Greater Middle East
Persian Gulf

Bahrain sentences rights defender to two years

Amnesty International condemned Bahrain's sentencing of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab to two years in prison—for the crime of protesting on his Twitter account the harsh conditions in Bahrain's prisons. Rajab has served time for illegal tweeting before, and still awaits sentencing on other similar charges. Amnesty condemned the conviction as a "flagrant violation of human rights."

Greater Middle East

Egypt: top court halts Red Sea islands transfer

Following rare public protests in defiance of harsh security measures, Egypt's Constitutional Court temporarily blocked the transfer of two disputed Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

Syria

Syria: popular uprising against al-Qaeda rule

Thousands of residents have repeatedly taken to the streets of Ma’arat al-Numan, a town in Syria’s Idlib governorate, to oppose the rule of jihadist forces that have seized control there.

North Africa

Arab-Berber unity in Morocco protests

Protests continued for a second week in Morocco's neglected Rif region, and spread to cities throughout the country—bringing together Arabs and Berbers to demand democratic reform.

North Africa

Libya: Saif al-Islam Qaddafi released from prison

Saif al-Islam Qaddafi, son of late Libyan dictator Moammar Qaddafi, was released from prison under a new amnesty law, according to the militia that has held him for the past five years.

Greater Middle East

UN to Bahrain: investigate protester deaths

The UN Human Rights Commissioner called on Bahrain to investigate the deaths of several protesters during a security operation against supporters of a persecuted Shi'ite cleric.

Greater Middle East

Bahrain: ‘total suppression’ of human rights

A court in Bahrain dissolved the main opposition political party, an act Amnesty International said is a step toward the "total suppression of human rights" in the Persian Gulf monarchy.

North Africa

Arab Revolution re-ignited in Morocco

Protests spread across Morocco as thousands demonstrated solidarity with activists who took to the streets in the fishing port of al-Hoceima and were met with mass arrests.

Greater Middle East

Abused women forcibly deported to Saudi Arabia

Two sisters abused by their family in Saudi Arabia were deported by Turkey—despite their asylum bid and fears they will be tortured or even executed by Saudi authorities.

North Africa

Thousands protest Tunisia corruption amnesty bill

Thousands of Tunisians marched to protest a bill that would grant amnesty to officials facing charges of corruption committed under the previous regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.