Oman to Be “Honest Broker” in Hiker Negotiations
As the U.S. seeks to free the last two hikers held in Iran, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, Oman has assumed the role as the "honest broker" between the two countries. After playing a role in releasing American hiker Sarah Shourd in ...
September 16, 2011
Category: Featured, Human Rights, International Law, Iran, Iraq, Multilateralism, Oman
Iran: Opposition Journalist Faces “Inhumane Treatment”
According to Radio Farda, the family of jailed Iranian journalist Isa Saharkhiz, a member of the central council of the Association for the Defense of Press Freedom, wrote to Iran's judiciary chief to complain that he is being ...
September 15, 2011
Category: Featured, Human Rights, International Law, Iran, Reform, US foreign policy, US politics
September 14, 2011
Category: Arab League, Featured, Human Rights, International Law, Multilateralism, sanctions, Syria, United Nations
Bahraini Medics Released, Charges Still Pending
Twenty Bahraini medics who had been incarcerated for giving medical aid to injured protesters this spring were released from prison, though the charges against them are still pending, according to the state news agency, BNA. The verdict pertaining to ...
September 8, 2011
Category: Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Featured, Government, Gulf Cooperation Council, Human Rights, International Law, Monarchy, Political Parties, Political transition, Protests
Algerian Government Grants Sanctuary to Gadhafi Family
Colum Lynch argues the Algerian government's decision to provide refuge to Muammar Gadhafi's wife and children would appear "at first glance to constitute a clear-cut violation of a U.N. measure banning travel by the Libyan leader and members of ...
August 30, 2011
Category: Civil Society, Featured, Government, International Law, Middle Eastern Media, Protests, Syria, UN Security Council, US foreign policy
August 29, 2011
Category: Civil Society, International Law, Libya, Political transition, Rule of Law, UN Security Council, United Nations
Libya: TNC Moves to Tripoli; U.S. Releases $1.5 Billion
Ali Tarhouni, finance minister for the Transitional National Council (TNC) announced that the Council had begun their work in Tripoli and that Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the TNC leader, would move to Tripoli as soon as the security situation ...
Libya: Assets Release “Moving;” Trying to Find Gadhafi
Al-Jazeera reports that the Libyan Contact Group has agreed to speed the release of $2.5 billion in frozen Libyan assets by the middle of next week. Fathi Baja, head of the rebel political affairs committee said, "there are ...
August 24, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Government, International Law, Syria, UN Human Rights Council, UN Security Council, US foreign policy
Lebanon: Hariri Investigation Released Full Indictment
The U.N. backed tribunal investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has released the full indictment. Reactions to the release were predictably divided. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said, "the text in our hands ...
Bahrain: BICI’s Bassiouni “No Crimes Against Humanity”
Dr. M. Cherif Bassiouni, chairman of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) setup by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has concluded that "no crimes against humanity" were committed by the government against the protesters, according to al-Arabiya. ...
August 15, 2011
Category: Bahrain, Featured, Freedom, Government, Human Rights, International Law, Monarchy
HRW Calls on Saudi King to Withdraw Counterterrorism Law
Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, wrote a letter to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah today, urging him to withdraw from cabinet consideration the draft Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism and Its Financing. Roth argues, "the draft law contains numerous flaws that seriously undermine basic human rights and fundamental freedoms in the name of combating terrorism." HRW also attached a memorandum with the letter, identifying the following ways in which the law seriously ...
Libya: ICC Issues Warrant for Gadhafi
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Col. Moammar Gadhafi, for crimes against humanity and ordering attacks against civilians. Warrants were also issued for Gadhafi's son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi. The organization Lawyers ...
Situation Report and Policy Recommendations for Libya
According to a Situation Report on Libya released by the Libya Outreach Group on Friday, Colonel Moammar Gadhafi's forces are moving to the Western Mountains in an attempt to attack the Wazin border crossing, over 100 opposition fighters are receiving high-level military training in the Western Mountains, Gadhafi is considering fleeing Tripoli, the International Court is set to decide on Monday whether or not to issue an arrest warrest for ...
June 25, 2011
Category: Foreign Aid, Freedom, Government, Human Rights, ICC, International Law, Libya
ICC is Set to Decide Qadhafi’s Fate
A panel of judges from the International Criminal Court are meeting on Monday to decide whether Colonel Moammar Qadhafi and his son, Saif al Islam, should be arrested for "widespread and systematic attacks" on civilians. According to Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief ICC prosecutor, the court has evidence of Qadhafi ordering attacks on unarmed civilians, torture and disappearance of protesters. Charges would include the deaths of over 1000 people since the anti-government ...
Lebanon: International Implications of March 8 Goverment
Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) has introduced a new bill to "prohibit U.S. foreign assistance to a Hezbollah-dependent Lebanese government," defined as a government where the terrorist organization is part of the majority coalition, such as the one recently ...
June 20, 2011
Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Featured, Foreign Aid, Government, Hezbollah, International Law, Justice, Lebanon, Legislation, United Nations, US foreign policy
Lebanon: High Wire Act for New Government
In Foreign Policy, Elias Muhanna describes how the recently announced government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Lebanon is attempting to hold together its long-fought-for coalition in the face international pressure. Muhanna argues that it is an "oversimplification" to ...
June 15, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Government, International Law, Lebanon, Military, US foreign policy
U.N. Votes to Send Syria to Security Council
The United Nations nuclear agency voted in favor of sending Syria to the U.N. Security Council on Thursday for violating safeguard agreements by failing to declare the construction of a covert nuclear reactor. Syria had also refused to supply information about it's nuclear activity, but the U.N. nuclear agency concluded on May 24 that Syria was "probably building a surreptitious nuclear reactor." The vote against Syria proved divisive as 17 members ...
Debate over Recognizing Libyan Opposition
Yesterday State Department and international lawyers from the Advisory Committee on International Law met, where they debated the implications of U.S. recognition for Libya's rebel-led Transitional National Council (TNC). Such recognition would improve the international standing of the TNC and allow the group to access $33 billion in frozen assets. Yale Law School Professor W. Michael Reisman noted that "The question is not recognition or non-recognition," but do the rebels "need money to pay ...