Bahrain: Protesters Stand in Solidarity with Female Detainees

On Saturday, Bahraini protesters stood in solidarity with the female detainees despite the attacks from security forces.  Protester Hassan AlEskafi was shot in the head during the protests.  AlEskafi was taken to a clinic set up by Doctors without Borders  however, security forces stormed the clinic and arrested the man running the clinic, Saeed Ayyad, and also took AlEskafi's body. On Friday, the biggest demonstration since March was held where protesters ...

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Morocco’s National Day, Call for Parliamentary Elections

Morocco celebrated it's National Day-Day of the Throne on Saturday and received congratulatory remarks from government officials around the world.  King Mohammed VI pardoned 14 prisoners and commuted the sentences of 954 others on the night of his ...

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Egypt: Many Losing Patience, SCAF Causing Divisions

Issandr El Amrani, of the Financial Times, writes that many Egyptians are losing patience with the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) headed by Field Marshall Mohammed Hussein Tantawi. He notes that while many Egyptians appreciated the ...

POMED Notes: The Trajectory of Egypt’s Transition

On Monday, the United States Institute of Peace hosted an event entitled "Beyond Tahrir: The Trajectory of Egypt's Transition." The discussion was with Major General Said Elassar, Assistant to Egyptian Defense Minister, Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Tara Sonenshine, Executive Vice President, United States Institute of Peace, provided introductory remarks. William Quandt, Edward R. Stettinius Professor of Politics, University of Virginia, moderated the discussion. For full notes, continue reading. ...

Egypt: Protesters Doubt Mubarak’s Upcoming Trial

Many activists are concerned that former President Hosni Mubarak's trial will be postponed.  According to activists, "setting the trial date was just an element of political theater, part of the ritual of superficial concessions that the military-led transitional government has made after each big new demonstration in Tahrir Square."  Activists are already planning protests in response to Mubarak's potentially postponed trial. Mubarak's trial is in ten days. “The signs show that ...

Saudi Anti-Terror Law Threatens Protesters

Amnesty International (AI) reports that the Draft Penal Law for Terrorism Crimes and Financing Terrorism, a new anti-terrorism law in Saudi Arabia, will allow authorities to prosecute peaceful dissent as terrorist crime. The law provides a broad definition of "terrorist crimes," including "endangering…national unity," "halting the basic law or some of its articles," or "harming the reputation of the state or its position." AI Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Philip Luther argued that the ...

Analysis: “Growing Frustration in Egypt”

Dina Guirguis from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy analyzed the growing frustration within Egypt regarding the pace of constitutional change. Guirguia presented an argument of conflict and uncertainty within the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), especially concerning the extent to which SCAF would suppress popular protest. She noted the disagreements between SCAF and the Islamists, especially the Freedom and Justice and Party of the Muslim Brotherhood. ...

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Analysts Discuss the Moroccan Referendum

In a recent Op/Ed in the New York Times, Ahmed Charai and Joseph Braude lauded the results of the July 1 Moroccan referendum as "the most significant development in the Arab world all summer." They discussed the newly ...

Daphne McCurdy On “Turkey’s Post-Election Crisis”

Daphne McCurdy, POMED Senior Research Associate, writing at OpenDemocracy discussed the political and legal crisis confronting Turkey since its June 12 election. She examined the apparent politicization of legal decisions that have precluded Hatip Dicle, an independent backed by the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) from taking his seat. McCurdy used the Dicle case to highlight tensions within Turkish society, including those between the political and armed aspects of the Kurdistan ...

Yemen: Revolutionary Vision of the Future

Tariq Aldoais, an activist in the Yemeni youth revolution and a doctor, heading the revolution's field hospital at Tahrir Square in Sana'a, wrote in the Guardian newspaper about the demands of the leading revolutionary committee. The demands are: to form an inclusive temporary presidential council of 5 - 7 people with integrity, experience, and competence to limit the transitional period to 9 months, dissolve the current constitution and government structure, guarantee the rights ...

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Abuses and Trials Continue in Bahrain

The trial of 28 doctors and nurses resumed today, with the judge refusing to allow defense witnesses to testify. The state-run Bahrain News Agency reports that a representative of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights ...

WINEP: “Egyptian Politics Could Boost Islamists”

Eric Trager from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy authored an assessment of the ongoing political maneuverings in Egypt. He noted the June 21 meeting of the National Democratic Alliance for Egypt, in which 14 smaller political parties joined with the co-founding Freedom and Justice Party and the Wafd Party. Trager believes this alliance is unsustainable but by its existence indicates two disturbing trends. (1) It appears the Alliance ...

POMED Notes: Anne Patterson Nomination Hearing

On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a nomination hearing for five ambassadors to the Middle East and Central Asia. The first of the hearing’s two panels featured the Honorable Anne W. Patterson, to be Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt. The second panel featured Michael H. Corbin, to be Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Matthew H. Tueller, to be Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, ...

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Constitution, Elections, and Life Today in Egypt

Steven Cook, the Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations wrote, in a two part series, about the current political and economic situation in Egypt. His first installment entitled "Which Comes ...

Bahrain: Condemnation for Activist Sentences

Human Rights organizations have criticized the recent verdicts against 21 activists and opposition figures in Bahrain. Human Rights First called the proceeding a "large political show trial," and concluded that the "verdicts expose the travesty of Bahrain’s military courts, and make the prospects of reconciliation even more remote." Program director Brian Dooley noted that "there was evidence of torture, denial of proper contact with lawyers and failure to provide basic ...

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State Dept. on Bahrain Trials, Syrian Reform Plans

State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner opened his daily press briefing yesterday to express concern over the severity of the sentences handed down to Bahraini activists and opposition figures, and over the nature of the military court proceedings. He reiterated ...

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Bahrain: Life Sentences for Leading Activists

Today, a Bahraini court sentenced eight Shia activists to life in prison and issued long jail terms for 13 others. They were charged with trying to overthrow Bahrain’s monarchy and of having links to "a terrorist organization abroad." Fourteen of the ...

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Libya: Debating the Roles of the US, TNC

A piece in The National expresses concern over the rumored formation of a constitutional committee within Libya's Transitional National Council. The drafting of a document that would serve as the foundation for Libya's future national government is beyond the ...

U.S. Calls for Reform in Bahrain

Assistant Secretary Michael H. Posner remarked on his visit to Bahrain last week, emphasizing the strong relationship between the U.S. and Bahrain, and calling for the Bahraini government to "begin an engagement that will start to rebuild tolerance, mutual respect and a process for navigating divisions." Posner emphasized that while "it is for the Bahraini people to forge their own future," the U.S. is prepared to provide assistance in building a ...

Assad's Third Speech

Syria: Assad’s Third Speech

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad spoke for more than an hour today at Damascus University. He announced the formation of a 100-member National Dialogue Authority, which he would serve on, to recommend reforms. Assad promised to prosecute anyone involved in ...

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