Middle East Policy

Syrian Oppositionists Call for International Action MEMRI.org June 6, 2007 Recently, the Syrian regime has been escalating its persecution of political dissidents. This escalation is reflected in the large number of prison sentences being issued by the High State Security Court to prominent oppositionists, among whom are Dr. Kamal Al-Labwani, a human rights activist, who received a 12-year prison sentence for harming state security; Anwar Al-Bouni, human rights activists and attorney, who was sentenced to five years in prison for "harming national morale"; and Michel Kilo, activist for the Committees for the Revival of Civil Society and director of the Hurriyat Center for Freedom of the Press and Journalists in Syria, and Mahmoud 'Issa, political activist, who had been imprisoned from 1992 to 2000 for membership in the Communist Labor Party, both of whom received a three-year prison sentence for "harming national sentiment." Also sent to prison for "harming...

Here are the recent news and developments concerning the political life, reform and democratic movement in Egypt gathered from the Egypt Monitor . Previous " Egypt Democracy Watch " on Middle East Policy : April 2007 December 2006 October 2006 July 2006 Egypt's Constitutional Amendments Egypt Democracy Watch: (Covers the latest two months) Source: The Egypt Monitor The Egyptian Union of Liberal Youth Elects its First Board The newly created Egyptian Union of Liberal Youth (EULY) elected its first board of directors on June 1st, 2007. Thirteen candidates run for the ten board seats. EULY is an initiative to unite the efforts of Liberal Youth in Egypt regardless of their party or non-party affiliations. Attempts at Imploding the Judges Club Presidents of two Judges Clubs from the provinces made an attempt to split from the main Judge's Club headquartered in Cairo. The plan aimed at making creating a federation of Judges Clubs nation wide, hence diminishing the role o...

Another Anti-Syrian Parliamentarian Assassinated Naharnet 13 Jun 07 Al-Moustaqbal Movement Parliamentary Deputy Walid Edo, an outspoken critic of Syria, was assassinated by a powerful car bomb blast that also killed his elder son, Khaled, and four other people in Beirut's seaside Manara district Wednesday. A Ranking police officer said the booby-trapped car, parked between the Long Beach and Sporting Club swimming facilities, was detonated as Edo and his son left the beach. "Their bodies were hurled by the powerful blast and found about 20 meters from the explosion site," said the source, who asked not to be identified. Edo's two body guards and two civilian pedestrians also were killed in the powerful explosion that wounded 10 other people in the district usually crowded by beach fans. Tongues of flame shot up in the sky from the gutted remains of the booby-trapped car as fire fighters fought the blaze to prevent it from spreading to other vehicles parked in the crow...

Hariri court to come into force automatically on June, 30 AFP, June 8, 2007 UNITED NATIONS , June 8, 2007 (AFP) - In line with a Security Council ruling, an international court to try suspects in the murder of Lebanese ex-premier Rafiq Hariri is to come into force automatically Sunday, but will not be up and running for several months. On May 30, 10 of the council's 15 members passed a resolution setting Sunday as the date on which a 2006 agreement between the United Nations and the Beirut government to establish the court is to enter into force. Five members, including veto-wielding Russia and China, abstained, objecting to a decision that bypasses Lebanon's constitutional process. The UN ruling was also condemned by the powerful pro-Damascus Shiite movement Hezbollah as illegal and as "an aggressive interference in (Lebanon's) internal affairs." Syria, Lebanon's former power broker, was widely blamed for the Hariri killing but has denied all involvement. Har...

This is the news section of the latest issue of Arab Reform Bulletin (May 2007) Published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Headlines: Status of Political Parties Recent Developments in Political Party Laws Algeria: Run-Up to Elections Egypt: Political and Legislative Update Palestine: Interior Minister Resigns Mauritania: New Government Syria: Democracy Activists Jailed; Results of Parliamentary Elections Jordan: Former MP Arrested; Crackdown on Press Bahrain: Controversy over Minister Corruption Charges Saudi Arabia: Human Rights Watch Denounces Torture in Prisons Yemen: Government Closes Gun Markets Upcoming Political Events Contents : Status of Political Parties The status of political parties varies significantly across the Arab region. Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Yemen allow political parties—including Islamists (parties whose main goal is the establishment of an Islamic state or the implementation of sharia)—to compete in elections...

ALLELUIA It is a new era in the Middle East; it is a new chapter in the Middle East's history. Resolution 1757 30 May 2007 “The Security Council, “Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 1595 (2005) of 7 April 2005, 1636 (2005) of 31 October 2005, 1644 (2005) of 15 December 2005, 1664 (2006) of 29 March 2006 and 1748 (2007) of 27 March 2007, “Reaffirming its strongest condemnation of the 14 February 2005 terrorist bombings as well as other attacks in Lebanon since October 2004, “Reiterating its call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon, “Recalling the letter of the Prime Minister of Lebanon to the Secretary-General of 13 December 2005 (S/2005/783) requesting inter alia the establishment of a tribunal of an international character to try all those who are found responsible for this terrorist crime, and the req...

Along with three recent explosions, the killers of former Prime Minister Hariri and other cadres of Lebanese Cedar Revolution are trying something new this time, Fatah al-Islam, exploiting apparently their excellent relations with many al-Qaeda personnel. They are obviously terrified of the upcoming International Tribunal for Lebanon , the truth time and justice time. The Lebanese democratically elected independence government is staying, and the international tribunal is coming. So, assassins get more terrified, and independent free democratic Lebanon go ahead. These are some related materials by the Council on Foreign Relations: Lebanon's Fires Burn Anew cfr.org May 22, 2007 Last summer the world watched in shock as Israel fought a month-long campaign against Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon. With the aftershocks of that conflict still rippling throughout the region, it appears Lebanon could be in for another bloody summer. The latest outbreak of violence features a new ...