Freedom House Releases Internet Freedom Report
April 26th, 2011 by Naureen
Last week, Freedom House released its report on internet freedom in 37 countries around the world. The report found that while the number of internet users have increased, “governments have stepped up efforts to regulate, and in some instance tightly control, the new medium.” The study highlights the increase in the number of blocked and filtered sites as well as the arrest of bloggers and internet users posting information contrary to the government’s views. It also notes the fact that a large number of governments, such as Saudi Arabia, have deliberately blocked access to information related to politics, social issues, and human rights. It also notes the sophistication of these regimes to filter and control content or even shut down the internet, as was the case in Egypt. The report notes that intensified censorship and arrest of users came “in the context of popular protests or contentious elections” in countries like Bahrain, Iran and Tunisia and highlights the importance of sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter in social and political activism during the recent and ongoing events Egypt, Tunisia, and Bahrain. In the study, Jordan was listed as a “country at risk” due to the monitoring of some activity by authorities and the adoption of a new law on cybercrimes that may be used to limit free expression on the internet.
Jordan, Turkey and Egypt received a “Partly Free” designation while Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Iran were labeled as “Not Free.” Iran received the lowest internet freedom score due to the internet restrictions put in place following the 2009 Green Revolution, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s stake in the Telecommunications Company of Iran and the banning of encrypted e-mail sites like Gmail.
Posted in Bahrain, Civil Society, Corruption, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Iran, Jordan, Protests, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Technology, Tunisia, Turkey | Comment »
CNN Asks Experts to Comment on Future of “Arab Spring”
April 26th, 2011 by Naureen
Given the uncertainty surrounding events in the Middle East, CNN.com asked five experts to address how the “Arab Spring” will play out in the coming months. Ibrahim Sharqieh, deputy director of the Brookings Doha Center, states that in the coming months we will see a new paradigm for political transition in the Middle East as dictators use more forceful means to quell popular uprisings. Nader Hashemi notes the misnomer of ”Arab Spring” given the differing internal dynamics of the countries, but notes that the days are numbered for Arab dictators. Parag Khanna, senior research fellow with the New America Foundation, argues that the region is likely to remain volatile especially in Egypt during the lead up to parliamentary elections and in Bahrain where the government has suppressed the opposition instead of addressing its concerns. He also notes the role the International Monetary Fund and the Gulf countries can play in supporting structural economic modernization throughout the region.
Julie Taylor, a political scientist at the RAND Corp., stated that in the next six months, we will likely see regime change in Yemen and Libya. Taylor also notes the Syrian armed forces commitment to President Bashar al-Assad and the strong support the regime will likely receive from Iran for a mass crackdown. Feryal Cherif draws parallels between the events in Egypt and those in Syria where both leaders offered concessions in hopes of appeasing protesters, but tended to remain a step behind protesters’ demands. She notes, however, that Syria lacks the presence of a strong civil society and experience with activism, which will likely hinder their movement.
Posted in Bahrain, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Gulf, Iran, Military, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen | Comment »
Egypt: New Pew Poll and Prospects for Liberal Factions
April 26th, 2011 by Ali
The Pew Research Center published a poll on Egypt’s political outlook on Tuesday, offering the “first credible” statistical insight of the political trends in post-revolutionary Egypt. Researchers conducted personal interviews with 1,000 Egyptian adults between 24 March and 7 April. Generally, the poll shows a highly favorable view of the military, and split support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the April 6 Movement and Ayman Nour’s Al-Ghad party. The New York Time’s coverage of the poll highlighted the optimism most Egyptian feels about the trajectory of the country. In contrast, Ahram Online, focused on the more than half of Egyptians who do not want to keep the peace treaty with Israel or maintain an Israeli embassy in the country, as well as the mere 36 percent of Egyptians who believe Coptic Christians should be able to freely practice their religion. Haaretz’s analysis emphasized that college-educated Egyptians are more likely to support the peace treaty than the working class.
A recent Financial Times op-ed underscores worries about Egypt’s liberal bloc, “Unfortunately, much of the energy of liberal Egypt seems to be focused on pursuing the old regime rather than preparing for the future.” The April 6 Movement announced its withdrawal from the Revolutionary Youth Coalition (RYC), citing the coalition’s interference in the movement’s internal affairs. April 6 seeks to create a comprehensive umbrella coalition that can participate in parliamentary elections.
Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Islamist movements, Mideast Peace Plan, Military, Political Parties, Public Opinion, Youth | Comment »
Egypt: Ex-Interior Minister on Trial; SCAF Denies Gulf Pressure Against Mubarak Prosecution
April 26th, 2011 by Ali
Habib al-Adly, Egypt’s ex-interior minister, has been charged along with six former aides for ordering to killings of protesters during the country’s revolution. His case was immediately adjourned until late May. Al-Adly was also the first member of the old regime to be tried for embezzlement, to which he plead not guilty. 846 people were killed and several thousand wounded during 18 days of street protests that ousted president Hosni Mubarak on February 11.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which heads Egypt’s transitional government, denied reports that it was under financial pressure from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to not prosecute former president Mubarak.
Posted in Corruption, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Judiciary, Military, Protests | Comment »
Senator McCain Discusses Protest Movements Across the Middle East
April 25th, 2011 by Naureen
In an interview with The Cairo Review of Global Affairs, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) expressed his belief that the U.S. should resume its leadership of NATO operations in Libya, recognize the Transitional National Council as the “legitimate voice of the Libyan people,” and arm the rebels lest the situation turns into a stalemate which empowers al-Qaeda or Muammar Gadhafi‘s regime. He also called on President Barack Obama to formally declare that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lost his legitimacy as a ruler by slaughtering his own people. However, he cautioned against calls for regime change as failure to secure regime change could hurt the United States’ credibility. He also stated his opposition to direct U.S. involvement in Syria noting that he does not see a way for the U.S. to help the opposition in any way other than through expressions of solidarity with the protesters.
Discussing Egypt, Senator McCain stressed the importance of ensuring a successful transition in Egypt given the regional importance of the country. He expressed his belief that the Supreme Military Council under the leadership of General Mohamed Tantawi has handled the transition “very well so far.” The Senator also expressed his concern over the situation in Yemen where it is unclear what will come next. McCain also noted the different situations and complexities in the various protest movements across the Middle East and also noted the impact it has had in places like China and Russia.
Posted in al-Qaeda, Bahrain, Civil Society, Corruption, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, EU, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Jordan, Libya, Military, Morocco, NATO, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, United Nations, US foreign policy, Yemen, Youth | Comment »
Prospects for Democratic Transition in Tunisia and Egypt
April 25th, 2011 by Naureen
Alfred Stepan, writing at Democracy Digest, discusses whether Tunisia and Egypt will successfully transition into democracies. Stepan optimistically states that Tunisia will successfully transition to a democracy this year noting the fact that the military is not complicating the transition, that the civilian-led interim government has engaged in interactive negotiations about the democratic rules with virtually all major actors, and that a Constituent Assembly is being formed and will step down following the formation of a government. Additionally, he notes that the Constituent Assembly, which is free to choose the system of government, will likely form a parliamentary government following the model of post-communist European countries. Stepan also points to the inclusion and moderation of Al-Nahda as a reason for the success of Tunisia.
Looking at the case of Egypt, Stepan states that while democratization is probable in the long term, the country does not have the “especially favorable conditions we find in Tunisia.” He points to the fact that every president in Egypt’s history has been military officer and the role of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in the transition period as a hindrance for democratic development. He also states that the U.S. emphasis on maintaining strong relations with the army, which receives $1.3 billion of the total $1.5 billion of U.S. aid to the country, may also hurt the the transition.
Posted in Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Islam and Democracy, Military, Protests, Reform, Tunisia, US foreign policy | Comment »
Egypt: Protestors Postpone Appointment of Provincial Governnor
April 25th, 2011 by Ali
Egypt’s military-led transitional government has decided to “freeze” for three months the appointment of Emad Mikhail, a Christian and former police officer who was appointed as governor of Qena province this month, The concession was made in order to assuage a week’s worth of protests. Protesters are also taking issue with the appointment of former policemen as governors in two other provinces. In Qena, some protesters have declared their refusal to be governed by a Christian. In spite of the announcement, about one thousand protesters are continuing until Mikhail appointment is canceled.
Posted in Egypt, Protests, Sectarianism | Comment »
POMED Notes: “A Conversation with Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi”
April 22nd, 2011 by Naureen
On Thursday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a discussion with Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi about her new book, The Golden Cage: Three Brothers, Three Choices, One Destiny about the Iranian revolution and the struggle of activists and the human rights movement. Jessica Matthews, President of the Carnegie Endowment made opening remarks and Karim Sadjadpour moderated the event.
To read full notes, continue below or click here for pdf.
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Posted in DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Protests, Reform, sanctions, Tunisia, US foreign policy | Comment »
Analyst Notes The New Age of Pan-Arabism
April 22nd, 2011 by Naureen
Writing at Foreign Policy, Parag Khanna notes the new age of Pan-Arabism that is characterized by societies demanding good governance and an inclusive political process. He states that the anti-authoritarian revolutions are “truly borderless” following Al Jazeera’s shaming of Arab autocrats — with the exception of Bahrain — and young activists training together across the region. Khanna also highlights the Arab League’s backing of a no-fly zone in Libya and considerations of peacekeeping forces for Palestine and Lebanon as “examples of a meaningful transnational Arab political sphere coming into being.” Khanna states that “the next great step toward a new Arab renaissance will come through physically overcoming the region’s arbitrary political borders” following the model of the European Union which has moved towards investing in cross-border infrastructure. He states that the Gulf countries could easily finance projects such as the Palestinian Arc project and trans-Arab transport corridors.
Posted in Arab League, Bahrain, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, EU, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Gulf, Gulf Cooperation Council, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Youth | Comment »
Sec. Clinton and Former Sec. Kissinger Discuss U.S. Foreign Policy and the Middle East
April 22nd, 2011 by Naureen
Speaking on Charlie Rose series, “Conversations on Diplomacy,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger discussed U.S. diplomatic efforts. Clinton highlighted the the new challenges facing U.S. foreign policy as the focus shifts away from state-to-state relationships to networks and multilateral relations and organizations. She also noted the implications of new technologies and new media. Kissinger noted the “huge changes” in state structure taking place across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Even amongst all these changes, the United States continues to remain a dominant power in the world that countries across the world turn to for leadership and aid. Clinton stated however, that “one of our biggest foreign policy challenges right now is to get our own house in order…we have to consolidate our own economic and political position in order to be able to continue to influence events in the future.”
Discussing the “Arab Spring,” Secretary Kissinger stated that the revolutions are still unfolding, as such we must be cautious of being overly optimistic. He noted, however, that we must not be too hasty in judging the outcome of the uprisings based on the proclamations of a few and ensure real transitions occur. Clinton noted that it is U.S. interest “to see a peaceful, stable transition to a more representative form of government in which institutions are able to democratize over time.” She also noted the lack of economic growth and development in the region as a reason for the people’s frustrations. Clinton and Kissinger also discussed the threat of Iran and the country’s hope to take advantage of the instability in the region. Kissinger also stated that the situation in Libya is peripheral to the events in the broader Middle East.
Posted in Civil Society, Corruption, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Gulf, Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Jordan, Libya, Military, NATO, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, US foreign policy, Yemen | Comment »
Scholars Discuss the Arab Spring in the Context of Lebanon’s 2005 Emancipation
April 21st, 2011 by Naureen
Last week, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosted an event entitled, “Lebanon Today: Internal Politics and the Arab Spring.” Speaking at the event were May Chidiac, president of MCF Media Institute; Michael Young, opinion editor for the Beirut Daily Star; Hisham Melhem, Washington bureau chief of Al-Arabiya; and Michael Doran, visiting professor at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.
May Chidiac noted how protests in the Arab world echo “the spirit of the Lebanese model” as they abandoned anti-Israel and anti-West rhetoric for legitimate demands of good governance, economic opportunities and political freedom. Chidiac also called for the U.S. and international community to support the March 14th movement. Michael Young discussed three lessons for the Arab Spring from Lebanon: first, that foreign intervention is often necessary for liberation movements to succeed; second, the liberation may clash with Western interests; and third, the importance of luck. Young discussed how many in the Arab world fail to acknowledge the importance of the 2005 emancipation as they see a weak Syria as advantageous to the West and Israel. Hisham Melham stated that the Arab Spring differs from the events in Lebanon in 2005 as they represent a social and political revolution rather than an emancipation from foreign occupation. He also notes the reversion to sectarianism in Lebanon. Melham also called on the Obama Administration to take a stronger stance on the situation in Syria. Melham along with Michael Doran argued that regime change in Syria could benefit the U.S. as it would improve dynamics with Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Iraq.
Posted in Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Freedom, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Military, Palestine, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, US foreign policy, Yemen | Comment »
Egypt: Amnesty Calls for Lifting of Emergency Laws
April 21st, 2011 by Alec
Amnesty International has urged Egypt’s interim government, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), to lift the emergency laws that were put in place under the regime of Hosni Mubarak. The group further called for a thorough investigation into abuses carried out under the law by the state and its agents. Amnesty International also claims they have documented further abuses and the continuing use of torture and arbitrary detention under the laws. The SCAF has stated it will scrap the emergency law ahead of September elections.
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights, Reform | Comment »
For Egypt, Lessons From Iraq
April 21st, 2011 by Alec
Ziad Al-Ali, writing at OpenDemocracy, argues that Iraq’s trials and tribulations of drafting a new constitution can provide Egypt with valuable lessons on pitfalls that should be avoided. Al-Ali states that Iraq and Egypt share enough basic similarities and needs that allow for Egypt to take stock of Iraqi failures and hopefully avoid them. He cites the current timeline of six months to draft a new permanent constitution as insufficient given the “wealth of constitutional and legal scholars to draw from.” Al-Ali fears that like Iraq’s six month deadline, the constitutional drafting committee will end up stacked with political appointees that possess little to no experience in constitutional law. In contrast, South Africa’s constitutional process, regarded as a resounding success, took around seven years to complete. Iraq’s quick nature of transition from a one-party system to a diverse multi-party system left many political leaders and parties unprepared with the realities of how such a system should function. Iraqi political leaders were unable to establish a “proper framework” for how political parties should operate; this includes an initial and extreme hesitation on issues of financial transparency, which in turn prevented Iraq from developing any proper enforcement mechanisms to ensure adherence to political rules and regulations. Ziad closes by calling for Egypt to allow the constitutional drafting committee the necessary amount of time it needs to properly engage on pertinent issues to avoid repeating Iraq mistakes.
Posted in Constitutional Issues, Egypt, Iraq, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: April 6 Youth Movement Denies Claims of Foreign Assistance
April 20th, 2011 by Kyle
The April 6 Youth Movement has issued a number of statements categorically denying that the group received any foreign assistance, funding, or training. The statements came after a New York Times article reported a number of Arab revolutions and revolutionary groups have been supported by United States funding and training. According to spokesmen from the April 6 movement, the reports of foreign funding were fabricated by individuals not affiliated with the party, including Essam El-Erian of the Muslim Brotherhood and members of the National Democratic Party. Ahmed Maher, the group’s general coordinator, discussed inner conflicts within the movement over the decision to turn it into a political NGO or continue to continue as a pressure group. He said that the NGO option was a collective decision approved by the majority of members in 22 governorates. However, a group of April 6 members and a member of the Justice and Freedom movement announced earlier that they no longer recognize Maher as the general coordinator of the movement, citing their disagreement with the decision to turn the movement into an NGO.
Post by Timothy Shorter
Posted in Civil Society, Egypt | Comment »
POMED Notes: Egyptian Human Rights Lawyer Discusses Region’s Protests
April 20th, 2011 by Ali
On Wednesday, Egyptian human rights lawyer Gamal Eid gave a lecture entitled “The Democratic Snowball and the Revolutions of the Arab World.” Eid began by remarking on the rise in internet usage in the Arab world in the past several years. While the trend has been generally recognized, Eid focused on the sudden spike in, say, Egyptian Facebook users between 2008 and 2010. Simultaneously, he noted, regimes in the region have become more adept at controlling and censoring the internet – he cited several politically-active sites, for example, that were shut down only hours after their creation. With regards to internet shutdowns generally, Eid found the Arab regimes “foolish,” saying “if the people are going to descend upon the streets… they are going to descend upon the streets.”
Continue reading below, or click here for the pdf.
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Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Freedom, Judiciary, Middle Eastern Media | Comment »
Egypt: Fact-Finding Mission Investigates Deaths and Violence of Revolution
April 20th, 2011 by Kyle
An Egyptian Government fact-finding mission conducted in the wake of the revolution declared that 846 people were killed during the unrest, twice that of previous official estimates. In the report, the judges described police sponsored killings with live ammunition including widespread instances of firing at the head and chest of protesters. The report also commented on the hundreds that filled the hospitals largely with eye injuries, many of whom lost their vision. The judges also offered a variety of answers as to why inmates from 11 of Egypt’s 41 prisons were released. There were reports that some prisons were opened in an attempt to orchestrate chaos and in others prisons were attacked allowing prisoners to flee.
Posted in Egypt, Judiciary, Protests | Comment »
Hauslohner Questions the Fate of the Mubarak Family
April 19th, 2011 by Kyle
Abigail Hauslohner, writing at Time Magazine, questions what the fate of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his sons, and other high ranking government officials will be in the coming months. Hauslohner asserts that some Egyptians want “clean, flat out revenge” and ”compensation for the billions of dollars they allege the regime stole from the public through corruption.” With a weak judicial system and a large web of former Mubarak connections still in power, Hauslohner questions the ability for members of the Mubarak family to receive a fair trial. On the issue of recovering funds, she asserts that officials who have been put in charge of this process are facing numerous impediments. These include exhaustive paperwork, vast international banking laws, and shell companies so the plundered funds can be hidden in off-shore bank accounts. With widespread calls for justice Hauslohner states that many believe that the military could set up “kangaroo courts” simply to appease the mob which would “not serve the cause of justice.” However, she argues: “the fact that a formerly untouchable class of wealthy and powerful politicians are now in prison remains, for post-revolutionary Egypt, one of the most surprising and shocking of developments.”
Posted in Corruption, Egypt, Public Opinion, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: Former Vice-President Questioned in Connection With Violence Against Protesters
April 19th, 2011 by Kyle
On Tuesday, former Egyptian vice-president, Omar Suleiman, was questioned by the general prosecutor’s office about his possible connection to the violence that was perpetrated against protesters during the revolution which began on January 25th. The prosecutor’s office stated that he was questioned about, “information held by the intelligence services on the events of the January 25 revolution,” and “the killing of protesters during peaceful [anti-regime] protests and over the wealth of the former president and his family.”
Posted in Egypt, Protests, Reform | Comment »
Adelman Calls for Congressional Cuts to Foreign Aid Budgets
April 19th, 2011 by Kyle
Writing at Foreign Policy, Ken Adelman, asserts that support for the U.S. foreign assistance budget is misguided and that arguments in support of these programs become “shallower” upon closer investigation. He argues that: “Four of the largest U.S. foreign-aid recipients today — Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, and Afghanistan — all take contrary positions on issues of critical importance to the White House.” Adelman also criticizes a recent article by Joseph Nye, stating that Nye’s argument over the relationship between foreign aid and the U.S.’s ability influence decisions in these countries is “unclear at best.” He cites Israel as an example as “Israel, rebuffs Washington constantly, on momentous issues of peace,” and is also the “No. 1 recipient of U.S. aid.” Adelman argues that countries initially view foreign aid with gratitude, but eventually with “entitlement.” On the issue of development assistance, Adelman believes that the top recipients of U.S. foreign assistance have not “developed all that much” and if they did it “could be due to other factors.” In closing he argues that the U.S. “soft power” namely the State Department has failed to effectively fund “modern-day freedom fighters” in Libya, Iran, Syria and Egypt.
Posted in Afghanistan, Congress, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Israel, Libya, Reform, Syria, US foreign policy | Comment »
Egypt: NDP Disbanded
April 16th, 2011 by Ali
On Saturday, an Egyptian court ordered the dissolution of Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party (NDP). The order meets one of the top demands by Egyptian activists. The party, which was founded in 1978 by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, dominated Egyptian political life for three decades. Concern remains that aside from the Muslim Brotherhood, no other political party has substantial organization or constituency in the wake of the old regime.
At a Washington event earlier this month, Thomas Garrett of the International Republican Institute (IRI), cautioned that a thorough ban of the NDP from political life may not be practical. He noted that many younger NDP members sought and received IRI training, and that historically when an authoritarian party is banned during a democratic transition, they are reinstated down the road. Yesterday, at the 12th Annual Conference of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) [notes forthcoming], Nathan Brown of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, warned that Egypt’s transition may not be threatened by top-level NDP officials, but the corrupt lower-level power brokers who operate the equivalent of political machines.
Update: POMED notes of Brown’s comments at the CSID conference are now available here.
Posted in Egypt, Judiciary, Political Parties | Comment »
