Iran: Iranian Sufis Protest in Northeast Over Burial Rights
April 27th, 2011 by Naureen
Gonabadi Dervishes have, according to Radio Free Europe, begun protesting in the northeastern Iranian city of Beydokht in opposition of the summoning of their leader to court. A revolutionary court in Tehran has summoned the group’s leader Nour Ali Tabandeh charging him with threatening public health over burials at the city’s Soltani Shrine. The Iranian authorities maintain that such burials are illegal. Eight dervishes were arrested on April 13th for protesting the ban on Sufi burials at the shrine and encarcerated at Vakilabad prison in Mashhad.
Posted in Iran, Protests | Comment »
Iran: Ahmadinejad-Khameini Rift Emerges
April 27th, 2011 by Naureen
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has missed two cabinet meetings since April 22 and has virtually disappeared from public life after his attempt to force Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi to resign was rejected by Ayatollah Ali Khameini. Wednesday’s absence from the cabinet meeting demonstrates the growing rift between the President and Ayatollah Khameini, who has final say in all state matters. Khameini recently spoke on Iranian state TV saying that he would intervene in government affairs when necessary. According to Meir Javedanfar, Khameini has remained largely silent on Ahmadinejad’s numerous cabinet firings during his seven years in office so far but has chosen to intervene to curb Ahmadinejad’s growing power within the regime. Javedanfar says that Khameini is worried about Ahmadinejad installing a political loyalist into the intelligence ministry and using ministry resources for personal political gain at the expense of the Ayatollah’s power. He also states that for the first time since assuming office, the possibility of Ahmadinejad resigning needs to be considered, although the changes of that remain small.
Posted in Corruption, Iran | Comment »
Obama Administration to Take Stronger Stance on Syria
April 26th, 2011 by Naureen
Writing at The Cable, Josh Rogin discusses the new policy course the Obama Administration will take in regards to Syria. He states that in light of the violent crackdowns and the lack of substantial reform over the past two weeks, the mood inside the administration has shifted. In the coming days we can “expect a new executive order on Syria, a draft presidential statement at the U.N. Security Council, new designations of Syrian officials as targets for sanctions, and a firmer tone on the violence that will include references to Iran’s unhelpful influence on Syria’s crackdown,” Rogin states. He notes, however, that the new sanctions will not target Syrian President Bashar al-Assad directly and there will be no calls for him to step down. Elliott Abrams, among others, has criticized the administration’s response, including President Barack Obama‘s statement on Friday, as too weak and too slow. This may have been due to the perception in the White House that protests in Syria would not have escalated this far, Rogin states. According to an administration official, “The general assessment [inside the administration] was that this wouldn’t happen, that Assad was too good at nipping these movements in the bud and also that he was not afraid to be brutal. All of these things combined made this more of a surprise and made it much harder to deal with.” George Washington University professor Marc Lynch states that the Assad regime’s use of force left the administration with no choice but to increase our involvement.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Libya, Protests, Reform, Syria, US foreign policy | 1 Comment »
Freedom House Releases Internet Freedom Report
April 26th, 2011 by Naureen
Last week, Freedom House released its report on internet freedom in 37 countries around the world. The report found that while the number of internet users have increased, “governments have stepped up efforts to regulate, and in some instance tightly control, the new medium.” The study highlights the increase in the number of blocked and filtered sites as well as the arrest of bloggers and internet users posting information contrary to the government’s views. It also notes the fact that a large number of governments, such as Saudi Arabia, have deliberately blocked access to information related to politics, social issues, and human rights. It also notes the sophistication of these regimes to filter and control content or even shut down the internet, as was the case in Egypt. The report notes that intensified censorship and arrest of users came “in the context of popular protests or contentious elections” in countries like Bahrain, Iran and Tunisia and highlights the importance of sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter in social and political activism during the recent and ongoing events Egypt, Tunisia, and Bahrain. In the study, Jordan was listed as a “country at risk” due to the monitoring of some activity by authorities and the adoption of a new law on cybercrimes that may be used to limit free expression on the internet.
Jordan, Turkey and Egypt received a “Partly Free” designation while Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Iran were labeled as “Not Free.” Iran received the lowest internet freedom score due to the internet restrictions put in place following the 2009 Green Revolution, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s stake in the Telecommunications Company of Iran and the banning of encrypted e-mail sites like Gmail.
Posted in Bahrain, Civil Society, Corruption, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Iran, Jordan, Protests, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Technology, Tunisia, Turkey | Comment »
CNN Asks Experts to Comment on Future of “Arab Spring”
April 26th, 2011 by Naureen
Given the uncertainty surrounding events in the Middle East, CNN.com asked five experts to address how the “Arab Spring” will play out in the coming months. Ibrahim Sharqieh, deputy director of the Brookings Doha Center, states that in the coming months we will see a new paradigm for political transition in the Middle East as dictators use more forceful means to quell popular uprisings. Nader Hashemi notes the misnomer of ”Arab Spring” given the differing internal dynamics of the countries, but notes that the days are numbered for Arab dictators. Parag Khanna, senior research fellow with the New America Foundation, argues that the region is likely to remain volatile especially in Egypt during the lead up to parliamentary elections and in Bahrain where the government has suppressed the opposition instead of addressing its concerns. He also notes the role the International Monetary Fund and the Gulf countries can play in supporting structural economic modernization throughout the region.
Julie Taylor, a political scientist at the RAND Corp., stated that in the next six months, we will likely see regime change in Yemen and Libya. Taylor also notes the Syrian armed forces commitment to President Bashar al-Assad and the strong support the regime will likely receive from Iran for a mass crackdown. Feryal Cherif draws parallels between the events in Egypt and those in Syria where both leaders offered concessions in hopes of appeasing protesters, but tended to remain a step behind protesters’ demands. She notes, however, that Syria lacks the presence of a strong civil society and experience with activism, which will likely hinder their movement.
Posted in Bahrain, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Gulf, Iran, Military, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen | Comment »
Bahrain: Government Accuses Hezbollah of Aiding Opposition in UN Report
April 25th, 2011 by Alec
The Bahraini government officially accused Hezbollah of helping train anti-government opposition in an official report sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The report claims that the group has been training opposition figures at camps in both Lebanon and Iran and also accuses them of targeting other Gulf nations as well. Bahrain also claims that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah of meeting with senior leaders of Bahrain’s largest Shi’ite opposition group al-Wefaq and the banned al-Haq group. Hezbollah, Iran, and the Shi’ite opposition groups accused of complicity have all denied the charges. The U.S. State Department has said it believes Iran’s role in the unrest in Bahrain has been minimal and that protests reflect “home-grown frustrations” of the long marginalized Bahraini Shi’a community.
Posted in Bahrain, Hezbollah, Iran, Lebanon, Protests, Terrorism, United Nations, US foreign policy | Comment »
POMED Notes: “A Conversation with Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi”
April 22nd, 2011 by Naureen
On Thursday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a discussion 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 moderated the event.
To read full notes, continue below or click here for pdf.
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Posted in DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Protests, Reform, sanctions, Tunisia, US foreign policy | Comment »
Sec. Clinton and Former Sec. Kissinger Discuss U.S. Foreign Policy and the Middle East
April 22nd, 2011 by Naureen
Speaking on Charlie Rose series, “Conversations on Diplomacy,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger discussed U.S. diplomatic efforts. Clinton highlighted the the new challenges facing U.S. foreign policy as the focus shifts away from state-to-state relationships to networks and multilateral relations and organizations. She also noted the implications of new technologies and new media. Kissinger noted the “huge changes” in state structure taking place across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Even amongst all these changes, the United States continues to remain a dominant power in the world that countries across the world turn to for leadership and aid. Clinton stated however, that “one of our biggest foreign policy challenges right now is to get our own house in order…we have to consolidate our own economic and political position in order to be able to continue to influence events in the future.”
Discussing the “Arab Spring,” Secretary Kissinger stated that the revolutions are still unfolding, as such we must be cautious of being overly optimistic. He noted, however, that we must not be too hasty in judging the outcome of the uprisings based on the proclamations of a few and ensure real transitions occur. Clinton noted that it is U.S. interest “to see a peaceful, stable transition to a more representative form of government in which institutions are able to democratize over time.” She also noted the lack of economic growth and development in the region as a reason for the people’s frustrations. Clinton and Kissinger also discussed the threat of Iran and the country’s hope to take advantage of the instability in the region. Kissinger also stated that the situation in Libya is peripheral to the events in the broader Middle East.
Posted in Civil Society, Corruption, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Gulf, Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Jordan, Libya, Military, NATO, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, US foreign policy, Yemen | Comment »
Scholars Discuss the Arab Spring in the Context of Lebanon’s 2005 Emancipation
April 21st, 2011 by Naureen
Last week, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosted an event entitled, “Lebanon Today: Internal Politics and the Arab Spring.” Speaking at the event were May Chidiac, president of MCF Media Institute; Michael Young, opinion editor for the Beirut Daily Star; Hisham Melhem, Washington bureau chief of Al-Arabiya; and Michael Doran, visiting professor at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.
May Chidiac noted how protests in the Arab world echo “the spirit of the Lebanese model” as they abandoned anti-Israel and anti-West rhetoric for legitimate demands of good governance, economic opportunities and political freedom. Chidiac also called for the U.S. and international community to support the March 14th movement. Michael Young discussed three lessons for the Arab Spring from Lebanon: first, that foreign intervention is often necessary for liberation movements to succeed; second, the liberation may clash with Western interests; and third, the importance of luck. Young discussed how many in the Arab world fail to acknowledge the importance of the 2005 emancipation as they see a weak Syria as advantageous to the West and Israel. Hisham Melham stated that the Arab Spring differs from the events in Lebanon in 2005 as they represent a social and political revolution rather than an emancipation from foreign occupation. He also notes the reversion to sectarianism in Lebanon. Melham also called on the Obama Administration to take a stronger stance on the situation in Syria. Melham along with Michael Doran argued that regime change in Syria could benefit the U.S. as it would improve dynamics with Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Iraq.
Posted in Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Freedom, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Military, Palestine, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, US foreign policy, Yemen | Comment »
Sec. Feltman’s Travel to Bahrain, State Dept. Addresses Questions on US Stance on Bahrain
April 19th, 2011 by Naureen
On Monday, Assistant Secretary of State Jeff Feltman met with Bahraini government officials, representatives of Bahraini civil society and members of the opposition to reaffirm “the long standing commitment of the United States to a strong partnership with both the people and the Government of Bahrain.” He also emphasized “the fundamental need for respect for human rights,” reiterated U.S. support for Bahraini national reconciliation and dialogue, and “concurred with the Bahraini leadership’s own embrae of the principles of reform and the respect for rule of law and coexistence.”
State Department spokesman Mark Toner addressed reporters’ questions on Secretary Feltman’s trip to Bahrain and criticism of U.S. policy and rhetoric on Bahrain by stating that the talks between Feltman and Bahraini leadership “took place in a very constructive atmosphere.” He also reiterated the Administration’s belief that “the Bahraini Government needs to respect human rights and needs to address the legitimate aspirations of its own people.”
Posted in Bahrain, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Protests, Reform, Saudi Arabia | Comment »
Adelman Calls for Congressional Cuts to Foreign Aid Budgets
April 19th, 2011 by Kyle
Writing at Foreign Policy, Ken Adelman, asserts that support for the U.S. foreign assistance budget is misguided and that arguments in support of these programs become “shallower” upon closer investigation. He argues that: “Four of the largest U.S. foreign-aid recipients today — Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, and Afghanistan — all take contrary positions on issues of critical importance to the White House.” Adelman also criticizes a recent article by Joseph Nye, stating that Nye’s argument over the relationship between foreign aid and the U.S.’s ability influence decisions in these countries is “unclear at best.” He cites Israel as an example as “Israel, rebuffs Washington constantly, on momentous issues of peace,” and is also the “No. 1 recipient of U.S. aid.” Adelman argues that countries initially view foreign aid with gratitude, but eventually with “entitlement.” On the issue of development assistance, Adelman believes that the top recipients of U.S. foreign assistance have not “developed all that much” and if they did it “could be due to other factors.” In closing he argues that the U.S. “soft power” namely the State Department has failed to effectively fund “modern-day freedom fighters” in Libya, Iran, Syria and Egypt.
Posted in Afghanistan, Congress, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Israel, Libya, Reform, Syria, US foreign policy | Comment »
Iran: Crackdown on Arab Protesters Demanding Political Rights, Workers Protest in Northwest Iran
April 18th, 2011 by Naureen
On Monday, Al Arabiya reported that fifteen people were killed and dozens were wounded in Ahwaz, a city in Iran’s Khuzestan province, by plain-clothes Iranian security forces dispersing protesters. The demonstrations, organized online via Facebook and Twitter by the group “Youth of April 15,” began last Friday with protesters demanding rights for the ethnic Arab majority in Iran’s Khuzestan province. Ahwazi Arabs are banned from using media and from participating in political or cultural activities. According to the Facebook group, the demonstrations spread from Ahwaz to the cities of Hamidieh, Mahshahr, Shdegan, Abadan and Khoramshahr. The Ahwazi Center for Human Rights Defense called on the international community to intervene and put an end to “massacres in Ahwaz.”
Radio Free Europe also reports that workers in the northwestern Iranian city of Qazvin have staged protests in recent days, demanding the payment of overdue wages.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Military, Protests | Comment »
Bahrain Update: GCC Troops to Stay As Counter to Iran, PM Says Conspirators in “Coup Attempt” To be Held Accountable
April 18th, 2011 by Naureen
On Monday, the 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. ”There is an external threat on the whole Gulf,” Al Khalifa said. He also reiterated that the GCC troops are not there to police, but rather to protect Bahrain’s “vital installations against a foreign threat.”
Bahrain’s state news agency also said on Monday that seven detained opposition supporters will go on trial before a military court for the killing of two policemen and “other charges.” Earlier this month, the media was banned from covering military precedings, leading activists such Nabeel Rajab, the head of Bahrain’s Human Rights Center to believe that the government is hiding something. In an interview at Democracy Now!, Farnaz Sanei, Human Rights Watch Bahrain and Iran researcher said that “[w]hat we’re seeing in Bahrain today is a full-scale crackdown on any sort of dissent in the country…this has gone well beyond trying to reestablish security.” Bahrain’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa stated that “Bahrain has witnessed a coup attempt. No violators would get away with it. All conspirators and abettors must be held accountable.” In the meantime, the Bahraini government is continuing to arrest members of the opposition and Bahraini activist Zainab Al-Khawaja continues on the eighth day of her hunger strike. Al-Khawaja urged the U.S. government to put pressure on the Bahraini government to release her family members who were beaten and detained last week. Her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja is a well known Bahraini human rights activist.
Posted in Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Freedom, Gulf, Human Rights, Iran, Protests, Saudi Arabia, US foreign policy | Comment »
POMED Notes: “U.S. Leadership on Democracy and Human Rights at the United Nations Human Rights Council”
April 17th, 2011 by Naureen
On Thursday, Freedom House, in partnership with the Democracy Coalition Project and the Open Society Foundations, hosted a briefing on the importance of U.S. engagement at the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Advocacy Director at Freedom House Paula Schriefer moderated the event and introduced the following panelists: Dr. Thaung Htun, Representative for UN Affairs from the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma; Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director at the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran; Carlos Portales, former Chilean Ambassador; and Eileen Donahoe, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
To see full notes continue below, or click here for pdf.
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Posted in Concert of Democracies, DC Event Notes, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Military, Reform, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Nations, US foreign policy | Comment »
Iran: Prominent Human Rights Activist Faces New Charges
April 13th, 2011 by Alec
Zhila Baniyaghoub, a prominent Iranian human rights activist and journalist, is facing new charges related to statements written on her blog. Baniyaghoub was arrested, along with her husband Bahman Ahmadi Amouyi, in June 2009 during the popular protests over disputed presidential elections. She was released but her husband is serving a five year prison term. Last month she wrote to Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi to protest against restrictions barring her from visiting her husband in prison and claimed that judicial officials advised her to beg them for an exception. Although she was charged in June 2010 with “spreading propaganda against the regime” and “insulting the president” and sentenced to one year in prison accompanied by a 30-year ban on journalistic activity, she has not yet served any prison time. Baniyaghoub runs the website Focus on Iranian Women and her personal blog We Are Journalists (Persian). She also won Reporters Without Borders’ Freedom of Expression award in 2010.
Posted in Human Rights, Iran, Journalism, Women | Comment »
Khalil Discusses the “Youthquake” in the Middle East
April 12th, 2011 by Kyle
Lydia Khalil, writing for The Australian, highlights the role that the youth (shabab) have played in the Middle East since revolutions spread across the region. Khalil states, “This young Arab generation, much like the West’s protest generation of the 1960s, will change not just the politics but the entire culture and outlook of the Middle East.” Chronicling the sensational stories of Neda Agha Soltan in Iran, Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia and Khaled Said in Egypt, Khalil articulates how the horrific deaths of these individuals coupled with increased internet access helped to change the region forever. “These victims and the anonymity of the internet allowed masses of shabab to coalesce around symbolic figures to give themselves a voice, a voice that was not easily detected by the state,” Khali said. Khalil argues that there is a strong desire for democracy amongst this generation and they are “playing a meaningful role in shaping the new global identity, adding their innovations into the mix.”
Posted in Egypt, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Protests, Reform, Tunisia, Youth | Comment »
Bahrain: Henderson Believes U.S. is Caught Between Iran and Saudi Arabia
April 12th, 2011 by Kyle
Simon Henderson, writing for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, discusses the U.S. relationship with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia along with U.S. and regional concerns over Iran’s role in the Bahraini uprising. Henderson concludes that the root of the problem in Bahrain is not Iran, but instead the oppressed Shi’ite population whose “second-class status” was “institutionalized” under reforms made by King Hamad in 2002. Within the al-Khalifa ruling family, Henderson states there is a division between those seeking reconciliation and hardliners who are being steered to a hard line response due to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia’s influence in the country. This sentiment was reiterated by King Abdullah who reportedly told President Obama that he “would never allow Shiites to rule Bahrain.” Henderson concludes that high level meetings show good signs in terms of bilateral negotiations, however, the “United States and its Gulf allies are at odds on how to achieve political progress in Bahrain… Washington’s relations with Manama will remain problematic — and vulnerable to exploitation by Iran.”
Posted in Bahrain, Diplomacy, Human Rights, Iran, Military, Protests, Saudi Arabia, US foreign policy | Comment »
Clinton Congratulates Iranian Journalist on UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize
April 8th, 2011 by Alec
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a statement on Friday, congratulated jailed Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi for being named the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize winner. Clinton stated that the award was a recognition of the “legitimate work” of Zeidabadi and other Iranian journalists currently serving prison terms for exercising their rights to free speech. She also said that the award was also a recognition of the commitment of the Iranian people to human rights despite “brutal repression by their government” and that the U.S. would continue to work for human rights in Iran through the newly created U.N. Special Rapporteur post specifically for Iranian human rights issues.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Journalism, US foreign policy | Comment »
Israeli President Calls for Support of Region’s Democratic Transitions
April 8th, 2011 by Naureen
On Tuesday, Israeli President Shimon Peres called on the international community to support a democratic transition in Syria along with the democratic youth movements across the broader Middle East. He also stated that Israel was ready to give up the Golan Heights, as part of a peace deal with Syria, if the country would break ties with Iran and Hezbollah. He called for a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as “a means of supporting and aligning with the wave of revolutions sweeping the Arab world.” Peres also welcomed the opening of political space in Egypt after acknowledging the role Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak played in the peace process. Speaking on the situation in Jordan, however, Peres called for the international community to support King Abdullah II stating, ”He is a responsible leader who is trying to serve his people.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Freedom, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Israel, Jordan, Mideast Peace Plan, Protests, Reform, Syria | Comment »
Bahrain, GCC Push Back Against Iranian ‘Interference’
April 7th, 2011 by Alec
Iran has been vocal about its opposition to Saudi forces’ presence in Bahrain and its support for Bahraini Shi’ites in the protests that have engulfed the tiny island nation. Iran has issued several warnings to Saudi Arabia condemning Saudi troops’ “suppression” of protesters in Bahrain. Saudi Arabia has in turn condemned what it sees as Iranian meddling in Arab regional affairs. Kuwait recently busted an Iranian spy ring in the country which has only worsened tensions between Iran and the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council. GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani specifically condemned Iranian ‘meddling’ saying it “threatened security and stability in the region.” Bahrain’s embattled opposition has weighed in, expressing dismay over Iranian ‘interference’ with opposition leader Ali Salman stating that both Iran and Saudi Arabia were using Bahrain to conduct a “proxy war.”
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, Military, Protests, Saudi Arabia | Comment »
