POMED Notes: “The Rise of Islamism: Its Impact on Religious Minorities”

On Wednesday, May 15, the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom held a panel titled, “The Rise of Islamism: Its Impact on Religious Minorities” to discuss Islamist radicalization in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. Panelists included former Pakistani parliamentarian Farahnaz Ispahi; Professor of Iranian, Central Eurasian, and Islamic Studies at Indiana University Jamsheed Choksy; and Executive Director of the Center for Islamic Pluralism Stephen Schwartz. Nina Shea, Hudson ...

POMED Notes – “U.S. Policy Toward Iran”

On Wednesday, May 15, 2013, the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing titled "U.S. Policy Toward Iran." Wendy Sherman, State Department Under Secretary for Political Affairs, and David Cohen, Treasury Department Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, testified. Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) presided. For full event notes continue reading or click here for the PDF. In Chairman Menendez's opening statement, he said the United States needs to "double ...

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US: Ahmed Maher Arrest “Step Backward” for Egypt

The U.S. State Department has called last week's arrest of April 6 co-founder Ahmed Maher a "step backward" for Egypt's democratic transition. The U.S. has expressed concern about what it sees as a growing trend of arrests against political ...

Press Release: POMED Condemns Arrest of Ahmed Maher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2013 Project on Middle East Democracy Condemns Arrest of April 6 Leader Ahmed Maher The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) condemns the arrest of April 6 leader Ahmed Maher in Egypt today, Friday, May 10.  According to an interior ministry official, Maher is accused of inciting a protest outside the house of Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim and is to be detained for four days pending an investigation. ...

POMED Notes: “Human Rights in Tunisia’s Transition: A View from the Field”

The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) held a panel discussion on the role of human rights in Tunisia’s constitution-writing process titled “Human Rights in Tunisia’s Transition: A View from the Field” featuring Amel Azzouz, a deputy in Tunisia’s National Constituent Assembly from the Ennahda party; Amna Guellali, Human Rights Watch Tunisia Researcher; Stephen McInerney, Executive Director of POMED; and Joyce Kasee, ...

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Bahrain’s Parliament Criticizes US Ambassador for Internal Interference

Bahraini lawmakers are urging their government to stop the U.S. ambassador from "interfering in domestic affairs," and attending "repeated meetings with those who inspire sedition." The government has agreed to the proposal and said they would take diplomatic measures, but ...

Photo Credit: AFP PHOTO / ADEM ALTAN

Freedom House: Press Freedom Declined in MENA, Globally

Freedom House released its annual report on freedom of the press around the world in 2012. The report identified a global decline, asserting that "the percentage of people worldwide who enjoy a free media environment fell to its ...

Photo Credit: Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images

Iraq Suspends Ten TV Channels Amid Sectarian Violence

The Iraqi government suspended the broadcasting licenses of ten satellite television channels, including Al Jazeera. Iraq's Communication and Media Commission is imposing a ban on the operations of Al Sharqiyah, Al Sharqiyah News, Babylonian, Baghdad, Salah al-Din, Anwar ...

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State Department Human Rights Country Reports: Syria

The State Department's 2012 Human Rights Report on Syria noted a number of human rights problems, the most significant of which were "the regime’s massive, countrywide attacks and strategic use of citizen killings to intimidate and control; specific ...

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State Department Human Rights Country Report: Lebanon

The State Department's annual report on human rights in Lebanon described the country's most significant human rights abuses as "torture and abuse by government and other security forces, harsh prison and detention center conditions, and limitations on freedom of ...

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State Department Human Rights Country Report: Morocco/W. Sahara

In the State Department's newest human rights report on Morocco, the analysis identifies "little or no progress by year’s end in passing necessary to implement the advances, such as gender equality and parity, provided for in the ...

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State Department Human Rights Country Report: Egypt

The State Department's 2012 report on human rights practices in Egypt notes a host of concerns resulting from the country's 2011 revolution and transition to democracy. Among the most problematic were the increased vulnerability of women and minorities ...

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State Department Human Rights Country Report: Bahrain

The annual State Department country report on human rights practices in Bahrain detailed heavy-handed repression in 2012 and reports that the government maintains a system of extra-judicial detention facilities where torture routinely occurs. The most serious human rights problems ...

Turkey’s Troubled Politics: Rising Influence and Eroding Freedoms

The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) presents: Turkey's Troubled Politics: Rising Influence and Eroding Freedoms Friday, April 26, 2013 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm SEIU Headquarters 1800 Massachusetts Ave. NW Click here to RSVP In a time when the Middle East has been experiencing unprecedented political change and opportunities for democratic openings, many observers and analysts have turned to Turkey to be a model of democratic transformation throughout the region. As Turkey rises as a regional power, ...

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State Department Human Rights Country Report: Iran

In its annual report on the status of human rights in Iran, the State Department determined that the country's most egregious rights violations were "the government’s severe limitations on citizens’ right to peacefully change their government through free ...

Photo Credit: Reuters/Mona Sharaf

State Dept. Releases 2012 Human Rights Country Reports

The State Department released the 2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. These reports provide detailed assessments of the status of human rights around the world. Uzra Zeya, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor,

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F1 Champion: Race Will “Make Life Worse” for Bahrainis

Former Formula One world champion Damon Hill argued that the Grand Prix, which will be held in Manama later this month, should not go ahead. "I would not want to go to Bahrain if people are going to be ...

Photo Credit: AP/Petr David Josek

Leaked Report Implicates Egyptian Military in Torture, Disappearance

The Guardian released Wednesday portions of a report drafted by a presidential committee in Egypt cataloging the military's crimes against civilians during the 2011 uprising. Still unpublished after being submitted to President Mohamed Morsi and Prosecutor General Talaat Abdallah in ...

Photo Credit: Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed

NGOs Send Letter on Bahrain to Racers

A group of NGOs sent a letter regarding human rights abuses in Bahrain to racers participating in the upcoming Formula One Grand Prix in the country. The letter outlines the protest movement in Bahrain and the government's response to the protests. ...

Photo Credit: Reuters

Spurning Militias, Libya Congress Criminalizes Torture, Abduction

In an effort to tamp down on unwieldy militias that often take the law into their own hands, Libya's General National Congress (GNC) approved a law criminalizing torture and abductions on Tuesday. Many of the former revolutionary militias continue to ...

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