Human Rights Watch (HRW) recommends that engagement with Syria should include human rights:
Western countries looking to increase engagement with Syria should know that Syrian authorities continue to arrest, try, and harass political and human rights activists, Human Rights Watch said today. In May 2008, Syrian authorities detained a political writer, began the trial of two [...]
The Agence France-Presse reports on a statement by the National Organization of Human Rights in Syria regarding the recent arrest of a pro-Kurdish political party chief. Mohammed Mussa was arrested in Syria under special emergency laws after expressing his party’s views to the Arab media.
Damascus (AFP) - The head of a banned Kurdish political group [...]
In a communiqué released through their website, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan reports on the arrest of at least 86 Kurds in the Bokan region of Kurdistan in Iran after participating in a general strike. No official statements have been released by Iranian authorities to confirm or deny this report.
86 civilians have allegedly [...]
Reuters reports from Beirut:
Syrian authorities said on Sunday they had restored order at a military jail near Damascus after a riot, but dissidents said the protest was not over and that dozens of prisoners had been killed.
The riot broke out on Saturday at Sidnaya prison, a huge complex 30 km (19 miles) northwest of the [...]
The lives and safety of 2 more Kurdish activists in Iran are in danger…
Hana Abdi - charged for her involvement in Kurdish and women rights faces charges of 5 years in prison. Just this year, at least one other Kurdish activist has reportedly died in Iranian prison under torture.
Ronak Safarzadeh - charged for her involvement [...]
Human Rights Watch released a report yesterday documenting that the Syrian authorities continue to arrest, try, and harass political and human rights activists. Amidst increasing calls in Western countries to increase diplomatic engagement with Syrian authorities, Human Rights Watch urged that “an improvement in the treatment of these activists be at the heart of any [...]
Human Rights Watch last week called on Iranian authorities to grant three political prisoners access to much-needed proper medical attention.
They are being held in the notorious Evin Prison, a security unit where Human Rights Watch has previously documented abuses. Cleric Ayatollah Kazemi Boroujerdi, journalist and activist Mohammad-Sadiq Kaboudvand, and prominent human rights advocate Emad Baghi [...]
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
ALERT - TURKEY 6 June 2008
Three members of children’s choir face charges of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation” after singing Kurdish song in U.S. music festival
(Antenna-TR/IFEX) - Three children, members of the Diyarbakir Yenisehir Council Children’s Choir [Koma Dengê Zarokên Amedê - The Children’s [...]
The Leadership Council for Human Rights is outraged and saddened by the world’s lack of concern for the death in detention of Kurdish political activist Kaveh (Kawa) Azizpour, as information has emerged suggesting that torture by Iranian authorities caused the cerebral stroke that led to his passing.
Mr. Azizpour, 25, was originally arrested two years ago [...]
The authorities continued to suppress dissent. Journalists, writers, scholars, and women’s rights and community activists were subject to arbitrary arrest, travel bans, closure of their NGOs and harassment. Armed opposition, mainly by Kurdish and Baluchi groups, continued, as did state repression of Iran’s minority communities. Discrimination against women remained entrenched in law and practice. Torture [...]
