Press releases

The ACIJLP organizes a symposium in Tripoli on “The Role of Media in Reducing the Application of the Death Penalty”

19 February, 2012

The Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Professions (ACIJLP) in collaboration with the Sawasya Organizations of the Rights and Freedom organizes a symposium on “The Role of Media in Reducing the Application of the Death Penalty” on Monday, 20^th February 2012 in Tripoli, Libya.

The Symposium comes in the framework of the ACIJLP’s campaign on the project “Towards Reducing the Application of the Death Penalty in the Arab States” which launched by the ACIJLP at the beginning of the year 2010 and will continue till the year 2013 with financial support from the European Union (EU).

(30) Libyan media Figures from various visual and audio outlets in addition to the many human rights activities will participate in the symposium.

The symposium aims to raise the awareness of the Libyans Media Figures towards human rights issues, the importance of the right to life, reducing the application of the death penalty, replacing such penalty with alternative sanctions, disseminating the culture of tolerance and combating violence acts.

The symposium discusses the role of media in guiding societal culture on respecting human rights, the role of the Libyan media figures in reducing crimes of revenge and honor killing. Moreover, addressing the culture of punishment in society and media strategy to support the role of civil society organizations on the field of reducing the application of the death penalty.

The sessions will be co-chaired and discussed by Dr. Hadi Abu Hamra, professor of criminal law at the University of Tripoli, Mr. Abdeen al-Sharif, Media professor at the University of Tripoli and the Academy of Graduate Studies, Dr. Imran Al-Safrani professor of international law at the University of Tripoli, in addition to many human rights activists and media figures in Libya.

Within in the framework of above mentioned ACIJLP’s campaign, the ACIJLP determined to organize many events including regional conferences, training courses and research studies related to reducing the death penalty in Arab States.

Complaint to Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

13 April, 2010

Complainer:

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) is a non-governmental institution that works to reinforce and support the status of justice in the Arab regions – ACIJLP is the coordinator of the Arab Coalition for International Criminal Court.

Information about the Victims:

About 20 to 25 Egyptian nationals were arrested by Kuwaiti Security Authorities, 4 of them suffered forced repatriation to Egypt on Saturday – 10/4/2010, and the rest of them will be forcedly repatriated in three groups. ACIJLP couldn’t obtain any information on the age of the victims.

4 Egyptians from the supporters of “National Association for Change” chaired by Dr. Mohamed El Baradi’e (the former director of International Atomic Energy Agency) arrived to Cairo Airport yesterday after being forcedly repatriated by Kuwaiti Security Authorities in the wake of arresting 30 Egyptians in the aforementioned date during their attempt to organize a meeting to launch a branch of this association in Kuwait to undertake the collection of signatures of Egyptians there to validate a proxy to Dr. El Baradi’e to ask for the amendment of the constitution. The forced repatriated arrived on Kuwaiti Airlines – Flight “541” from Kuwait. They were interrogated with the Egyptian Security Authorities at Cairo Airport to know about the circumstances of their arrest in Kuwait.

Following are the names of the forced repatriated:

Aly Mohamed Abdel Karim El Haddad
Romani Shehata Malak
Tamer Farrag Farghly

Ahmed Abdel Aziz Sobhy

Detailed Description of the Violation:

On Friday – 9/4/2010, a group of Egyptians – supporters to the nomination of Dr. El Baradi’e for the coming presidential election due to be held in 2011 – organized a peaceful meeting in Al Salimyea (Eastern Kuwaiti City) to express their support to Dr. El Baradi’e, yet they were arrested as well as other people taken from thier homes or nearby their homes.

The Violation: ACIJLP sees this forced repatriation as a violation to the international instruments, given the fact that there are serious fears that those repatriated could suffer torture.

The Violated Instruments:

Article 13 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights “An alien lawfully in the territory of a State Party to the present Covenant may be expelled therefrom only in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with law and shall, except where compelling reasons of national security otherwise require, be allowed to submit the reasons against his expulsion and to have his case reviewed by, and be represented for the purpose before, the competent authority or a person or persons especially designated by the competent authority”.

Article 3/1 from the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment “Each State Party shall ensure in its legal system that the victim of an act of torture obtains redress and has an enforceable right to fair and adequate compensation including the means for as full rehabilitation as possible. In the event of the death of the victim as a result of an act of torture, his dependents shall be entitled to compensation“.

The Status of Kuwait regarding the ratification of the instruments related to this violation:

Kuwait ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 21/5/1996 and was effectuated in 21/8/1996.
Kuwait ratified the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 8/3/1996 and was effectuated in 6/4/1996.

ACIJLP Claims:

ACIJLP calls upon Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Immigrants for prompt action to immediately release the arrested and stop the forced repatriation to the rest of the aforementioned detainees, and the same time ensure that the forcedly repatriated aren’t suffering any kind of torture, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

Nasser Amin

Director General ACIJLP

ACIJLP Submits Two Complaints against the Government of Kuwait to the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Immigrants

12 April, 2010

As Kuwaiti authorities arrested and forcedly repatriated Egyptian national working in Kwuati on Friday 9/4/2010 as a result of exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to peaceful assembly, ACIJLP lodged a complaint to UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Immigrants.

The two complaints described the violation of the Kuwaiti authorities to the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, specially Article 13 therefrom “An alien lawfully in the territory of a State Party to the present Covenant may be expelled therefrom only in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with law and shall, except where compelling reasons of national security otherwise require, be allowed to submit the reasons against his expulsion and to have his case reviewed by, and be represented for the purpose before, the competent authority or a person or persons especially designated by the competent authority”.

Moreover, Kuwaiti authorities violated article 3/1 of the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment “Each State Party shall ensure in its legal system that the victim of an act of torture obtains redress and has an enforceable right to fair and adequate compensation including the means for as full rehabilitation as possible. In the event of the death of the victim as a result of an act of torture, his dependents shall be entitled to compensation“.

ACIJLP indicated that Kuwait ratified the aforementioned violated international instruments upon arresting about 30 Egyptian nationals working in Kuwait and started their forced repatriation to Egypt on Friday 9/4/2010.

The arrested Egyptians organized a peaceful gathering in Al Salimyea (Eastern Kuwaiti City) to express their support to the nomination of Dr. Mohamed El Baradi’e (the former director of the International Atomic Energy Agency) in the coming presidential elections due to be held in Egypt in 2011.

ACIJLP welcomes the Saudi government’s orientation to allow the female lawyers to plead before courts in family cases

24 February, 2010

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its welcoming of the statements made by the Saudi Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohamed Al Issa, on February 21, 2010. These statements were on the planning of the Saudi government to issue a new law allowing female lawyers to plead before the courts for the first time in Saudi Arabia.

The Center believes that such a step, which allows female lawyers to appear in courts in family-related cases, including divorce cases and child custody, is a good step towards activating the right to equality, stipulated by the International Bill of Human Rights.

The Center also believes that this step requires to be followed by a number of steps that ensure equality between Saudi women and men to exercise the legal profession, and empower Saudi women to practice the legal profession in all cases, and not to restrict their role in litigating and defending family issues.

Furthermore, the Center calls upon the Saudi civil society institutions to intensify and coordinate their efforts with the Saudi government to give effect to the right to equality, and to adopt an enlightened strategy to enable Saudi women to play their role in the development of Saudi society.

Press Release: The Egyptian public prosecutor requests Hamas spokesman’s testimonies

24 February, 2010

Upon the request made by Mr. Nasser Amin, a lawyer and director of the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession, Mr. “Yasser Batta”, president of West Alexandria Prosecution, issued his decision on February 23^rd 2010 to hear the testimony of Mr. Sami Abu Zahry, Hamas spokesman in the matter of the death of his brother, Yousef Abu Zahry in “Burj al Arab” prison in Alexandria.

Worth mentioning that Mr. Nasser Amin had submitted a request, on September 16^th 2009, to Councilor. Abdel Megid Mahmoud, the Egyptian Public Prosecutor, to open investigations into the death of Abu Zahra. The application contains several observations concerning the findings that surrounded the incident and the investigation was in the file; as the Egyptian authorities announced it and added that it “is insufficient and can’t show the truth.”

It should be noted that Mr. Amin has called for an independent investigation into the circumstances of the death of Yusuf Abu Zahry inside his prison, especially since there are many doubts about being tortured.

The Egyptian authorities arrested Yousef Hamdan Awwad Abu Zahry, 38 years, on April 28^th 2009 in Al-Arish City, allegedly infiltrated from the Gaza Strip to Egypt through one of the tunnels. Furthermore, Yousef Abu Zahry has undergone numerous investigations by the Egyptian authorities until he died on October 10^th 2009 at “Burj Al Arab” prison in Alexandria .

ACIJLP Condemns the Sudanese government’s practices regarding the right of peaceful assembly

7 December, 2009

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its deep concern about the practices of the Sudanese government towards the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, which represents explicitly violation of international instruments and commitments in particular Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that ” The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.. “

The events in the city of Omdurman, Sudan – Khartoum – raises many concerns about the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to peaceful assembly in the Sudan; where the Sudanese security forces, on Monday 7 December 2009, used excessive force against a peaceful march before the National Sudanese Council – Parliament – resulted in the arrest of several demonstrators, and injuries to “Yasser Arman”, Deputy of General Secretary of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of the Sudan, and a member of the Sudanese Parliament

What raises the concerns of the Center is that the Sudanese opposition, which organized this peace march, had already informed the security authorities of this march.

The Sudanese opposition has called for this march to present a memorandum to the National Sudanese Council claiming for legislative amendments to the laws restricting freedoms like the National Security Act, the referendum law on the fate of southern Sudan, and the law of the popular consultation of the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile region, as well as demanding for the current political situation in Sudan.. While the Center condemns these practices of the Sudanese security organs, it urges the Sudanese government to respect its international obligations and commitments, and to ensure the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, as well as the immediate release of Sudanese detainees who were arrested in this march .