Dozens of Shias deported from UAE
20 January, 2013 – by shiapost

At least 30 Shia Muslims have been deported from United Arab Emirates and forced to leave everything behind, The Shia Post reported.

The Shia immigrants were told to leave the UAE as soon as possible within 24 hours, even some of them were living since 20 years.

On of the Pakistani immigrant was given 12 hours to evacuate all his business and residential property from Dubai.

The deported imigrants are including Pakistain, Iraqi, Syrian and Lebanese Shia Muslims.

The United Arab Emirates has expelled long-term Lebanese Shiite residents from the country over their presumed affiliation with Hezbollah.

On security grounds all these were force to evacuate their property within hours, one of the immigrant informed the Shia Post.

The residence permits were also cancelled for no apparent reason.

Last year Khoja Shia madrassa closed down, Shia mosque activities restricted, World Federation meeting on 19th May 2012 shifted to Dar al Salam after government refusal to host it in Dubai.

Since 2009 hundreds of Shia have been deported from UAE, while in April 2012 in a wave of deportations of Lebanese nationals 9 immigrants were deported and banned to enter in UAE.

“I lost my huge amount of my property, above all education of my children has been disturbed”, an immigrant to the Shia Post.

The current deportation of Shia Muslims this year have also made them banned to enter in UAE due to security concerns.

They have not committed any crime and they were not in the habit of discussing politics, but they were practical Shias. …more

Bahrain: Renowned Photojournalist Ahmed Humaidan Psychologically Tortured During Interrogation and Denied Access to His Lawyer
19 January, 2013 – Bahrain Center for Human Rights

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its grave concern over the escalated use of torture against journalists by the authorities in Bahrain. The BCHR received concerning reports on the well-being of Ahmed Humaidan (25 years old) who was kidnapped by fifteen security officers, in civilian clothing, on the 29th of December, 2012.

Humaidan’s family stated that Ahmed was subjected to psychological torture, which is believed to have caused him to mentally break-down. According to his family, Humaidan was forced to stand up for hours while being handcuffed and blindfolded in a very cold room. He informed his family that while he was blindfolded and handcuffed at the CID “Criminal Investigation Department” they forced him to hold an unknown object and interrogators told him that its was a timed bomb set to explode. The unknown object was in his hands for hours. He was constantly monitored during this time, and was screamed at if he moved so much as a finger.

Furthermore, Humaidan informed his family that while being interrogated and forced to confess to a crime that he claims he did not commit, interrogators threatened that they will accuse his brothers of crimes if he did not confess. The interrogators named his brothers and randomly selected charges that they would arbitrarily bring against them.

The BICI report from November 2011 documented similar death threats and psychological torture were widely employed during interrogation sessions. This is a clear indication that the authorities have failed to reform their methods of interrogation. Another example of such psychological torture documented in the BICI report states that:
“On 8 May, the detainee went to court and was cursed and sexually harassed in the car on the way there. He was taken to the side of the court for “executions”. A guard told him, “It is a long time since we executed anyone.” …more

UK Parliamentary Inquiry into UK Policy with Bahrain and Saudi gets under way
22 January, 2013 – Bahrain Justice and Development Movement

The first hearing session of the UK Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry into British policy with Saudi Arabia took place today with evidence from two former ambassadors to Bahrain. Robin Lamb, Ambassador 2003-2006 and Sir Roger Tomkys, Ambassador 1981-1984, gave evidence along side Jane Kinninmont from Chatham House and Dr. Neil Patrick from the Royal United Services Institute.

The committee itself consists of 11 members from the 3 major political parties, with all but one attending the hearing. Those present included Sir. Menzies Campbell MP, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ann Clwyd MP who has been a long standing supporter of reform in Bahrain, Rory Stewart MP an expert in middle eastern affairs and others.

The inquiry, announced in October 2012, is mandated to study British policy with regards to the two Gulf States, whether its interests are being met and more generally what kind of a role it is playing. At the start of the hearing the Chair of the Committee, Richard Ottaway MP, outlined that this was not an inquiry into human rights abuses in these countries but very specifically UK policy.

With that in mind the first two individuals to answer questions were Ms. Kinninmont and Dr. Patrick, to look at UK’s role in the Gulf more generally, as well as specific to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain with Ms. Kinninmont focusing more on Bahrain whilst Dr. Patrick answered predominantly on Saudi.

In their opening remarks both highlighted the complexities of British policy in the Gulf in balancing interests, moral values and security concerns. Ms Kinninmont argued it is a difficult time for UK diplomats, but also a time of “heightened sensitivities amongst Gulf rulers”, citing the examples of many who have been imprisoned for criticizing monarchs.

She said that Britain is not doing itself any favours if it pretends that all is fine in the Gulf and there are no pressures from below for change. Ms. Kinninmont mentioned the recent speech of the Crown Prince at the Manama Dialogue in which he chose to thank Britain over the US that UK is indeed Bahrain’s closest ally. She said that Britain was prepared to be critical of Bahrain during the first days of the crackdown in February and March 2011, but has since maintained the same level of strong relations, describing this as “puzzling” since the crackdown has continued since then. ….more

Revolution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
20 January, 2013 – The Daily Beast

The overthrow of the Saudi royals is finally a possibility. In an excerpt from a new Brookings Institution briefing book for Obama’s second term, Bruce Riedel on what a catastrophe it would be for Obama.

Saudi Arabia is the world’s last absolute monarchy. Like Louis XIV, King Abdullah has complete authority to do as he likes. But while a revolution in Saudi Arabia is still not likely, the Arab Awakening has made one possible for the first time, and it could come in President Obama’s second term.

Revolutionary change in the kingdom would be a disaster for American interests across the board. Saudi Arabia is America’s oldest ally in the Middle East, a partnership that dates to 1945. The United States has no serious option for heading off a revolution if it is coming; we are already too deeply wedded to the kingdom. Obama should ensure the best possible intelligence is available to see a crisis coming and then try to ride the storm.
Click to learn more…

Still , the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a proven survivor. Two earlier Saudi kingdoms were defeated by the Ottoman Empire and eradicated. The Sauds came back. They survived a wave of revolutions against Arab monarchies in the 1950s and 1960s. A jihadist coup attempt in 1979 seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca but was crushed. Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda staged a four-year insurrection to topple the Sauds and failed less than a decade ago. Saudi al Qaeda cadres remain in the kingdom and next door in Yemen.

Today the Arab Awakening presents the kingdom with its most severe test to date. The same demographic challenges that prompted revolution in Egypt and Yemen, a very young population and very high underemployment, apply in Saudi Arabia. Extreme gender discrimination, long-standing regional differences, and a restive Shia minority add to the explosive potential. In recognition of their vulnerability, the Saudi royals have spent more than $130 billion since the Arab Awakening began to try to buy off dissent at home. They have made cosmetic reforms to let women sit in a powerless consulting council.

Abroad they have sent tanks and troops across the King Fahd Causeway to stifle revolution in Bahrain, brokered a political deal in Yemen to replace Ali Abdullah Salih with his deputy, and sought closer unity among the six Gulf Cooperation Council monarchies. They also have invited Jordan and Morocco to join the kings’ club. But they are pragmatists too and have backed revolutions in Libya and Syria that fight old enemies of the kingdom.

The Saudis fear, probably rightly, that real power sharing is impossible in an absolutist state. But we should plan very quietly for the worst.

If an awakening takes place in Saudi Arabia, it will probably look a lot like the revolutions in the other Arab states. Already demonstrations, peaceful and violent, have wracked the oil rich Eastern Province for more than a year. These are Shia protests and thus atypical of the rest of the kingdom. Shia dissidents in ARAMCO, the Saudi oil company, also have used cyberwarfare to attack its computer systems, crashing more than 30,000 work stations this August. They probably received Iranian help.

Much more disturbing to the royals would be protests in Sunni parts of the kingdom. These might start in the so-called Quran Belt north of the capital, where dissent is endemic, or in the poor Asir province on the Yemeni border. Once they begin, they could snowball and reach the major cities of the Hejaz, including Jeddah, Mecca, Taif, and Medina. The Saudi opposition has a vibrant information technology component that could ensure rapid communication of dissent within the kingdom and to the outside world.

The critical defender of the regime would be the National Guard. Abdullah has spent his life building this Praetorian elite force. The United States has trained and equipped it with tens of billions in helicopters and armored vehicles. But the key unknown is whether the Guard will shoot on its brothers and sisters in the street. It may fragment or it may simply refuse to suppress dissent if it is largely peaceful, especially at the start.

The succession issue adds another layer of complication. Every succession in the kingdom since its founder, Abdel Aziz bin Saud, died in 1953 has been to his brothers. King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman are the end of the brood; only a couple of possible remaining half brothers are suitable. Both the king and crown prince are ill, and both are often unfit for duty. If Abdullah and/or Salman die as unrest begins—a real possibility—and a succession crisis ensues, then the kingdom could be even more vulnerable to revolution. …more

EDITORIAL: US Government must not continue to overlook human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, other allies
by Editorial Board – 21 January, 2013 – The Oklahoma Daily

Policemen encircled a group of burka-clad women and their children peacefully protesting the unjust detention of relatives in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia two weeks ago. The women then were carted off to jail simply for asking for the release of their loved ones jailed without trials or hearings.

The U.S. is a strategic and economic ally of Saudi Arabia and has failed to speak out against human rights abuses in the country

In a country that has outlawed protests, citizens’ reaction to the arrests was shocking. In the incredibly conservative city of Buraidah, where the women were arrested, men took to the streets to protest their arrest and detention.

The protest by a small group of women sparked a rare expression of political dissent.

After the strong reaction, the government released the women and children but did not comment on the condition of their loved ones.

These protests are especially important given the Saudi Arabia’s guardianship laws that legally define women as children under the care of their husbands or fathers.

Women, who are not allowed to travel without a male companion, risked torture and imprisonment to ask for simple information regarding detained relatives.

In October 2010, local journalist Fahd al-Jukhaidib, was arrested and lashed merely for reporting on a protest. Many others have been detained for years for participating in peaceful protests.

The U.S. has not taken direct diplomatic action to support the protests, despite being active in recent human rights efforts in Egypt and Syria. Ignoring violations in Saudi Arabia undermines our efforts in other Arab countries because we are seen as playing favorites with our allies.

The relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia has been strained by oil concerns and human rights violations. President Barack Obama took significant steps in advocating for greater human rights in the region during the Arab Spring.

In early 2011, Obama publicly called for the resignation of Egypt’s leader Hosni Mubarak and recently recognized Syria’s revolutionary government.

But Obama is in a dilemma over Saudi Arabia. As the kingdom is one of our trading partners, the U.S. has been wary of criticizing the Saudi regime and calling for increases in human rights.

We cannot afford to be passive any longer. When the people of a repressed nation call out for the most basic access to political and judicial liberties, it is our duty to join the call. …source

Human Rights Activist “the West is covering for Saudi Arabia human rights violations”
21 January, 2013 – Islam Times

Islam Times – Amjad Salfiti a long time human rights activist accused Western nations — The United Kingdom and the United States of America among others – of hypocritically supporting Saudi Arabia gross human rights violations on the ground as it fit their political agenda while using human rights abuses in other countries to justify meddling and military interventions.

Human Rights Activist “the West is covering for Saudi Arabia human rights violations”
Salfiti when addressing the press earlier this week strongly denounce such double-standard and political bias.

He noted that the West had every interest in keeping oppressive regimes in place in the middle east as it guaranteed them a free hand in the region. And indeed, several political analysts have long argued that the birth of democracy in the Middle East would put an end to western imperialism and therefore put western economies at threat as oil nations might not appear as keen to indulge them as despots did over the decades.

Salfiti stressed how very worrying events in Saudi Arabia – gain in momentum of the civil rights movement – were becoming for western nations as they were not quite sure how to handle the situation, with or against the people.

He explained that success of previous “peaceful popular uprisings” in Tunisia, Bahrain and Egypt had literally rattled many cages with the fear that the so called Arab Spring movement will lay waste all monarchies and dictatorship in the Arab World.

Not having the tools to deal with popular anger, regimes such Saudi Arabia and Bahrain so far responded to calls for reforms with oppression.

However, Salfiti says, Saudi Arabia is slowly coming to grip with the fact that repression is actually fueling protests rather than killing it; which is why the government decided to show some degree of mercy by freeing some political prisoners, upon a pledge all former detainees will refrain from engaging in political or popular movement against the monarchy. …source

US State Department – Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011
Saudi Arabia
22 January, 2013

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is both head of state and head of government. The government bases its legitimacy on its interpretation of Sharia (Islamic law) and the 1992 Basic Law, which specifies that the rulers of the country shall be male descendants of the founder King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud. The Basic Law sets out the system of governance, rights of citizens, and powers and duties of the government, and it provides that the Qur’an and the Traditions (Sunna) of the Prophet Muhammad serve as the country’s constitution. On September 29, the country held elections on a nonparty basis for half of the 1,632 seats on the 285 municipal councils around the country. Women were not permitted to be candidates or to vote. Security forces reported to civilian authorities.

The most important human rights problems reported included citizens’ lack of the right and legal means to change their government; pervasive restrictions on universal rights such as freedom of expression, including on the Internet, and freedom of assembly, association, movement, and religion; and a lack of equal rights for women and children, as well as for workers.

Other human rights problems reported included torture and other abuses, poor prison and detention center conditions, holding political prisoners and detainees, denial of due process and arbitrary arrest and detention, and arbitrary interference with privacy, home, and correspondence. Violence against women, trafficking in persons, and discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, sect, race, and ethnicity were common. Lack of governmental transparency and access made it difficult to assess the magnitude of many reported human rights problems.

The government prosecuted and punished a limited number of officials who committed abuses, particularly those engaged in or complicit with corruption. There were reports that some members of the security forces and other senior officials, including those linked to the royal family, committed abuses with impunity. …more

Demos held ahead of anniversary of Bahrain revolution
23 January, 2013 – Tehran Times

Bahraini protesters have held demonstrations in defiance of a government ban on such protests as the second anniversary of the anti-government uprising in the country draws closer.

The protests were staged in several towns and villages across the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on Monday.

The demonstrators chanted slogans, calling for the downfall of the Al Khalifa regime.

In the village of Malikiyah, located some 18 kilometers (11 miles) southwest of Manama, Saudi-backed Bahraini forces fired tear gas and used shotguns to disperse the anti-regime protesters.

The revolution began in mid-February 2011 when people, inspired by the popular revolutions that toppled the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt, started holding massive demonstrations.

The Bahraini government promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring states to assist the suppressive campaign.

Dozens of people have been killed in the crackdown, and the security forces have arrested hundreds, including doctors and nurses accused of treating injured revolutionaries.

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 accused Manama of torturing political activists, politicians, and protesters.

The protesters say they will continue holding anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for the establishment of a democratically-elected government is met. …source

European Parliament Calls for EU Sanctions Against Bahrain for Gross Human Rights violations
22 January, 2013 – Jafria News

JNN 22 Jan 2013 Brussels : The European Parliament today endorsed a strong worded resolution addressing the ongoing human rights violations in Bahrain. The effort led by Dutch Member of European Parliament Marietje Schaake calls for targeted EU sanctions against human rights violators in Bahrain.

“For almost two years now the world has ignored the lethal violence used against Bahraini peaceful protestors. We have to be consistent in our policies and impose sanctions to force the Bahraini authorities to respect rights and freedoms”, Schaake says.

Activists

Since February 2011 protests take place in Bahrain. The Bahraini population, of which Shias make up around 70 percent and the rest is mostly Sunni. Bahraini authorities received Saudi support through tanks that were sent to assist in suppressing revolts. Demonstrations in which citizens call for more democracy are increasingly sectarian. Schaake: “People suffocate from the excessive use of tear gas, bird shot is fired from a very close range. Doctors face jail time for providing basic medical care, activists are sentenced to life long imprisonment in flawed trials. Schaake led several other initiatives that got Parliamentary backing.

Arrested

Also bloggers and youth activists who use social media to inform a vast international public about the situation in their country, are being arrested. “Sayed Yousif al-Muhafdha (@Saidyousif) was arrested in Bahrain on 18 December. Two weeks earlier he was one of the speakers during a roundtable inBrussels I organized on the human rights situation in his country. A Bahraini diplomat also attended that meeting.” The Liberal MEP sought to visit Bahrain with an official Parliamentary delegation, but was the only Member of European Parliament who was not granted a visa.

Recommendations

In November 2011 an independent commission of inquiry (BICI) on the request of Bahraini king Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa presented a set of recommendations and reforms which would meet the protestors’ demands. Despite several commitments by the authorities no changes have been made. Schaake: “The authorities keep referring to the BICI report as the silver bullet, but so far it is nothing more than their paper reality. By imposing sanctions the EU finally shows it is getting serious.” Schaake notes that the United States refrains from criticizing the Gulf state, which is likely related to the US Navy’s 5th fleet being based there.

The human rights situation in Bahrain

In their resolution on Bahrain, MEPs call on the authorities and security forces to stop using violence against peaceful protestors and demand an independent investigation into all human rights abuses, particularly those involving children. The prosecution, detention and torture of protestors must stop and freedom of expression and assembly, both online and offline, must be guaranteed, they insist.

The EP urges the Bahraini authorities to follow the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), implement democratic reforms and pursue a national dialogue aimed at reconciliation.

The House expresses its “strong disapproval” of the EU’s lack of response to the ongoing crackdown in Bahrain and calls for sanctions against the individuals directly responsible for the human rights abuses and for restrictions on EU exports of surveillance technology, tear gas and crowd-control material. …more

Al-Wefaq SG: National negotiation for consensus or a national unity government
21 January, 2013 – Al-Wefaq

The press conference was held at al-Wefaq National Islamic Society in the Capital Manama came to highlight main issues as the second anniversary of the start of the peaceful revolution in Bahrain approaches.

Salman affirmed that the revolution will continue until demands of democratic transition are achieved.

“The motive of the people of Bahrain who are demanding democracy is their aspiration to achieve positive and realistic change in all aspects of life; political, economic, social, service and law”

“We must take our country from a state that has long been amongst an Arab world that is known for all political and wealth issues to be controlled by one dynasty or party, to a democratic system that respects citizenship and ethnicities and is based on the people’s will”

“The revolution carried legitimate humanitarian demands that civilized nations have achieved more than two and a half centuries ago, sadly, our Arab world ”

“No one argued the eligibility of the demands, even the highest authority in the country addressed them as legitimate demands and the wrong decision is not respond to these demands “, he said.

The authoritarian decision boosted the revolution
Salman blamed the authority for the crisis Bahrain has been going through for nearly two years now.

“If the right decision to respond to these demands had been taken before the revolution started on 14 February 2011, we wouldn’t have entered this crisis”, he said.

He added that taking the wrong decision meant the revolution must continue, and that the country paid the price through its major resource which is the human via dismissals, torture, killings, exiling and many other violations which were documented by Mr. Bassiouni and Human rights NGOs.

“This wrong decision was made contrary to the first article of the constitution that states that the people are the source of all powers to enable the people of decision-making”.

He said one wrong decision to refuse to respond to any of the demands led to other wrong decisions such as using excessive force and repression in the face of any anti-government act. The clampdown was not able to hold back the people from demanding democracy and freedom, he added. …more

Bahraini opposition accepts talks offer to end crisis
22 January, 2013 – BBC

Bahrain’s opposition has accepted an offer from the country’s justice minister to resume talks.

Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa issued the invitation to political societies in an apparent bid to break an impasse that has damaged Bahrain’s economy.

A leading member of al Wefaq, the biggest opposition society, was guardedly optimistic about the offer.

The Gulf island nation has been wracked by violence for the past two years.

Khalil al-Marzook, of Wefaq, told the BBC the movement was “ready to partner with the ruling family and the community to find solutions”.

But he added: “We need to be assured that the process is credible, we need detail about how agreement will be reached, where it will go and how the people will ratify it.”

On the 14 February 2011, peaceful protesters took over an iconic Bahraini monument, Pearl Roundabout. Three days later security forces cleared the site using tear gas, batons and birdshot.

In the months following the Pearl Roundabout takeover there have been repeated calls for dialogue but the atmosphere of distrust on both sides is deep.

The opposition rejected an initial offer of talks in June 2011 on the grounds that King Hamad had pre-selected participants. As efforts at dialogue stalled the government responded by demanding the opposition renounce violence.

The opposition did so and then charged the government with more foot-dragging.

What makes this latest offer significant is the call by the justice minister to “resume political discussions.” In the past the emphasis has been on a “national dialogue” which avoided references to political solutions.

This suggests the opposition’s call to reform the political system and move toward a constitutional monarchy has not been dismissed out of hand.

At least two protesters died and hundreds were injured.

As violence escalated 35 people, including five police officers, were killed, hundreds more were hurt and thousands jailed in February and March 2011.

The vast majority were Shia Muslims in a country ruled by a minority Sunni royal family

Since then, opposition and human rights activists say another 45 people have been killed, a figure which the government disputes.

In October last year two policemen died of injuries sustained during clashes with protesters in villages outside the capital, Manama.

Thirteen activists and politicians including the leader of the secular Waad party, Ibrahim Sharif, remain in jail, convicted and in some cases given life sentences on evidence that is widely accepted to have been obtained under torture.

Street protests and gatherings are illegal and human rights defenders are routinely detained for activities that include tweeting criticism of the king and his government. …more