Iran: Sit-in for Sotoudeh at the UN
December 21st, 2010 by Jason
Freedom House released a statement yesterday expressing “solidarity and support for Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi and other women’s rights activists,” who began a sit-in Monday at the United Nations in Geneva in support of imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. Paula Schriefer, Director of Advocacy at Freedom House, said in the statement that the “human rights abuses inflicted on its people by the Iranian government, particularly on women, are in direct violation of international human rights treaties to which Iran is a state party.” Gissou Nia, a researcher and analyst at the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, writes at CNN that Sotoudeh was arrested for “a range of ’security’ offenses, including her legal representation of Ebadi,” and that the human rights lawyer has been denied “the ultimate legal right: a fair trial.” Nia goes on to describe the role lawyers have in protecting human rights in Iran and calls on the international community to “commit itself to protecting lawyers in Iran from arrest and imprisonment.”
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Judiciary, United Nations, Women | Comment »
Egypt: Parliamentary Elections Give Power to Security Officials
December 21st, 2010 by Evan
In a new piece for Al-Masry Al-Youm, Egyptian activist Saad el-Din Ibrahim argues that the recent parliamentary elections strengthened the position of the security services in Egyptian politics. According to Ibrahim, nearly 10% of the seats in the new parliament are held by former police generals, double the amount in the outgoing parliament. Citing Soviet tactics learned by the Egyptian security services in the 1950s and 1960s, Ibrahim expresses concern that the police generals will eventually undermine the Egypt’s political system and urges monitors to keep close watch on the police parliamentarians during the next term.
Posted in Egypt, Freedom, Human Rights | Comment »
Egypt: ANHRI and EOHC Condemn Fatwa Issued Against ElBaradei
December 20th, 2010 by Jason
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHC) has released a statement (Arabic) condemning a fatwa issued against Mohamed ElBaradei. According to a report in Al Masry Al Youm, the group calls on “intellectuals to challenge such calls, which historically authorized the assassinations of former President Anwar Sadat and the intellectual Farag Fouda, and the attempted assassination of novelist Naguib Mahfouz.” The fatwa was issued by Mahmoud Amer, head of the al-Sunna al-Mohamadiya religious group, and says that “ElBaradei incites civil unrest […] For this, the temporal rulers, represented by the government and President Hosni Mubarak, have the right to kill him if he does not desist.” The executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Gamal Eid, called the fatwa “reminiscent of the Fatwas that spread in the nineties of the past century […] We cannot live that atmosphere of terror again , the government has to take a clear stance from these Fatwas to kill opponents as the classic governmental indifference in such situations would imply approval and a license to kill.”
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights | Comment »
Kuwait: Government Arrests Constitutional Scholar
December 20th, 2010 by Evan
Prominent Kuwaiti legal scholar Obaid al-Wasmi was detained last week after he gave a speech at an opposition gathering that was disrupted by security forces. The prosecutor’s office is reportedly holding al-Wasmi on charges that he had spread “false news abroad” and was actively working to undermine the emir. The detention is the latest development in a government crackdown on opposition groups and media in Kuwait.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Judiciary, Kuwait | Comment »
Iran: Taking Stock of Human Rights Abuses
December 17th, 2010 by Jason
As the end of the year approaches, observers of Iran are speaking out about the human rights abuses witnessed in 2010. Hadi Ghaemi writes at Tehran Bureau that “Iran launched a sweeping crackdown on human rights and civil society in 2010, following political unrest after the disputed June 2009 presidential election.” The “most notable trend” in the regimes human rights abuses is the “broadening (of) the definition of Moharabeh (or “enmity against god”), a capital offense,” to include common criminals. Ghaemi also suggests that the regime is increasing “secret group executions.” Saeed Kamali Dehghan, writing at Comment is Free, relates some of the history of the now notorious Evin prison, and lists some of those who are still imprisoned by the regime. “Iran’s nuclear programme might remain as the most important concern for the international community next year, but what is clear to me is that the important story for Iranians is not the nuclear programme…but the fate of the prisoners and those whose human rights are violated.”
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Iran | Comment »
Iran: A Quiet Ashura
December 16th, 2010 by Evan
Writing on the Shi’ite holiday of Ashura, Scott Peterson notes the absence of protests in Iran. Last year, thousands of Iranians took to the streets, invoking the memory of Imam Hussein to protest the repressive Ahmadinejad regime. “Now forced underground and facing severe restrictions, where is the Green Movement today?” Peterson asks. Nader Hashemi, Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at the University of Denver, responds that the Iranian opposition is likely engaging “in a process of reflection, social networking, and organization to raise critical consciousness, and to basically just try and keep the movement alive, waiting for another opportunity where they manifest their presence and push forward their pro-democracy agenda.”
Posted in Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy | Comment »
Saudi Arabia: Reforms Fall Short
December 16th, 2010 by Evan
In a new piece for The Wall Street Journal Christoph Wilcke, Senior Researcher in Human Right Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division, examines King Abdullah al-Saud’s record. While the King did take steps toward promised reforms in 2009, over the past year the country has experienced a series of setbacks. Journalists and professors have been arrested for writing about domestic political issues, Wilcke notes, adding that “Punishment for voicing ideas goes directly against the grain of the tolerance that King Abdullah has touted since he took the throne in 2005.” Moreover, in contrast to King Abdullah’s promotion of religious tolerance abroad, “public observance of any faith other than Islam remains prohibited” in Saudi Arabia. The two areas where the country has taken steps forward are women’s rights and judicial reform, but even in these areas the results of reform efforts have been underwhelming, Wilcke concludes.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Saudi Arabia | Comment »
Bahrain: Blogger Imprisoned for His “Free Pen”
December 16th, 2010 by Evan
The BBC recently released video of an interview with Jenan Al Oraibi, the wife of imprisoned Bahraini blogger Ali Abdulemam. Al Oraibi bluntly refutes the terrorism charges against her husband: “Ali has a free pen. That is exactly his crime. He has a free pen. […] The 23 detainees are all victims. They are all good people who have good jobs in this society. They are all innocent.” Authorities have limited family visits and the Shi’ite activists report that they were abused while in pre-trial detention. Their next hearing is scheduled for December 23.
Posted in Bahrain, Human Rights, Journalism | Comment »
POMED Notes “The Coming Revolution: Struggle for Freedom in the Middle East”
December 14th, 2010 by Evan
On Tuesday, The Heritage Foundation hosted an event marking the released of Walid Phares’ new book “The Coming Revolution: Struggle for Freedom in the Middle East.” Phares is currently a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a commentator on Middle Eastern affairs for Fox News. John Hilboldt, Director of Lectures and Seminars at Heritage moderated the event.
(To read the full notes, continue below or click here for a pdf.)
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in DC Event Notes, Freedom, Human Rights | Comment »
Jordan: HRW Calls for Release of Former Parliamentary Candidate
December 13th, 2010 by Jason
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement Sunday calling for the release of Tahir Nassar, who unsuccessfully ran as an independent in the November parliamentary elections. Part of his platform called for the end of “discrimination between citizens on the basis of the birthplace.” Christoph Wilcke, senior Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch, said that the authorities “waited for the international election monitors to leave before clamping down on a candidate who sought reform […] The authorities persist in using criminal laws to stifle unwelcome views.” Nassar was charged under article 150 of the penal code for “undermining national unity and ’stirring up sectarian strife.’”
Posted in Civil Society, Freedom, Human Rights, Jordan, Judiciary | Comment »
Egypt: How U.S. Military Aid Hurts Human Rights
December 10th, 2010 by Evan
Writing at the Huffington Post, Joscelyn Jurich, New York University professor and journalist, criticizes the U.S. approach to Egypt: “The Obama administration has consistently spoken in favor of democracy in Egypt, but has done less and less about it.” According to Jurich, the White House has been remarkably soft on the Mubarak regime, at most expressing “disappointment” and in other cases failing to respond at all. Moreover, the Obama administration has maintained military funding to Egypt, disregarding how these funds strengthen Mubarak’s grip. Jurich concludes by calling for greater oversight of U.S. assistance to Egypt to ensure that the money is not used to fund human rights abuses.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Human Rights | Comment »
Bahrain: Lawyers, CPJ Protest Trial
December 9th, 2010 by Evan
Lawyers for the 25 Bahraini activists accused of supporting terrorist activities staged a walkout on Thursday, effectively bringing the trial to a halt. “‘We withdrew because the court disregards our requests to investigate the torture claims.We now consider this trial to be unfair and against international standards and we won’t be part of it,’” said defense attorney Jalila al-Sayed. The Committee to Protect Journalists sent a letter to Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al-Khalifa calling for the release of the detained activists: “We are concerned that these bloggers could well be punished for the mere expression of opinions that the government finds distasteful, and we ask that you intervene to ensure that they receive a fair trial. Bahrain’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, vowed on October 27 that his government was ‘keen to promote Bahrain’s image to be in harmony with the landmark political, economic, and social strides.’ The ordeal of these detained bloggers stands in direct opposition to that declaration.”
Posted in Bahrain, Human Rights, Journalism, Judiciary | Comment »
Saudi Arabia: Human Rights First Society Report
December 9th, 2010 by Jason
The Human Rights First Society-Saudi Arabia has released a report titled “Unholy Trespass: How the Saudi Legal Code Violates International Human Rights Law.” The report seeks to “serve as a roadmap for the Saudi officials, so that they will know where the Saudi laws are either in violation of international conventions or treaties,” according to the group’s president, Ibrahim Almugaiteeb. While the report acknowledges that “[g]overnment and societal tolerance for the public discussion of human rights and civil liberties in Saudi Arabia has increased substantially in the last decade,” Saudi Arabia’s human rights record remains troubling.
Posted in Civil Society, Freedom, Human Rights, Judiciary, Saudi Arabia, Unions, Women | Comment »
“Quiet Diplomacy Has Not Succeeded”
December 9th, 2010 by Jason
Writing at the Arab Reform Bulletin, POMED’s former executive director Andrew Albertson examines the Obama administration’s efforts towards promoting democracy in the Middle East. Albertson praises the administration for it’s “mulitlateral” approach and for “work[ing] with Congress to make the necessary investments in democracy assistance,” by increasing support for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. However, the administration has also fallen short in several areas. The pursuit of human rights and reform through “disconnected bureaucratic pathways” has led to a “struggle to integrate serious, long-term thinking about development into interagency policy planning.” Also, the president’s rhetoric has “at times seemed disconnected from the bureaucratic machinery necessary to back up words with action.” Ultimately, the Obama administration needs to “demonstrate stronger linkages between its rhetoric on human rights and political reform on the one hand, and policy consequences on the other.”
Posted in Civil Society, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Multilateralism, Reform, US foreign policy, US politics | Comment »
Bahrain: HRW Calls on Government to Stop Harassing Civil Society Member
December 8th, 2010 by Evan
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement calling on the Bahraini government to end the harassment of Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and a member of HRW’s Middle East Division Advisory Committee. Rajab was detained and questioned by Bahraini authorities in September and again in December when he attempted to leave the country and the official Bahrain News Agency has published an article attacking him, claiming he was part of a “terrorist network.” Joe Stork, HRW Deputy Middle East Director, said “Bahrain’s leaders repeatedly insist that the government respects human rights, but Nabeel Rajab’s treatment tells another story. The government should make clear to the security forces that the harassment of human rights defenders needs to stop immediately.”
Posted in Bahrain, Human Rights | Comment »
EU Registers Concern about Egypt’s Elections
December 8th, 2010 by Evan
Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, released a statement calling the recent election in Egypt “insufficient.” Citing reported irregularities, restrictions on media and independent observers, and violence against opposition activists, Ashton encouraged Egyptian to respond to international concerns and “permit domestic and international monitors to observe future elections.”
Posted in EU, Egypt, Elections, Human Rights | Comment »
Kuwait: State Department Registers Concern about Journalist’s Detention
December 6th, 2010 by Evan
In response to a question about the case of Kuwaiti journalist Mohammad Abdul-Kader al-Jassem, who was recently imprisoned for defaming Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah, State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley said that the U.S. is concerned about the case and continues to follow it closely. “Our view is the ability of citizens and journalists of any country to freely and vigorously discuss, debate, and critique the actions of government does not threaten national interest, and it strengthens civil society and makes governments better and more accountable,” Crowley said.
Posted in Human Rights, Journalism, Kuwait | Comment »
Egypt: HRW Criticizes Electoral Process
November 29th, 2010 by Evan
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that “numerous irregularities” and “widespread allegations of voter fraud” plagued Egypt’s parliamentary election Sunday. Based on interviews conducted at polling places across the country, Joe Stork, HRW’s Middle East Division Deputy Director, concluded that “the repeated exclusion of opposition representatives and independent monitors from polling stations, along with reports of violence and fraud suggest that citizens were not able to partake in free elections.”
Posted in Egypt, Elections, Human Rights | Comment »
Egypt: Ahmed Hassan Bassyouni a “Prisoner of Conscience”
November 26th, 2010 by Jason
Amnesty International has called on the Egyptian authorities “to stop the trial in a military court of a Facebook user facing up to five years in prison after he published public information on Egypt’s military service.” Ahmed Hassan Bassyouni is being charged with publishing “military secrets” for “establishing a Facebook group on carrying out military service and answering questions on the military without permission.” The group says that “Ahmed Hassan Bassyouni is being tried solely for publishing information readily available in the public domain and often published in local newspapers. If this is the case, Amnesty International would consider him a prisoner of conscience.” There have also been reports that the two most popular Facebook pages in Egypt, “We are all Khaled Said” and “Mohamed ElBaradei” were deleted, although “We are all Khaled Said” appears to be operating again.
Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights | Comment »
Egypt: HRW Criticizes Election Preparations, Arrests
November 26th, 2010 by Evan
Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a new statement criticizing the Egyptian government for “mass arbitrary arrests, wholesale restrictions on public campaigning, and widespread intimidation of opposition candidates and activists” in the weeks before Sunday’s parliamentary vote. In addition, HRW claims that government authorities have failed to issue permits for domestic election monitors and ignored court orders to reinstate candidates whose candidacies were previously rejected by the elections commission. Increased repression, coupled with the many structural flaws of the Egyptian electoral system and government malfeasance “makes free and fair elections extremely unlikely this weekend,” said Joe Stork, HRW’s deputy Middle East and North Africa director.
Posted in Egypt, Elections, Human Rights | Comment »
