Egypt
Alaa Abdel Fattah threatened because of his writings about police surveillance
Egyptian political activist Alaa Abdel Fattah revealed that the National Security Agency threatened to put him in prison again; because of his writings about police surveillance conditions which oblige him to spend his night every day at a local police station, after he served a five-year prison sentence over an opinion-related case.
Blocking a website against the constitutional amendments
On Tuesday, 9 April, hours after it was launched, the Egyptian authorities blocked “Voiceonline” website (www.voiceonline.net), which is established to gather signatures opposing the constitutional amendments that would allow the President of the Republic to remain in office.
Executive Regulation of the Cybercrime Law to be issued during April
The Law Drafting Committee of the Ministry of Communications is expected to finish drafting the implementing regulations of the Cybercrime Law during this month to put the law in effect and start enforcing it.
Yemen
28 violations against media professionals
The Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate announced, on April 8, the release of its report during the first quarter of 2019. The syndicate monitored 28 violations against journalists in Yemen, 17 of which were committed by the Huthis, 10 by the government and one by a single entity.
Morocco
Activist Nawal Benaissa barred from leaving the country
On 12 April, authorities at Al-Aroui airport Nador (a rural province in northern Morocco) prevented Nawal Benaissa from traveling to the Netherlands to take part in an international symposium on peace and protest movements in response to an invitation from the Dutch Socialist Party (PS).
A protest staged in front of Parliament denouncing upholding sentences against Rif protesters
Dozens of Moroccan human rights activists demonstrated in front of the Parliament building in Rabat in the evening of 10 April in protest against the harsh verdicts upheld by the Court of Appeal against Hirak Rif protesters. Demonstrators chanted slogans condemning the sentences, accusing the judiciary of not being independent and demanding the release of the detainees.
Palestine
Israeli occupation forces suppress Bil’in March
On Friday 12 April, the Israeli occupation authorities confronted, using violence and gas bombs, a peaceful march staged by residents of Bil’in village in Ramallah to protest against the new apartheid wall built in the area of Abu Limon, south of the village.
Palestinian prisoners went on hunger strike in Israeli jails
Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails have entered a hunger strike since 8 April after failed dialogues with prisons’ administrations. The detainees demand to lift the collective punishment imposed by the prison administration since 2014, and halt the medical negligence policy and the ban of visitation imposed on hundreds of detainees.
Jordan
Journalist Jihad Abu Baidar released
Security services of the Criminal Investigation released, on Monday evening (April 8), journalist Jihad Abu Baidar, one day after being detained in front of the HQ of “Jordan Today” TV channel as he was entering the building for a TV interview to speak about “stamp of gold corruption” case.
UAE
“Skype” app blocked
On April 11, UAE authorities blocked “Skype” application; alleging that unlicensed Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Service may pose risks of piracy, deception and threat of privacy.
Ahmed Mansour enters his fourth week of hunger strike
Prominent Emirati human rights defender Ahmed Mansour has entered his fourth week of the hunger strike staged to protest the prison conditions and the unfair trial he faced before he was sentenced to prison.
