The Middle East

Egypt to Have New Constitution by Day’s End

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – The highly anticipated new constitution which has created so much controversy and has led to innumerable protests and demonstrations is expected to finally be enacted today in Egypt. The constitutional assembly worked around the clock, for approximately seventeen straight hours yesterday, before they unanimously approved the two hundred and thirty-seven items in the draft. After President Mohammed Morsi officially receives and ratifies the draft, he will call for a quick-fire referendum to adopt it.

There have been countless protests both for and against Morsi and a new constitution in Egypt. (Photo Courtesy of the Jerusalem Post)

Morsi will call for the referendum because he does not want the supreme constitutional court to get in the way of the constitution’s adoption. Morsi’s worry is that the supreme constitutional court will try to dissolve the constitutional assembly that had created the draft before it officially becomes law. “There is a rush because you can’t leave the country like this and wait for a politicised verdict from the supreme constitutional court,” said Muslim Brotherhood spokesman, Sameh El-Essawia.

Once the referendum is called for, a decision to dissolve the constitutional assembly would have no effect. Furthermore, Morsi will call for the referendum because of his November 22nd decree, which asserts that he is immune from any judicial challenges until a constitution is passed and a parliament is elected. That was another highly controversial move, but the Muslim Brotherhood believes that adopting the constitution now will deflect a lot of negative attention away from that political manuever.

Nevertheless, it does not appear that replacing one controversial decision with another. which is implemented by equally controversial means, will do anything to help cure the clear divide between conservative muslims and any liberal or non-muslim in Egypt. The general criticism against the draft is that it is too focused on utilizing Sharia law and is ambiguous as to women’s and minority rights. Many feel that the draft protects the religion of Islam at the expense of having freedom of expression. Numerous protests have been held in Tahrir Square, including one yesterday, in attempts to criticize Morsi’s regime and stop this constitution from being passed.

As many demonstrations as there were against Morsi and the constitution, there were just as many demonstrations to promote it and Morsi, including one today. Tens of thousands of Islamists met in the streets of Cairo calling for the “implementation of God’s law.”

“The contentious issues have not been resolved, especially regarding the relationship of the state to religion, and that takes us away from the modern civil state,” said University professor Mustafa Kamel El-Sayed.

For further information, please see:

Al Ahram – President Receives Draft Constitution Today and Setting a Date for the Referendum – 1 December 2012

BBC – Egypt Crisis: Islamists Rally for President Morsi – 1 December 2012

Guardian – Morsi Supporters hit the Streets as Egypt Braces for Referendum – 1 December 2012

Jerusalem Post – Islamists Rally for Morsi as Egypt Rift Widens – 1 December 2012

 

Protests Over Detentions Lead to More Detentions in Saudi Arabia

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – On Tuesday about fifteen men, twenty-two women, and eight children were detained for participating in a protest just outside the Human Rights Commission in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh. The women and children were let go that day, however, the men are still being held by the Saudi Arabian security forces.

Saudi Arabia’s religious leader, the grand mufti, believes that protests are nothing more than danger that can only bring chaos. (Photo Courtesy of Ahlul Bayt News Agency)

The participants of the peaceful protest claimed that its purpose was to criticize the states improper treatment of their detained relatives. They congregated outside of the Human Rights Commission hoping to be heard by the body because no other Saudi Arabian authority would previously listen to their complaints or attempt to resolve the dispute. The protestors’ complaints centered around two main issues concerning their detained relatives. Some cited inadequate medical care for detainees was a source of frustration. One woman claimed that her husband had been urinating blood for six months without ever receiving medical assistance.

Many others were protesting the complete lack of basis under which their relatives were being detained. Mohammed Al-Qahtani, a human rights activist and board member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, described the protests as demonstrations by family members for prisoners who have been, “languishing in jail cells without due process” for years.

One woman said that her husband has been held against his will for twelve years despite being found innocent at trial. Others claimed that their relatives were being held captive despite never being charged or put on trial. As a result of their protests, the demonstrators became detainees themselves. Only after the women and children signed a document stating that they would not protest again otherwise they would face punishments if they did, were they eventually released.

The grand mufti, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, has condemned the use of protests claiming that they are used by, “enemies to spread chaos.” He also states that to protest is inherently anti-Islamic. The grand mufti purports that Islam promotes dialogue, while protests promote nothing more than danger.

As an Islamic religious leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh is adamantly against the Arab Spring uprisings which have taken place across the Middle East for the past couple of years. He sees protests and demonstrations as a chief reason that four Islamic autocratic regimes were ousted from their positions of power. As a result, it is illegal to partake in a protest or demonstration in Saudi Arabia.

For further information, please see:

Daily Times – Saudi Grand Mufti Slams Protests as Anti-Islamic – 29 November 2012

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – Saudi Grand Mufti Condemns Protests and Blames Iran for Unrest Among Shiite Muslims – 28 November 2012

Amnesty International – Saudi Arabia Must Release or Charge Detained Peaceful Protesters – 28 November 2012

CNN – Saudis Protest for Release of Political Prisoners, Activist Says – 27 November 2012

Reuters – Saudi Authorities Detain Families at Rights Prtoest – 27 November 2012

Palestinians Optimistic on UN Recognition bid

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Palestine — Palestine is set to renew a bid to upgrade their status at the United Nations (UN), which could strengthen their position in becoming a recognized state.  The UN General Assembly is expected to pass the resolution, recognizing Palestine as a nonmember observer state on Thursday.  Palestine is currently listed as an “entity” with no voting rights.

The UN will vote to recognize Palestine as a nonmember observer state this Thursday. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Out of the 150 countries expected to support the resolution is France, giving Palestine a boost in their efforts for recognition.  Eleven members of the European Union (EU) are also expected to support the resolution.  Norway and Switzerland are planning to vote for the recognition.

Britain will vote for the resolution only if it receives assurances from Palestine that it will not use the recognition to attack Israel through the international judicial system.  Britain seeks public commitments “that the Palestinian Authority would not take advantage of the resolution to act against Israel in the international court in The Hague and that it would commit to immediately renewing peace talks without preconditions.”  It has yet to receive these assurances.  “The first [assurance] is that the Palestinian Authority should indicate a clear commitment to return immediately to negotiations without preconditions” said British Foreign Secretary William Hague in a message to Parliament.  “The second assurance relates to membership of other specialized UN agencies and action in the International Criminal Court.”

Germany and the Czech Republic also plan to vote for the recognition, but only if Palestine makes the assurances Britain demands.

Initially, Palestinian officials refused to make such assurances, but may change their tone if it means additional support.  Palestine officials believe that ICC accession is a discussion that can be held at a later date.  “It’s not for any country to get the Palestinians to relinquish their rights.  And if Israel is innocent, it has nothing to fear from the court,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) executive.  Ashrawi considers the vote to be a “last ditch effort” in recognition.  “We believe that the two-state solution is in jeopardy because of [Israeli] actions.  We want to ensure that the world is still committed to the establishment of a sovereign viable democratic free Palestinian state to interact as an equal,” said Ashrawi.

Countries that do not support the move include Israel, the United States, Canada, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands.

Knesset member Ahmad Tibi believes that the Palestinian’s bid will be successful, and will change future negotiations between it and Israel.  “The future political situation will be completely different for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu… Netanyahu will not meet with [Palestinian] President Abu Mazen (Abbas) to take photos only,” he said.  Tibi considers the vote a “defining moment in the history of the Palestinian people.”

For further information, please see:

Haaretz — In Historice Vote, UN set to Award Palestinians Observer Status — 29 November 2012

Ma’an News Agency — Tibi: UN bid Will Change Future Negotiations — 29 November 2012

Al Arabiya — Global Support Grows for Palestinian UN bid — 28 November 2012

Al Jazeera — Palestinians to Renew UN Statehood bid — 28 November 2012

 

Syrian Government’s Attack Kills Children On Playground

By Emily Schneider
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – Syrian opposition is alleging that the Syrian government used a cluster bomb recently in an attack that killed ten children on a playground. After a lull in fighting, children were allowed outside for a rare moment of leisure on Sunday. That’s when the fighter jets began to bomb the area.

The row of bombs shown in footage following the Syrian government’s attack on a playground. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera) 

Deir al-Assafir recorded the aftermath of the attack in a video posted on YouTube. In that video, a woman stands over the body of a young child and curses Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and asks why the child had to die. The video opens by panning over what appear to be two bodies of little girls on the playground then shows two more bodies in a car. Viewers then see adults carrying what appear to be limp bodies of more children. One girl sits on the ground crying until an adult comes and picks her up. The video has spread rapidly over social media sites.

Alexia Jade, a spokeswoman for the opposition-run Damascus Media Office, said residents in Deir al-Assafir believe the attack was a retaliation effort on the part of the government for rebels taking over a nearby military airport. Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said it’s unclear what exactly happened or what the motivation was behind the attack.

“None of those killed were older than 15 years old. There are two women among 15 people wounded, mostly hit as they were inside the courtyards of their houses,” Abu Kassem, an activist in the village told Reuters news agency.

“There were no fighters inside Deir al-Asafir when the bombing occurred. They operate on the outskirts. This was indiscriminate bombing.”

According to al Jazeera reporter, Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, “The residents in the village insist there was a lull in fighting. It’s a village controlled by the opposition. They believe the government was doing this as a vengeance act as the rebels have been making significant advances around that area, in the eastern part of Damascus, taking control of more areas.”

Activists claim cluster bombs were used in the attack on the playground, but this allegation has not been verified. Videos showed a row of what seemed to be unexploded small bombs, not necessarily cluster bombs.

Activists say at least 3,000 children are among more than 38,000 people killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime began in March last year.

 

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Syrian Children ‘Killed by Cluster Bombs’ – 26 Nov. 2012

BBC – Syria Cluster Bomb ‘Kills Ten Children’ – 26 Nov. 2012

CNN – Opposition Says Shelling Kills Ten Children in Syria – 26 Nov. 2012

Gulf News – ‘Air raid kills 10 children near Damascus’ – 26 Nov. 2012

 

Mursi Issues new Decree, and is met With Criticism

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt  Last Thursday, Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi issued a controversial decree banning judicial challenges to his decisions, thereby nearly seizing near-absolute powers.  The decree was met with heavy criticism, mostly from his opponents, who have held heavy protests throughout Egypt since his announcement.  They have called the decree a “sudden snatch of sweeping powers.”

Egyptian president Mohammed Mursi’s recent decree has been criticized as a “near-absolute” power grab. (Photo Courtesy of Al Ahram)

The decree also extends the work of the constituent assembly drafting Egypt’s constitution by eight weeks, in what is seen as a compromise between Islamists and other representatives as they work together to settle differences in determining the constitution.  Mursi’s office said that it hopes the extension provides enough time for the political groups involved to find “common ground.”

Responding to the criticism, Yasser Ali, an aide to Mursi, said that the decree was limited to “sovereignty-related issues,”  yet Mursi’s opponents believe otherwise.

In an effort to quell the turmoil created by the decree, Mursi met with the Supreme Judiciary Council last Monday in a five hour meeting.  The Judiciary Council had also criticized the decree, calling it an assault on the branch’s independence.  The decree prevents any judiciary body from dissolving the constitutional assembly.  To protest the decree, many judges and prosecutors refused to come to court in Cairo and other cities during Sunday and Monday.

Meanwhile, protests throughout Egypt turned violent as pro and anti-Mursi demonstrators clashed with one another, leaving one protester dead and hundreds wounded.  The Muslim Brotherhood planned to hold a rival rally this Tuesday, but cancelled it in an effort to ease public tension.  The opposition will continue with their protests on Tuesday.

Among Mursi’s critics is Nobel Laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, who called Mursi Egypt’s new pharaoh, and has recently branded him as a God.  “Morsi today usurped all state powers and appointed himself Egypt’s new pharaoh.  A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences,” said ElBaradei in a Twitter post.

Tharwat el-Kherbawy, a lawyer and former Muslim Brotherhood member, called those who accepted the decrees “slaves,” and his supporters “mutants.”  Referring to the decree, el-Kherbawy said it was “not permissible for Mursi to make himself like a God.”

Amr Hamzawy, a liberal member of the dissolved parliament, said that the decree is a sign that Egypt was heading toward “an absolute presidential tyranny.”

The decree drew warnings from the West, who urged Mursi to uphold democracy.

Mursi says that his decisions were “necessary to protect the revolution that toppled Mubarak nearly two years ago and to cement the nation’s transition to democratic rule.”

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Egypt’s Morsi Stands by Decree — 26 November 2012

BBC News — Egypt Crisis: Mohammed Mursi Tries to Defuse Tension — 26 November 2012

Al Bawaba — Morsi’s Power-Bender Reminds Egypt That Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely — 25 November 2o12

Al Ahram — Morsi Rocks the Boat — 23 November 2012