Manal and Alaa's bit bucket

Survivors of Police Raid Face Forced Return Egyptian President Husni Mubarak should prevent the threatened deportation of hundreds of Sudanese demonstrators arrested following the December 30 police attack on their encampment in Cairo, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch again called for an independent commission to investigate responsibility for the violence in the incident in which at least 27 persons, including children, died.

Twenty Migrants Killed in Raid President Husni Mubarak should urgently appoint an independent commission to investigate the use of force by police against Sudanese migrants demonstrating in a makeshift camp in Mohandiseen, Cairo, Human Rights Watch said today. At least 20 persons reportedly died.

Judge Jails Opposition Leader, Others, Without Explanation The decision by the presiding judge to jail the Egyptian opposition party leader Ayman Nur and other defendants during their trial on Monday underscores the highly politicized conduct of the case, Human Rights Watch said today. Nur, a member of parliament who ran against President Hosni Mubarak in September’s presidential election, faces criminal charges of forgery over many of the signatures that his Ghad (Tomorrow) Party needed to get legal recognition.

Regional Survey Spotlights a Digital Divide Built on Censorship, Jailing of Critics As the World Summit on the Information Society opens today in Tunis, Tunisia continues to jail individuals for expressing their opinions on the Internet and suppress Web sites critical of the government, Human Rights Watch said in a comprehensive new report on the repression of Internet users in the Middle East and North Africa.

King Abdullah Should Commute Death Sentence, Ensure Courts Protect Rights A 14-year-old Egyptian boy faces execution in Saudi Arabia after a flawed trial in which he was convicted for the murder of another child, Human Rights Watch said today. Saudi King Abdullah should uphold the country’s obligations to protect children and due process by commuting the death sentence.

Human Rights Watch, Oxfam International and Amnesty International call on a small number of “spoiler” countries to stop holding the UN World Summit hostage over crucial measures on human rights, security, genocide and poverty reduction. These governments have thrown negotiations on the final outcome text into crisis just days away from the biggest meeting of world leaders in history, September 14-16 in New York.

Egypt’s first-ever multi-party presidential election on September 7 has helped to open up public debate in the country, Human Rights Watch said today. But the main features of decades-long authoritarian rule remain in place, making a truly free and fair election at this moment beyond reach.

Eyewitness Testimony of Plainclothes Police Beating Protestors President Husni Mubarak should urgently appoint an independent commission to investigate those responsible for ordering and carrying out attacks against demonstrators protesting his decision to run for a fifth term, Human Rights Watch said today.

Government Must End Role of Security Services in Policing NGOs Civil society groups in Egypt face severe restrictions under the law governing nongovernmental organizations, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

Muslim Brotherhood Detainees Should Be Released Without Delay The Egyptian government has detained hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members solely for exercising their rights to freedom of speech, association and assembly, Human Rights Watch said today.

Government Puts Excessive Restrictions on Universities The Egyptian government stifles academic freedom in universities by censoring course books, outlawing research about controversial issues and intimidating student activists, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

Witnesses Describe Attacks; Independent Investigation Urgently Needed In Egypt, police and supporters of the ruling party attacked scores of pro-reform demonstrators and journalists yesterday, Human Rights Watch said today. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak must appoint an independent judicial panel to conduct a thorough investigation into these attacks.

U.N. Committee Rebukes Sweden for Sending Terror Suspect to Torture Sweden violated the absolute ban on torture by expelling a terrorism suspect to Egypt, the United Nations Committee Against Torture ruled today. Sweden justified the transfer saying it secured assurances from Egypt that the suspect would not be tortured upon return.