Alkarama for Human Rights

Detention of Dr Dhina: NGOs send letter to French PM, launch online campaign

Alkarama, 24 January 2012

freemurad Ten International NGOs today sent a joint open letter to French Prime Minister, François Fillon, requesting that Dr Mourad Dhina, Alkarama's Executive Director and a leading figure in the Algerian political opposition, not be extradited to Algeria, where he faces potential arbitrary detention and torture.

Dr Dhina was arrested on 16 January 2012 at Paris-Orly airport by French police responding to an international arrested warrant issued by the Algerian authorities in 2003, which claims that he belonged to an armed terrorist group active in Zurich and in Switzerland during the late 90s.

France: Human Rights Organisations Call for Refusal of Dr Mourad Dhina Extradition Request by Algerian Authorities

Alkarama, 24 January 2012

A coalition of eleven international and national NGOs today addressed French Prime Minister François Fillon in a public letter calling for Alkarama's executive director Dr Mourad Dhina not be extradited to Algeria, where he risks torture. The Prime Minister is responsible for signing off on extradition requests.

Egypt: Exceptions to Ending Emergency Law Invite Abuse

Mnervi, 24 January 2012

Immediately Free Emergency Law Detainees, Transfer Cases to Regular Courts

January 24, 2012

(New York) – The Egyptian military's announcement on January 24, 2012, that it will lift the state of emergency except in cases of "thuggery" is an invitation to continued abuse, Alkarama and Human Rights Watch said today. The two rights groups said that the government should use the regular penal code and civilian criminal courts to address alleged criminal activity. It should also repeal Law 34, which criminalizes participation in strikes during a state of emergency.

Alkarama Executive Director arrested at Paris-Orly

Alkarama, 17 January 2012

French police arrested Dr Mourad Dhina yesterday at Paris-Orly airport at the request of the Algerian authorities.

Dhina, Executive Director of Swiss-based Arab human rights NGO Alkarama, was in Paris attenting a board meeting of Rachad, an Algerian political opposition movement, of which Dhina is a founding member.

Syria: Continued Repression Through Use of Enforced Disappearance

Alkarama, 05 January 2012

Alkarama strongly condemns the ongoing repression of large parts of the Syrian population. Especially the ongoing use of enforced disappearance by the security services or the Shabiha, paramilitary forces loyal to the regime and to the president's family in particular, give cause for deep concern. There are well founded reasons to fear for the disappeared's wellbeing, as released individuals give shocking testimonies of torture and ill-treatment while in the hands of the security services.

Iraq/Syria: Imminent extradition of Mr Abdullah Moutie from Iraq to Syria despite high risk of torture

Alkarama, 03 January 2012

Mr Abdullah Ahmed Moutie, aged 31 years and detained in Iraq since 2004, faces imminent extradition to Syria, where he is at great risk of torture. His brother, Mr Obeid Moutie, died under torture in a detention centre in Aleppo, Syria, about a month ago. Should Mr Abdullah Moutie be sent back to Syria, he, too, risks to be subjected to severe ill-treatment and torture.

Egypt: Security forces raid offices of 6 civil society organizations in Cairo

Alkarama, 29 December 2011

Cairo, Geneva - 29 December 2011 - Today, the offices of 6 local and international NGOs in Egypt were raided by teams of investigators and prosecutors accompanied by uniformed military and security forces. Warrants have been issued to search and investigate a total of 17 organizations under the accusations of “receiving funding from foreign countries” and other crimes according to the heavily criticised 2002 “NGO law”.

Syria: Disappearance of Syrian doctor last seen in irregular detention centre

Alkarama, 23 December 2011

Mr Omar Raad, a Syrian doctor, was arrested near his home in Al Zabadani, a city close to the Lebanese border in Syria, on 14 September 2011. That day, members of the State Security had put up a checkpoint on his street and arrested him when he passed the barrier. The security agents were clearly identified by people who witnessed the arrest but the State Security refused to officially recognize Mr Raad's detention.

Syria: Seriously wounded father of six remains disappeared

Alkarama, 20 December 2011

On 10 November 2011, Mr Kamel Hamda, aged 45 and father of six children, was heavily wounded by bullets before being arrested in the suburbs of Damascus. He was on his way home from work during lunchtime, when he came under fire in Hay Al Sail, Harasta, close to Sheikh Moussa Mosque. He was hit in one of his legs, fell unconscious and lay in the middle of the street for about 15 minutes before members of the Syrian State Security dragged him along the ground to a bus nearby. He subsequently disappeared.

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