All the King’s Women
A royal decree allowing women the right to vote can’t hide the decay in the House of Saud.
BY SIMON HENDERSON | SEPTEMBER 26, 2011 – Foreign Policy

Articles enumerating the advances in women’s rights in Saudi Arabia have, until now, tended to be rather short. There simply hasn’t been much to write about: Saudi women haven’t had many rights, at least not in terms Westerners usually understand — the right to vote, the right to drive, or the right to travel without a male guardian. But with King Abdullah’s royal decree on Sunday, Sept. 25, granting women the right to vote in municipal elections, there has now been a river of commentary placing this reform in the context of the upheaval elsewhere in the Arab world. This news, however, does not justify the tediously high word counts that the commentariat will undoubtedly reach over the next few days.

King Abdullah’s edict is certainly a change. It might even be progress. But some caution is necessary. Women will not actually be allowed to vote until municipal elections in 2015 — when they will also be allowed to stand as candidates. In Saudi Arabia’s nascent parliament, the appointed consultative council, change will come earlier: Women will be allowed to serve in the next session, which will begin in 2012.

The delay might matter. King Abdullah is 88 years old and has a variety of ailments. He might not be around this time next year. His nominated successor, Crown Prince Sultan, 87, is even less likely to be alive then; he currently resides in a New York City hospital and is believed to be terminally ill. The apparent next in line, the conservative Prince Nayef, likely has a different attitude toward women’s rights. In the past he has spoken out against the nascent campaign to allow women to drive.

Saudi watchers, certainly including yours truly, didn’t see this announcement coming. King Abdullah’s reputation as a reformer has dimmed in recent years. He doesn’t seem to have the energy to push for the needed consensus in the royal family and, more particularly, from the kingdom’s orthodox Sunni Islam clerical hierarchy. But the monarch did attempt to bridge these divides by painting the change as completely compatible with Islamic tradition. “All people know that Muslim women have had in the Islamic history, positions that cannot be marginalized,” he said, going on to note women’s contributions since the time of the Prophet Mohammed.

This reform, however, was the exception rather than the rule. In fact, King Abdullah hasn’t seemed to be making any decisions recently. A diplomatic friend recently described the monarch as “lucid for only a couple of hours a day.” And last week, there was what seemed to be the height of Saudi indecision: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was allowed to return home from a Saudi hospital after recovering from injuries sustained nearly four months ago — despite an apparent agreement between Riyadh and Washington that, for the future good of troubled Yemen, this shouldn’t happen. …more

Saudi activist defiant in face of state intimidation
Waleed Abu al-Khair collected 8,000 signatures calling for reform

Amnesty International – 14 September 2011

A prominent Saudi Arabian human rights activist taken to court this weekend for calling for a constitutional monarchy told Amnesty International he will not bow to intimidation by the authorities.

Waleed Abu al-Khair, who has been studying in the UK but returned to his home country during Ramadan, was summoned to a court in Jeddah on Sunday. When he arrived at the courthouse, there was neither a judge nor a prosecutor present.

“The judge’s assistant brought out my file, and told me that I had insulted the judiciary and encouraged people in Saudi Arabia to go against the government. In the eyes of the Saudi judiciary, anyone who calls for a constitutional monarchy is guilty,” the 32 year-old said.

Detaining activists calling for reform is nothing new in Saudi Arabia, but activists have become increasingly vocal in recent months. Protesters who have taken to the streets have also been met with repression and detentions.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been a number of petitions calling for reforms. Waleed Abu al-Khair, who also organized a petition in February, believes these calls for change triggered a crackdown on dissent.

“Recently, the situation for rights activists here has definitely been getting worse,” he said.

Mubarak bin Said Bin Zu’air, a 45-year old lawyer, has been held without charge since March after taking part in a peaceful protest in Riyadh calling for the release of long-term political prisoners. Another activist, Mohammad al-Bajadi, co-founder of a Saudi human rights organization, was arrested the following day for attending a protest. He has been charged with “supporting the revolution in Bahrain” and with “forming an organization”. His trial began last month.

Amnesty International recently condemned a Saudi draft anti-terrorist law, which the organization believes could be used to stifle peaceful dissent. Waleed Abu Al-Khair and other activists in Saudi Arabia agree with this assessment:
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In a lecture to National Security officers: Bahey eldin Hassan warns of the dangers of reviving the policies and practices of Mubarak and al-Adli and the application of the emergency law – 27/09/2011 – Cairo Institute

Bahey eldin Hassan, the director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), said that that the “full application” of the emergency law and an expansion of its scope would affect many spheres that remained untouched by the law even in the Mubarak era. In its essence, it is the application of policies pursued by the former president and his interior minister, Habib al-Adli, which were based on brutality and oppression. According to Hassan, among those who will pay the price of these policies will be primarily the security establishment, which has thus far still proved unable to earn the people’s trust.

Hassan made these observations in a lecture given yesterday morning at the behest of the National Security Agency, at its main headquarters. In attendance were 15 senior officials (generals) with the agency from various governorates and departments. The four-hour lecture involved an engaging, productive discussion, during which Hassan suggested that National Security invite politicians, academics, and writers to lecture or hold discussions with National Security officials.

Hassan said that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) had adopted a flawed roadmap from the beginning, which now, seven months after the revolution, had led to an exacerbation of the country’s economic, social, and political problems. Instead of using political means, the SCAF chose military trials for civilians, torture by the military police, repressive legislation, smear campaigns against political groups and human rights organizations, incitement against independent media, and the criminalization of strikes and sit-ins. All of this threatens to draw the country into confrontation, especially given the absence of any serious institutional channels for debate with political or civil society.

Hassan noted that a cursory review of the press prior to January 25 would reveal the enormity of the complaints with regards to limiting the criminal security apparatus to political security. The failures of the security apparatus are not new, he said, but were clearly seen in several notorious criminal and terrorist cases before January 25. Hassan said that the continuation of thuggery is due to the too modest reforms that the security apparatus has undergone in addition to the failure of the police to win popular trust as a result of the populace’s doubts about the seriousness of such reform. Instead of embarking on a comprehensive plan for security reform, the SCAF has simply tightened the iron fist under cover of the emergency law.
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Hezbollah Leader Should Be Tried in U.S. Federal Courts

For Immediate Release: September 26, 2011 – Human Rights First

Washington, DC – The United States should not try Ali Mussa Daqduq – a Lebanese man thought to be a commander of Hezbollah – before a military tribunal whether at Guantanamo or at a military facility within the United States, said Human Rights First today.

“Guantanamo has been a limited and failed experiment,” said Human Rights First’s Raha Wala. “Expanding military tribunals at this point sends the wrong signal that federal courts are unable to prosecute these types of cases, when the facts unequivocally demonstrate that civilian courts are reliable and effective.”

As Human Rights First has noted in the past, civilian federal courts have convicted over 400 individuals of terrorism-related offenses since 9/11, while commissions have convicted only six. Many of the federal civilian court cases involved individuals who had plotted attacks internationally or were otherwise captured abroad.

Reports suggest that Daqduq worked with local insurgent groups to capture and execute four U.S. soldiers during fighting in Iraq, which would constitute a war crime under international law. Federal criminal law gives civilian courts the power to punish individuals for committing war crimes.

“Terrorists want us to overreact and abandon our time-tested laws and institutions. The Obama Administration should not back down by weakening our civil justice system and expanding military tribunals,” concluded Wala. …source

Egregious Verdict the Latest in Bahrain’s Oppression
Washington – September 28, 2011 – Freedom House

The decision of a Bahrain Special Security court to uphold harsh sentences—including eight life sentences—for 21 Bahraini human rights and civil society activists, as well as its continued efforts to punish dissent, illustrates a pattern of repression that belies any promises of meaningful reform by the government, according to Freedom House.

Along with today’s sentences, Bahraini rights groups have reported ongoing arrests, intimidation, and in some cases torture, of those speaking out in favor of democracy and advocating for the human rights of all Bahrainis. Last week, the Bahrain Interior Ministry said it would arrest anyone caught posting messages urging protests or other acts of dissent on the internet or social media amid increasing calls for protests ahead of September 24’s parliamentary elections—a second round of elections will take place on October 1. Penalties could include fines and jail time. Authorities also threatened to revoke the driver’s licenses of those who disrupted elections by intentionally starting traffic jams.

“Attempting to stifle dissent and criticism by imprisoning activists and criminalizing online communication is a pathetic attempt by unelected, undemocratic regimes to hold onto power without making any effort to meet the political demands of their people,” said Courtney C. Radsch, Freedom House’s Freedom of Expression Officer. “Whether political speech happens on social media platforms, mobile phones or in the media, all people have a fundamental right to express their opinion, particularly in advance of elections.”

Last week’s parliamentary by-elections were marred by the government’s use of force—including tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets—against unarmed protesters. More than 32 people have been killed and thousands detained in Bahrain since demonstrations began in February 2011, with crackdowns targeting anti-government activists and medical practitioners in particular. A verdict is expected tomorrow for a number of the medical professionals who were arrested on charges of “incitement to overthrow the regime” through their provision of medical care to all Bahrainis in need, including pro-democracy protestors.

“Freedom House calls on the Bahraini government to cease its intimidation of political opponents and initiate genuine and far-reaching political reforms. A first step should be throwing out the charges against the medical professionals going on trial tomorrow for providing care to injured activists,” said Charles Dunne, senior program manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Freedom House. “The U.S. government must hold Bahrain fully accountable for the ongoing repression and insist both publicly and privately on specific, measurable reforms to advance freedom and human rights in the country.”

Bahrain is ranked Not Free in Freedom in the World 2011, Freedom House’s survey of political rights and civil liberties, and Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2011. …source

Military Trial Verdicts Expose Bahrain’s Lack of Interest in Reform

For Immediate Release: September 28, 2011 – Human Rights First

Washington, DC – Human Rights First today condemned the harsh prison sentences confirmed by Bahrain’s military court for 21 prominent dissidents. The group said the sentences expose the government’s flawed legal process and its lack of interest in reform.

“Some of the men have credible evidence that they were tortured in custody, but they were not allowed to raise that evidence during their trial, which fell well short of any legitimate legal standard,” said Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley.

According to Dooley, eight of the 21 dissidents had life sentences confirmed in today’s appeal. Among those before the military court today were human rights activist Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and political leader Hassan Mushaima. The original June 2011 prison sentences – ranging from two years to life in prison – for the other 19 on trial were also confirmed at today’s hearing.

The 21 dissidents are seen as leaders of the pro-democracy movement that became part of this year’s Arab Spring movement. Bahrain is ruled by a monarchy in which the king’s uncle has been the unelected prime minister for the last 40 years. In response to calls for reform, the Bahrain government cracked down violently on peaceful protests, arresting over 1000 people. Torture in detention was widespread and at least four dissidents have died in custody. Violent attacks on peaceful protests continue almost daily.

The Bahrain government has made no real attempts to engage in negotiation with the democracy movement. Instead, government leaders organized a sham “National Dialogue” with only selected groups.

“The Bahrain government today revealed its real intentions on reform as it condemned these leading opposition figures to years in prison after a show trial,” stated Dooley. “In May, President Obama told the Bahraini government that ‘…you can’t have a real dialogue when parts of the peaceful opposition are in jail.’ Unfortunately, the Bahrainis chose to ignore President Obama’s advice, and the U.S. Government has since failed to publicly press that point. Today’s verdicts against peaceful jailed opposition leaders make the prospects of real negotiations, regional stability and democratic reform more remote.” …source

Bahrain protester convictions upheld at sham military trial
Scores of perceived political foes have faced trials in military courts

Amnesty International – 28 September 2011

The decision today by a Bahrain military court to uphold the guilty verdicts against a group of prominent opposition activists exposes yet again the inherent unfairness of the trial process, Amnesty International said today.

In proceedings that lasted less than five minutes, the military-run National Safety Court of Appeal in Manama confirmed life sentences for seven of the defendants and shorter jail sentences for 14 others – seven of whom were tried in absentia.

The defendants were appealing the verdict and prison sentences handed down by the National Safety Court of First Instance, also a military court, in June on charges they wanted to change the political system and incited violence during peaceful pro-reform protests earlier this year. They all deny the charges.

“By upholding this verdict, Bahrain’s military justice system has once again shown it has no intention of meeting international fair trial standards for anyone the authorities perceive as a political foe,” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“These men should never have been brought before a military court.”

According to an observer present in the court room, the defendants were brought before the judge in civilian clothing, raising hopes that they might be released.

Officials prevented the defendants from speaking to relatives who were in the court room, possibly to punish them for launching a hunger-strike last Saturday over the Bahraini security forces’ detention of 45 women and girls during protests the day before.

After the ruling, the defendants were allowed to meet privately with their defence lawyers, who plan to lodge an appeal before Bahrain’s Court of Cassation, in the civilian justice system. However, the Court of Cassation will only examine procedural matters and will not look into the substance of the charges, the evidence presented, or allegations of torture by some of the defendants.

The Bahraini authorities have not initiated any independent and impartial investigation into allegations of torture made by some of the defendants in this case, including ‘Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a prominent human right activist.

“After today’s all-too-predictable outcome, it is high time for Bahrain’s King, Shaikh Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa, to end this travesty once and for all by ordering the immediate release of the defendants or, failing that, their fair re-trial before a properly constituted civilian court,” said Malcolm Smart. …source

Bahrain protester convictions upheld at sham military trial
28 September, 2011 – Amnesty International

The decision today by a Bahrain military court to uphold the guilty verdicts against a group of prominent opposition activists exposes yet again the inherent unfairness of the trial process, Amnesty International said today.

In proceedings that lasted less than five minutes, the military-run National Safety Court of Appeal in Manama confirmed life sentences for seven of the defendants and shorter jail sentences for 14 others – seven of whom were tried in absentia.

The defendants were appealing the verdict and prison sentences handed down by the National Safety Court of First Instance, also a military court, in June on charges they wanted to change the political system and incited violence during peaceful pro-reform protests earlier this year. They all deny the charges.

“By upholding this verdict, Bahrain’s military justice system has once again shown it has no intention of meeting international fair trial standards for anyone the authorities perceive as a political foe,” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“These men should never have been brought before a military court.”

According to an observer present in the court room, the defendants were brought before the judge in civilian clothing, raising hopes that they might be released.

Officials prevented the defendants from speaking to relatives who were in the court room, possibly to punish them for launching a hunger-strike last Saturday over the Bahraini security forces’ detention of 45 women and girls during protests the day before.

After the ruling, the defendants were allowed to meet privately with their defence lawyers, who plan to lodge an appeal before Bahrain’s Court of Cassation, in the civilian justice system. However, the Court of Cassation will only examine procedural matters and will not look into the substance of the charges, the evidence presented, or allegations of torture by some of the defendants.

The Bahraini authorities have not initiated any independent and impartial investigation into allegations of torture made by some of the defendants in this case, including ‘Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a prominent human right activist.

“After today’s all-too-predictable outcome, it is high time for Bahrain’s King, Shaikh Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa, to end this travesty once and for all by ordering the immediate release of the defendants or, failing that, their fair re-trial before a properly constituted civilian court,” said Malcolm Smart. ...source

Bahrain upholds life sentences for Shia activists
28 September 2011 – BBC

A military court in Bahrain has upheld life sentences for eight Shia activists convicted over their role in protests earlier this year.

It also upheld sentences of up to 15 years on 13 other activists.

Security forces crushed a protest movement calling for more rights for the country’s Shia majority in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

However, skirmishes are reported regularly as protesters try to keep their movement alive.

The 21 suspects were convicted in June for “forming a terrorist group to change the constitution and its monarchical system”, as well as inciting sectarian hatred, organising unlicensed protests.

Authorities also accused them of collaborating with “a terror group colluding with a foreign country” – in an apparent reference to Iran.

Bahraini opposition leaders deny any ties to Iran and accuse leaders of using these allegations to detain Shia activists.

Seven of the suspects were sentenced in absentia. Bahrain’s official news agency, BNA, said those sentenced could still appeal in a civilian court.

International human rights groups have condemned the convictions. They have also raised concerns about the torture and abuse of detainees.

Bahrain’s Shia have long complained of systematic discrimination.

A wave of peaceful protests swept the country in February and March, but they were put down by force by the government, which called in troops from neighbouring Gulf states.

On Saturday, Bahrain’s Shia opposition boycotted by-elections held to replace 18 Shia deputies from the main opposition movement, Al-Wifaq. …source