Egypt
Seven workers sentenced to prison on a ‘gathering’ charge
On April 30, Sharabiya Appellant Misdemeanor Court ruled to imprison seven workers from Nasr General Contracting Company (Hassan Mohamed Allam) for 30 days, on charges of gathering and refraining from performing their duties at work in order to harm the company. This was against the backdrop of a strike organized by the workers on the 18th of last January to demand the disbursement of their late salaries.
“Al-Wafd” reporter prevented from covering the Youth Minister’s visit to the Red Sea
The Minister of Youth and Sports’ security guards prevented Ashraf Mohei, a correspondent at Al-Wafd newspaper, from covering the minister’s visit to the Red Sea Governorate on May 1 following an altercation the journalist had with the security men.
Sudan
Media professional Heba Mekkawi suspended for a Facebook post
On May 2, the Sudanese authorities suspended, Heba Mekkawi, a news anchorwoman at Sudan National Radio Corporation, from her post after she demanded, via her Facebook page, to put an end to Bashir’s rule’s figures taking control of media websites in the country.
Security men attempt to violently disperse a sit-in in Darfur
Security forces violently attempted to break up a sit-in and disperse the protestors in the Atash refugee camp in Darfur in Nyala, on May 4, using tear gas which left several protesters injured.
Morocco
The Unified Socialist Party prevented from holding the opening session of Rabat Salé Kenitra Conference
On 3 May, the Moroccan authorities at Rabat city barred the Unified Socialist Party from holding the opening session of Rabat Salé Kenitra Conference in the Chamber of Industry, Trade and Services, despite taking all the legal procedures.
A sit-in organized by the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Agadir dispersed
In late hours of Thursday, May 2, the Moroccan authorities dispersed a sit-in organized by the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Agadir (FMPA) demanding to provide the appropriate conditions for educational attainment. The students then received security threats to be arrested if they continue their sit-in on campus.
Lebanon
“Maharat” Foundation launches its report on freedom of expression
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on April 30, Maharat Foundation launched its annual report, which recorded “a decline in the freedom of citizens and activists to express their own views, especially through social networking websites”.
Israel bans Palestinian Minister of Women’s Affairs from travelling to Jordan
The Israeli occupation authorities banned Amal Hamad, Minister of Women’s Affairs in the Palestinian government, from taking part in the Euro-Mediterranean Conference entitled “Launching the Regional Campaign on Zero Tolerance with Violence Against Women and Girls”, which kicked off in the Jordanian capital Amman on May 2.
Israeli occupation attacks a number of peaceful marches in the West Bank
On May 3, the Israeli occupation forces fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal at a number of protest marches, including an anti-settlement protest in Kafr Qaddum, south of Qalqiliya in the northern West Bank. A Palestinian journalist was also injured in a protest march in Beit Sira village, west of Ramallah.
