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United Arab Emirates: Alkarama Concerns Highlighted in Second UPR Report Amid Crackdown

Alkarama today provided its submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Arab Emirates to the UN for inclusion in the preparation of the summary of NGO information. The report highlighted key concerns, including the crackdown on essential freedoms of expression and association, the use of arbitrary arrests, detention and torture by the authorities to silence dissent, and the plight of the Bidoon in the country.

16 Jul 2012
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Lebanon: 3rd year of detention without trial of a female inmate in Baabda prison

When Mrs Badria Abu Meri was arrested in May 2010, media reported that she had been taken into custody for her own protection. Several weeks before the arrest, a mob lynched a man accused of murder in Mrs Abu Meri's hometown and, as many believed she had instigated the latter to carry out the gruesome homicide, it was said that she might be the object of further acts of self-administered justice. However, it is now apparent that she was in fact quite simply arrested and detained without any legal basis.

13 Jul 2012
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Morocco: Abdessamad Bettar in critical state following 80 day hunger strike

Alkarama expresses serious concern about the state of Abdessamad Bettar's health. Bettar is now hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Mohamed V hospital in Safi after enduring 80 days of hunger strike.
04 Jul 2012
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Saudi Arabia: Serious Concerns for Health of Hicham Matri in Saudi Jail

Hichem Matri, a 32-year old Franco-Tunisia businessman, remains detained in a Saudi prison despite the UN finding his detention arbitrary. Currently on hunger strike in protest of his mistreatment, and having already lost 30 kg, his health hangs in the balance, while his wife was hospitalized today in France due to the physical and mental exhaustion caused by her husband's absence and detention.

Mr Matri was initially arrested in May 2010, the day before he was supposed to return home to France, alongside his business partner Cherif Al Karoui.

03 Jul 2012
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Mourad Dhina finally free!

The Paris court responsible for the consideration of the Algerian request for the extradition of Dr Mourad Dhina handed down its decision today.

The President of the trail chamber rejected the extradition request in a short deliberation, due to its lack of conformity with the 1964 extradition convention between Algeria and France and the French criminal procedure code.

03 Jul 2012
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Saudi Arabia: UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention "notes with concern a consistent pattern of arbitrary arrests and detention"

Saudi Arabia was again the subject of an Opinion adopted by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on 2 May 2012, this time regarding four individuals detained for years without any trial or legal proceedings against them. In Opinion 8/2012, the Working Group confirms that all four are detained in violation of both Saudi and international law and calls for their release.
03 Jul 2012
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Saudi Arabia: Prominent Human Rights Defender Risks 5 Years of Prison for cooperating with the UN

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On 18 June 2012, the Riyadh Criminal Court brought charges against prominent Human Rights Defender Dr Mohammad Fahad Al Qahtani, co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA).
29 Jun 2012
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Algeria: Cyber-activist, Tarek Mameri, sentenced to 8 months in prison and a $10,000 fine

The cyber-activist, Tarek Mameri, was sentenced this morning by the correctional court of Algiers to a suspended sentence of 8 months imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, and $100,000 in damages and interest for, "insulting a constituent body", "destruction of public goods", "destruction of administrative documents", and "direct incitement to gather
26 Jun 2012
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NGOs UNITED AGAINST TORTURE: Torture is a crime!

To commemorate the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the signatories of this statement call on the Lebanese authorities to make every effort to banish the practice of torture in Lebanon.

According to the Convention against Torture, ratified by Lebanon in 2000, the term "torture" means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having

25 Jun 2012
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Mourad Dhina Case: France responds to the UN Special Procedures

On 17 January 2012, Alkarama submitted to the UN Special Procedures information regarding the arrest of Dr. Mourad Dhina and the extradition request made by the Algerian authorities, and asked them to urgently intervene with the French authorities. The four Special Rapporteurs who made an urgent appeal to the Permanent Mission of France in Geneva have received a response from the French authorities which aims to be "reassuring".

22 Jun 2012
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