Alkarama | Combating injustice in the Arab World since 2004

UAE: Naji Hamdan trial unexpectedly closed; Hamdan confirms to Alkarama that he was tortured

On 20 July 2009, the second and substantive hearing in the trial of Naji Hamdan, a US-Lebanese citizen whose case Alkarama has submitted to the UN Human Rights Special Procedures, was to be held at the Federal Supreme Court of Abu Dhabi.

Alkarama and other human rights organisations and his US attorneys concerned by this case were present to observe the trial, but were refused access in a last minute decision by the judge to close the hearing.

24 Jul 2009

Iraq: Assassination of Iraqi MP Hareth Al-Obaidi

Iraqi MP Hareth Al-Obaidi and one of his colleagues were murdered on 12 June 2009 by an unknown assailant as they left Al-Shawwaf mosque in Baghdad. Mr Al-Obaidi was heavily involved in the defense of human rights.

On 23 July 2009 Alkarama addressed itself to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) requesting a preliminary inquiry into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Al-Obaidi. The Iraqi authorities have also ordered an investigation, and the IPU should seek to be informed of any developments in this case.

24 Jul 2009

Saudi Arabia: Dr Al-Hashimi in isolation, victim of ill treatment

Dr. Saud Mukhtar Al-Hashimi, arrested with eight other persons on 2 February 2007 by the Intelligence Services (Mabahith) in Jeddah, is currently detained and subject to ill treatment. Due to his hunger strike that began on 1 June 2009 he has been the victim of retaliation.

Alkarama called upon the Special Rapporteur on torture on 21 July 2009 asking him to urgently intervene with the Saudi authorities to stop the abuse of Dr Al-Hashimi.

23 Jul 2009

Iraq: Liberation of Mahmoud Farhan after four months of disappearance

Alkarama learned that Mahmoud Kareem Farhan who had been abducted on 22 February 2009 at the office of Mr Al-Dainy, an Iraqi MP who is currently being pursued, was released on 22 June 2009, four months after his detention in Baghdad's Green Zone.

On 20 May 2009 Alkarama sent a communication to the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances and the Special Rapporteur against Torture to ask them to urgently intervene with the authorities in Iraq in the case of eleven people arrested that same day and under the same circumstance

21 Jul 2009

Egypt: Sudanese scholar Sheikh Al Hadj secretly detained and tortured

Alkarama was informed of the situation of Sheikh Messad Bachir Ali Al Hadj, aged 65, a Sudanese national, is currently hospitalized in Khartoum following 15 days of secret detention and torture by the Egyptian Security Services after his arrest at Cairo Airport on 22 June 2009.

On 10 July 2009 Alkarama made an urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on Torture asking him to intervene with the Egyptian authorities in the case of Mr Al Hadj.

21 Jul 2009

UAE: Arbitrary detention and torture in the "fight against terrorism"

On 1 October 2008, members of the police and the State Security (Amn Al Dawla) brutally raided the homes of several people, arresting numerous men who are currently being held arbitrarily.

On 14 July 2009, Alkarama sent a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, asking it to intervene with the Emirati authorities in the case of the persons listed below, who are currently detained arbitrarily and for whom there are fears of torture and ill-treatment:

15 Jul 2009

Morocco: Mr Britel, Italian victim of “extraordinary rendition” still detained

On 25 June 2009 Alkarama and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) asked the UN Special Rapporteur to investigate the case of Abou Al Kassim Britel, an Italian citizen victim of the illegal CIA "extraordinary rendition".

09 Jul 2009

Saudi Arabia: Six months of arbitrary detention for Al-Oteibi and Al-‘Omeir, General Investigative Services deny orders for their release

Despite the recent orders of the Saudi judicial inquiry for the release of two detainees, arrested for trying to organize a peaceful demonstration in early January 2009, the Executive Authorities in Saudi Arabia represented by the General Investigative Services have refused to comply with the orders of the judiciary, and insist on the arbitrary detention of a number of persons who tried to organize the demonstration, including Mr Khalid Suleiman Al-‘Omeir and Mr Mohammad Al-Oteibi, who were arrested six months without ever facing any legal proceedings.

04 Jul 2009

Iraq: Alkarama provides information to the IPU Committee for the Human Rights of Parliamentarians

On 29 June 2009, Alkarama's Legal Director, Rachid Mesli and Senior Legal Officer Deborah Manning were invited to present information at the 126^th session of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.

29 Jun 2009