AI Index: NWS 11/42/91

Distr: SC/PO

No. of words: 600

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Amnesty International

International Secretariat

1 Easton Street

London WC1X 8DJ

United Kingdom

TO: PRESS OFFICERS

FROM: PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS

DATE: 5 NOVEMBER 1991

WEEKLY UPDATE SERVICE 42/91

Contained in this weekly update is an external item on Djibouti.

1. NEWS INITIATIVES - INTERNAL

Djibouti - 6 November

A targeted news release for African and French-speaking media, based on a

memorandum sent to the government to be sent to sections this week. This

is the first major document on Djibouti. The summary is available in

English; the rest of the document is only available in French.

The external item in this Weekly Update refers to a response to the

memorandum by the Djibouti government, received today, too late to be

incorporated into the document or news release.

Peru - 21 November

Peru - Human rights in a climate of terror AMR 46/56/91

Please see the detailed note sent to sections last week about new

materials.

14 November - Francophone summit

The Francophone sections are coordinating a project to coincide with the

Francophone summit being held in Paris from 19 to 21 November. A special

document has been prepared by the sections on our concerns in Francophone

countries, focusing on the theme of freedom of expression and freedom of

conscience, thought and religion; a targeted news release is planned for a

few days before the event; and an AI delegation will be present in Paris at

the time of the summit. For further information, please contact the project

coordinator, Daniel Bolomey, in the Swiss Section.

27 November - Refugee concerns in Europe

Leading up to the meeting of European leaders in the Netherlands in

December, we will be releasing a report on our concerns about the treatment

of asylum seekers in Europe in the context of European political and

economic harmonization. This will be of particular interest to European

media; we would be interested in hearing from any European section press

officers who have issued news releases on this subject in the past so that

we don't use the same news angle. Could you please also ensure that your

section refugee coordinators are aware of this publication date.

Weekly Update NWS 11/42/91

2. AFR 23/WU 03/91 EXTERNAL

5 November 1991

DJIBOUTI: GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO AI REPORT

The government of Djibouti today responded to an Amnesty International

report condemning torture in Djibouti by denying that torture is routine in

the country.

The government's response was received the day before publication of

an AI report calling for effective safeguards against torture and other

human rights abuses in Djibouti.

Djibouti's Minister of Justice, Ougoure Hassan Ibrahim, denied that

torture had been systematically practised in Djibouti and said that AI had

accepted reports of human rights violations uncritically.

The report is in fact based on on-the-spot investigations and medical

examinations in Djibouti, and shows that torture had been routine despite

certain legal safeguards which were evidently inadequate to prevent it. AI

is appealing to the government to take all necessary measures to eradicate

torture once and for all.

Amnesty International welcomes the minister's statement that he is

studying the possibility of certain reforms which AI recommended. AI is

urging that these should be adopted into law without delay, and that the

ratification by Djibouti of international and African human rights treaties

should be completed as soon as possible.

The response from the government came in reply to an Amnesty

International memorandum on human rights in Djibouti. This was compiled

after an AI visit to Djibouti in April 1991, and was submitted to the

President of the Republic of Djibouti in September 1991. The government's

reply arrived too late to be incorporated into the report being published

on 6 November, which contains this memorandum.

AI Index: NWS 11/42/91 add

Distr: SC/PO

No. of words: 245

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Amnesty International

International Secretariat

1 Easton Street

London WC1X 8DJ

United Kingdom

TO: PRESS OFFICERS

FROM: PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS

DATE: 7 NOVEMBER 1991

ADDITION TO WEEKLY UPDATE SERVICE 42/91

Contained in this addition to the weekly update is an external item on

Morocco.

Weekly Update NWS 11/42/91 add

1. MDE 29/WU 12/91 EXTERNAL

7 November 1991

MOROCCO: LATEST RELEASES FROM TAZMAMERT

News has come in this week that the remaining military detainees held

incommunicado at Tazmamert for 18 years have now been released and reunited

with their families.

Those released include Abdelaziz Binbine, who was sentenced to 10

years' imprisonment in 1972. Abderrahmane Sadki, who was sentenced to

three years' imprisonment in 1972 and who was at one time reported to have

died in custody, was also released. Mohamed Chellat, who was serving a

sentence of life imprisonment, also appears to have been released.

Out of the 61 members of the armed forces believed to have been

transferred from Kenitra Central Prison to the secret detention centre of

Tazmamert on 7 August 1973, no less that 30 are believed to have died in

custody, 29 at Tazmamert itself and one, Hamid Bendourou, after being

transferred from Tazmamert in September 1991. Twenty-nine of the 61 are

believed to have been released in recent weeks while two, Mohamed Raiss and

Achour Ghani, who are serving a life sentence, have been moved back to

Kenitra Central Prison and have at last been permitted access to their

families. They are reported to be in very poor physical condition.