Greater Middle East
Saudi Arabia detains human rights lawyer
Attorney Waleed Abu al-Khair, chair of the Saudi Arabia Monitor of Human Rights, was taken into custody on vague charges of "inciting public opinion."
Tag: Saudi Arabia
Greater Middle East
Saudi court hands down death for 2004 bombing
A Saudi Arabian court sentenced to death a member of a militant cell in connection with a 2004 suicide attack on a western company operating in Yanbu port.
Iran
Persian Gulf militarized —by drug war
In addition to the naval face-off over a global oil outlet, the Persian Gulf has seen escalating militarization by international forces in the guise of narcotics enforcement.
Greater Middle East
Saudi Arabia sentences activist to prison, lashes
A court in Saudi Arabia sentenced political activist Omar al-Saeed to four years in prison and 300 lashes for urging the kingdom to become a constitutional monarchy.
Watching the Shadows
US transfers two Gitmo detainees to Saudi Arabia
Two Guantánamo Bay detainees were transferred to Saudi Arabia—with “humane treatment assurances.” The total number of detainees at the facility now stands at 160.
Greater Middle East
Syria war portends Middle East ‘balkanization’?
Elements of Washington wonkdom are calling for the break-up of Syria into ethno-sectarian mini-states, and see the separatist contagion spreading to the rest of the Middle East.
Greater Middle East
HRW: Syria continuing use of cluster bombs
The Syrian government is currently using cluster munitions in its ongoing conflict, according to a report by the Landmine and Cluster Munition Moniter.
Greater Middle East
Saudi Arabia sentences activist to 8 years
A court in Saudi Arabia sentenced Abdulkarim al-Khader, co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, to eight years in prison for sedition.
Greater Middle East
Saudi court sentences rights activists to 10 years
A criminal court in Riyadh sentenced two Saudi Arabian human rights activists on to at least 10 years in prison on charges of sedition and operating an unlicensed organization.
Watching the Shadows
Press was prone on drones, but cover blown
The media are abuzz with reports that the CIA has a secret drone base in Saudi Arabia—but the New York Times and Washington Post admit they sat on the information for two years.
Greater Middle East
Saudi court convicts Egyptian rights lawyer
A Saudi Arabian court convicted Egyptian human rights lawyer Ahmed el-Gezawi of smuggling drugs, sentencing him to five years imprisonment and 300 lashes.
Greater Middle East
Saudi Arabia: blogger faces death penalty
Human Rights Watch has urged Saudi Arabia to dismiss a criminal case against a website editor who may face the death penalty on apostasy charges for abandoning Islam.