Upcoming POMED Event: Will the Monarchs Reform? Challenges to Democracy in the Gulf
The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) presents: Will the Monarchs Reform? Challenges to Democracy in the Gulf Wednesday, September 26, 2012 SEIU Headquarters, First Floor Conference Room (1800 Massachusetts Ave. NW) 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm (A light lunch will be available at noon.) While 2011 and 2012 have witnessed unprecedented changes across the Middle East and North Africa, the Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and ...
Six Men Jailed for Slander in Oman
Six men were sentenced to prison for slander by an Omani court on September 10. The sentences, ranging from 1 year to 18 months, referenced the defendants' criticism of the government. The men, Is’hac bin Sultan bin Yusuf al-Aghbari, Ismail bin Ali ...
Oman Jails 12 for Illegal Gathering, 8 for Incitement
According to Reuters, an Omani court sentenced 12 people to up to one year in jail for "illegal gathering" Wednesday, in what appears to be continued dissent over joblessness and the pace of reform. The 12 defendants are now arranging ...
Saudi Arabia Releases Blogger after Year in Solitary Confinement
Saudi Arabian authorities released a prominant blogger Saturday after spending more than a year in jail without charges. 35 year-old Nazir al-Majid was arrested last March joining anti-government protests in the mostly Shiite eastern province of Qatif. Rights activists last year launched ...
Oman, UAE Condemned for Sentences Against Netizens
Oman and the United Arab Emirates were criticized by a media watchdog and a human rights group for recent arrests and sentences against human rights activists and bloggers. Reporters Without Borders condemned the Omani government for sentencing activists to ...
UAE Deports Stateless Activist
Ahmed Abdul Khaleq, an activist from the United Arab Emirates, says he has been deported to Thailand after being held in two months' detention for campaigning on behalf of the UAE's "bidoon." Bidoon, an Arabic word meaning "without," ...
Oman Releases 11 Protesters, but Others Remain Detained
Eleven Omani activists arrested during peaceful protests over the previous month have been released on bail. An Omani court freed the some of the protesters detained during strikes at oil producing facilities, but will continue to hold four people charged with ...
Omani Youth Protest Pace of Reforms
As many as 200 Omani youth demonstrated in Sohar Monday, demanding jobs, better living conditions, and an end to corruption. Some have demanded the release of activists jailed for taking part in last year’s protests. Witnesses claim that ...
Arrests of Omani Bloggers Bring Condemnation
Reporters Without Borders condemned the series of arrests aimed at Omani bloggers through the last month as an attempt to stiffle political and social protest Tuesday. "We are concerned about the crackdown on Oman’s bloggers aimed at silencing the ...
POMED Report: Analyzing the FY13 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bills
The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) released a report contrasting the House and Senate Appropriations bills for fiscal year 2013, examining the potential impact of these bills on foreign aid and democracy assistance. Among the notable findings are additional ...
Oman Foreign Minister: “There is No Gulf Union”
Yousuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, the Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs said “There is no Gulf union" in a statement published only days before a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al ...
Dept of State: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011
The U.S. Department of State released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011. Particular emphasis was placed on the Middle East and North Africa, where developments in the Arab Spring led to significant changes in ...
Summary and Highlights of the FY13 House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill
On Thursday (5/17), the House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2013 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. According to a committee press release, the bill totals $40.1 billion in regular discretionary funding, which is $2 billion or 5 ...
The Tipping Point: Transitions to Democracy in the Middle East and Latin America
The Kellogg Institute for International Studies in association with the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies released a report, “Transitions to Democracy and the Arab Spring: Does Latin America Hold Lessons for the Middle East,” that examines how insights from Latin America’s democratization experience may be relevant for the Middle East today. The symposium was divided into two panels: the first explored the domestic challenges to democratization in Latin America ...