Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI)

After more than 6 months without any judicial proceeding for some of the detainees, 94 Emirati nationals accused of plotting to seize power have been charged.

President Mohamed Morsi’s first 200 days in office alone have witnessed more defamation lawsuits than under all Egyptian rulers combined since 1892, states ANHRI in its latest report, issued to mark the second anniversary of the Egyptian revolution.

In a letter to the US President, 40 human rights organisations called for US support to release 13 Bahrainis, unjustly jailed by the Bahraini government, one of the strongest allies of the US in the region.

Yemeni armed forces have used excessive force in dispersing a peaceful demonstration organised by students at Sana’a University demonstrating against any military presence on their campus.

A Somali freelance journalist has been detained without charge since 10 January after interviewing a woman who says she was raped by state security forces in a camp for internally displaced persons.

Kuwait’s reputation for respecting freedom of expression has been dwindling in the face of a recent surge in arrests of bloggers, activists, and media professionals. Blogger Gamal El-Dawi has been sentenced to two years in prison for tweeting.

Iran’s Supreme Court ratified the death sentences of five Arab Iranian (Ahwazi) activists based on unfounded charges and false confessions extracted by means of torture, according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.

An Iraqi journalist was severely beaten up by Baghdad’s security forces while he was covering celebrations surrounding the 91st anniversary of the founding of the Baghdadi police forces.