US sending tons of tear gas to Egypt
Voltaire Network – 30 November 2011

The US government continues exporting tons of tear gas to Egypt, which is being used by the military junta to crack down on protesters across the North African country.

Egyptian news sites published documents on Tuesday showing that seven and a half tons of tear gas have already arrived in Suez.

The US tear gas exports have created a rift among Egyptian officials, as some port officials have refused to sign and accept the shipments out of concern that the tear gas would be used against peaceful Egyptian protesters.

The new documents show that the cargo, which has arrived in 479 barrels, was to be delivered to the Egyptian Interior Ministry.

They also show that a second shipment of 14 tons of US tear gas is scheduled to arrive in the country soon, bringing the total to 21 tons in a single week.

Last week, thousands of tear gas canisters were fired at Egyptian protesters in downtown Cairo as the Egyptian military staged a massive crackdown on demonstrators demanding that the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) hand over power to a civilian government. …source

Labour standards abuses in Bahrain during the unrest
29.11.11 – by Labour Time Blog

During the unrest, thousands of workers in Bahrain dismissed from their job due to their political views or their unionist activity.

As GFBTU records, there is more than 2900 worker were sacked, include more than 45 unionist.

BICI report authenticate hundreds of worker cases and it show under what circumstances they were sacked, especially when the prime minister said “No violators will get away with it and all co-conspirators & abettors must be held accountable”.

The following paragraphs is part of the government and employers attacks against workers and unionist, which taken from BICI report.

Factual Background

1337. The Commission received a total of 1,624 complaints from individuals alleging that they had been dismissed or suspended from employment as a result of the events of February/March 2011. These allegations included dismissals in both the public and private sectors. What follows is a discussion of what occurred in the two sectors.

1338. The three main grounds used to dismiss employees in the public sector were: (i) absence from work; (ii) involvement in the demonstrations, at times occurring on work premises; and (iii) public display of opinions incompatible with the internal regulations of the ministries involved. In the private sector, the two main grounds used to dismiss employees were: (i) absence from work; and (ii) involvement in union activity related to the demonstrations.

1339. The information received by the Commission from government agencies has been in near-constant fluctuation. The Ministry of Labour (MoL) has reported that a large number of employees have been reinstated in the private sector; due in large part to its work on the matter, while the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) has reported low numbers of reinstatements and has on occasion denied reports of large-scale dismissals in the public sector. …more

Saudi Arabia: Sentencing of human rights defender Sheikh Suliman Ibrahim Al-Reshoudi
30 November, 2011 – Front Line Defenders

On 22 November 2011, the Saudi Special Criminal Court sentenced human rights defender Sheikh Suliman Ibrahim Al-Reshoudi and eight civil and political rights advocates to prison terms ranging from ten to 30 years.

Suliman Ibrahim Al-Reshoudi, a former lawyer and judge and a well-known human rights defender, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment as well as 15 years’ travel ban to start following the completion of his sentence. After a grossly unfair trial, he was convicted on charges including mobilizing the public against the monarchy, forming a secret organization, financing terrorism, and money laundering. Suliman Ibrahim Al-Reshoudi, aged 74 and in poor health, was released on bail while the trial was ongoing.

In June 2011, Suliman Ibrahim Al-Reshoudi was granted bail after more than four years in pre-trial detention, in contravention of the Saudi Penal Procedures Code which provides for a maximum of six months of pre-trial detention. Following his release he was ordered to remain within the confines of the city of Jeddah. He remains confined to Jeddah on bail pending the outcome of his appeal. …more

PEN International Joins International Delegation To Bahrain Calling For An End To Free Expression Violations And For Human Rights Defenders To Be Freed
30 November 2011 – PEN International

Between 20 and 25 November, 2011, PEN International Writers in Prison Committee Chair, Marian Botsford Fraser, was in Manama, Bahrain on a mission with members of five other international human rights organizations. Their joint statement can be read below.

JOINT STATEMENT

All human rights defenders and those in detention as a result of the National Safety laws enacted in Bahrain should be freed immediately, said a delegation of six international rights organisations visiting the country this past week to investigate freedom of expression. In the wake of the report from the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) on 23 November, the delegation calls for the King of Bahrain to implement the Commission’s recommendations to hold accountable all those responsible for past violations, and to take action immediately to prevent further abuses such as torture of detainees.

The international mission met with numerous human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, bloggers, students, medics and other members of civil society, and provided solidarity and moral support to such individuals, as well as the families of those detained for upholding their right to free expression. Human rights defenders detailed ongoing violations of free speech, freedom of assembly and a continuation of the ‘culture of impunity’ cited in the BICI report. The BICI report specifically recommends that those sentenced for peaceful, political expression must have their sentences commuted or charges dropped. As one blogger noted, “While censorship has been a fact of life in Bahrain for a long time, the criminalisation of all forms of speech – even ‘liking’ something on Facebook – is a new low.”

At a meeting with Dr. Fatima Al-Balooshi, Minister for Human Rights and Social Development, the delegation stressed the importance of unfettered access to Bahrain for international NGOs and media as a means of ensuring transparency and accountability. The delegation is also concerned about government officials who seem to believe that the BICI report closes the door on the past, which could prevent perpetrators of torture and other abuses from being held accountable. …more

Bahraini authorities prevented the representative of Human Rights Watch from attending the trials
November 30th, 2011 – BYSHR

Bahraini authorities prevented today -November 30, 2011- the representative of Human Rights Watch from attending the trials of journalist Reem Khalifa and members of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society.

The trial of journalist Reem Khalifa was postponed to December 15, 2011.

The trial of members of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) was postponed to January 9, 2012. Additional information on trial ( HERE )

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the trial of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) and journalist Reem Khalifa. …source

Bahrain:International Human Rights Organizations Observed the Trial of the Medical Staff in Manama
2011-11-29 – Gulf Center for Human Rights

Beirut, 29 November, 2011 – A group of international human rights organizations, including the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, attended the trial of Doctors and Medics in Bahrain before the Upper Court of Criminal Appeals, which was held on the morning of Monday, November 26, 2011. Deputy Director of the GCHR Khalid Ibrahim was present on behalf of the Centre at the Hearing.

The defense team for the doctors and medics acted in an efficient way and asked the court lift the travel ban and stop the proceedings pending the decision on complaints of torture made by the medical staff. On the other hand, it was clear that the prosecution lacks argument, logic and proof.

The lawyers of the doctors and medics adopted what Prof. Bassiouni mentioned in his report that the articles on which the National Safety Court were established are unconstitutional and demanded giving them the opportunity to raise the constitutional complaint.

Dr. Nada Dheif talked to the Court that the charges are directed at staff in Salmaniya Medical Centre and that the public prosecutor doesn’t know that she is not working there, and that the only witness against her is the very same person who supervised the torture, and insulted and gave her electric shocks. Also, Dr. Ali Al-Ekri talked to the Court and stated that he was forced by the military prosecutor to confess under torture.

While the Court was under way the Public Prosecutor brought into the hall three boxes from which Kalashnikov assault rifles, ammunition and white weapons, were taken out alleged that they were seized in a Salmaniya Medical Centre. It was noted by international observers those weapons were supposed to be criminal evidences are not kept inside special bags and that the policemen directly have taken them into their own hands and this eliminates their validity to be used as evidence in this case. …more

Saudi Arabian authorities have been cracking down on dissent in the name of security.
by Philip Luther, Amnesty International – 01/12/2011

The last nine months has seen a new wave of repression in Saudi Arabia as authorities have cracked down on protesters and reformists on security grounds, Amnesty International said today.

In Saudi Arabia: Repression in the Name of Security, the organization says hundreds of people have been arrested for demonstrating, while the government has drafted an anti-terror law that would effectively criminalize dissent as a “terrorist crime” and further strip away rights from those accused of such offences.

“Peaceful protesters and supporters of political reform in the country have been targeted for arrest in an attempt to stamp out the kinds of call for reform that have echoed across the region,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s interim Middle East and North Africa Director.

“While the arguments used to justify this wide-ranging crackdown may be different, the abusive practices being employed by the Saudi Arabian government are worryingly similar to those which they have long used against people accused of terrorist offences.”

Amnesty International said that the government continues to detain thousands of people, many of them without charge or trial, on terrorism-related grounds. Torture and other ill-treatment in detention remains rife.

In April 2011, an Interior Ministry spokesperson said that around 5,000 people connected to the “deviant group”, meaning al-Qa’ida, had been questioned and referred for trials.

Amnesty International said that since February 2011, when sporadic demonstrations began – in defiance of a permanent national ban on protests – the government had carried out a crackdown that included the arrest of hundreds of mostly Shi’a Muslims in the restive Eastern Province. …more

Women in Bahrain on International Day to end violence against women: constantly subjected to torture, arrests and violence
25 November 2011 – BHCR

On this International Day to End Violence against Women, Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) condemns the human rights violations committed by the Bahraini regime against women in Bahrain. Women have played an important part of the Bahraini uprising with active participation and fierce activism. For their active role in calling for democracy and political reform, they were violently targeted. Four women were killed by live ammunition, suffocation of tear gas and intimidation. Many women were arrested, detained, tortured and sentenced up to 15 years imprisonment.

Bahiya Abdulrasool Al Aradi, 51 year old, is the first female martyr in Bahrain’s uprising. She was driving in Budaiya road when she went missing. Her last phone call was to her younger sister, when she heard gunshots near Al Qadam roundabout and tried to get off the road. Her family contacted all hospitals however they could not find her. On 19 March, they received a call from the authorities informing them that Bahiya is in BDF hospital on life support[1]. Her brother was allowed a visit lasting a few minutes. The next day she died due to her serious injuries. The authorities stated in her death certificate that she died of “Brain Injury”, however the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report recently published a confirmation that the cause of death was a gunshot from behind from a range of 50 to 75 meters[2]. No one was held accountable Bahiya’s death.

Zainab Al Juma and Zainab Al Tajer both died of suffocation due to tear gas that was excessively used by security forces as collective punishment on villages. Zainab Al Juma was disabled so she could not move from her room, while Zainab Al Tajer was walking when riot police attacked a peaceful protest nearby. Aziza, 29 years old, died after riot police broke into her home at midnight. She witnessed them beating one of her relatives, then they threatened her by directing a gun at her. Due to that, her blood sugar level boosted, causing her to faint and resulting to her death[3]. …more

International delegation calls for end to free expression violations and human rights defenders to be freed
Adam Shapiro, Front Line Defenders – 30 November, 2011

(ANHRI/Index on Censorship/WiPC/IFEX) – 30 November 2011 – All human rights defenders and those in detention as a result of the National Safety laws enacted in Bahrain should be freed immediately, said a delegation of six international rights organisations visiting the country this past week to investigate freedom of expression. In the wake of the report from the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) on 23 November, the delegation calls for the King of Bahrain to implement the Commission’s recommendations to hold accountable all those responsible for past violations, and to take action immediately to prevent further abuses such as torture of detainees.

The international mission met with numerous human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, bloggers, students, medics and other members of civil society, and provided solidarity and moral support to such individuals, as well as the families of those detained for upholding their right to free expression. Human rights defenders detailed ongoing violations of free speech, freedom of assembly and a continuation of the “culture of impunity” cited in the BICI report. The BICI report specifically recommends that those sentenced for peaceful, political expression must have their sentences commuted or charges dropped. As one blogger noted, “While censorship has been a fact of life in Bahrain for a long time, the criminalisation of all forms of speech – even ‘liking’ something on Facebook – is a new low.”

At a meeting with Dr. Fatima Al-Balooshi, Minister for Human Rights and Social Development, the delegation stressed the importance of unfettered access to Bahrain for international NGOs and media as a means of ensuring transparency and accountability. The delegation is also concerned about government officials who seem to believe that the BICI report closes the door on the past, which could prevent perpetrators of torture and other abuses from being held accountable.

The delegation also remains concerned about the reality on the ground in Bahrain, as two individuals were killed by security forces while the delegation was in-country. Non-violent demonstrators were also met with immediate and disproportionate force by riot police. The mission calls for new orders to be given immediately to police forces, in order to ensure that the rights of citizens to freedom of expression and assembly are honoured. …more

US, UK experts to aid Bahrain in reforming police and security forces
November 29, 2011 – By Jim Kouri – examiner.com

The Arab nation of Bahrain’s leader, King Hamad, released a royal proclamation that his kingdom’s National Security Agency (NSA) would undergo major reforms.

Ideally, according to Hamad, the NSA will confine its roles to gathering intelligence, protecting national security, and while police officers will deal with arrests and legal actions.

The reforms are part of the report and recommendation of Bahrain’s Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) which issued a comprehensive report last week stating government’s shortcomings during the civil unrest in February and March 2011.

King Hamad on Monday issued his decree thereby amending articles of decree No.14 issued in 2002 which established the NSA.

Under the amendments, the NSA is charged with collecting intelligence information, detecting and uncovering detrimental activities related to spying, collaboration with foreign countries, and counterterrorism in order to protect Bahrain’s national security, institutions and systems.

The NSA will turn over cases that require arrests to the kingdom’s police officials for legal action under the provisions of the law on penal procedures.

The Interior Minister, who commands the police, noted that Bahrain is in the final stages to sign contracts with a number of highly qualified US and UK experts and specialists to assist in developing police proficiency on the part of his officers.

In addition, a new Code of Professional Conduct for police officers is being drafted that would include details on how a police officer should perform his duties according to international and local legal criteria and rules.

Bahraini government formed a National Commission to follow up on the implementations of the BICI recommendations. Commission members include a minister, businessmen, lawmakers, lawyers and a human rights activist.
Bahrain’s King Hamid is attempting to reform his security and police forces.Bahrain’s King Hamid is attempting to reform his security and police forces.
…source

Letter on Bahrain to Secretary Clinton
Posted on 11/30/2011 by Juan

The Project on Middle East Democracy has written a letter to Secretary of State Clinton on the Bahrain crisis, which I co-signed. It asks the US take seriously the findings of severe human rights violations on the part of the regime, and to pressure it to take concrete steps to end them. The letter anticipated the Bassiouni report commissioned by the king, which confirmed the seriousness of the violations.

Nov. 21, 2011

Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Secretary Clinton:

We are writing to you out of concern with ongoing developments in Bahrain.

“meaningful reform and equal treatment for all Bahrainis are in Bahrain’s interest, in the region’s interest, and in ours.”

As we await the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) on November 23, we are also pleased to hear that the administration will “review the Commission’s findings carefully and assess the Government of Bahrain’s efforts to implement the recommendations and make needed reforms.”

We are hopeful the BICI report will thoroughly document human rights violations committed in Bahrain that have been independently verified by international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, Amnesty International, Physicians for Human Rights, and many others since protests began in February. Furthermore, we hope the implementation of reform and accountability mechanisms for human rights violations will lead to a process of substantive political reform that is responsive to the legitimate democratic aspirations of the Bahraini people.

As you noted recently, “mass arrests and brute force are at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain’s citizens and will not make legitimate calls for reform go away.” In order to restore public confidence and deliver on its promises to uphold human rights and accountability, the U.S. Government should urge the Government of Bahrain to:

Unconditionally release political prisoners and end torture, arbitrary detention, and incommunicado detention;

Protect Shi’a places of worship and religious buildings, rebuild destroyed mosques, and end systematic discrimination in political representation, government recruitment, employment, and naturalization policies;

Take measures to ensure the reinstatement of all workers and employees who were dismissed from their workplace for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, political opinion, and assembly;

Allow and fully cooperate with independent human rights organizations and observers, including U.N. bodies such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to investigate claims of human rights abuses; Investigate and hold accountable all individuals who authorized, condoned, or committed human rights abuses, including the use of violence or torture against peaceful protesters and detainees

Release medical professionals and political prisoners who have been detained without charge or convicted and sentenced for political offenses; and

Allow access by local and international journalists to activists, protest sites, hospitals and other public institutions.

While we hope the BICI report will comprehensively address the range of past and ongoing human rights abuses, the Government of Bahrain’s commitment to reform should be demonstrated by concrete efforts to quickly implement serious reforms. The democratic demands of the Bahraini people are based on a universal desire for dignity and self-determination. Such demands include, but are not limited to:

The empowerment of elected rather than appointed government institutions.

Universal and equal suffrage, including in the designation of electoral districts;

A judicial system that operates independently, both financially and administratively, and is impartial and transparent in its proceedings;
[Read more →]

Raytheon Receives Approval for $1.7 Billion Patriot Sale to Saudi Arabia
Missie Defense Advocacy Alliance

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Raytheon Company has received U.S. Congressional and State Department approvals on a $1.7 billion Direct Commercial Sales contract to upgrade the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Patriot Air and Missile Defense System to the latest Configuration-3. The award, announced earlier this year, includes ground-system hardware, a full training package, support equipment upgrades and an interoperability capability to support potential coalition operations.

Patriot is the world’s most capable air and missile defense system, protecting against a full range of advanced threats, including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. It is the system of choice for 12 nations around the globe.

Raytheon is the prime contractor for both domestic and international Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems and system integrator for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles. …source

Eight Bangladeshis publicly beheaded in Riyadh, five more at risk
10/10/2011 – AsiaNews.it

The men were migrant workers. Pleas by human rights activists against the “barbaric”, “appalling” and “medieval” practice fell on deaf ears. The government and embassy of Bangladesh are criticised for the way they dealt with the matter.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Five Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia may meet a fate similar to that of eight compatriots, who were beheaded in public in Riyadh on Friday for murdering an Egyptian security guard in 2007. Four of them are in prison and one is on the run. So far, appeals by human rights activists against the “barbaric”, “appalling” and “medieval” public execution have fallen on deaf ears. The Bangladeshi Embassy in Riyadh said that it is doing all it can to prevent another spate of executions. However, many people are critical of the Bangladeshi government for not doing enough to stop them.

A Saudi court sentenced the eight migrant workers to death by beheading. They were convicted of robbing a warehouse and killing the Egyptian security guard, Hussein Saeed Mohammed Abdulkhaleq, in 2007.

The Saudi authorities, as per the practice, did not inform their embassy in advance. In such cases, the bodies are not repatriated for burial.

In Bangladesh, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman said the public beheadings has traumatised the population. For him, the executions go against the spirit of international human rights laws, which say that no penalty should violate human dignity.

According to Adilur Rahaman Khan, secretary of the human rights group Odhikar (Rights), both the Bangladeshi government and the embassy in Riyadh “have failed to protect the Bangladeshis”, underscoring the weakness of the country’s foreign policy. …more

Senate Considers Bill Authorizing More Torture
November 30, 2011 – by WashingtonsBlog

“A Middle East Dictatorship Has More Democratic Accountability for Abuse of Power, Including Torture, Than the US Under Obama”

The same Senate which today passed a bill allowing indefinite detention of American citizens on American soil for suspicion of being terrorists is now considering a bill to repeal the prohibitions against torture:

The ACLU and over 30 other organizations sent a letter to the Senate asking them to oppose an effort in Congress that threatens to revive the use of torture and other inhumane interrogation techniques. If passed, an amendment introduced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) to the Defense Authorization bill would roll back torture prevention measures that Congress overwhelmingly approved in the 2005 McCain Anti-Torture Amendment, as well as a 2009 Executive Order on ensuring lawful interrogations. It would also require the administration to create a secret list of approved interrogation techniques in a classified annex to the existing interrogation field manual.

Glenn Greenwald pointed out last week:

Andrew Sullivan … today noted that the U.S. under Obama imposes even less accountability for abuse of power and war crimes than does Bahrain:

Bahrain’s Sunni government promised “no immunity” for anyone suspected of abuses and said it would propose creating a permanent human rights watchdog commission. “All those who have broken the law or ignored lawful orders and instructions will be held accountable,” said a government statement, which says the report acknowledges that the “systematic practice of mistreatment” ended shortly after martial law was repealed on June 1.

As Andrew put it: “So a Middle East dictatorship has more democratic accountability for abuse of power, including torture, than the US under Obama.” Beyond things like this and the facts set forth in the last paragraph here, perhaps Andrew could use today’s post of his to help clear up the towering mystery he raised yesterday of liberal disenchantment with Obama. That American war criminals are being aggressively shielded from any and all accountability is not an ancillary matter but one of enduring historical significance.

That’s okay, though, because – according to top military, intelligence and civilian experts on interrogation – torture:
(1) Doesn’t produce actionable intelligence
(2) Reduces national security
(3) Creates more terrorists
(4) And is only useful for: Producing false confessions; and As a way of terrorizing the population

…source