Egypt's military courts have tried at least 43 children over the past year

Egypt's military courts have investigated or tried at least 43 children over the past year, according to Human Rights Watch, including the pending trial of 13 year-old Ahmed Hamdy Abdel Aziz in connection with the Port Said football riots. Children prosecuted in military courts have not had access to lawyers, and often to their families, until after military authorities have investigated and sentenced them, HRW said. It added that since coming to power in February 2011, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has referred over 12,000 civilians for prosecution by military courts before military judges “though these courts fail to meet minimum due process standards.”

A 13 year-old boy was shot in the back and killed and scores injured in Port Said during protests against the decision to suspend the city's Al-Masry club for two seasons as punishment for its part in the orchestrated violence that killed 74 people in a match against Al-Ahly of Cairo in February. Angry Al-Masry supporters blocked roads and burned tyres near the Suez Canal Authority, and police fired teargas and live rounds to disperse the crowds.

For their part, Al-Ahly have said the sanction is too lenient. They have said they will boycott the League until further notice. The current season was suspended in any case in the wake of the disaster. The chief prosecutor has charged 75 people with murder or negligence over the violence, and the city's police chief was sacked.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2012 Menas Associates

Nigeria: Post-election violence claims 800 lives

On Monday 17th May, the Human Rights Watch released a report stating that President Goodluck Jonathan's election win against opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim, has prompted violence and rioting across 12 northern states.

Buhari supporters took to the streets to protest his defeat; the demonstrations turned violent resulting in killing sprees that have reportedly displaced more than 65,000 people. The group called on Nigerian authorities to “promptly” take action and bring those responsible to justice.

Speaking about the situation in Nigeria, a senior West Africa researcher for Human Rights Watch, Corinne Dufka, said: “The April elections were heralded as among the fairest in Nigeria's history, but they also were among the bloodiest…The newly elected authorities should quickly build on the democratic gains from the elections by bringing to justice those who orchestrated these horrific crimes and addressing the root causes of the violence.”

Reports about the number of people killed in the riots vary, but according to the Christian Association of Nigeria at least 170 Christians had died. The human rights group estimates around 800 Nigerians to have been killed in post election related violence in the northern part of the country.

Sources: The Christian Post, Vanguard, Afrique en Ligue

For more news and expert analysis about Nigeria, please see Nigeria Focus and Nigeria Politics & Security.

Algeria: Interior minister admits 'secret prisons'

Last Thursday 25th February, on Channel 3 of Algeria's national radio, Interior Minister Ould Kablia spoke of the existence of secret prisons, “run by the military intelligence services [DRS]”. In trying to demonstrate what sort of changes the lifting of the Emergency Powers would bring, Kablia admitted that: “the intelligence services, particularly the military have often been accused of detaining people for indefinite periods without the knowledge of either authorities, their families or their lawyers.” With the lifting of the state of emergency, this practice will now end. Things will change regarding the treatment of those taken into detention, said Kablia. “Now, people will only be placed under such surveillance under the aegis of a judicial authority, with the guarantee of a fair hearing and with access to their lawyers and visitors .”

This statement is political dynamite. It is an open and public admission that Algeria lied to the UK about ita secret prisons. It is also an admission that Algeria has continually lied to the various international organisations, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others regarding its prison conditions.

Perhaps Ould Kablia's next step will be to confirm that Algeria 'no longer does torture' and to explain the whereabouts of the 6,000 who have ' disappeared' at the hands of his regime. Kablia's admission is likely to have serious consequences for the many pending legal appeals by Algerians in European countries, notably the UK, against their expulsion and return to Algeria.

UK, more than any other Western country, and in the face of overwhelming evidence presented by human rights lawyers and organisations, has gone along with Algeria's lies. Kablia has effectively told UK's Crown Prosecution Service that his country has lied in its previous undertakings and that such agreements, on which the expulsion of many Algerians hinge, are not worth the paper they are written on.

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Saif Al-Islam Qadhafi warns against civil war

Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi's son Saif Al-Islam has made a lengthy speech on Libyan television, saying that there is a very real danger of civil war breaking out in the country. Saif al-Islam's address came as anti-governemnt protesters clashed with security forces in Tripoli. In a bid to appease the nation, he offered political reforms, and admitted that the security forces had made "mistakes", but challenged the death toll.

Human Rights Watch estimates that at least 233 people have been killed since Thursday 17th February. The group called on Libya to cease using brutal force and unlawful killing of the demonstrators with live ammunition.

Reports from Tripoli confirm the city to be mainly quiet, with little evidence of another uprising; however, government forces are still patrolling Green Square in case of disquiet.

During his televised address, Saif Al-Islam blamed everyone from foreigners, exiles, drug addicts, Islamists and the media for the crisis. He also offered concessions but warned of civil war if the trouble continued. He added that his father Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi would fight till the last man, the last woman, the last bullet.

Sources: BBC News, New York Times, Bloomberg, AP

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

More anti-government protests in Yemen

Anti-government protestors and supporters of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh have clashed in violent attacks in Taiz, south of Sana'a. Reports have emerged that police fired arms into the air in order to disperse the crowds, but was unable to do so.

The demonstrations, inspired by those sweeping the Middle East, have been going on sporadically for a couple of weeks. During an uprising in the capital, protestors outside Sana'a University chanted, "Hey Ali, get out, get out…There is no solution except to leave."

Police intervened in the protest by building a wall between the two groups of demonstrators, consisting of 500 anti-government protesters and 100 supporters of Saleh. Anti-government protestors have been going strong in recent weeks, attracting as many as tens of thousands of people.

In order to appease the increasingly discontented public, Saleh offered significant concessions, including a pledge to step down in 2013. But, the protests seem far from over as the last couple of days confrontations between the two groups turned violent and saw rival members beating each other with batons and fists.

Police intervention has been reported to be unnecessary brutal, and liberal in its use of electroshock tasers. Voicing her concerns, Human Rights Watch Middle East and North Africa director Sarah Leah Whitson, confirmed that, “government security forces brutally beat and tasered peaceful demonstrators” without provocation.

Sources: Reuters, BBC News, New York Post, PA

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

Another migrant shot dead crossing Sinai border

An African migrant was shot dead by Egyptian police as he tried to cross the Sinai border near the Rafah terminal, according to security officials. They said he was one of a group of Sub-Saharans trying to infiltrate Israel. His death brings to 25 the number of would-be migrants killed by Egyptian police since the beginning of the year. The Sinai is a crossing point for illegal migration and people trafficking.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Egyptian authorities to disclose the fate and whereabouts of Mohamed Saad Tork, who disappeared in July 2009 with strong indications that he was being held by the authorities, and prosecute those responsible. According to HRW, Tork's case highlights the continuing practice of enforced disappearances by Egypt's State Security Investigations agency.

"The brutal practice of 'disappearing' people is a terrible blight on Egypt's human rights record," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at HRW. "Authorities should immediately reveal Mohamed Tork's whereabouts and prosecute those responsible for his disappearance."

On 26th July 2009, Tork, a 23-year-old second-year dentistry student at Alexandria University, told his family he was going for a walk, according to HRW.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2010 Menas Associates