read more

Al Mezan Organizes Lecture on International Humanitarian Law	Date: 24-09-2008
Author: Al Mezan
On Monday, 22 Sept. 2008, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights organized a lecture on the International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Read more

General Intelligence Service raids Hebron Office of PLC Member Samira al-Halaiqa	Date: 24-09-2008
Author: PCHR
On Monday 22 September, members of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service (GIS) raided the office of Samira al-Halaiqa (45), a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) for the Hamas Change and Reform Bloc, in Hebron. The GIS members confiscated the contents of her office. Read more

European Women’s Lobby 50/50 Campaign: No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality!	Date: 23-09-2008

In 2008, men occupy 82% of parliamentary seats in the world and 77% in average in the European Union. In 2009, Europeans will elect a new European Parliament and a new European Commission will be designated... Read more

France: UN Calls for Counterterrorism Reform	Date: 23-09-2008
Author: HRW
Government Should Ensure Laws Guarantee Rights for Security Suspects Read more

	Date: 17-09-2008

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	Date: 17-09-2008

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11 Palestinians, Including 2 Children and a Police Officer, Killed and 42 Others Wounded in Clashes between the Police and Wanted Persons in the Gaza Strip	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: PCHR
Al-Sabra neighborhood in the east of Gaza City witnessed bloody clashes between the Palestinian police and gunmen from the Dughmosh clan. The clashes erupted on Monday evening and continued until Tuesday morning. Ten members of the Dughmosh clan, including 2 children, and a police officer were killed, and another 42 persons, including 10 police officers were wounded. Read more

Moroccan blogger jailed for peacefully expressing his views	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: Amnesty
On Monday 8 September, a Moroccan man became the first blogger to be sentenced to two years imprisonment. Mohamed Erraji was also fined 5,000 dirhams (US$625) for “lack of respect due to the King”. He is not the first Moroccan to be jailed for peacefully expressing his views on the monarchy, which is still a “taboo” subject in Morocco. Read more

Preschool Children from Unrecognized Village of Wadi Jaraba in the Naqab Wait Two Hours for School Bus Every Day, Fully Exposed to the Sun	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: Adalah
On 11 September 2008, Adalah send an urgent letter to the director of the transportation section in the Ministry of Education and the head of the education department in the Abu Basma Regional Council, demanding that they provide a special school bus for preschool childrenfrom the unrecognized village of Wadi Jaraba in the Naqab (Negev), separately from primary and secondary school children. Read more

Democratic Society Party (DTP) closure case	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: IHD
Turkey’s political parties regime considers parties as any kind of establishment, entity, accidental gathering and etc. For the regime political parties are both indispensable element of the democracy and powerless... Political parties are considered as entities, which can be closed down, given notice, and should be monitored, controlled by a special unit (basically police-security unit) of the state. Read more

Al Mezan Condemns the IOF Regular Targeting of Palestinian Fishermen And the Continuous Siege Imposed on Gaza Strip	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: Al Mezan
The IOF continues to impose a tight siege on the Gaza Strip while escalating its assaults against the Palestinian fishermen and violating their rights. Such practices continue in spite of all Israeli’s claims to ceasefire, under which all forms of direct attacks will be stopped and the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip will be gradually lifted. Read more

Poland: government must investigate secret CIA jails	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: Amnesty
With evidence that the CIA operated a secret detention facility in Poland mounting, Amnesty International has welcomed the news that public prosecutors have initiated an investigation into these long-standing allegations. This is an important step in the journey towards accountability for the unlawful detention and transfer of detainees in Europe. Read more

28 years after the military coup	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: IHD
Putschists established “system of coup” after 12 September. Everything was for the state. The state was the most important point. Citizens were also for the state. It was a system that disregarded human rights completely and considered them as a danger for the state. It was based on hegemony of militarism. This “system of coup” is still going on in terms of its essence. Read more

A Woman and a Child Killed Due to Misuse of Weapons in the OPT	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
At the end of last week, a woman from Qabalan village, south of Nablus, and a child from al-Boreij refugee camp in Central Gaza Strip, were killed in incidents related to the misuse of weapons. These latest incidents are part of the state of security chaos plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Read more

ARTICLE 19, CIHRS and EIPR Reject Idea of Defamation of Religion	Date: 17-09-2008

ARTICLE 19 and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), with the support of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, have submitted a Joint Written Statement to the 9th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, which will take place in Geneva from 8-23 September 2008, criticising resolutions on ‘Defamation of Religion’ and calling on States not to support future resolutions of this sort on the basis that they justify excessive restrictions on freedom of expression. Read more

Hundreds of World Citizens Urge Lebanese Authorities to Release Youssef Chaabane	Date: 17-09-2008
Author: Solida
Human Rights activists and citizens worldwide are mobilizing for the release of Youssef Chaabane. From Lebanon, France, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Brazil and the United States, they were hundreds to sign a petition addressed to the Lebanese authorities demanding the release of Mr. Youssef Chaabane who has been in arbitrary detention in Lebanon since 1994. Read more

Foreigners in France: Towards silenced detention	Date: 11-09-2008

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Al Mezan Condemns Dispersing Teachers' Protest and Banning Media Covering the Event; Calls for a Halt of Restricting the Freedom to Peaceful Assembly	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: Al Mezan
Police dispersed a protest organized by the Islamic Union of Palestinian Teachers - the union's section close to the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine - at around 10:00am on Saturday, 6 September 2008 at al-Jundi al-Majhoul Square in Gaza City. According to the event organizers, participants protested against the exacerbating conditions of the education sector. The protest's aim is to send a call to Fateh and Hamas not to involve this sector in their on-going conflict. It was organized under the slogan 'Spare Us Your Disagreements'. Read more

	Date: 10-09-2008

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Tunisia: Rice Should Press for Rights Improvements	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: HRW
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should urge the Tunisian government to end its harassment and imprisonment of human rights activists when she visits the country on Saturday, September 6, Human Rights Watch said today. She is scheduled to meet with President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who has held office since 1987. Read more

US: Rice Should Press Algeria on Fate of Returned Guantanamo Detainees	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: HRW
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should press the Algerian government on the well-being and status of Guantanamo detainees returned to Algeria when she travels to Algiers on September 6, Human Rights Watch said today. Four Guantanamo detainees from Algeria have been returned in the last two months, and Rice is expected to discuss future Guantanamo returns during her visit. Read more

Turkey: Compulsory religious course	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: IHD
Some problems are being discussed in these days when schools are preparing themselves for a new semester. Existence of problems in regard to using right to education and its relations with other rights and freedoms as a whole is a phenomenon in Turkey. These problems are part of general human rights and democracy problems in Turkey. Compulsory religion course is one of these issues. Read more

Egypt: No justice for 49 facing trial before emergency court	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: Amnesty
The trial of 49 people before an emergency court for alleged involvement in the violent protests of 6 April 2008 in the city of Mahalla is due to resume on 6 September. Read more

Human rights in Libya must be on the agenda of discussions with US	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: Amnesty
As Condoleezza Rice becomes the first US Secretary of State to visit Libya in 55 years, Amnesty International urges the US government to make human rights an integral component of its bilateral cooperation with Libya. Rice is travelling to Libya today as part of her trip to North Africa, which will also include meetings with officials in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Read more

Greece: Generalized denial of justice for Roma	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: Greek Helsinki Monitor
Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) releases today two letters updated in English it sent to competent authorities extensively documenting that, in Greece, there is generalized denial of justice for Roma. GHM calls on all competent UN Special Procedures, Council of Europe and EU institutions, as well as international NGOs to urge Greek authorities to take effective action to investigate these claims and guarantee that Roma in Greece can expect fair trials or other (quasi-)judicial procedures. Read more

	Date: 10-09-2008

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Israel Implements New Permit Regime and Policy of Forcible Transfer of Palestinians from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip	Date: 10-09-2008
Author: B'Tselem
In the past year Israel has escalated its policy of separating the Palestinian populations of the Gaza Strip and West Bank from each other. The separation regime tears families apart, puts thousands at risk of expulsion to the Gaza Strip and turns Palestinians into "illegal aliens" in their own home. This policy is revealed in a position paper published today (Wednesday 10 September) by human rights organizations HaMoked and B'Tselem. Read more

Middle East/North Africa: Treat Domestic Workers Fairly This Ramadan	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: HRW
At the beginning of Ramadan, a month of reflection and fasting, employers of domestic workers in the Middle East and North Africa should take special care to consider the rights of domestic workers, who work extra hours to aid with the month-long gatherings of their employers, Human Rights Watch said today. Read more

700 organisations and 90 000 individuals say no to the EDVIGE file	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: LDH
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	Date: 03-09-2008

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Training Course on Writing Parallel Reports a Success	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: ACHRS
ACHRS, in conjunction with the HABITAT Housing and Land Rights Network, recently completed a 2nd training course on writing parallel reports on human rights. 17 participants from ACHRS, the Arab Women's Organisation, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights (Jordan), Amnesty International and the Jordanian Society for Human Rights took part in the training, which focused on the charter laid down by the International Convention on Economic Social and Cultural Rights. Read more

	Date: 03-09-2008

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PCHR Receives Coordinator of the Israeli Committee against House Demolition	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: PCHR
On Tuesday, 26 June 2008, PCHR received in its main office in Gaza City Mr. Jeff Halper, Coordinator of the Israeli Committee against House Demolition UK. Read more

Girl Murdered by Relatives in Khan Yunis to “Maintain Family Honor”	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: PCHR
PCHR strongly condemns the murder of a girl in Khan Yunis allegedly to maintain “the honor” of her family. PCHR calls for the perpetrators of all so called ‘Honour Crimes’ to be rigorously prosecuted, and for appropriate legal action to be taken in order to end such crimes. Read more

France: Sarkozy Should Use Syria Visit to Raise Rights	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: HRW
French President Nicolas Sarkozy should use his visit to Syria on September 3 and 4, 2008, to raise human rights concerns with President Bashar al-Asad, Human Rights Watch said today. In particular, Sarkozy should urge Asad to release activists detained solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association. He should also ask Asad to make public all information on the violent suppression of a riot at Sednaya prison in July 2008. Read more

Greece: Ongoing acts of harassment against GHM	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: OMCT
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has received new information and requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Greece. Read more

Policeman sent to prison for killing Palestinian in incident exposed by B'Tselem	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: B'Tselem
On 28 April, the Jerusalem District Court sentenced border policeman Yanai Lazla to 6½ years’ imprisonment for the killing, in 2002, of ‘Amran Abu Hamdiya, 18, from Hebron. Lazla and three other policemen threw Abu Hamdiya from a jeep moving at high speed after they had abducted, beaten, and abused him. His head struck the pavement with great force, killing him. The policemen also abused other Palestinians in Hebron. The entire affair was exposed by B'Tselem and the Palestinian human rights organization al-Haq. Read more

	Date: 03-09-2008

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UK: Government must provide information about rendition, disappearance and torture	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: EMHRN
Amnesty International today called on the government of the UK to give the lawyers for Binyam Mohamed, a former UK resident imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay, information which it holds and which might help him to show that he has been a victim of torture and other ill-treatment in the US-led programme of renditions and secret detention. Read more

Firing at People in Hedik Village, Diyarbakir	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: IHD
For the reason that on 22 August 2008, Friday around 18.15 in the village Hedik belonging to Lice administrative district within the province of Diyarbakir; the settlement areas, houses and the people there having been being fired at, continuously and randomly for half an hour by soldiers, village guards and task forces and because of the increase in traffic of phone calls, claiming that the village was being kept in siege for about 15 hours, a human rights commission have gone to the village and have mutually prepared the report with us that we shall present to you. Read more

Greece: Ten years of GHM litigation on behalf of Roma	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: Greek Helsinki Monitor
Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), on the occasion of yesterday’s Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day (Porjamos) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porajmos), draws up a balance sheet of ten years of GHM litigation on behalf of Greece’s Roma and Roma’s vindication in some cases related to specific Roma rights violations (1998-2008) and also announces that three new cases have been communicated to Greece by international jurisdictions. Read more

Al Mezan Center Condemns Politicizing Education & Health Sectors, Violating Workers Rights, and Flagrant Disregarding of Human Rights	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: Al Mezan
Strikes in government education, health and public service sectors continue in the Gaza Strip. A high rate of employees working in these sectors abstained from going to work in schools, hospitals, clinics and other government departments in the Strip. The reasons for employees' absence are, at least partly, that they fear their salaries will be suspended if they do not abide by the strikes that were announced from Ramallah. Such salary suspensions have been systematically taken place against thousands of civil servants and security officers. Read more

B'Tselem to Attorney General: Stop reckless use of rubber-coated steel bullets	Date: 03-09-2008
Author: B'Tselem
B'Tselem's data indicate that security forces have adopted a practice of reckless firing of rubber-coated steel bullets in the West Bank, killing two Palestinians and injuring many more since the beginning of the year. Since the intifada began, 21 Palestinians have been killed by rubber-coated steel bullet fire, a measure that is meant to be non-lethal. Read more

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