Today, on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Coordination nationale des familles de disparus (CNFD - National Coordination of the Families of the Disappeared in Algeria (CNFD) has organized a conference in Algiers to raise public awareness about the necessity for the families of the disappeared to be recogni

Today, on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Alkarama calls on the governments throughout the Arab world to ensure accountability for perpetrators of torture and redress for victims and their families.

On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Alkarama wishes to raise awareness about the increase of deaths resulting from torture in places of detention in Egypt, and the absence of any subsequent impartial and effective investigations.

In less than 40 days, seven individuals reportedly died in prisons and

Today, Abdul karim Al-Khodr, a long-standing Saudi human rights defender, was sentenced to eight years in prison and a 10-year travel ban. Alkarama is deeply concerned by the acts of reprisals against ACPRA human rights defenders, especially those who cooperate with the United Nations.

Yahya Hussein Ahmad Shaqibel, a 33 year-old Yemeni national, was arrested in October 2009 by unidentified Malaysian security forces on demand of Saudi intelligence services (Mabahith) while on a business trip in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was then transferred to Saudi Arabia where he was arrested upon arrival in Riyadh. After almost four years of arbitrary detention, he is now accused of 'khariji' and terrorism and is awaiting his verdict.

On 10 June, dozens of women and children in the Saudi cities of Al-Jawf, Ha'il, Mecca, Riyadh, Buraydah and other areas came out in a nationwide protest that they named the "Freedom Sit-In".

On 16 June, Algerian human rights activist Smail Ghellab was threatened by a local agent from the Intelligence and Security Department (DRS).

Yesterday, 17 June 2013, Yemeni and American activists organized a sit-in in front of the American embassy in Sanaa to protest against drone attacks in the context of American counter-terrorism policy, and to denounce the inability of the Obama administration to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Many of the detainees at Guantanamo have been on a hunger strike since February 2013, demanding their release and transport back to their countries.

Alkarama received a distress call from the families of 15 Egyptians who were detained two weeks ago in the United Arab Emirates. The state security forces arrested them after they were called for investigation in early June. Fifteen other Egyptians had been arrested in December 2012 and January 2013, which brings the number of Egyptians detained in the UAE to 30. Alkarama has documented the cases of fifteen of them.