Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi
Political detentions in the Arab world are connected with freedom of speech in most cases. Although freedom of speech and belief are guaranteed by international human rights treaties, which have been signed and ratified by all Arab countries, detentions and violations of these rights never stop, rather they are increasing.
The irony of the Arab world is that freedom of speech has turned into a crime, not the desire to suppress this freedom and strangle it. Just look at the laws and restrictions put in place to trim this freedom along with all other human rights in this part of the world. All legal and illegal means are used to suppress this freedom and other human rights.
Prisoners of conscience are treated more harshly than criminals. The worst thing is that Arab regimes deal with issues of freedom in a shameful manner. Because these regimes deny the prevalence of political detention or the existence of political detainees, they do not recognise the term “political detention”.
Political detention has become an ubiquitous practice in the Arab world over the past few years. No country is free from it, whether it is going through the Arab Spring or the Arab Autumn.
The chairman of the Gulf Forum for Civil Societies, Anwar Al Rashid, has disclosed the presence of around 40,000 prisoners of conscience and detainees in the GCC countries. He says some of these detainees and prisoners have been forced to stay in jail even after serving their sentences.
Al Rashid noted that some freed prisoners have been deprived of their rights, including the freedom to travel. The prisoners of conscience include doctors, teachers and writers in addition to political activists, politicians and members of parliament.
He said he had collected this information from human rights activists in the Gulf as well as from international organisations.
In its last report, Amnesty International accused the Gulf countries of indiscriminate detention, unjust trials and treating detainees harshly.
Some people have been in prison for decades now.
Putting an end to political detention is a human and even international demand. This is why we call for releasing all prisoners of conscience in the Arab world.
Political detentions in the Arab world are connected with freedom of speech in most cases. Although freedom of speech and belief are guaranteed by international human rights treaties, which have been signed and ratified by all Arab countries, detentions and violations of these rights never stop, rather they are increasing.
The irony of the Arab world is that freedom of speech has turned into a crime, not the desire to suppress this freedom and strangle it. Just look at the laws and restrictions put in place to trim this freedom along with all other human rights in this part of the world. All legal and illegal means are used to suppress this freedom and other human rights.
Prisoners of conscience are treated more harshly than criminals. The worst thing is that Arab regimes deal with issues of freedom in a shameful manner. Because these regimes deny the prevalence of political detention or the existence of political detainees, they do not recognise the term “political detention”.
Political detention has become an ubiquitous practice in the Arab world over the past few years. No country is free from it, whether it is going through the Arab Spring or the Arab Autumn.
The chairman of the Gulf Forum for Civil Societies, Anwar Al Rashid, has disclosed the presence of around 40,000 prisoners of conscience and detainees in the GCC countries. He says some of these detainees and prisoners have been forced to stay in jail even after serving their sentences.
Al Rashid noted that some freed prisoners have been deprived of their rights, including the freedom to travel. The prisoners of conscience include doctors, teachers and writers in addition to political activists, politicians and members of parliament.
He said he had collected this information from human rights activists in the Gulf as well as from international organisations.
In its last report, Amnesty International accused the Gulf countries of indiscriminate detention, unjust trials and treating detainees harshly.
Some people have been in prison for decades now.
Putting an end to political detention is a human and even international demand. This is why we call for releasing all prisoners of conscience in the Arab world.
