Archive for the ‘Middle East/N. Africa’ Category
(Jerusalem) – The Palestinian Authority and Israeli military authorities should both end abuses against members of the West Bank-based Freedom Theater, Human Rights Watch said today.
(New York) – The Syrian government should immediately grant United Nations observers full access to Homs and Aleppo central prisons to check on prisoners who may be at risk of violent reprisals following prison riots, Human Rights Watch said today.
(London) – The participation of two Saudi female athletes in the London Olympics is an important first step but does not go far enough in addressing entrenched problems of gender discrimination in the kingdom, Human Rights Watch said today.
(Beirut) – The Omani government should drop its cases against nine online activists and a demonstrator who were convicted of crimes solely for exercising their rights to free expression. The cases are before the Omani appeals court.
(New York) – The new administration of President Mohamed Morsy should take urgent steps to address sectarian violence. The administration should ensure that those responsible for the violence are identified, investigated, and prosecuted in courts that meet international fair trial standards and order a retrial of those sentenced by discredited emergency law courts.
(Beirut) – United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities should halt plans to expel an activist and blogger to Thailand on July 16, 2012, and immediately free him.
(New York) – In one of the first real tests of the powers of the civilian president since the military “handover to civilian authority,” President Mohamed Morsy should pardon all those convicted by military courts.
(Tripoli) – The Libyan government should take immediate steps to assume custody of all of the roughly 5,000 detainees still held by militias. The Defense and Interior Ministries have not been able to rein in the well-armed militias or to convince them to hand over detainees to Libyan authorities.
(New York) – Iranian authorities should immediately put an end to the mistreatment of two prominent imprisoned journalists and provide them with necessary medical care. Human Rights Watch again called on authorities to quash the men’s convictions, which violate their freedom of expression, and release them unconditionally.
(New York) – Saudi Arabia‘s National Olympic Committee’s decision to send two women athletes to the London Olympic Games is a breakthrough for Saudi women’s sports. However, there are still no signs of any advance in ending an effective ban on women and girls practicing sports inside the kingdom.
(New York) – A pair of videos posted online by a user believed to be a Syrian activist on July 10, 2012, appear to show cluster munition remnants, Human Rights Watch said today.
(Baghdad) – A new draft law on information technology crimes would restrict free speech in violation of international law and poses a severe threat to journalists, whistleblowers, and peaceful activists, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.