Israeli Prison Doctor Fears for Lives of Palestinian Hunger Strikers
Earlier this month, the Israeli Prison Service reported that an estimated 2,000 Palestinian prisoners began a hunger strike on April 17. As of yesterday, more than 15 prisoners have been transferred to Israeli hospitals due to sever deterioration ...
Saudi Recalls Ambassador to Egypt
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Egypt and closed its consulates there. The move comes in response to protests in front of the Saudi embassy in Cairo demanding the release of Egyptian lawyer and activist Ahmed al-Gizawi. Gizawi was arrested on April 17 in Saudi while on umra, an Islamic pilgrimage. Initially, Gizawi was reportedly arrested for defaming the king, due to a lawsuit he had brought in ...
Waves of Demonstrations Ahead of Vote in Algeria
On Sunday, a young unemployed Algerian set himself fire (French) sparking violent riots in the neighborhood of Villa Moussa in Alger. The young man set himself fire after policemen confiscated packets of cigarettes that he was selling. Inhabitants rebelled against the security forces, erected barricades, attacked the local ...
HRW Exposes Ongoing Police Brutality in Bahrain
Following a five-day visit to the country, Human Rights Watch reports, "Bahrain’s police are beating and torturing detainees, including minors, despite public commitments to end torture and police impunity." According to Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director of HRW, “Bahrain has ...
POMED Notes: Confronting Damascus: U.S. Policy Toward the Evolving Situation in Syria, Part II
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted a hearing on examining U.S. response to the evolving crisis in Syria. The witness were Marc Lynch, a professor at George Washington University, Andrew Tabler, a next generation fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Mara Karlin, instructor in strategic studies at Johns Hopkins University. Steve Chabot (R-OH) presided over the committee. For full event notes, ...
Increased Concern for Al-Khawaja Amid Disappearance
Abdulhadi al-Khawaja entered his 78th day of hunger strike today, but his whereabouts is still unconfirmed. His wife recalled their last phone conversation on Monday, saying, ""Something is very wrong. He was talking about accepting death as the ...
F1 Exposes Complexities in “Bahrain Spring”
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon expressed concern about Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, and released a statement that, "urge the Bahraini authorities to resolve Mr. Al-Khawaja's case based on due process and humanitarian considerations without any further delay." However, concerns escalated as reports ...
Arrests and Deportations Follow F1; Al-Khawaja Trial Postponed
#OpBahrain is the hashtag given to hacker group Anonymous' most recent target: the Bahrain government and its Formula One (F1) race. After taking down the F1 website, Anonymous called for an end to violence from all sides, and ...
Death of a Protester as F1 Race Goes On
Bahrain's opposition claimed that a protester was killed during a class with policemen, threatening to escalate unrest while the world's attention is on the Gulf nation's Formula One (F1) race. Activists identified the body as Salah Abbas Habib, ...
Yates: “Of course we can’t guarantee security. I’d be a fool to sit here and say that.”
John Yates, former Scotland Yard chief, said, "Along with my family, I feel completely safe. Indeed, safer than I have often felt in London," in the days leading up to the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix. Today, the ...
Bahrain F1 Showered With Ongoing Criticism
BBC's Middle East Correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes says holding the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix race in Bahrain is not so much a question of safety, but rather of morality. Interviewing both members of the opposition and government officials, Wingfield-Hayes says ...
ICC May Reverse Its Demand to Trial In The Hague Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
BBC journalist Jon Donnison reported that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may drop its demand that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muaamar Gaddafi, be transferred to the Hague for trial; he would then be tried in Libya. Saif al-Islam is accused by ...
Mosley: F1 Will Become Bahrain Government’s “Instrument of Repression”
Max Mosley, former Formula One (F1) boss, firmly stated that if F1 did not reverse its decision to hold the Grand Prix race in Bahrain this year, it would "live to regret it." Mosley makes a strong argument ...
Bahrain F1: “It’s a Calculated Decision.”
Bahrain International Circuit chairman Zayed R Alzayani said the decision to move forward with the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix in Bahrain was "calculated." "We wouldn't make a decision on a gamble," Alzayni said, "But it's a calculated decision, we've ...
Opposition Calls for Week of Protest Against F1
Opposition groups Al-Wefaq, National Democratic Action Society, Nationalist Democratic Assembly Society, Alekha National Society, and National Democratic Assemblage called for a week of sit-ins and demonstrations under the banner of "steadfastness and challenge," in order to "take advantage of this week's race to ...