The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said today that it will ask the renowned journalist Magdi AlGalld , Editor of the independent newspaper AlMasry AlYoum to waive his complaint against the journalist and blogger , Ashraf Shehata who was cruelly sentenced by the economic court on 31/8/2010 to six months in prison , a EGP 5000 fine and a EGP 2000 bail. AlGallad filed a complaint against Shehata , formerly a journalist at AlMasry AlYoum , Gomaa Mansour , owner of a landline and internet service subscriber and Ali Adel Fadl, internet café owner from which Shehata used to log on the internet.

Counterterrorism Charges Against Activists Follow Weeks of Incommunicado Detention

Bahraini authorities should immediately look into allegations of torture by four opposition activists who had been held in incommunicado detention for more than two weeks, Human Rights Watch said today. In their formal interrogation sessions with prosecutors, the four contended that their captors had subjected them to torture and degrading treatment.

Reporters Without Borders hails the withdrawal of some of the most repressive provisions in the temporary law on cyber crimes in an amendment approved by the government on 29 August but continues to call for its repeal as it still grants the authorities arbitrary restrictive powers, above all because of its vague wording.

The most welcome changes were to provisions concerning defamation and to provisions granting too much discretionary power to the attorney-general's office.

In northern Yemen, thousands will spend Ramadan away from home, some for the second time or more. Harsh weather is adding to the everyday difficulties faced by internally displaced people (IDPs) and residents affected by the last round of fighting that ended in February 2010.

The trial for Rachel Corrie, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activist killed in 2003, resumes in the Israeli city of Haifa on 5 September.

A civil lawsuit against the state of Israel commenced in the Haifa District Court in March 2010, during which time the Corrie family presented witnesses, including ISM activists and British citizens Richard Purssell and Tom Dale. Both were with Rachel on 16 March 2003, when she was crushed by an Israeli army Caterpillar D9R bulldozer, while nonviolently demonstrating against Palestinian home demolitions with fellow ISM activists in the Gaza city Rafah. She died of her injuries after being evacuated by ambulance.

JEDDAH: The Supervisor General of the National Society for Human Rights in Jazan, Ahmad Al-Bahkali, said the health conditions of many inmates in the main deportation center in Jazan was poor.

Five Ethiopian detainees died of suffocation in the center last week due to overcrowding. Hygienic conditions have deteriorated as well.