Amnesty International USA is the US Section of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights organization. http://www.amnestyusa.org/rss/en/news/middleeast.xml en Amnesty International Amnesty International hourly 4 http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE290122009&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International deplores the decision of the Moroccan authorities to expel human rights defender Aminatou Haidar from Western Sahara on 14 November, and urges the authorities to immediately allow her to return to her home in Laayoune 2009-11-17T00:00:00-05:00 http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20091116001&lang=e&rss=middleeast The Iranian authorities must halt the imminent execution of Sherko Moarefi, a Kurdish man convicted of "enmity against God" over his alleged membership in a proscribed Kurdish organization, Amnesty International said today. 2009-11-16T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20091116004&lang=e&rss=middleeast Precarious Hillside Slums Threaten Millions of Lives 2009-11-16T00:00:00-05:00 countries=egypt http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE131202009&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International is concerned at a call reportedly made by Asghar Jafari, head of Iran's Police Criminal Investigation department, for a greater reliance on Islamic punishments, especially the amputation of the hands of thieves 2009-11-11T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009110613921&lang=e&rss=middleeast The vote adopting key recommendations of the report on the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel earlier this year, is vitally important for ensuring that those who committed war crimes will be held accountable, said Amnesty International. 2009-11-06T00:00:00-05:00 countries=israel_and_occupied_territories http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE290112009&lang=e&rss=middleeast The detention of eight individuals in October, apparently for crossing red lines on the "taboo" issues of the monarchy and the status of Western Sahara, represents a serious attack on freedom of expression by the Moroccan authorities, Amnesty International said today 2009-11-06T00:00:00-05:00 countries=morocco_and_western_sahara http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE131172009&lang=e&rss=middleeast In recent days, at least 10 members of the Campaign for Equality -- a grassroots women's rights initiative - have been summoned to appear before a branch of the Revolutionary Court in connection with their peaceful activities on behalf of women's rights in Iran 2009-11-05T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGPRE200911021384&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International today warned hundreds of people ? including many women and children ? may be left homeless tomorrow morning if plans to demolish their homes to make way for a commercial development go ahead. 2009-11-02T00:00:00-05:00 countries=nigeria http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20091030001&lang=e&rss=middleeast Assaults and Arrests of Three Journalists in Tunisia are Part of Pattern of Threats and Intimidation of Government Critics, Says Amnesty International 2009-10-30T00:00:00-05:00 countries=tunisia http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20091029002&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International calls on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to immediately retract a statement he made on Wednesday calling it a crime to criticize the outcome of June?s presidential election. Khamenei?s statement was broadcast on state television during coverage of a report on his meeting with scientists in Tehran. 2009-10-29T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009102913796&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International is calling on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to immediately retract his statement on Wednesday that criticising the outcome of June?s presidential election is a crime. 2009-10-29T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009102713706&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International has accused Israel of denying Palestinians the right to access adequate water by maintaining total control over the shared water resources and pursuing discriminatory policies. 2009-10-27T00:00:00-05:00 countries=israel_and_occupied_territories http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009102713731&lang=e&rss=middleeast Dr Mohammad Maleki has been held incommunicado since his arrest in August. Amnesty International has expressed grave concern for his health as he is suffering from serious illnesses. 2009-10-27T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009102613707&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International has welcomed the intervention of Saudi Arabia?s head of state, King ?Abdullah bin ?Abdul ?Aziz, to cancel a flogging sentence against a female journalist. 2009-10-26T00:00:00-05:00 countries=saudi_arabia http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009102613702&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International has strongly condemned the killing of at least 155 people, mostly civilians, in twin suicide bomb attacks in Baghdad. 2009-10-26T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iraq http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009102613710&lang=e&rss=middleeast West Bank farmer Mahmoud al-'Alam won't forget the day Israeli army bulldozers cut off his water supply... and destroyed his livelihood. 2009-10-26T00:00:00-05:00 countries=israel_and_occupied_territories http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20091023001&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International urges the Turkish authorities to allow its citizens of Kurdish origin to return to Turkey without fear of harassment and discrimination. This call comes as refugees begin to leave the Mahmur camp in northern Iraq. 2009-10-23T00:00:00-05:00 countries=turkey http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009102113647&lang=e&rss=middleeast Iranian-American academic Kian Tajbakhsh has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, for his alleged part in the protests following the June presidential election. 2009-10-21T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20091016002&lang=e&rss=middleeast Following the United Nations Human Rights Council endorsement of the Goldstone report on human rights violations during the Gaza crisis, Amnesty International today urged the UN General Assembly to demand that both Israel and Hamas immediately begin independent investigations into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity during last winter's conflict. The organization called on member states not to allow political divisions surrounding the adoption of the resolution by the Human Rights Council to become an obstacle to investigations into serious violations of international law reported during the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel. 2009-10-16T00:00:00-05:00 countries=israel_and_occupied_territories http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009101513538&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International urges the Human Rights Council to call on Israel and the authorities in Gaza to immediately open investigations into alleged war crimes, possible crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international law reported during the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel. 2009-10-15T00:00:00-05:00 countries=israel_and_occupied_territories http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009101413487&lang=e&rss=middleeast Sami Ma'touq and Joni Suleiman were shot dead a year ago. The Syrian authorities have so far done very little to bring their killers to justice. 2009-10-14T00:00:00-05:00 countries=syria http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2009101313491&lang=e&rss=middleeast Behnoud Shojaee, a 21-year-old Iranian, has been executed at Tehran's Evin Prison for a murder he was accused of having committed when he was 17. 2009-10-13T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE290102009&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International is concerned about the arrest and incommunicado detention of seven Sahrawi activists who are under threat of facing trumped-up charges 2009-10-13T00:00:00-05:00 countries=morocco_and_western_sahara http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE140312009&lang=e&rss=middleeast A group of 36 Camp Ashraf residents continue to be held at a police station in the town of al-Khalis, in Diyala province, north of Baghdad, since they were arrested by Iraqi security forces on 28-29 July 2009 2009-09-29T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iraq http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE280062009&lang=e&rss=middleeast There may be as many as 60 detainees of different nationalities currently being held by the US authorities at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, who should not be forcibly returned to their home countries because this would place them at risk of torture or other serious human rights violations in these states 2009-09-18T00:00:00-05:00 countries=algeria,usa http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE290092009&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International urges the Moroccan authorities to ensure that Sahrawi human rights defenderEnnaâma Asfari, currently held at Tan Tan prison, and his co-defendant Ali El-Rubia receive a fair trial, and to investigate allegations that they were assaulted by police at the time of their arrest 2009-08-17T00:00:00-05:00 countries=morocco_and_western_sahara http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE290082009&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International is concerned by reports that Moroccan security officials forcibly removed six young Sahrawis from Agadir's Al Massira airport on 6 August 2009 and then assaulted them, after refusing them permission to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) on 5 August 2009-08-07T00:00:00-05:00 countries=morocco_and_western_sahara http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE140242009&lang=e&rss=middleeast Amnesty International is urgently seeking information about 36 Iranian residents of Camp Ashraf who have been detained since Iraqi security forces seized control of the camp on 28 July 2009 and have been moved to an unknown location in Baghdad amid allegations that some or all of them have been beaten and tortured 2009-08-04T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iraq http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20090803001&lang=e&rss=middleeast A leading Syrian human rights lawyer was formally charged last Thursday in relation to his legitimate work in defending the rights of political prisoners in Syria. Amnesty International is calling for his immediate release. 2009-08-03T00:00:00-05:00 countries=syria http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20090728001&lang=e&rss=middleeast Irene Khan, Amnesty International's Secretary General, and Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, called today for intensified international pressure on Iran -- including by the United Nations -- in advance of next week's expected inauguration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a second term. They warned the inauguration will likely renew protests and may spark more violence, along with a massive new clampdown. 2009-07-28T00:00:00-05:00 countries=iran