Amnesty International
Group 27, Victoria
Concerns by Region: East Mediterranean

Human rights abuses in the following countries:

Israel / Occupied Territories(OT)
Jordan
Lebanon
Palestinian Authority (PA)
Syria

group 27
Amnesty International
Victoria, BC

update: 28 October 2005

Amnesty International
Annual Report 2005
  • Regional overview
  • Israel/OT
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Palestinian Authority
  • Syria
Amnesty International
News in the Region
 

  Group 27
  P.O. BOX 5217 Stn. B
  Victoria BC V8R 6N4

e-mail address Group 27: aivictoria@wraytimes.com website: group27@wraytimes.com

Web master © tvh Systems,Inc.
Host of this web page:
Wray Times

launched on January 18, 2001

Middle East
News and Appeals:
November 2004Reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women - Weakening the protection of women from violence in the Middle East and North Africa region IOR 51/009/2004

Jordan
News and Appeals:

29 July 2005 AI urges the Senate to reject the agreement giving United States nationals impunity from the International Criminal Court
MDE 16/005/2005

20 July 2005 UK: Jordan assurances not worth the paper they are written on
EUR 45/025/2005

8 July 2005 Commute death sentences and put an end to executions
MDE 16/003/2005


Top

Lebanon

A decade in detention:
Samir Gea’gea’ and Jirjis al-Khouri

December 2004
Samir Gea’gea’, leader of the banned Lebanese Forces (LF), and Jirjis al-Khouri, a member of the LF, have been held in solitary confinement in underground cells since 1994.
This World Wide Action is ongoing.
For more information and action: active wwa
French language sample letter: AI Belgium, 4 January 2005

Source: 23 November 2004
Lebanon: Samir Gea'gea' and Jirjis al-Khouri: Torture and unfair trial (MDE 18/003/2004).

Ancient bronce figurines, Byblos
National Museum, Beirut
Other sources:
  • December 30, 2004
    Prime Minister Omar Karami said Wednesday that he refused to further discuss Gea-gea's case, adding he would not consider awarding him a pardon anytime soon. Geagea is accused of the assassination of Rashid Karami - the premier's brother - during the Civil War.
    www.licus.org
  • Lebanese Information Center
  • "Human Rights Report 2003"
    Prepared by LIC, Dec 2003.
    Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea, a staunch opponent of Syrian occupation of Lebanon, is still kept in solitary confinement in a prison in the basement of the Ministry of Defense. Outside visits, access to journals, radio, TV remain extremely limited. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was not allowed to see him.
  • www.dailystar.com.lb
  • 23 March 2005
    To the UNCHR by "UN Watch"
    The suffering of Samir Gea'gea'and Jirjis al-Khouri who were subjected to an unfair trial-aviolation of Articles 9(3) and 26 of the lnternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights-followed by ten years of solitary confinement in cruel and degrading conditions, ruinous to their physical and mental health. While held incommunicado in pre-trial detention, Mr. al-Khouri was reportedly tortured to extract "confessions".
    • TOP

    Dhinniyyah detainees: Torture, ill-treatment and unfair trials

    Update
    Group 27 had previously written appeals for the rights of the Dhinniyyah detainees. The Lebanese government has'nt responded yet.

    18 May 2005
    July 2005 will mark the fifth anniversary of the indictment of the Sunni Islamist "Dhinniyyah" detainees, charged with "terrorism" and other security offences. The Dhinniyyah case illustrates key failings of the Justice Council, to where the case was transferred in early 2001 from the Mount Lebanon Criminal Court.

    • First, the selection of cases referred by the Council of Ministers for consideration by the Justice Council appears to be of arbitrary nature.
    • Second, the Justice Council has been unable to investigate the strong allegations of torture carried out against the Dhinniyyah and other detainees, at least partly because it has no jurisdiction over the pre-trial detention period, including interrogation.
    • Third, as members of the Justice Council are usually senior members of the Court of Cassation the time they can devote to the proceedings of the Justice Council is limited, and consequent routine delays of hearings at the Justice Council can continue for years in a manner that undermines the right to fair trial.
    • Fourth, and as stated by the HRC in 1997, "the fact that decisions passed by the Justice Council are not subject to appeal" constitutes a lack of conformity with the provisions of the ICCPR. [...]
    End incommunicado detention, torture & ill-treatment
    Article 401 of the Lebanese Penal Code forbids torture and provides for punitive measures against officials found responsible for torture or ill-treatment. However, torture and ill-treatment continue to be reported in Lebanon. Amnesty International is concerned not only at such reports, but also at the lack of investigations being carried out into them. Amnesty International is further concerned at the continuing use of "confessions" allegedly obtained as a result of torture as "evidence" in trials, such as in the Dhinniyyah case.

    Amnesty International welcomed Lebanon’s accession to the Convention Against Torture in 2000, but remains concerned that adequate legislative and practical steps have yet to be taken to implement the provisions of the Convention.

    Source:
    AI Index: MDE 18/005/2005
    Top

    Other Lebanon News

    Ceders of Lebanon - Phoenician log trade (Assyrian wall relief, 8th century B.C.)

    2 June 2005
    Killing of Samir Qasir: need for independent investigation and for freedom of expression to be respected
    MDE 18/006/2005

    Ongoing World Wide Appeal:
    Lebanon: Executions resume

    Bulletin October / November 2005

    Syrian Human Rights Defender receives 2005 Martin Ennals Award

    Aktham Naisse

    Aktham Naisse, President of the Committees for the Defence of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria will receive the prestigious 2005 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) for his work for over 30 years in the democratic movement in Syria. The award will be presented by Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, during a ceremony on 12 October 2005 at the Batiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva, within the framework of the International North South Media Festival. Aleppo Room ©Wasmuth; Photo: Gerhard Murza

    Aktham Naisse is one of the founding members of the Committees for the Defence of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights (CDF), created in 1989, and the publication Sawt al-Dimokratiyyah (the Voice of Democracy). Aktham Naisse has written articles and courageously spoken out in national, regional and international forums. He was arrested six times for publicly demanding respect for human rights.

    In recent years Aktham Naisse was charged with "opposing the objectives of the revolution" and "disseminating false information aiming at weakening the State", risking a prison sentence of 15 years. Thanks to international pressure, he was finally acquitted on Sunday 26 June 2005 by the Supreme State Security Court.

    A few days before his trial Aktham Naisse wrote to the Martin Ennals Foundation: "I feel more motivated and happy because there are people interested in our problem, people that care for us and support us in our fight for human liberty. I have a great emotion because I know now that we are not struggling alone against human rights violation."

    		Background
    A unique collaboration among eleven of the world's leading non-governmental human rights organizations makes the MEA the main award of the human rights movement. The jury is composed of the following: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organization Against Torture, International Commission of Jurists, German Diakonie, International Service for Human Rights, International Alert, HURIDOCS and DCI.

    The MEA, created in 1993, is granted annually to an individual or an organization who has displayed exceptional courage in combating human rights violations. The previous laureates are: Lida Yusupova, Russia (2004); Alirio Uribe Muñoz, Colombia (2003); Jacqueline Moudeina, Chad (2002); Peace Brigades International (2001); Immaculée Birhaheka, DR Congo (2000); Natasa Kandic, Yugoslavia (1999); Eyad El Sarraj, Occupied Palestinian Territories (1998); Samuel Ruiz García, Mexico (1997); Clement Nwankwo, Nigeria (1996); Asma Jahangir, Pakistan (1995); Harry Wu, China (1994).

    Martin Ennals (1927-1991) was an influential figure in the modern human rights movement. He was the first Secretary-General of Amnesty International and the driving force behind many other organisations. His deep desire was to see more cooperation and solidarity among NGOs: the MEA is evidence that this is possible.

    For media contacts and general information on the MEA, please contact Luis Marreiros, Coordinator. Tel: +41.22.8094925 (marreiros@martinennalsaward.org) or visit our website: martinennalsaward.org

    image source: "Aleppo Room" (detail), Syria about 1600, Museum for Islamic Art, Berlin
    ©Wasmuth; Photo: Gerhard Murza

    text source: Syrian Human Rights Defender receives 2005 Martin Ennals Award (News)11 Oct 05; AI Index: IOR 10/002/2005

    		Top
    News

    Beit Iba check point near Nablus

    Women and Conflict

    Fatima and Sami

    Families torn apart by discriminatory policies
    Assad with photograph of destroyed home

    Under the rubble:
    House demolition and
    destruction of land and property


    The place of the fence/wall in international law

    Green Line and fence/wall Surviving under siege:
    The impact of movement restrictions on the right to work

    Picasso: Prisoner of Conscience

  • Conscientious Objection in Israel
  • Conscientious Objectors: take action

    • News and Appeals:

    7 Oct 05
    Prolonged closure of the Gaza-Egypt border and arbitrary restrictions to freedom of movement should be lifted     (News); AI Index: MDE 15/051/2005

    7 Oct 05
    High court ban on army's use of "human shields" is a welcome development     (News) AI Index: MDE 15/050/2005

    Fatalities in the Occupied Territories and Israel
    29 September 2000 [beginning of 2. intifada]- 15 October 2005

    Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces 3293
    - by Israeli civilians: 41
    Foreign citizens killed by Israeli security forces: 10
    Israeli civilians killed by Palestinians 668
    Foreign citizens killed by Palestinians: 47
    Palestinians killed by Palestinians: 165

    These numbers include:
    Palestinian minors killed by Israeli security forces 661
    Israeli minors killed by Palestinians 117
    Palestinians killed during the course of an assassination: 300 (191 were target)
    Palestinians killed by Palestinians for suspected collaboration with Israel: 112

    source: www.btselem.org

    [Note: assassinations and extrajudicial executions are illeagal according to international law. See also: Human Rights abuses by Opposition Groups]


    TOP

    Areas under the jurisdiction of Palestinian Authority (PA)
    News and Appeals:

    3 Oct 05
    Palestinian armed groups must stop endangering civilians in reckless shooting and attacks (News)
    MDE 21/015/2005

    3 Oct 05
    Amnesty International's concerns at the 56th session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Report)
    IOR 41/060/2005

    also see: Human Rights Abuses by Armed Opposition Groups
    For previous documents please go to the amnesty.org library

    TOP

    Syria
    News and Appeals:

    11 October 2005
    Syrian Human Rights Defender receives 2005 Martin Ennals Award (see Bulletin)

    13 October 2005
    Syrian human rights defenders under attack     (News); AI Index: MDE 24/092/2005

    For previous documents please go to the amnesty.org library


    TOP

    Group 27's EMRAN was started in November 2002. How's about joining? Action files are sent out every one or other month.

    *******************************************
    If you want to participate in EMRAN:
    1.: become an Amnesty member
    2.: contact us and refer to EMRAN
    to receive thorough information
    and instructions to whom and how to write.
    please write to: aivictoria@wraytimes.com
    to get in touch with Margarete H.
    *******************************************