By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – On 15 February 2012, Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) called for the International Olympic Committee (“IOC”) to prevent Saudi Arabia from participating in the Olympic games until the country allows women  to compete, beginning with the 2012 London Games.  Saudi Arabia has received criticism that the country violates the spirit of the Olympics by not bringing a female team to participate at the international event.

HRW’s 51-page report entitled “Steps of the Devil: Denial of Women and Girls’ Right to Sport in Saudi Arabia” highlights discriminatory practices against females when the State denies them physical education at state schools, limits women’s athletic facilities, and refuses to support female athletes participation in the Olympic games.

HRW’s report documents that “opponents of sport for women and girls put forward the ‘slippery slope’ argument that, once women start to exercise, they will shed modest clothing, spend ‘unnecessary’ time out of the house and have increased possibilities of mingling with men.”  Opponents also purpose women could engage in sport outside the view of men while wearing modest cloths.

Since the country’s law restricts women from driving, women face challenges accessing athletic facilities.  Furthermore, when a woman is outside, she must wear an abaya, a black cloak that covers her from head to toe.  HRW reported a woman received permission to run a marathon a few years ago if she ran in the abaya.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s denial of women’s right to sport raises health concerns for women and girls, where obesity and diabetes rates climbed in the country.

HRW asserts Saudi Arabia’s policy violates the pledge of equality in IOC charter.  Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei are the only countries that have not sent women’s teams to the Olympics.  However, their cultural counterparts, including Indonesia, Algeria, Bahrain, and Iran, have supported women’s Olympic teams.

The IOC has banned countries in the past for their policies toward women.  Afghanistan, for example, could not participate in the 2000 Sydney Olympics because of the country’s stance on women under Taliban rule.

In 2006, Reema Abdullah organized Jeddah King’s United, the country’s first all-female soccer team, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  The 33-year old reported the women practice three times a week on “a proper size football field with grass that is surrounded by a wall.”

Regarding the upcoming Olympic games, Abdullah told the Associated Press, “We will watch the London Olympics and we will cheer for our men competing there, hoping that someday we can root for our women as well.”

For further information, please see:

The Guardian – Olympic Outrage at Saudi Ban On Women Athletes – 25 Feb 2012

Hamilton Spectator – Saudi Arabia’s Sports Gap – 22 Feb 2012

Sports Illustrated – Female Athletes In Saudi Arabia Challenge Tradition Muslim Norms – 17 Feb 2012

Human Rights Watch – IOC/Saudi Arabia: End Ban on Women in Sport – 15 Feb 2012

By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt — The revolution that changed Egypt is nearly a year old, and a growing security problem has many wondering if Egyptian security forces are complacent about or complicit in the mayhem around them.

There has been an unprecedented rise in violent crimes since 2011, which has largely been attributed to prison breakouts and a lack of police.

The brazenness of the violence is also troubling. Seven men went into a bank robbery shooting in January; the same day, three men stormed an armored car and made off with $500,000.  A few days later, there was a surreal scene as families lined up outside of a Cairo morgue to watch the procession of coffins carrying the 74 people killed in the Port Said soccer melee.

Historically, Egypt has been safer than many Western countries, but this trend has changed.

Earlier this month groups of American and South Korean tourists were kidnapped in the Sinai peninsula by Bedouin tribesmen.

Currently, at least 20 Jordanian nationals are trapped in the Ras Sidr area in the governorate of south Sinai.  “They can’t move because the road is being blocked by tires set on fire by Bedouin protesters demanding the release of Sinai prisoners,” said an Egyptian interior ministry source.

This increase in violent crime has taken police by surprise, as many city neighborhoods seem to slip fervently out of their grasps.

“We keep reading about crimes that never before existed in our community,” said Mohamed Radwan, the owner of a Cairo gift shop.  “After so many years of financial frustration under [President Hosni] Mubarak,  a certain class of people is willing to do anything for more money, even if that means killing people while robbing them.”

It appears that many of the criminals feel that Egyptian security forces are too busy confronting political issues to seriously deal with crime or provide security.

Ironically, the crime and unrest have brought a sense of equality to some Egyptians as both poor and rich share concerns over security. “We got used to burglaries and attacks and assaults in our poor neighborhoods,” said Soad Mahmoud, a Cairo street vendor. “But I see this everywhere now, cars getting stolen and people murdered for money in places that once used to be the safest.”

The Egyptian police have consistently made statements saying that the situation is under control, however the almost daily incident reports continue to bring criticisms of the security forces.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Jordanians “trapped” in Egypt’s Sinai — 26 Feb. 2012

Philadelphia Inquirer — Brazen crimes add unease to Egypt — 26 Feb. 2012

Boston.com — Egypt: Tribesmen kidnap 3 Korean tourists in Sinai — 10 Feb. 2012

Al Jazeera — Security in Egypt’s Sinai a cause for concern — 05 Jan. 2012

 

By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel — Israeli police clashed with hundreds of Palestinians who threw rocks after leaving Muslim prayers at Jerusalem’s most holy site on Friday.  Elsewhere, Israeli soldiers opened up fire on protesters at a separate demonstration in the West Bank, killing one Palestinian. This continues a series of recent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police.

Hundreds of worshippers emerged from the two mosques in the walled al-Aqsa compound and began staging a demonstration.  An Israeli police spokesperson said that the hundreds of worshippers turned protesters hurled rocks at the police prompting the police to respond with stun grenades to disperse the crowd.

Najeh Bkeirat, a Muslim official at the scene, said demonstrators began throwing rocks only after police tried to stop their march.

Reports state that approximately 11 police officers were lightly injured by rocks, about 30 Palestinians were treated for light injuries from tear gas inhalation and scuffles, and four Palestinians were arrested.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound has repeatedly been a site of violence between the two groups.  The compound sits atop the remains of the two biblical Jewish temples.  It is the most sacred site in Judaism, and it is Islam’s third-holiest site.  Any perceived attempt to change the delicate division of control of the compound sets off protests.

A similar clash at a demonstration near Ramallah in the West Bank around the same time of day resulted in Israeli soldiers firing on Palestinian protesters, leaving one dead.  The Israeli military said the protesting Palestinians threw rocks and firebombs at soldiers stationed nearby, which prompted their response.

Talat Ramieh, 25, was declared dead at a local hospital after suffering a critical chest injury.

The cause of the confrontations is not clear, however there have been heightened tensions between Jews and Muslims recently as rumors have been swirling among Palestinian activists that far right Israelis are attempting to gain access to Muslim-controlled areas at the holy site.

Israeli police have claimed that such rumors are false.

Jordan previously warned Israel on Sunday over any attempts by right-wing activists to threaten the al-Aqsa mosque.  Foreign Minister Nasser Judah denounced the recent use of force by Israeli police against worshippers at the mosque after eyewitnesses claimed that Israeli police entered the Muslim portion of the temple with a group of foreign visitors.

There has been a call from extremist Israeli groups and politicians to storm the al-Asqa mosque and establish the so-called Third Temple.  Many pro-Palestinian activists cite Israel’s failure to stop or disavow the extremist campaign as a reason for the growing violence.

Jordan has called for immediate international intervention from the Arab and Islamic worlds to stop Israel’s “daily and ongoing violations” in Jerusalem.

For more information, please see:

HAAERTZ — Palestinian killed in West Bank demonstration after Temple Mount clashes, sources say — 25 Feb. 2012

Al Jazeera — Clashes continue at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa — 24 Feb. 2012

Huffington Post — Jerusalem Clashes: Conflicts Between Israel Police And Palestinians At Al Aqsa Site — 24 Feb. 2012

Washington Post — Police clash with Palestinians throwing rocks at Jerusalem holy site — 24 Feb. 2012

MENAFN — Jordan warns Israel over Al Aqsa as Jerusalem tensions reach ‘boiling point’ — 20 Feb. 2012

 

By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANAA, Yemen – On Tuesday, 21 February, Yemen elected the U.S.-backed Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi as President of Yemen.  However, Mr. Hadi was the only candidate on the ballot.  Mr. Hadi’s election ends the 33-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh and a year of turmoil after Yemenis ousted Mr. Saleh.

Dayfallah al-Shami from the Houthis’ leadership council said, “These are not real elections, it is just formalizing the American-backed [Gulf Cooperation Council] initiative which aimed to control the Yemeni revolution…It is just a reproduction of the same regime.”

Although Mr. Saleh agreed to resign from office with full immunity from prosecution once the country elected a new president, his strong tribal and family connections continue to influence the nation.  His sons and nephews, for example, command the country’s security agencies and military units.

Before the election, Mr. Saleh addressed Yemenis to encourage them to vote.  In his address, Mr. Saleh said, “I will remain with you as a citizen loyal to his country, people and nation…and will continue to serve the country and its just issues.”

After Mr. Hadi voted for himself, he said, “This is a qualitative leap for modern Yemen…There will be big political, economic and social change.”  He added, “Elections are the only exit route for the crisis which has buffeted Yemen for the past year.”

During Tuesday’s elections, Yemen’s Election Commission stopped voting in nine of 301 districts due to chaos.  Nine people died from election violence where southern separatists called for an election boycott in southern Yemen.  A bomb threat also moved Mr. Hadi’s polling station at the last minute.  Furthermore, four soldiers and four civilians, including a child, died in clashes between security forces and election opponents throughout the country.

In the Aden province, a series of explosives blasted near the polling place.  Abdel-Aziz Yehiya, the province’s election commission head, also reported that unidentified gunmen captured 44 of the 800 ballot boxes and set them on fire.  Yemeni officials suspect al Qaida members took the ballot boxes.

After Yemenis voted amid the tight security, young men rode in taxis holding their inked thumbs that signified they voted out the taxi’s windows.  Other demonstrators displayed their red-dyed thumbs to protest the elections and remember the uprising’s causalities.

Sanaa voter Bushra al-Baadany reported, “I am voting for Hadi as a new leader instead of Saleh because I want change…If Hadi is like Saleh, we are ready to have another revolution.”

For further information, please see:

Reuters – Saleh’s Deputy Takes Power In Yemen Vote As Sole Candidate – 22 Feb 2012

RT – Yemen Elects New Leader In Walkover Election – 22 Feb 2012

BBC – Yemen Violence Mars Poll To Replace Ali Abdullah Saleh – 21 Feb 2012

San Jose Mercury News – Yemeni Vote Elevates Vice President, Ends Saleh’s 33-Year Rule – 21 Feb 2012