April 25, 2011

---

Legislation

 
There was no relevant legislation this week, as Congress was in recess. 
  
 
Committee Hearings

  
There were also no relevant committee hearings this week, as Congress was in recess.
  

From Washington

 

Criticism of U.S. Policy in the Region: Human Rights First called on the Obama administration to publicly state its opposition to human rights abuses in Bahrain. Jackson Diehl highlighted the recent violence in Syria and states that the U.S. has failed to respond. Ken Adelman criticized U.S. foreign assistance as many of the largest aid recipients, such as Israel, enact policies in contravention of U.S. interests and wishes. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) called for increased scrutiny of the military budget and for the U.S. to immediately end operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.Laura Rozen notes that Washington policymakers are torn between enthusiasm for the democratic movements and wariness over the regional balance of power against Iran. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) called for the international community to arm and recognize the Libya opposition “Transitional National Council as the ‘legitimate voice’ of the Libyan people,” out of fear over a potential stalemate. Senator Lindsey Graham(R-SC) suggested that the administration and NATO increase attacks on Tripoli and Gadhafi’s inner circle.

  

  

From the Middle East
Crackdown on Bahraini Activists Continues: Dozens of security officers raided the home of defense lawyer Mohammed al-Tajer and arrested him. Amnesty International released an urgent appeal this week on his behalf as well as another report calling for the international community to work to halt continued abuses..  Nearly 500 doctors and activists are currently being detained by Bahraini authorities. Physicians for Human Rights denounced the “systematic” attack on medical staff in Bahrain. Bahraini activist Zainab Al-Khawaja ended her hunger strike in support of her father, the leading human rights activist, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, when he was brought before a military court for trial. Meanwhile, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova called for the Bahraini government to investigate the deaths of Karim Fakhrawi and Zakariya Rashid Hassan, who died in custody under suspicious circumstances.  Bahrain’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa stated that protests had amounted to a "coup attempt," and that protesters would be held accountable for their actions. Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa announced that Gulf troops will stay in Bahrain until its rulers are satisfied that they have effectively countered threats from Iran. Bahrain’s state news agency also said that seven detained opposition supporters will go on trial before a military court. In an interview, Farnaz Sanei, said that the crackdown has gone "well beyond" any attempts to re-establish security. The Bahraini government has canceled scholarships of at least 20 Bahraini students studying abroad in the U.K. for their role in peaceful protests there.  

 
Syria Lifts Emergency Law Amid Skepticism and Violence: Protesters gathered in Homs to demand reforms, and were met with live ammunition and tear gas.  President Bashar al-Assad officially lifted the emergency law, which allowed for arbitrary arrest and detention. Assad also abolished the Higher State Security Court and issued a decree declaring the right to protest as a basic human right guaranteed by the Syrian constitution. Nonetheless, protests and violence continued on Friday, during the bloodiest day so far with more than 100 killed. Killings continued into the weekend, as security forces attacked funeral processions killing 9 in Jableh alone. Dozens have also gone missing since Friday as Syrian forces increase abductions. Democracy Digest discusses the growth of the protest movement and the cohesion of factions who have united under a manifesto of goals.
 
Yemen Negotiation Crisis Continues: Opposition leaders traveled to Riyadh to meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to discuss a draft agreement on President Saleh's departure. Security forces opened fire on protesters in Taiz and Sana’a during protests. The Saudi Council of Ministers welcomed international support for GCC mediation of the unrest in Yemen which was supported by the Arab League and major Western powers. Ali al-Jaradi criticized Saudi Arabia’s mediating role. Former ministers and members of the parliament who left the government’s in support of protests formed a new political group, the Justice and Building (or Development) Bloc. Thousands or protesters gathered in the streets of Sana’a and Taiz demanding Saleh’s departure on Friday following the release of a GCC transition plan, which Saleh stated he would support. A special UN Security Council meeting was held, but member states failed to agree on a public statement on how best to address the unrest in Yemen. Over the weekend Saleh contacted the GCC and stated he would accept the proposal in full, in response, opposition protesters said they would escalate efforts.
 
EU Pushes for Humanitarian Troops in Libya: The European Union is seeking U.N. approval for a plan to send 1,000 troops to Libya to undertake the delivery of aid supplies to besieged civilians.  The EU stresses the strict humanitarian role of potential troops, however, the forces will be authorized to fight if they or civilians come under threat.  
 
Moroccan Opposition Group Refuses Constitutional Review Amidst Protest: Morocco’s February 20 Movement has refused to join a consultative committee formed by King Mohammed VI to review the constitution. Leaders of the movement complained that the committee was formed unilaterally and does not appear to take their demands seriously. The movement is calling for mass protests on April 24th, primarily in Tangiers and Salé. Over the weekend, thousands protested for reform and an end to political detentions in Rabat and Casablanca.
 
Protests Reignited in Jordan and Iran: Jordan’s main Islamist opposition party, the Islamic Action Front, has moved to the forefront of recent protests.  Another recent Islamist protest turned violent as pro-monarchists clashed with Salafi jihadists in Zarqa. Fifteen people were killed and dozens were wounded in Ahwaz, by plain-clothes Iranian security forces.  Radio Free Europe also reported that workers in the northwestern city of Qazvin have staged protests in recent days, demanding the payment of overdue wages. Fatemeh Karoubi wife of Mehdi Karoubiwas also released from house arrest for medical treatment after being held incommunicado since February.
 
Egypt Probes Regime Violations, April 6^th Denies U.S. Support: 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. A government fact-finding mission also conducted in the wake of the revolution declared that 846 people were killed during the unrest, twice that of previous official estimates. The judges also offered answers as to why inmates from 11 of Egypt’s 41 prisons were released. The April 6 Youth Movement has issued a number of statements categorically denying that the group received any foreign assistance, funding, or training. 
 
Palestinian Gaza Youth Advocate Reconciliation: Activists in Gaza are helping organize the self-named March 15 movement seeking to promote Palestinian national reconciliation between the rival Hamas-Fatah. Members of the movement have met with Hamas officials to discuss their grievances but have received mixed messages. 
 
Crackdown on Academic Freedom in the UAE: Human Rights Watch reported that Ahmed Mansoor, a member of HRW’s Middle East advisory committee, was released from custody.   Two other activists are still in detention, including Nasser bin Ghaith, whose arrest raises the question of academic freedom for lecturers.
 
New Lebanese Government to be Announced: Nabih Berri, speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, has said he is optimistic that Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati’s new cabinet will be officially formed shortly after the Easter holiday.  The new cabinet will have 30 ministerial posts, nine of which will be shared by Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and the Hezbollah-led March 8 movement.
 
Pardons and Protest in Oman: Omani Sultan Qaboos bin Said pardoned 234 people who were arrested in anti-government protests in February.  Demonstrations broke out in the port city of Sohar in support of greater freedom of expression, higher salaries, and against government corruption. Nearly 1,000 protesters took to the streets in Oman's southern port city of Salalah in one of the biggest pro-reform demonstrations in the country to date. 
     
On Thursday (4/14) and Friday(4/15), the Managing Global Order project at the Brookings Institution and the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy hosted a conference entitled, “Foreign Policies of Emerging-Market Democracies: What Role for Democracy and Human Rights?,” featuring leading experts on international affairs, including Samantha Power, Larry Diamond, Thomas Carothers, Robert Kagan, and Moises Naim.
 
On Friday (4/15), the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) held their 12^th Annual Conference under the theme “Tunisia’s and Egypt’s Revolutions and Transitions to Democracy.” CSID President Radwan Masmoudi opened the conference by giving special attention to discerning real and fake stability and development in Egypt and Tunisia.
 
On Tuesday (4/19), Freedom House hosted a discussion entitled, “From Revolution to Democracy: The Next Generation of Democracy Builders” on developments and challenges for Tunisia’s democratic transition in the lead up to July elections and the role of the youth. Speaking at the event was Sofiene Chourabi a Tunisian journalist, blogger and civil society activist.
 
On Tuesday (4/19), the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted "A Conversation with Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa," the Bahraini Minister of Finance to discuss the current situation in Bahrain and the Bahrain's financial position in the Gulf.  Michael Van Dusen, the executive vice president of the Wilson Center introduced the minister.
 
On Wednesday (4/20), Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, hosted an discussion with Egyptian human rights lawyer Gamal Eid entitled, “The Democratic Snowball and the Revolutions of the Arab World,” to discuss protesters in the region. 
 
On Thursday (4/21), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted “A Conversation 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, an associate at Carnegie, moderated the event.