Bloggers Under Fire in Kuwait, Iran, and Egypt
November 22nd, 2010 by Evan
Kuwaiti lawyer and blogger Mohammad Abdul Qadir Al Jasem was sentenced to one in year in prison after he was found guilty of defaming Kuwait’s Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Subah. Earlier this year, Al Jasem was detained for six weeks on charges that he had harmed Kuwait’s national interests by criticizing the Al-Sabah regime. Also, Reporters Without Boards recently released reports condemning the arrest and trial of 18-year-old blogger and women’s rights activist Navid Mohebbi in Iran and the court martial of blogger Ahmed Hassan Basiouny in Egypt.
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights, Iran, Journalism, Kuwait | Comment »
New “World Press Freedom Index” Shows Decline in Middle East Media Freedom
October 20th, 2010 by Anna
Reporters Without Borders released its annual World Press Freedom Index today. In the Middle East and North Africa, press freedom saw mild improvements in some places, but deterioration overall. Morocco dropped 8 places in the global ranking, which the report’s authors attribute to “the arbitrary closing down of a newspaper, the financial ruin of another newspaper, orchestrated by the authorities, etc.” Tunisia’s score also worsened “because of its policy of systematic repression enforced by government leaders in Tunis against any person who expresses an idea contrary to that of the regime,” as well as a new amendment to the penal code that essentially criminalizes contact with foreign organizations that could damage national economic interests. In Syria and Yemen, press freedom continues to suffer as arbitrary arrests and torture are “still routine,” and crackdowns in Iran have kept that country at the near-bottom of the index. The rankings went down for Bahrain and Kuwait due to an uptick in charges against bloggers, including prominent Kuwaiti blogger Mohammed Abdel Qader Al-Jassem. The Palestinian Territories rose 11 places because “the violations committed in the year just ended are simply ‘less serious’ than in 2009,” and Algeria also saw mild improvements in media freedom. In Iraq, a higher score reflects the fact that journalists now work in safer conditions than in the past.
Posted in Bahrain, Freedom, Gulf, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Middle Eastern Media, Palestine, Syria, Technology, Tunisia | Comment »
Bahrain: Shiite Cleric’s Citizenship Revoked, Tensions Build
September 21st, 2010 by Jason
Michael Collin Dunn passes along the news that two Shiite clerics have had their citizenship revoked over the past several days. Yasser al-Habib, a Kuwaiti-born cleric who currently lives in London had his citizen revoked for insulting the Prophet Muhammad’s wife, Aisha. In Bahrain, Ayatollah Sheikh Hussein al-Najati, a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, had his passport canceled. Many interpreted this as a move by the Sunni monarchy of Bahrain to contain growing unrest amongst the Shiite majority. Brian Murphy, writing for the Associated Press, says “The move is seen as stern warning…” before next month’s parliamentary elections, adding that the cleric’s exile is the latest in a series of government actions: “More than 250 Shiites have been detained since mid-August and Bahrain has accused 23 political activists and others of plotting to overthrow the government. Last week, Bahrain closed the semi-independent Human Rights Society and replaced the board with people chosen by the leadership.”
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has, in the past, been seen as a reformer, but as POMED’s Stephen McInerney puts it, “‘The reputation that King Hamad enjoyed of trying to make a more democratic country has slowly reversed in the last four or five years.’”
Posted in Bahrain, Civil Society, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights, Kuwait | Comment »
Blackberry: Bans and Bargains
August 10th, 2010 by Jennifer
An official at the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission has confirmed that RIM, the Canadian-based maker of Blackberry technology, has struck an agreement with the Saudi Arabian government to allow a server inside the Gulf kingdom, effectively allowing the Saudi government to monitor messages sent over the Blackberry network. The two parties reached the agreement in order to avoid a potential Blackberry ban that was announced by Saudi Arabia late last week, citing fears that messages sent over the highly encrypted, closed network could pose a security threat. According to Abdullah al-Shihri writing for the Associated Press, the deal “could be setting a worldwide precedent for how technology companies and governments get along.”
Meanwhile, a number of other Arab governments debated their position on use of the technology. Lebanese officials expressed their interest in potentially pursuing a deal, with chief of Lebanon’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Imad Hoballah stating, “RIM has made concessions to the U.S., the UK, Russia and eventually they have to give in to some of the countries depending on the business propositions made. We would be happy with whatever information they have made available to the U.S.” An official source in Algeria predicted that “Ending the BlackBerry service in Algeria is very likely,” as Telecommunications Minister Moussa Benhamadi announced that his government is “looking at the issue. If we find out that it is a danger for our economy and our security, we will stop it.” On the other hand, Bahrain’s foreign minister, Sheik Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, said that his country does not intend to issue a ban, stating, “We’re not saying there is no security concern,’’ but adding that “there are many other ways for the criminals or terrorists to communicate, so we decided we might as well live with it.’’ Additionally, an official source at the Egyptian National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority denied that security forces have put forward any requests for a ban on Blackberry services in Egypt, adding that no evidence exists that Blackberry networks have been used for criminal activity in that country. Kuwait indicated a more cautious stance toward the issue, with its Communications Minister, Mohammad al-Busairi, commenting that “as of right now, we in Kuwait have no intention to stop the BlackBerry services… but at the same time we are following up on direct and indirect negotiations with the company and with fellow Gulf states.”
Posted in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Freedom, Gulf, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Technology, UAE | 1 Comment »
Kuwait: Losing Ground on Freedom of Speech?
July 26th, 2010 by Jennifer
Priyanka Motaparthy writing in Foreign Policy points to “a steady encroachment over the past year on Kuwaitis’ freedom of expression, the right to assemble peacefully, and the right to criticize public officials’ performance,” reversing the previous trend in Kuwait, which has consistently been ranked by groups such as Reporters Without Borders and Freedom House as having the freest media in the Arab world. Motaparthy points to prominent cases such as the recent trial of Mohammad al-Jasim– a journalist and outspoken political critic whose blog posts incited the government to accuse him of “instigating to overthrow the regime” and attempting to “dismantle the foundations of Kuwaiti society” –the October 2009 charging of two critical MPs with slander; and the recent prosecution of Khalid al-Fadhala, the head of Kuwait’s National Democratic Alliance, for slandering the Kuwaiti prime minister. While Kuwait has registered progress on some issues such as reforming labor laws and women’s rights, according to Motaparthy, “the government remains skittish and highly sensitive to criticism,” and is increasingly using charges of slander, defamation, and threats to “national unity” to crackdown on peaceful political expression. Although the Kuwaiti judiciary has begun “pushing back” against some of these policies, Motaparthy warns that the potential for democratic reform appears jeopardized in such an environment, stating that “while members of parliament and civil society groups are pushing for further change, Kuwait’s emir and key members of his family still hold the power to block any reforms.”
Posted in Freedom, Journalism, Judiciary, Kuwait | Comment »
Kuwait: Secularism in Education?
July 23rd, 2010 by Farid
Kuwaiti Minister of Education Moudhi Humoud recently decided to “tone down the incendiary religious content of the nation’s school curriculum,” an action with serious political and religious repercussions in Kuwait. The secular minister, who has been criticized for not wearing the headscarf, discussed two questions in a “controversial draft of a ninth- grade final exam”: the issue of the companions of the prophet Muhammad and “appropriate behavior at a cemetery.” As both of these issues are of great contention for both Shi’a and Sunni Muslims, it is conceivable that Humoud was attempting to ease the sectarian tension in Kuwait. However, her aspirations sparked severe criticism from the political and religious establishment, with MP Mohammed Hayef arguing that “Our Islamic religion curriculum is not open to political compromises.” MPs have called for her “grilling” in parliament, which according to many will lead to either her impeachment or her resignation.
Posted in Islam and Democracy, Kuwait, Secularism | Comment »
Kuwait: Backsliding on Freedom of Speech?
July 7th, 2010 by Jennifer
The National reports that Khaled al Fadala, the secretary general of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Kuwait, has been sentenced to three months in prison and handed at fine of KD150 (approximately US$500) for engaging in “insult” and “libel” of Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed al Ahmed al Sabah. Al Fadala was charged following a public speech he made in November of last year, criticizing the prime minister and corruption in Kuwait. The ruling was greeted with dismay by human rights organizations and Kuwaiti activists, who had just gained a short-lived victory when Mohammed al Jassem, a prominent writer jailed for his own criticism of public officials, was released on bail after weeks of public protests against his imprisonment.
Many concerned citizens are viewing actions taken against government critics such as al Fadala and al Jassem as signs of an alarming new trend against freedom of expression in Kuwait, which previously had been known for its “lively media and outspoken MPs.” In that light, a cross-section of activists, journalists, and parliamentarians from both the conservative and liberal camps vehemently protested al Fadala’s arrest on Monday in a gathering at the National Democratic Alliance headquarters in Rawda. Conservative MP Faisal Al-Meslim went so far as to state, “We currently live during the darkest eras of Kuwait’s political life. By gathering here, we protest the government’s negligence and demand transparency.”
Posted in Freedom, Kuwait, Protests | Comment »
Kuwait: Detained Blogger Hospitalized After Hunger Strike
May 18th, 2010 by Josh
Arrested on May 11, blogger and journalist Mohammad Abdul-Kader al-Jassem went on a hunger strike to protest his detainment on what his lawyer insists are false charges of insulting the emir, inciting the overthrow of government, and spreading false news. His effort ended last Friday after his condition deteriorated to the point of requiring hospitalization, but he remains in custody and is due to appear in court on June 5.
Reporters Without Borders has demanded al-Jassem’s immediate released, pointing to a troubled history of the Kuwaiti government unfairly targeting al-Jassem for voicing political dissent, the most recent example of which occurred in April when he was sentenced to six months for slandering the prime minister — a sentence that was suspended pending appeal.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Journalism, Kuwait | 1 Comment »
Arab Reform Bulletin: A Look at Pluralism and Political Progress
March 18th, 2010 by Josh
In its two most recent offerings, the Arab Reform Bulletin assesses the political landscape in both Algeria and Kuwait. Journalist Mahmoud Belhimer, troubled by the failure of recent government initiatives to alleviate Algeria’s ongoing economic turmoil and build a higher level of democratic pluralism, wonders how a forthcoming generational shift in political leadership might affect Algeria’s democratic trajectory. Yet regardless of who succeeds President Bouteflika, Belhimer contends that “the next president will not succeed in establishing true stability and prosperity if he maintains the approach of keeping power in the hands of a few and preventing popular political participation and government accountability.”
ARB editor Michele Dunne has a piece up as well, in which she relays the contents of an interview with Dr. Rola Dashti, a Kuwaiti democratic activist and one of the first four women to ever be elected to Kuwait’s parliament in 2009. Check out the full exchange here.
Posted in Algeria, Democracy Promotion, Kuwait, Publications, Reform | Comment »
Poll Shows Strong Pro-Democracy Sentiment
March 9th, 2010 by Josh
The second annual Asda’a Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey reveals overwhelming support for democracy among those between the ages of 18 - 24, ranging from a low of 85 percent in Oman to a high 99 percent in Kuwait. Also notable are the figures relating to technology and preferred methods of communication: Four out of five own a mobile phone; 60 percent use the Internet at least once daily; Google, Facebook, and Yahoo are the most frequented websites; and most youth rely upon online social networking as their primary way of keeping in touch with friends and family, with one-third using these tools daily. Commenting on region-wide views of civil society, Karen Hughes — Burson-Marsteller’s global vice-chairwoman — reported that “Increased public participation was seen as either ‘very important’ or ’somewhat important’ by the vast majority of young people across all the countries surveyed.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Kuwait, Oman, Public Opinion | 1 Comment »
Egypt: Moussa Won’t Run for President
December 23rd, 2009 by Jason
In an interview (Arabic) with al-Masry al-Youm, Arab League head Amr Moussa announced he will not run for president in Egypt’s 2011 elections. He explained, “The question is, is it possible? And the answer is, the road is closed.” The current constitution makes it nearly impossible for an independent candidate to run for president, and Moussa refuses to join a political party for pure “political opportunism.”
Meanwhile, President Mubarak met with King Abdullah in Riyadh today before heading on to Kuwait. They discussed the Middle East Peace Process and the Houthi insurgency in Yemen. Al-Masry al-Youm reports that the newly elected members of the MB Guidance Bureau swore fealty to General Guide Mahdi Akef yesterday. Sources within the MB suggest a new general guide will be named within two days.
Abdel-Rahman Hussein and Sarah Carr contend Egypt’s opposition groups are “blighted by internal divisions.” They observe that the Muslim Brotherhood has endured “heavy blows from the regime” as the media focused on the Brotherhood’s internal rifts. Meanwhile, Ayman Nour has been physically attacked, disbarred, and legally prohibited from running for office. While opposition groups banded together in October to campaign against the succession of Gamal Mubarak, the Kefaya movement has already withdrawn its support. Now Kefaya is left “trying to prove that it is still relevant” as it clamors for the election of an “alternative president” separate from the regime.
Babylon and Beyond delves deeper into the Muslim Brotherhood’s recent election, which resulted in a victory for the conservative faction. According to MB analyst Abdul Rehim Aly, “hard-liners couldn’t accept the presence of reformers within the group itself, so how can anyone expect them one day to have a dialogue with other people belonging to different religious and cultural backgrounds?”
Dalia Rabie explores several moral controversies of 2009, including the Ramadan arrests, the niqab ban and virginity kits, that “highlighted the conflict between Egypt’s so-called secular government and its age-old traditions.”
Posted in Arab League, Diplomacy, Elections, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Kuwait, Middle Eastern Media, Mideast Peace Plan, Military, Muslim Brotherhood, Palestine, Political Islam, Saudi Arabia, Secularism, Women | Comment »
Kuwait: Confidence Vote “Unprecedented”
December 21st, 2009 by Jason
Gregory Gause III has written a guest blog at Abu Aardvark about last week’s confidence vote in Kuwait. As he explains, it was the first time in history Kuwait held a vote of confidence on the prime minister, which Sheikh Nasir al-Muhammad won 35-13. Admittedly, it would have been better if the session had been open to the press, but Gause still contends it was an “unprecedented” step in Kuwaiti politics.
Meanwhile, AFP reports that over 5,000 Kuwaiti tribesmen have staged a protest against a television program that alleged the bedouin are not true Kuwaitis.
Posted in Kuwait, Political Parties, Protests | Comment »
Kuwait: PM Survives Grilling
December 16th, 2009 by Zack
The Daily Star has reported that the Kuwaiti Parliament failed to convene a special session in order to resolve the humanitarian issue of stateless Arabs. MP Hassan Jowhar, head of the parliamentary committee on stateless Arabs, known locally as the “bidoon,” accused the government of deliberately preventing the meeting by applying tight security measures and blocking roads leading to Parliament, measures put in place in response to calls by some MPs to assemble a large number of bidoon outside the parliament building. The story notes that “Kuwait launched a crackdown on bidoon in 2000, depriving them of their essential rights in a bid to force them to reveal what the authorities say is their true identity.” As a result, authorities claim 20,000 bidoon revealed their original citizenship and were given residence permits.
As Gulf nations
put into force a monetary compact that is a step closer to creating a single regional currency,
Al-Arabiya reports that Kuwait PM
Sheikh Nasser has
won a landslide victory against a non-cooperation motion filed by opposition lawmakers after the parliament questioned the PM over funding irregularities. Had the motion passed, it could have prompted the ruler to reshuffle the cabinet or dissolve parliament for the second time this year.
Posted in Freedom, Gulf, Kuwait, Legislation, Protests | Comment »
Kuwait: Journalists Out on Bail
December 4th, 2009 by Zack
Journalist and lawyer Mohammad Abdulqader al-Jassem, was granted bail 12 days after being detained on “charges of slandering the Gulf emirate’s prime minister,” according to AFP. Jassem and Kuwaiti political activists claim he was only criticizing the premier’s conduct of government business and that he was illegally detained by the public prosecutor’s office, for which he intends to file a lawsuit against the prosecutor who ordered his detention.
Posted in Freedom, Journalism, Kuwait | Comment »
Kuwait: Saudi Campaign on Democracy
November 24th, 2009 by Zack
An opinion piece in the Palestinian Al-Quds al-Arabi by Nasser al-Abdali (translated by Mideast Wire) argues that Saudi Arabia has launched an undercover campaign to frighten Gulf citizens over the political and social action taking place in Kuwait. While the Saudis are attempting to suppress democracy, Al-Abdali argues that the Kuwaiti royal family represents the middle ground for the country’s social conflict and that the choice of Sheikh Abdullah Salem Rahme was historical turn in terms of democracy.
The editorial continues that, “democracy in Kuwait defined public funds and private funds, and [gave] the state money under strict supervision […] while in the other Gulf countries, the citizens do not know the difference between the two.” As a result of Kuwaiti freedom, he argues that citizens in some Gulf states are insulted by the public displays of some royal families, while many progressives are exiled or imprisoned.
Posted in Elections, Kuwait, Public Opinion, Reform, Saudi Arabia | Comment »
World’s Most Influential Muslims
November 19th, 2009 by Jason
The Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University has released a detailed list of the “The 500 Most Influential Muslims.” While the report (PDF) admits defining influence is “tricky,” it seeks to identify “people whose influence is derived from their practice of Islam or from the fact that they are Muslim.” The report provides profiles for the top 50 individuals, as well as a detailed overview of Islam.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia edges out Grand Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran for the most influential Muslim in the world. They are followed by Morocco’s King Hassan, Jordan’s King Abdullah, and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan.
In The Guardian, Riazat Butt identifies several anomalies in the list, such as comedian Dave Chapelle. She also expresses her discontent that so few women are identified, and those that do make the list are given a separate category. Furthermore, she observes that many of the top 50 Muslims are heads of state who inherited their position, citing the report’s distinct category of Muslims who are influential because of their lineage.
Posted in Egypt, Gulf, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Kuwait, Morocco, Political Islam, Publications, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Women | Comment »
Criticism in Kuwait
November 19th, 2009 by Jason
The Daily Star reports, “Kuwaiti MPs criticized the ruling Al-Sabah family for fueding on Tuesday, warning that persistent infighting posed serious risks the oil-rich Gulf emirate.” The criticism came during a parliamentary debate over whether two MPs should lose their immunity so they can stand trial on charges of criticizing the ruling family. The accused supported the lifting of their own immunity, hoping to use the trial as an opportunity to speak out.
Posted in Judiciary, Kuwait | Comment »
Questions about Kuwaiti Misuse
November 16th, 2009 by Zack
Al Arabiya reports that Kuwaiti MP Faisal al-Muslim filed to question PM Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah over an alleged multi-million dollar misuse of public funds during general elections in May 2008 and for issuing a $700,000 check to another MP. Muslim filed a previous request in March, but it never materialized as the parliament was dissolved in the same month. The request has sparked fears that Kuwait is headed for a fresh political crisis as other opposition lawmakers have vowed to file similar requests. The Sheikh has denied any wrongdoing.
Posted in Kuwait, Political Parties | Comment »
Women’s Rights in the Middle East
November 12th, 2009 by Zack
In the wake of four suicides by Ethiopian domestic workers, Dalila Mahdawi has put out a call in the Guardian that Lebanon and the region as a whole must begin to protect the rights of migrant workers. She notes that domestic workers are often overworked and abused by their employers while the states pay little attention.
In Lebanon, The Daily Star is reporting that a women’s rights campaign, “My Nationality: a Right for Me and My Family,” has demanded that the pending ministerial statement from the newly-formed cabinet should include clear objectives of draft laws concerning equality. They are seeking the right for Lebanese women to be able to pass on their nationality to their children, to implement a quota for municipal elections, and to execute an existing domestic violence law.
The Daily News Egypt has run a story by Fatima Sadiqi singing the praises of reform in North Africa. She argues that women have made tremendous progress in promoting their rights, including access to justice, economic inclusion, and combating domestic violence. She also highlights the increase of women’s participation in government and the increasing role of NGOs. She attributes the Maghreb’s unique advances among the Muslim world because the region “strive[s] to reinterpret Islam in modern social contexts through their revised family codes, which secure women’s rights without compromising Islamic values.”
At the same time, Meris Lutz at Babylon and Beyond writes about the newly released 2009 Global Gender Gap Report. Issued by the World Economic Forum to rank women economic participation, education, health and political empowerment, the report notes that more women than men enroll in higher education in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar. In addition, Syria has continued to slip in the rankings, and while Saudi Arabia and Egypt hover at the bottom of the list, they have steadily improved since 2006. Lutz notes that women still face an uphill battle and that many countries have shown improvement despite slipping in the rankings.
Posted in Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Reform, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Women | Comment »
“Finally” a Lebanese Cabinet
November 9th, 2009 by Zack
Reuters is reporting that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has announced the formation of a unity government. Lebanon has been without a government since the June elections. According to the Xinhua news agency, Hezbollah will hold the Agriculture Ministry and State Ministry for Administrative Reform, Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement will retain the Telecommunications Ministry, and President Michel Sleiman will control the Defense and the Interior Ministries.
Mohamad Bazzi, at the Council on Foreign Relations, uses the cabinet building process to argue that the entire Lebanese political system is inherently unstable and that despite any power sharing compromises Lebanon must address the sectarian roots that divide the system.
The Daily Star is reporting that Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar is calling to increase government accountability through the creation of an official watchdog, or ombudsman. The law to create an ombudsman was passed in 2005, but never implemented. The post would serve as a mediator between the government and the public.
In other news, The Daily Star also reports that the Samir Kassir Eyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom (SKeyes), in its November bulletin, says that in spite of relative domestic calm and good working conditions for journalists following the June 2009 elections, “censorship on culture has returned to Lebanon.” The report places Lebanon 61st against developed countries in terms of press freedom, but second in the region behind Kuwait. The report attributed Lebanon’s relatively lofty position to “the relative political calm [that] was reflected in the security situation in the country after the elections of June 2009, especially [concerning] working conditions of journalists.”
Posted in Elections, Hezbollah, Journalism, Judiciary, Kuwait, Lebanon, Legislation, Political Parties, Reform, Sectarianism | Comment »
