ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This report was edited by Hanny Megally; executive director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch; Joe Stork, Washington director for the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch; James Ross, general counsel of Human Rights Watch; Malcolm Smart, program director of Human Rights Watch; and Sara Guillet, desk officer for the Maghreb and Middle East at the International Federation of Human Rights. Tobie Barton, associate for the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch, and Tiphaine Havel, executive assistant at the International Federation for Human Rights, prepared the report for publication.

Human Rights Watch
Middle East and North Africa Division

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.

We stand with victims and activists to bring offenders to justice, to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom and to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime.

We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable.

We challenge governments and those holding power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law.

We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Michele Alexander, development director; Carroll Bogert, communications director; Reed Brody, advocacy director; John P. Green, operations director; Barbara Guglielmo, finance director; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Michael McClintock, deputy program director; Patrick Minges, publications director; Maria Pignataro Nielsen, human resources director; James Ross, general counsel; Malcolm Smart, program director; Wilder Tayler, legal and policy director; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the board. Robert L. Bernstein is the founding chair.

Its Middle East and North Africa division was established in 1989 to monitor and promote the observance of internationally recognized human rights in the Middle East and North Africa. Hanny Megally is the executive director; Eric Goldstein is the research director, Joe Stork is the Washington director; Virginia N. Sherry is associate director; Hania Mufti is the London office director; and Clarisa Bencomo and Elahé Sharifpour-Hicks are researchers; Tobie Barton and Erin Sawaya are associates. Lisa Anderson and Gary Sick are co-chairs of the advisory committee and Bruce Rabb is the vice chair.

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The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
http://www.fidh.org/lobs/index.htm

The Observatory is an action program operated jointly by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organization against Torture (OMCT). It is based on the conviction that strengthened cooperation and solidarity among defenders and their organizations will contribute to breaking the isolation of victims of human rights violations.

The Observatory sends out alerts on violations of the rights and freedoms of human rights defenders, including urgent appeals that are sent out to around 90,000 recipients worldwide. It also organizes trial observer missions and direct legal assistance. It reports on violations of the rights of human rights defenders and activists around the world and conducts sustained lobbying on their behalf with different regional, international, and intergovernmental institutions. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights prize of the French republic.