Middle East Policy

The totalitarian entity of al-Baath imposing tyranny on Syria has crossed all lines. Human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni is a Syrian hero and will always stay so to the Syrian people. Free Anwar al-Bunni Sentence against Anwar al-Bunni deals another blow to human rights in Syria AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE 24 April 2007 Amnesty International condemns the harsh sentence handed down today on human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni, following an unfair trial that appeared to be politically driven and during which he was not given full access to his lawyers. The Damascus Criminal Court sentenced Anwar al-Bunni to five years in jail on the charge of “spreading false information harmful to the state”. He has consistently denied this charge, which seems to be linked to his legitimate work in defence of human rights. "This deals another blow to human rights and human rights activists in Syria who have been the target of an intimidation campaign by the authorities," said Malcolm Sma

What do Syrians think about Lebanon? And how does the Baath regime take it? This is a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute on the Beirut-Damascus Declaration: Wave of Arrests of Syrian Intellectuals Following the Beirut-Damascus Declaration By H. Varulkar. July 11, 2006 memri.org Introduction On May 12, 2006, the Lebanese media and websites close to the Syrian opposition published a document titled "The Beirut-Damascus Declaration/Damascus-Beirut Declaration." The declaration, which calls for improving Syrian-Lebanese relations, was signed by several hundred Syrian and Lebanese intellectuals. It depicts the deterioration in relations between the two countries in recent months, and sets out, in 10 points, measures that must be taken in order to rectify these relations "from the root." The first point calls on Syria to recognize Lebanon as an independent state by demarcating the border between the two countries and establishing mutual diplomatic represen

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 : December 2006 October 2006 July 2006 Egypt's Constitutional Amendments Egypt Democracy Watch: (Covers the latest four months) Source: The Egypt Monitor 3500 Lawyers Trained to Monitor Elections The National Council of Human Rights and the Egyptian Coalition for the Support of Democracy are training 3500 lawyers to monitor elections . The training is taking place throughout 2007 and aims at preparing monitors for the March 26 referendum on the constitutional amendments as well as the Shura Council partial elections due later this year. Low Voter Turnout On the Referendum on the Constitution On March 26, 2007 Egyptians voted on the referendum for amending 34 articles of the Constitution. According to the Egyptian authority the amendments were approved by 75 percent of t

After the Syria's independence became totalitarian tyranny; citizens became refugees in their homeland; the state became a ranch thanks to the revolution's accomplishments, many brave Syrians, like Aref Dalila, Kamal Labawani, Anwar al-Bunni and many others, are struggling for Syria's democratic independence and Syrians' rights and freedoms. A tribute to all those heroes on our lost independence's anniversary. We, Syrians, totally appreciate their struggle and we are so proud of them. Support the Syrian Human Rights Community: Call for the Release of Anwar al-Bunni http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Bunni2 The situation of human rights defenders in Syria has deteriorated over the past year. Peaceful human rights activists have been subjected to increasing repression. The May 2006 "Beirut-Damascus, Damascus-Beirut" Declaration that called for better relations between Lebanon and Syria was followed by the largest crackdown on civil society since the

Kamal Labawani: a hero from Syria Kamal Labawani is still a captive because of his struggle for freedom, democracy, dignity and independence (self-determination) of the Syrian people. Human Rights Watch reminds the world of his case and asks for his immediate release: Government Should Free Kamal al-Labwani Human Rights Watch (Cairo, April 7, 2007) – Syria should end the trial of human rights activist Kamal al-Labwani by releasing him and dismissing the politically motivated charges, Human Rights Watch said today. Pending Labwani’s release, the Syrian authorities should also take immediate steps to improve his conditions of detention. Labwani is due back in court on April 10 when the First Damascus Criminal Court is expected to issue its verdict. Syrian security forces arrested Labwani on November 8, 2005 upon his return from a two-month trip to Europe and the United States where he met with government officials, journalists, and human rights organizations. He also appeared on Al-Must

Prime Minister Fouad Saniora has handed over to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a memorandum urging the world body to take measures to create the international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes. Justice Minister Charles Rizk said Saniora's memo, which was presented to U.N. special coordinator in Lebanon Geir Pederson late Tuesday, was accompanied by a letter updating Ban on the latest developments over the tribunal issue in Lebanon. Lebanese media said the memo contained the text of a second petition signed by 70 lawmakers asking the U.N. to help set up the court. Previously, the parliamentary majority handed a petition to the United Nations requesting that the world body establish an international tribunal on the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri. Addressed to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, it requested that "all alternative measures" be taken by the Security Council to establish the tribunal.

This is the news section of the latest issue of Arab Reform Bulletin (March 2007) Published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Headlines: Mauritania: Presidential Election Egypt: Constitutional Amendments; Crackdown on Brotherhood; Blogger Sentenced Kuwait: Government Resigns Yemen: Islah Congress; Millennium Challenge Corporation Funding; Editors Prosecuted Bahrain: Activists Released Saudi Arabia: Travel Ban on Government Critics Syria: Upcoming Parliamentary Elections; Activist Released; Muslim Brothers Sentenced Jordan: Parliament Approves Controversial Press Law Algeria: Human Rights Lawyers Trial Tunisia: Court Bans Human Rights Congress Upcoming Political Events Contents: Mauritania: Presidential Election Two candidates will go to a runoff on March 25 in Mauritania 's first free presidential election, two years after the end of 21 years of authoritarian rule by President Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya. Sidi Ould Sheikh Abdellahi (who served in the ousted gove

Human rights in Syria; Pelosi's silence By Nadim Houry and Radwan Ziadeh Daily Star April 6, 2007 US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's visit to Damascus this week caused quite a stir. Before she even landed in Syria, the White House was calling her decision a "really bad idea." Pelosi's spokesman was quick to defend the visit by saying that the speaker intended to use her trip "to discuss a wide range of security issues affecting the United States and the Middle East." No one doubts that security is essential in the region. But Pelosi appears to have committed the same mistake as other recent visitors to Damascus, who decided not to raise the issue of Syria's appalling human rights record. Pelosi was the most senior American public figure to visit Damascus since Colin Powell visited in 2003 as secretary of state, but she came on the heels of other high-profile visitors. Last weekend, three Republican congressmen, Frank Wolf, Joe Pitts and Robert Ad

Pelosi's Visit to Damascus, a Chapter Within the Jewish Lobby Strategy By Raghida Dergham Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to Damascus was motivated by a fraction of the Israeli lobby convinced that stimulating Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's interest in striking a deal with Israel would prompt him to break him away from Iran and abandon Hezbollah in Lebanon. The visit came on behalf of the Israeli government and its affiliates, who view the Syrian regime as weak and incapable of inflicting harm, yet the best de facto partner of Israel, since it will never stir up the Syrian-Israeli front, or allow for the emergence of the 'Muslim Brotherhood'. Hence, it stands to represent the wished for separation fence, running along the Syrian-Israeli borders. The visit of the head of the top US legislative body came to the dismay of George W. Bush, the head of the executive body, who is tasked by the Constitution with foreign policy decision-makin