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  • Campaigns
  • Iran
  • Women's Rights

Iran: Jailed for Protesting Forced Veiling Laws: Monireh Arabshahi, Yasaman Aryani and Mojgan Keshavarz

Iranian women’s rights defenders Monireh Arabshahi, Yasaman Aryani and Mojgan Keshavarz have been arbitrarily detained in Shahr-e Ray prison, outside Tehran, since April 2019. They have been charged with offences including “inciting and facilitating corruption and prostitution” through promoting “unveiling”, solely for campaigning against abusive forced veiling laws. All are prisoners of conscience.

Date:
8 July 2019
Ref:
MDE 13/0656/2019
  • News
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Censorship and Freedom of Expression

Algeria: 41 arrested for carrying the Amazigh flag as authorities crack down on freedom of expression

Algeria’s authorities are escalating their crackdown on peaceful protesters, arresting 41 people in recent days for waving the flag of the Amazigh community at demonstrations across the country or simply for having it in their possession, Amnesty International said publishing details of the arrests ahead of fresh nationwide protests planned later today. The organization is calling on the Algerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the 34 protesters who remain in detention and to respect and protect the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly during today’s demonstrations.

Date:
5 July 2019
  • Research
  • Algeria
  • Detention

Algeria: Criminal charges, arbitrary detention, and judicial supervision for carrying the Amazigh flag

The Algerian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all peaceful protesters and other individuals detained solely for carrying the Amazigh flag at protests across the country and drop all charges against them, Amnesty International said today. As protests continue, authorities must end arbitrary arrests, detention and prosecutions of protesters or placing any individuals under judicial supervision simply for carrying the Amazigh flag.

Date:
5 July 2019
Ref:
MDE 28/0664/2019
  • News
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Censorship and Freedom of Expression

Egypt: Series of draconian laws ‘legalizes’ unprecedented repression six years since fall of Morsi

The Egyptian authorities are attempting to normalize human rights violations by passing a series of laws to “legalize” their escalating crackdown on freedom of expression, association and assembly, said Amnesty International, six years since recently deceased former President Mohamed Morsi was ousted from power on 3 July 2013. The organization has today published a damning overview of human rights in Egypt since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s ascent to power, which has been submitted to the UN Human Rights Council ahead of Egypt’s upcoming periodic review of its human rights record in November.

Date:
3 July 2019
  • Campaigns
  • Iran
  • Prisoners of Conscience

Iran: Jailed for Reporting on Workers' Protests: Amir Amirgholi, Sanaz Alahyari, and Amirhossein Mohammadifar

Iranian journalists Amir Amirgholi, Sanaz Alahyari and Amirhossein Mohammadifar have been arbitrarily detained since January 2019 without access to a lawyer. They are facing trial on spurious national security charges solely in connection with their reporting on workers’ rights protests in Khuzestan province, southern Iran. Amir Amirgholi and Sanaz Alahyari are being denied adequate medical care. All three must be released immediately and unconditionally.

Date:
3 July 2019
Ref:
MDE 13/0639/2019
  • Research
  • Sudan
  • UN

Briefing to UN member states on Amnesty International's concerns ahead of the 41st session of the UN Human Rights Council

As the 41st session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) approaches, Amnesty International is calling on all states to ensure the HRC fulfils its mandate to promote and protect human rights, to respond to human rights crises and to prevent violations of human rights. We urge all states to stand with victims and survivors of human rights violations and abuses around the world, by leading and supporting a range of important thematic and country-specific initiatives.

Date:
20 June 2019
Ref:
IOR 40/0570/2019
  • Research
  • Egypt
  • Torture and other ill-treatment

Egypt: Gross human rights violations under President Al-Sisi: Amnesty International submission for the UN Universal Periodic Review, 34th session of the UPR working group, November 2019

This submission was prepared for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Egypt in November 2019. In it, Amnesty International evaluates the implementation of recommendations made to Egypt in its previous UPR, including in relation to freedom of expression, association and assembly; human rights violations in the name of counterterrorism; torture and other ill-treatment; unfair trials; the death penalty; gender-based discrimination; impunity for serious human rights violations; and failure to co-operate with UN human rights mechanisms.

Date:
19 June 2019
Ref:
MDE 12/0253/2019
  • Campaigns
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Detention

United Arab Emirates: Incommunicado detainee at risk of torture: Ahmad Ali Mekkaoui

Lebanese detainee Ahmad Ali Mekkaoui has been held incommunicado since 11 April 2019. He is at heightened risk of torture and other ill-treatment. Ahmad Ali Mekkaoui is serving a 15-year prison sentence in the United Arab Emirates on “terrorism” charges. Legal proceedings against him have been seriously flawed, including arbitrary detention, excessive pre-trial detention, forced confessions, allegations of torture, and lack of access to medical care.

Date:
31 May 2019
Ref:
MDE 25/0445/2019
  • Campaigns
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Prisoners of Conscience

United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Prisoner Of Conscience Ends Hunger Strike: Ahmed Mansoor

Human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor ended a month-long hunger strike in mid-April. Since then, his detention conditions have slightly improved, as he was allowed family visits and a phone call to his mother. However, since his arrest on 20 March 2017, Ahmed Mansour remains in solitary confinement without a bed or access to running water.

Date:
29 May 2019
Ref:
MDE 25/0441/2019
  • Campaigns
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Unfair Trials

United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Verdict Issued Against Lebanese Men

On 15 May 2019, the Federal Appeal Court in Abu Dhabi issued its verdict in the case of 11 Lebanese men – eight of whom had been detained and appeared before the Court. Abdel Rahman Talal Chouman was sentenced to life in prison, along with 3 men sentenced in absentia. Ahmed Nimr Sobeh and another man were sentenced to 10 years in prison, and five others were acquitted. The three convicted men that appeared before court, have 30 days to appeal their convictions and sentences.

Date:
27 May 2019
Ref:
MDE 25/0430/2019
  • Campaigns
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Detention

Israel/OPT: Further Information: Bedouin Leader Rejects Conditional Release: Sheikh Sayyah Abu Mdeighim al-Turi

Prominent bedouin leader Sheikh Sayyah Abu Mdeighim al-Turi’s early release was scheduled on 15 May 2019. However, on that day Israeli police requested from the Israel Prison Service to include two conditions for release. First, a pledge from Sheikh Sayyah not to live in his village of al-‘Araqib in the Naqab/Negev, in southern Israel. Second, to remain under a night-time house arrest regime at his family’s house in the city of Rahat until October 2019, when his original prison sentence ends.

Date:
24 May 2019
Ref:
MDE 15/0435/2019
  • News
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Detention

Egypt: Arrests raise fears of fresh crackdown against peaceful critics  

The arbitrary detention of labour rights lawyer, Haytham Mohamdeen, and former political activist, Mostafa Maher, this week has raised fears that the Egyptian authorities might be embarking on a fresh crackdown targeting peaceful dissent or individuals with history of activism, said Amnesty International. “These latest arrests have reignited a climate of fear amongst independent activists and human rights organizations about a renewed assault by the Egyptian authorities on the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” said Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International.

Date:
17 May 2019
  • Campaigns
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Human Rights Defenders and Activists

Morocco: Human Rights Defender Released: Zine El Abidine Erradi

On 5 April 2019, human rights defender Zine El Abidine Erradi was released after serving a one-year sentence in Agadir local prison, following an unfair trial. Zine El Abidine holds a refugee status in France and had been arrested upon his arrival in Morocco to visit his father. As of 15 May, he could eventually come back in safety in France after receiving his travel documents.

Date:
17 May 2019
Ref:
MDE 29/0383/2019
  • News
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Justice Systems

Iran: Proposed law restricting access to lawyer would be crushing blow for justice

A contemptible amendment to Iran’s code of criminal procedure could effectively strip detainees who are facing punishments such as the death penalty, life imprisonment and amputation, of the right to access a lawyer while they are under investigation, said Amnesty International. An analysis of the bill published by the organization today details how, if passed, the amended law would permit the prosecution to immediately deprive individuals arrested on “national security” and certain other serious criminal charges of access to a lawyer for 20 days, which could be extended to cover the whole investigation phase.

Date:
16 May 2019
  • Campaigns
  • Middle East and North Africa - Review of 2018
  • Unfair Trials

Saudi Arabia: Further Information: Women Activists Face Prison Sentences

11 Saudi women activists on trial before the Criminal Court in Riyadh risk being sentenced to prison terms on charges related to their women’s rights activism. Many of them have campaigned against the long-standing ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia, and the end of the male guardianship system. While seven women activists were temporarily and conditionally released, four others remain in detention. The 11 women remain at risk of being sentenced to prison.

Date:
16 May 2019
Ref:
MDE 23/0334/2019
  • Research
  • Iran
  • Justice Systems

Iran: Regressive amendment would deal crushing blow to right to assistance of a lawyer during investigation phase

Iranian lawmakers must urgently revise a proposed amendment to Iran’s Code of Criminal Procedure that would allow prosecution and judicial authorities to deny detainees facing “national security” and certain other criminal charges the right to access a lawyer while they are under investigation, Amnesty International said today.

Date:
16 May 2019
Ref:
MDE 13/0379/2019