POMED Notes: Voices from Bahrain: Anniversary of the Uprising
On Wednesday, Freedom House hosted three Bahraini human rights activists to discuss the situation on the ground, prospects for political reform, and U.S.foreign policy in Bahrain. Speakers were: Maryam Al-Khawaja, the head of the Foreign Relations section of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Husain Abdulla, director of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, and Jalil Al Radhi, a Bahraini activist who has fled the country. Dr. Robert ...
February 15, 2012
Category: Bahrain, DC Event Notes, Event Notes, Freedom, Government, Human Rights, US foreign policy, Youth
Thousands Attempt to Return to Pearl Roundabout
Thousands of pro-democracy Bahrainis are marching to the Pearl Roundabout in the capital city of Manama. The Roundabout was the focal point of protests last year, but has been inaccessible due to increased security. During this most recent march, ...
A Week of Violence in the Moroccan City of Taza
Last week, in the northeastern city of Taza, local media reported clashes between demonstrators and security forces. The tensions started on January the 4th, when students organized protests to claim social and economic grievances. However, the demonstrations turned into clashes. On Wedensday, February 1st, ...
POMED Notes: Next Generation Peacebuilding and Social Change in the Arab World
On Wednesday, the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted an event highlighting the success of “Salam Shabab,” an Iraqi TV show that just premiered its first season. A screening of the final episode of the show was then followed by a brief lecture by Marsha Williams, President at Harvest Research Group and then a panel discussion with Brett Pierce, Co-Executive Producer and former Sesame Workshop Producer, Hussam Hadi, Producer of Salam Shabab, and ...
Deaths Increase in Bahrain
Four activists have died in the past 24 hours in Bahrain. Hajj Ali Al-Sukari and Abbas Sheikh both died from inhaling tear gas that was fired by Saudi-backed forces during anti-regime rallies. According to the report released by Amnesty International, the ...
Some Protesters Retaliate Against Police Violence
Several people were wounded as "violence flared up in Bahrain in the wake of a leading Shia cleric's call to 'crush' police.'" In his sermon Sheikh Isa Qassim said, "whoever you see abusing a woman, crush him," which spurred some youth ...
Egypt’s Liberals Demand Faster Transition
Under the current transition schedule, Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) plans to turn over executive power to a civilian government in late June. However, some anti-SCAF activists rejected this timetable and demanded that the military leave power ...
POMED Notes: “After Tunisia’s Election”
On Wednesday, the Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS) at George Washington University hosted a panel discussion entitled "After Tunisia's Election" to assess the results of Tunisia's October 23 elections and their implications for the nation moving forward. Melani Cammett of Brown University, Chris Alexander of Davidson College, and John P. Entelis of Fordham University offered remarks. POMEPS Director Marc Lynch moderated the event. For full event notes, continue reading. ...
November 2, 2011
Category: DC Event Notes, Egypt, Elections, Political Islam, Political Parties, Political transition, Tunisia, Youth
Clinton Visits Tripoli, Meets with Jibril
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Tripoli Wednesday as the first cabinet-level official to visit Libya since 2008. Senior level State Department officials outlined three main goals for Clinton's visit: first, to offer congratulations on behalf of ...
October 19, 2011
Category: Civil Society, Diplomacy, Featured, Foreign Aid, Libya, Political transition, Women, Youth
Obama Announces Re-opening of Peace Corps in Tunisia
President Barack Obama announced that the Peace Corps program in Tunisia will re-open in 2012. His announcement came after a meeting with Tunisian Prime Minister Beji Caid el Sebsi. Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams said, "The return of the ...
Egypt: Political Parties Prepare for Upcoming Elections
The Revolutionary Youth Council announced that it would present a list of 200 candidates spanning all of Egypt's governorates in the upcoming parliamentary elections. During their press conference at the Cairo Syndicate of Journalists, the RYC "also called for the ...
September 22, 2011
Category: Education, Egypt, Elections, Islamist movements, Political transition, Protests, Youth
POMED Notes: SFRC: Nomination Hearing for Ambassador to Bahrain
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing to present Ambassador-designate to the Kingdom of Bahrain The Honorable Thomas C. Krajeski, Ambassador-designate to Luxembourg Robert A. Mandell, Ambassador-designate to the People's Republic of Bangladesh The Honorable Dan W. Mozena, and the nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Michael A. Hammer. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) presided over the hearing, and John Barrasso (R-WY) and James ...
September 21, 2011
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Category: Bahrain, Congressional Hearing Notes (Senate), DC Event Notes, Diplomacy, Political transition, Protests, Technology, US foreign policy, Women, Youth
Egypt: Fears Raised that Activists Will Boycott Elections
In Marc Lynch's September 6 piece "Will Egypt's Activists Boycott the Election?" Lynch worries that the activists of Tahrir Square, who see themselves as the "soul of the revolution" will threaten to boycott November's Parliamentary elections. After struggling with ...
September 7, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Featured, Political transition, Protests, Reform, Youth
Egypt: Youth Plans Mass Protests
The Revolutionary Youth Coalitions (RYC) plan to call on the ruling military council to step down at a mass protest planned in Tahrir Square on September 9 in an effort to show their frustration on the difficult road toward a "new Egypt." The RYC plans to pressure the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in an effort to decease the number of civilians of being tried in military courts. Additionally, ...
September 4, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Egypt, Government, Human Rights, Military, Political transition, Protests, Reform, Turkey, Youth
Bahrain: Prisoners on Hunger Strike Suffer From Deteriorating Health
More detainees are joining a hunger strike to protest ongoing trials from the crackdown on the protests by the Shia majority. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights released a statement highlighting the hunger strike, which now includes 20 doctors who are imprisoned and face anti-state charges linked to the protests against the Sunni dynasty. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights also reported that at least two other activists, Abdul Jalil al-Singace ...
Iran: Political Prisoners Granted Furlough Despite Additional Arrests
Three reformist political prisoners, Mostafa Tajzadeh, Ghorbanali Behzadannejad and Javad Emam, were granted three-day furloughs in Iran. Tajzadeh was a senior member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front and was arrested for participating in protests during the 2009 presidential elections. He was sentenced to six years in prison. Behzadannejad was sentenced to five years in prison for aiding presidential candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi. Emam was sentenced to one year in prison for ...
September 1, 2011
Category: Freedom, Government, Human Rights, Iran, Journalism, Protests, Reform, Women, Women's Rights, Youth
Iran: Nationwide Water Gun Fight Scheduled
After 800 men and women gathered in a park in Tehran several weeks ago for a water gun fight, security forces have been tracking participants through social media websites and arresting them. Security forces have been using Facebook to find the organizers and participants of the water gun fight through their Facebook accounts. The Facebook page for "Water Wars in Tehran" now has 19,000 members and 22 local chapters for ...
Iran: Release of Political Prisoners; Opposition Leader in Psychological Harm
Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi announced that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will pardon 100 political prisoners in light of the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Additionally, more than 30 inmates have been released over the past several days, including students and political activists arrested in the aftermath of the 2009 presidential election. According to the Green Movement's news site Kaleme, in regards to the pardoned prisoners whose imprisonment ...