Human Rights in the Arab Region Annual Report 2009
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A-PDF MERGER DEMO "A man spends his first years learning how to speak and the Arab regimes teach him silence for the rest of his life" Algerian writer Ahlem Mosteghanemi, Memory in the Flesh Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform Human Rights in the Arab Region Annual Report 2009 (1) Bastion of Impunity,Mirage of Reform Human Rights in the Arab Region Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies Annual Report 2009 CIHRS Reform Issues (24) Publisher: Cairo Institute for Human Contributed to Established Rights Studies (CIHRS) D.Mohammed EL-Sayed Said Address: 21 Abd El-Megid El-Remaly St, 7th Floor, Flat no. 71, Bab El Louk, Cairo. POBox: 117 Maglis ElShaab, Cairo, Egypt President Kamal Jendoubi E-mail address: [email protected] Website: www.cihrs.org Tel: (+202) 27951112- 27963757 General Director Bahey eldin Hassan Fax: (+202) 27921913 Layout cover designer: Executive Director Hesham El-Sayed Moataz El fegiery Dep. No: 2009/ 23019 Index card Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform Human Rights in the Arab Region Annual Report 2009 Publisher: Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) Reform Issues (24), 24cm, 238 Pages, (Cairo) Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (Authour) (2) Index Dedication 7 Acknowledgment 13 Why This Report? 17 Introduction: the Future of the Arab World; Trapped between a Failed 21 State and a Religious State / Bahey eldin Hassan Report Summary: General State of Human Rights in the Arab Region 31 Part One: Human Rights Situations in the Arab Region 51 Chapter One: Countries under Occupation and Armed Conflict 51 1- The Occupied Palestinian Territories : Between the Barbarity of Israel 53 and the Cruelty of "National" Leaders 2- Iraq: Relative Improvements Precariously Balanced 65 3- Sudan: Can Another Civil War Be Avoided? 77 4- Yemen: Between Fragmentation and "Somalization"? 87 5- Lebanon: A Dual Power Structure Threatens Further Deterioration 99 Chapter Two: The Dilemma of Human Rights and Democracy 109 1- Egypt: Signs of Merging a Police State and a Religious State 111 2- Tunisia: A Classic Example of a Police State 129 3- Algeria: Towards Individual Dictatorship 139 (3) 4- Morocco: Worrying Indicators for the Future of Human Rights 149 5- Syria: A Graveyard for Reformers and Human Rights Defenders 163 6- Saudi Arabia: Promoting Interfaith Dialogue Internationally while 173 Internally Repressing Religious Minorities 7- Bahrain: Systematic Discrimination against Shiites to Strengthen the 183 Rule of the Sunni Minority Part Two: When the Oppressed are Used as Shields; 193 Women's Rights Up for Negotiation Part Three: Arab Governments before the Regional and 207 International Organizations 1- The Uncertain Future of International Human Rights: Arab States 209 within the United Nations Human Rights System 2- Human Rights Commission within the League of Arab States 231 Comes Under Siege (4) This report is dedicated to the late Dr Mohamed El-Sayed Said, who passed away on October 10, 2009, during the preparation of this report. Dr Said was a pioneer in the defense of human rights in the Arab region, one of the founders of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), and a member of CIHRS' board as well as its academic advisor. He founded and edited the CIHRS journal Riwaq ‘Arabi in 1996, and his book Hikmat al-Misriyin (The Wisdom of Egyptians), published by the CIHRS, was named the best book of 2000 by the General Egyptian Book Organization. (5) Contributors in this Report* Main researcher Essam El-Din Mohamed Hassan Researchers and authors of background papers Dr Amal Abdel- Hadi Seif Nasrawy Jeremie Smith Abdel Kereem Al-Abdalawy Houcine Bardi Ghassan Abdallah Khalil Abdel Mo’men Dr Mohamed Al-Mekhilafy Ragab Saad Taha Nasser Al-Raies Nabile Abdel-Hafeez Manaa Leading Editor Bahey eldin Hassan English Version Editing and revision by Translation by Dina Mansour Mandy McClure and and Amelia Smith Dr Amal Adel-Hadi Jeremie Smith Audriana Lincoln Samar Ali Ahmed Manar Wafa Special acknowledgment to the contribution of Afaf Hanna Lina Lotayef Rasha El-Shahawy Samar Ali Ahmed Special acknowledgment to following colleagues and fellow human rights organizations in contributing to revision, editing, reviewing and providing additional information: · Ibrahim AlMugaiteeb– President of Human Rights First Society in Saudi Arabia– KSA · Aml Al-Basha– President of Sisters Arabic Forum for Human Rights– Yemen · Radwan Bou Gomaa – Algeria · DrRadwan Ziada– President of Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies– Syria · Randa Siniora– Executive Director of Independent Commission for Human Rights –Ramallah · Karim Al-Robaay–The Humanitarian Association for Human Rights–Iraq · Nabile Ragab– President of Bahrain Center for Human Rights – Bahrain · Kamel Jendoubi– Comité pour le respect des libertés et des droits de l'homme enTunisie–Tunisia · Monera Fakhro– Social Development Consultant – Bahrain · Nassera Dutour– President of the Association of the Families of Disappeared–Algeria · Hanny Magaly- Director of the Middle East, International Centre for Transitional Justice–New York · Association of the Families of Disappeared · Alkarama for Human Rights-Geneva · Human Rights Watch- Geneva *The list of contributors is incomplete due to security consdirations in some countires under review. (6) Dedication to the prisoners of conscience and victims of unfair trials * Syria: 1. Muhannad Al-Hassani: Lawyer and the President of the Syrian Organization for Human Rights “Sawasiyah” was detained in July 2009 and brought on trial merely due to his role in monitoring of the trials of political activists in exceptional state security courts. The Bar Association– under control of ruling Baath party– established a disciplinary committee for Al-Hassani on charges of heading an unlicensed organization for human rights. 2. Hitham Al-Maleh: Lawyer and the Director of the Syrian Association for Human Rights was detained in October 2009 and referred to a military tribunal on account of his prominent role in human rights activities and defending Mohannad Al-Hasani. 3. Fedaa Akram Al- Hourani: Chairperson of the General Council of Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change. 4. Dr Ahmed Toumah Khidr: Secretary of the National Council of Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change. 5. Akram Al-Bunny: (Journalist and Writer) Secretary of the National Council of Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change. 6. Riad Saif: Former parliamentary and Head of General Secretariat of the National Council of Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change. 7. Walid Al- Bunni 8. Muhammed Haji Darwish 9. Fayez Sarah Members of the National Council 10. Yasser Al- Eiti of Damascus Declaration were all 11. Marwan Alosh sentenced to two and a half years in prison after being found guilty 12. Ali Al- Abdallah of “weakening national feeling 13. Jibr Al- Shufi and undermining the prestige of 14. Talal Abu-Dan the State.” for National Democratic Change, *The list above is incomplete, however it contains the names of the nost prominent figures. (7) 15. Anwar Bunni: Prominent Human Rights defender and one of the signatories of the Beirut- Damascus Declaration. He was sentenced to five years in prison for “weakening the moral of the nation.” 16. Kamal Al-Labwani: Head of the Democratic Liberal Gathering, was sentenced to jail for “inciting foreign states to attack Syria” and spreading news that would result in weakening the moral of the nation. 17. Ali Faeq Al- Mir: member of Syrian Democratic Peoples Party; he was sentenced to prison for spreading false news, offending the ruling regime, and for expressing public hostility towards the states policy. 18. Karim Antoine Arbajy: a blogger who is currently serving a 3-year sentence for spreading false news that “weaken the nation’s spirit.” 19. Habib Saleh: writer and political opponent who is serving a 3-year sentence for spreading false news that “weaken the nation’s spirit in the time of war.” 20. Mashaal Al-Tamo: spokesperson on behalf of the Kurdish Future Current who is serving a 3-year sentence for “insulting the state” and “weakening the nation’s spirit.” 21. Mustapha Gomaa Bakr Members of Kurdish Azadi Party who received three year prison 22. Mohamed Said Hussein Al-Omr terms each after being charged with insulting the state, weakening the 23. Saadon Mahmoud Shikho nation’s spirit and inciting religious and racial divisions. 24. Nasser Ahmed Mohamed Kurdish opponents who received six year prison terms by exceptional State 25. Raad Fawaz Security Court for belonging to a banned political association and for 26. Suid Shikhmos their attempt to cut off parts of the 27. Abdel-Rahman Mustapha Syrian territory and adding it to a foreign country. Palestine: 28. Marwan al-Barghouthi: Member of the Legislative Council, one of Fatah Movement’s leaders. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. 29. The countless members of Palestinian parliament who were kidnapped by Israeli occupation forces in 2006 and are still in prison. (8) Egypt: 30. Kareem A'mer: Blogger; he was sentenced to four years in prison for defaming the President of Egypt and inciting hate to the Islamic religion. 31. Musa'ad Abu Al- Fajr: Blogger; one of the claimants for equality in rights and treatment for the Bedouins of Sinai. He was arrested under Emergency Laws. 32. Yehia Abo-Nassera: Blogger; defender of the rights of Bedouins in Sinai. He was arrested under the Emergency Law since December 2007. 33. Hany Nazeer: Owner of the "Karaz Al-Hob" blog that addresses Coptic issues; he was arrested under the Emergency Law. 34. Magdy Ahmed Hussien: Journalist and the Secretary General of the suspended "Al-A'mal" Party; he was sentenced to 2 years in prison before a military court on charges of "crossing the border to Gaza." 35. Hassan Shihata: Shiite activist; he was arrested together with countless other Shiite since July 2009. 36. Khairat Al- Shatter: The Deputy Chairman of Muslim Brotherhood; he was tried and sentenced to jail before a military court, along with 25 leaders from the same group.