A/HRC/23/51 - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

Date
Type
16/01/2013
JUA
16/01/2013
JAL
Case No
Country Mandate(s) Summary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> allegation transmitted Reply
EGY 2/2013
Egypt
IRN 2/2013
Iran (Islamic
Republic <strong>of</strong>)
Arbitrary detention;
Freedom <strong>of</strong>
expression; Freedom
<strong>of</strong> religion; Human
rights defenders;
Independence <strong>of</strong>
judges and lawyers;
Cultural Rights;
Freedom <strong>of</strong>
expression;
Alleged arrest and detention <strong>of</strong> a freelance journalist, and judicial
harassment <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r journalists for peacefully criticizing <strong>the</strong> President and
<strong>the</strong> Government. According to information received, Mr. Mohamed Sabry
was arrested and detained on 4 January 2013 by members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> armed
forces while filming a report for Reuters in a military zone in Rafah near <strong>the</strong>
Egyptian-Gaza border. Mr. Sabry was allegedly prevented from contacting
his lawyer and his family before being placed into detention. He was
charged with trespassing and filming in a prohibited military zone (Articles
80(e)2 and 80(e)4 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Penal Code), and at <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong> communication
was sent, he was detained at <strong>the</strong> Central Prison <strong>of</strong> Arish and was scheduled
to appear before a military court on 9 January 2013. Mr. Bassem Youssef, a
satirist and host <strong>of</strong> a CBC TV show El-Bernameg, was under investigation
on charges <strong>of</strong> denigrating <strong>the</strong> head <strong>of</strong> state. Complaints were also reportedly
filed against <strong>the</strong> daily newspaper Al-Masri Al-Youm and several <strong>of</strong> its
journalists, including Mr. Yousri Al-Badri and Ms. Doaa El-Adl, by <strong>the</strong>
President‘s <strong>of</strong>fice, accusing <strong>the</strong>m <strong>of</strong> ‗spreading false news endangering
public peace and security and affecting <strong>the</strong> presidency‘. Ms. El-Adl, <strong>the</strong>
paper‘s cartoonist, was also reportedly facing investigation in connection
with a cartoon which was deemed to have <strong>of</strong>fended religion.
Alleged imprisonment for releasing songs critical <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Government.
According to <strong>the</strong> information received, Mr. Arya (Mohammad) Aramnejad,
who already served a six-month prison sentence in 2011–2012, was reconvicted
in January 2012 for ―propaganda against <strong>the</strong> state system‖. He
was allegedly imprisoned at <strong>the</strong> Babol prison (Mari Kala Babol), where he
was to serve a 91 day prison term.
A/<strong>HRC</strong>/<strong>23</strong>/<strong>51</strong>
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