Activist charged, jailed after advocating for a republican state
In a media interview, Dr. Ahmad al-Oweidi al-‘Abbadi said that “[t]he republican system is coming here to Jordan, and I do not believe it will take more than two years, at most” to establish.
Clinton urged to pressure reform of repressive speech laws
Human Rights Watch also urges the US Secretary of State to pressure authorities to free leading journalist Rachid Nini, who is serving a one-year sentence for articles he wrote.
Newspaper director released pending trial
After having been kept in pretrial detention for a week, Nasreddine Ben Saïda was released pending his trial on 8 March 2012.
Authorities urged to drop prosecutions over vote boycott
Despite the government’s denial of the arrests, at least two groups of activists face trial for distributing leaflets calling for a boycott of the elections.
Minister shuts down rights workshop
LGBT group denied freedom of assembly, expression.
Media freedom under threat, says Human Rights Watch
After a recent visit to Budapest, the rights organisation warns the restrictions on media freedom pose a “clear danger to the EU’s values”.
Opposition figure held without charge
Human Rights Watch expressed concern that Dr. Wenceslao Mansogo Alo’s continued detention could be motivated by his profile as a human rights activist and opposition politician, rather than any credible evidence that he committed a crime.
Writer faces apostasy trial after Malaysia deports him back to Saudi Arabia
Hamza Kashgari was preparing to seek political asylum in New Zealand in light of the likely death sentence he faces in Saudi Arabia for expressing his religious views.
Human Rights Watch reports on use of excessive force against peaceful protesters in Taizz
In the report, the organisation calls on the US, EU and Persian Gulf states to acknowledge that the immunity granted to President Saleh and his aides has no legal effect outside Yemen.
Government shuts HIV-prevention group’s website
The website by the Andrey Rylkov Foundation advocates health-based drug policies and has been a vocal critic of the country’s ban on methadone.
Rights activists risk imprisonment
On February 5, the state-run MENA news agency announced that two investigative judges hand-picked by the government had referred 40 NGO staff to trial, both Egyptian and American nationals.
Arrest sweeps target Arab minority
At least some of the arrests in Khuzestan province were reportedly in response to anti-government slogans and graffiti expressing sympathy for the Arab Spring and calling for a boycott of the parliamentary elections.
Make rights key to good relations, says Human Rights Watch
The rights organisation is concerned about the violent crackdown on protesters and online censorship that occurred following a strike in the oil-rich town of Zhanaozen.
Journalists’ families targeted in campaign against the media
Iranian authorities have been particularly sensitive to the role of BBC Persian television, which launched operations in January 2009, because of its extensive coverage of the disputed 2009 presidential election.
Human Rights Watch report documents security forces’ use of torture on child detainees
According to a new Human Rights Watch report, “Syrian security forces have killed, arrested, and tortured children in their homes, their schools, or on the streets. In many cases, security forces have targeted children just as they have targeted adults.”
New arrests of labour activists
Labour activists have been at the forefront of the struggle for freedom of association and assembly in the country and they have paid a heavy price, says Human Rights Watch.