Annual Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2017 Annual Report Alkarama Foundation Table of contents Foreword by the Board of Trustees......................................................................................................5 Glossary of terms.................................................................................................................................7 About us..............................................................................................................................................9 Who is Alkarama?....................................................................................................................9 Mission..........................................................................................................................9 The team......................................................................................................................9 Our budget...................................................................................................................10 How do we work?..................................................................................................................11 Assisting victims of human rights violations...............................................................11 Advocating for reforms to respect and protect human rights in all Arab countries...11 Raising awareness of human rights in the Arab world...............................................11 Strengthening the UN human rights mechanisms......................................................12 Fostering a culture of human rights in the Arab world...............................................13 2017 Statistics of submissions.....................................................................................15 #SpeakUp4Egypt: Alkarama’s 2017 international advocacy campaign.......................16 Countries...........................................................................................................................................18 Algeria.....................................................................................................................................18 Bahrain....................................................................................................................................22 Djibouti....................................................................................................................................26 Egypt........................................................................................................................................30 Iraq.........................................................................................................................................35 Jordan......................................................................................................................................40 Kuwait......................................................................................................................................44 Lebanon...................................................................................................................................48 Libya........................................................................................................................................52 Mauritania...............................................................................................................................56 Morocco..................................................................................................................................60 Oman.....................................................................................................................................64 Palestine..................................................................................................................................68 Qatar........................................................................................................................................73 Saudi Arabia............................................................................................................................77 Sudan.......................................................................................................................................82 Syria.........................................................................................................................................86 Tunisia.....................................................................................................................................91 UAE........................................................................................................................................95 Yemen....................................................................................................................................100 List of Publications..........................................................................................................................104 Foreword by Alkarama’s Board of Trustees ver the course of 2017, the Arab region In 2017, Alkarama provided legal assistance to Ohas once again been the scene of the most 516 victims of enforced disappearances, torture, serious human rights violations. While there are arbitrary detention and summary and extrajudicial still no credible peace processes under way in executions. We have also produced and submitted the countries with open armed conflicts such as nine reports to the UN Treaty Bodies as well as Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen, most other countries three reports to the Human Rights Council in the in the region are, to varying degrees, witnessing context of the Universal Periodic Review. Despite rising tensions with their neighbours. Coupled recurring resistance and limited resources, we have with foreign military intervention, this situation had some notable achievements and we remain has wreaked havoc on the safeguard of the most hopeful that our work will lead to some positive fundamental human rights across the region. change in the region. Over the course of the year, As protests demanding more freedoms and we have observed a pattern of Arab governments social rights have swept across the Arab world, targeting primarily human rights defenders dictatorships and autocracies in the region have and punishing those who dare to seek remedy continued to repress dissenting voices, with the before the UN mechanisms. Not only are these aim of bringing an end to the ideals of the Arab governments violating human rights, but they are Spring. Under the pretext of the fight against also engaging in systematic reprisals against those terrorism, these regimes are, in fact, directing this who denounce these violations. In this respect, repression against peaceful activists and human Alkarama has sought the intervention of the UN rights defenders. Scores of individuals have Assistant Secretary General for human rights, been tortured, imprisoned, or even executed as who stated that “[w]hen those engaging with the a result, while states are continuously enacting UN face intimidation, threats, imprisonment and new repressive laws in blatant violation of the worse for doing so, we all lose, and the credibility fundamental rights of their citizens. of the UN is damaged. The UN as a whole has a collective responsibility to stop and prevent these At this tense time, the action of organisations like reprehensible acts”. Alkarama, which envision an Arab world where all individuals can live dignified lives, free from This year, Alkarama has again been targeted injustice, is vital. While most Western states by smear campaigns orchestrated by states seem to turn a blind eye to ongoing human rights known for their appalling human rights records. violations as a result of either the rise of populism A new development, however, has been or geostrategic considerations, victims of gross an open attack against Alkarama led by the abuses need our unabated support and action. government of the United Arab Emirates. This We must also be aware that this escalation in took the form of defamatory declarations from human rights violations in the Arab region is a government officials, as well as the introduction clear indicator that a new wave of the Arab Spring of a resolution before the UN Economic and Social is to be expected. The question in this respect Council (ECOSOC) aimed at denying Alkarama is definitely not if but when, and under which the ECOSOC consultative status in spite of a circumstances that will happen. positive recommendation made by the ECOSOC’s Alkarama Annual Report 2017 5 Foreword by Alkarama’s Board of Trustees Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations. Such a gross manifestation of political meddling into human rights issues must be denounced. States should not be allowed to hinder the work of human rights defenders within international mechanisms set up to safeguard those very rights. Regardless, Alkarama is more determined than ever before to continue its professional and recognised work in providing legal assistance to victims in the Arab region. We wish to thank the UN independent experts and the dedicated staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for their lasting and fruitful collaboration. We also thank all organisations, partners and friends who have expressed support for our organisation during the defamatory attacks to which we have been subjected. Finally, our work would not be possible without the dedication and steadfastness of the men and women across the Arab region often risking their lives