From Saudi Arabia to the United States, the Human Rights of Domestic Workers Must Be Recognized
by Marianne Møllmann – 10 January, 2013 – RH Reality Check

Wednesday morning this week, news broke that Saudi Arabia’s authorities had gone ahead with the public beheading of Rizana Nafeek, a young woman accused of killing a baby in her care in 2005 when she was 17 years old. Nafeek insisted the baby had died in a choking accident.

The case had long been the concern of the international community, not only because the death penalty is inherently cruel and inhumane and should be abolished, but also because there are reasons to believe Nafeek had been forced into making a confession—which she later retracted—and that the trial against her was anything but fair. In addition, the young woman was a Sri Lankan migrant domestic worker in Saudi Arabia, had limited access to legal counsel, and is likely to have understood little of the legal proceedings, making the situation even more inhumane.

Rizana Nafeek, was among the approximately 1.5 million women, predominantly from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Philippines, working in private homes in Saudi Arabia. While some are treated well, domestic workers in Saudi Arabia enjoy fewer legal protections than any other type of workers, and human rights groups have documented horrific abuses against them, including physical brutality and deprivation of food, rest, and water.

But ill-treatment of domestic workers happens closer to home too. In the New York metro area there are an estimated 200,000 domestic workers, 99 percent of whom are immigrants. The abuse suffered by these workers was highlighted in a documentary in 2010, which also brought to light the lack of legal protection. Later that year, New York State became the first jurisdiction in the United States to pass a law to protect the rights of domestic workers.

In fact, most everywhere, domestic workers are subject to lesser legal protection than others, sometimes justified by reference to the difficulty in carrying out workplace inspections in private homes or the trite notion that domestic workers are treated as “part of the family.” In mid 2011, the International Labour Organization adopted the first international treaty on the rights of domestic workers, providing hope for scores of women who are, even now, working without legal protection.

This is not a niche issue either. Across the world, an estimated 53 to 100 million persons—most of them women and girls—currently work as domestic workers. Some travel from rural areas to the city, others cross borders with or without permission. Their main motivation is to improve the situation for themselves and their families.

And it is perhaps this, the most human of conditions, that is lost in the back-and-forth over how and why some people “deserve” rights and other don’t: the search for survival and dignity through work.

This week’s execution in Saudi Arabia and the successful fight for legal protections for domestic workers in New York State highlight the central concept of humanity in the struggle for human rights. Abuse is possible where domestic workers remain “other”—a foreigner, poor, a woman—and alone—isolated from their community and trapped in the workplace that doubles as “home.” Change happens when we start seeing each other as humans, deserving of dignity and respect. …more

In Saudi Town, Women Protest Detentions, Leading to Their Own
By CHRISTINE HAUSER – NYT Lede – 10 January, 2013

Last weekend, Saudi security forces encircled and arrested a small group of women who were protesting the long-term detention of relatives without charges on suspicion of terrorism, and the event has touched off nearly a week of unrest in the Saudi town of Buraida.

A video, apparently shot from a rooftop, showed the security forces joining hands to surround the women, who were holding up placards in the street, as reinforcements showed up.

Amnesty International reported in a statement that security forces arrested some 18 women and 10 children who had gathered outside Buraida’s Board of Grievances building to protest the continued detention of relatives in connection with the Saudi Arabian authorities’ counterterrorism efforts.

It said about seven women were released early the next morning after they signed and added their thumbprints to pledges not to protest again. Three of the women were believed to be at Buraida’s General Prison while eight more – all under the age of 30 – were transferred to the Social Welfare Home in the capital, Riyadh, Amnesty said.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia crack down on public demonstrations, and it is difficult to get a full picture of events inside the kingdom through the official or private media. But reports on social media and images uploaded on Twitter and YouTube filter out, helping to construct an idea of some of the political or human rights-motivated grievances there. …more

Sheikhdoms shield Al Khalifa collapse: Mohsen Saleh
11 January, 2013 – PressTV

But the problem is that the Saudis and the Qataris, some of the Persian Gulf what so-called Sheikhdoms, they are intervening inside Bahrain and preventing people from really toppling or making the changes come through and the international community also they are to great extent, especially the administrations in the United States and the EU, they are silent.”

A political analyst tells Press TV that the protests in Bahrain are achieving many things in terms of making the majority of the people feel that they should go on in order to achieve their demands.

The comments came after Bahraini protesters once again held demonstrations to condemn prison sentences handed down to a group of prominent activists.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Mohsen Saleh, professor at the Lebanese University, to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Mr. Saleh, how much do you agree with that statement that Bahrain’s image has been tarnished since this crackdown on the protests began?

Saleh: Well I guess it has been two years for this revolution and whatever this corrupt authority is doing, is trying to put down these people who are really protesting and trying to say one word, that we want justice.

And the figures were jailed, were sentenced unjustly and now we see from the international community that they are condemning these sentences and these trials and they consider it as something of course unjust and the government, what so-called government, because this is a tribal authority, it is not a government in the political sense of government to govern the people with justice and freedom.

That is why I guess these sentences and these political behaviors in terms of the authority are really not only unjust but pre-meditated and pre-thought in order to put down these people but when we see these protesters going everywhere in this quarter and this village and this town, I guess the government is really trying to put down something they can’t do it.

Press TV: Well Mr. Saleh, a lot of people may be asking right now that as you say there it is nearly two years now that we are seeing these protests take place, they have been ongoing, they have been happening on a regular basis but what is stopping these protests from getting anywhere when it comes of course to the revolutionary demands to some kind fruition of course like we saw in Egypt or we saw in Tunisia? What is stopping these protests from getting anywhere?

Saleh: Well of course I guess they are getting somewhere. They are achieving many things in terms of making the majority of the people that feel that this authority is not a just authority and you should go on in order to achieve our demands.

That is why I guess the Bahraini people are more revolutionary and more adjust to their demands and their needs more than probably Tunisia and Egypt.

But the problem is that the Saudis and the Qataris, some of the Persian Gulf what so-called Sheikhdoms, they are intervening inside Bahrain and preventing people from really toppling or making the changes come through and the international community also they are to great extent, especially the administrations in the United States and the EU, they are silent.

We see some notices and some condemnation against the authority but it has not reached to a point where people can really achieve or take their rights truly.

And now we will see the government is really moving. We will see the change; people will do the change in Bahrain. Whatever happens, the people will achieve what they want finally and really soon enough because the changes in the [Persian] Gulf and in the Arab world is going for the sake of the people not for the sake of these corrupt tribes in Bahrain or Qatar or Saudi Arabia.
…more

Bahrain: Rights activist Maryam Alkhawaja risks arrest
By Bill Law – BBC – 11 January, 2012

A leading Bahraini human rights activist has returned to Bahrain to see her jailed father.

Maryam al-Khawaja, the daughter of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, flew into the capital Manama on Friday night.

She risks arrest under the country’s strict laws governing criticism of the king on social media sites.

Her father was convicted last year in military court of plotting to overthrow the government and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Ms al-Khawaja, who has a Danish passport, has campaigned tirelessly outside the country on behalf of her father and against the government of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah.

The gulf island kingdom has been wracked by more nearly two years of anti-government protests that have left more than 60 people dead.

International human rights organisations have protested vigorously over Abdulhadi al-Khawaja’s conviction and that of 19 others who were sentenced to varying terms up to life imprisonment.

They were convicted of the attempt to forcefully overthrow the government, violations of the constitution and legal code, and ties to foreign terrorist organisations.

But lawyers acting for the convicted men told the BBC that confessions were obtained under torture, a charge that was confirmed in November 2011 by an independent tribunal appointed by the king.

On arrival at the airport, Ms al-Khawaja was given a two-week visa. She left with members of her family.

She has said she wants to visit her father who last year staged a 110-day hunger strike in protest at his detention.

However a Bahraini human rights activist who asked not to be named told the BBC he was fearful that she would find herself serving a lengthy jail term.

“She could be charged over her tweets against the king and serve five years under a new law that was passed in December,” he said.

Ms al-Khawaja’s sister Zainab, who lives in Bahrain, has been detained repeatedly by authorities in the last year and has another court appearance later in the month for participating in illegal demonstrations.

Bahraini protesters rally in support of jailed activists
11 January, 2013 – Shia Post

Bahraini protesters have staged demonstrations to show solidarity with over a dozen prominent activists sentenced to jail terms earlier this week.

The rallies were held on Thursday in the towns of Bilad al-Qadim and Sitra despite the Bahraini regime’s continuous crackdown.

Bahraini forces tried to disperse the crowd by using tear gas and shot guns. Several people were reportedly injured in the violence.

On Monday, Bahrain’s top court handed 13 opposition figures jail terms ranging from five years to life in prison.

The activists, including prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and opposition leader Hassan Mushaima, were arrested on charges of involvement in anti-regime demonstrations in 2012.

Amnesty International has condemned the move as outrageous and urged the Bahraini regime to overturn the sentences.

The Bahraini uprising against the Al Khalifa rule in the Persian Gulf island nation began in February 2011. The regime promptly launched a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring states.

A report published by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in November 2011, found that the Al Khalifa regime had used excessive force in the crackdown and blamed Manama for torturing political activists, politicians, and protesters.

In the face of mounting pressure to end their popular revolt, Bahraini protesters vow to continue holding anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for a democratically elected government is met. …source