Annual Report 2011
The state of the world's human rights

Regional News

from Middle east and north africa

31 July 2012

At least 35 activists are believed to have been detained since 16 July and are thought to be at risk of torture.

30 July 2012

Court sentences 70-year-old Ramze Shihab Amhed to 15 years in prison after 'grossly unfair' trial that relied on 'torture' evidence.

26 July 2012

As Syria's displaced and refugee crisis worsens, long-term commitment is needed from the international community to help.

25 July 2012

Reports suggest that Syrian government forces and armed opposition groups have been deliberately and unlawfully killing captured opponents.

24 July 2012

Iraq urged to commute all death sentences and impose a moratorium on the death penalty following an announcement that nearly 200 executions would proceed.

23 July 2012

Amnesty International urges Bahrain to release all prisoners of conscience ahead of appeals in prominent cases.

20 July 2012

As members of the opposition become better equipped with weapons and armaments, more and more civilians are being exposed to danger as fighting intensifies in populated urban areas.

19 July 2012

The UN Security Council's veto will further embolden those on all sides of the Syria conflict who are directing and committing abuses and crimes with impunity.

18 July 2012

The UAE authorities must release activists and human rights defenders arrested amid an intensified crackdown.

18 July 2012

Hamas has executed three men in Gaza, bringing the number of hangings this year alone to six.

17 July 2012

More than 20 Omani activists face prison terms after being charged with offences linked to the exercise of their freedom of expression and assembly.

16 July 2012

Forcing a stateless man born in the UAE to choose between indefinite detention there or exile in Thailand heralds a further decline in the UAE’s human rights situation.

13 July 2012

Authorities urged to allow independent monitors to investigate the reported killing of scores of people in an attack on the Sunni town of al-Treimseh.

13 July 2012

Authorities urged to allow the community of stateless individuals known as Bidun to exercise their rights in line with international standards

12 July 2012

The family of an Iranian human rights lawyer and prisoner of conscience have been subject to a travel ban.

12 July 2012

Authorities urged to allow people to exercise their right to freedom of expression after an opposition group rally is banned.

11 July 2012

Prominent human rights activist and prisoner of conscience Nabeel Rajab receives three-month prison sentence on charges of libel.

11 July 2012

Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand has been on hunger strike since 26 May in protest at being denied permission to visit his sick son in hospital.

11 July 2012

Two men from the Misratah-based Tobakets TV and radio station were detained south of Tripoli by militias from Beni Walid.

10 July 2012

Russian government to halt new deals with the Syrian government, whilst continuing to honour existing arms contracts.

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