In its 12th annual report released last week, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights (AOHR) had little reason to rejoice as basic human rights continued to be violated in almost every part of the Arab world.
Problems such as the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people, liberation of Israeli-occupied territories, tight international economic sanctions against the Iraqi people, armed conflicts in Iraq's Kurdistan province, southern Sudan and Somalia, not only failed to be resolved but, in some cases, worsened.
The report expressed concern over the plight of the Iraqi people and criticised the UN Sanctions Committee, in charge of approving contracts to supply Iraq with its basic needs of food and medicine in return for selling a limited amount of its oil, for hindering the process and delaying aid. The AOHR also criticised the UN Special Commission in charge of dismantling Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (UNSCOM), the United States and its allies for "destroying the chances of improving the living conditions of the Iraqi people."
The deteriorating rights of the Palestinian people, which the report said were being treated like second-class citizens, were also highlighted. The document focused on the increasingly repressive measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities, the expansion of Jewish settlements, plans to Judaise Jerusalem and the manner in which Palestinian rights continue to be ignored. Israeli authorities continue to detain more than 4,000 Palestinian prisoners, the report said, adding that Israel is the only country in the world which considers torture a legal method to extract confessions.
The report also said the six-year-old battle being waged between the government and political Islamist groups in Algeria was spiraling. According to the report, the ongoing violence witnessed "a qualitative and quantitative change in terms of numbers and level of violence." The report expressed concern that some of the massacres in Algeria had taken place "just a mile away from military outposts and security forces." It also noted that, at the time the Algerian government denied involvement in the killings, "some security officers and self-defence groups were charged with complicity in the massacres."
However, the AOHR saw a ray of hope as the Algerian government finally agreed to receive a special UN delegation which might shed light on the situation. The upcoming visit, the AOHR said, "is considered a positive step if the delegation is given the appropriate freedom to work and communicate with all the parties."
The report also warned against recent practices by some Arab governments which falsely accuse local opposition members of being terrorist groups to cover up human rights violations. The report cited Bahrain and Sudan as examples. "Unfortunately, countries like Bahrain abused the sympathetic view shared by Arab and international public opinion against terrorism... It accused the opposition, which calls for developing the social and political system and enforcing the constitution, of being terrorists and spies for other countries," the report said.
The AOHR reiterated its strong stand against violence and terrorism. However, it called upon security forces in Arab countries fighting militants to battle armed groups within the limits of the law and to put an end to illegal measures such as torture, arbitrary arrests and holding of members of families of wanted suspects as hostages. The Arab human rights group also called upon Arab governments to respect the right of persons to have a fair trial and abide by court rulings once those who have been accused are proven innocent. Thousands of political detainees have been arrested in violation of national and international laws, the AOHR said.
The report said the right to a fair trial was being violated by many Arab countries. It gave Sudan, Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, Algeria and Somalia as examples of countries where the number of people being tried in special state security and military courts had increased.
Iraq, AOHR said, had witnessed harsh death sentences passed during the so-called "cleansing of prisons process", in early 1997. Hundreds of detainees were reportedly executed during this campaign while others died as a result of torture or sudden accidents while in prison. In Arab countries where torture was reported, the authorities concerned did not take the appropriate measures to investigate, the report added.
Fundamental freedoms of expression and thought suffered major setbacks in Arab countries, the report said. The press in nearly one-third of all Arab countries, including Bahrain, Iraq and Sudan, is totally state-controlled. The report said Jordan witnessed a major setback when it passed a new press law which toughened punishment against journalists and set several restrictions on newspapers. It said more than a dozen newspapers were shut down in Jordan after being unable to meet the requirements of the amended law.
In Lebanon, criticism of its mass media law continued as two radio and TV stations were closed down. In Algeria, the report said pressure from Islamist groups and the government on freedom of opinion and expression has affected the ability of the press to serve its public or provide objective coverage of events. In Tunisia, the mass media continued to suffer from administrative censorship. In Yemen, journalists working at El-Shoura newspaper were ordered to be lashed. The paper was banned for six months. In Egypt, four journalists were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three months to one year after they were convicted of libel.
In 1997, AOHR said, the Middle East region witnessed one presidential election, in Mauritania. Ten elections were held to elect members of parliament in five Arab countries and local elections took place in three others. "Despite their diversity, they all suffered from the same shortcomings and defects that plagued previous elections," it added.
The report said that most elections held in 1997 were dominated by the ruling parties, even when such parties were formed only a few months before polling, as was the case in Algeria.
Most of the elections were marked by low voter turnout, the report said. They were also subject to interference from the authorities who were accused of rigging polls. The only exception, the report said, was in Morocco where opposition leader Abdel-Rahman Al-Youssefi, head of the Socialist Union, was asked to form a government after winning the elections.
In its 12th annual report released last week, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights (AOHR) had little reason to rejoice as basic human rights continued to be violated in almost every part of the Arab world.