Bahrain is almost broken, but not entirely so. The government is persecuting its critics, but not killing them on a large scale as in Syria. As everyone we met told us, Bahrain is a small country: The protagonists on both sides know each other, and there still seems to be room for compromise. But the window is rapidly closing, and once it shuts – as in Syria – it will be hard to turn back.
Melrose is one of dozens of white-collar expatriate workers the authorities have banned from leaving Bahrain for debt-related reasons, while also refusing to renew their residency and work permits. In this bizarre Catch-22 situation, it is impossible for them to earn money in Bahrain or to work outside Bahrain to repay the debts.
As Egypt marks the first anniversary of the Jan. 25 civilian revolt that eventually toppled the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak, there's no agreement – on how to celebrate or even whether rejoicing is in order.
Turkey's standing in the region is growing, but its international credibility should be in doubt as long as it fails to address its human rights record, especially in regard to the large Kurdish minority.
As heartening as Tunisia's successful election was for post-revolutionary democratic transition in the Arab world, the distressing signals from Egypt indicate it has veered off course from the freedom and democracy goals of Tahrir Square. The country's military rulers have become steadily more abusive, while finding excuse after excuse to delay handing over power to civilian authorities. The Obama administration, the military's principal patron, stands by the generals as it did President Hosni Mubarak, with nary a public peep about the dangerous direction in which they're taking the country.
The parties of both the minority and the majority must not forget that the revolution in Tunisia carried within it a desire for freedom, dignity, and justice.
The news that Tony Blair was advising Kazakhstan on economic reform and how to improve its international image broke as a colleague and I from Human Rights Watch were researching violations of workers' rights in the western part of this oil-rich country. Throughout our trip we were under constant heavy surveillance by the authorities and at times subjected to outright intimidation.
Over the nine months since the ouster of President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia’s human rights situation has improved somewhat as the three interim transition governments have prepared the ground for democratic change. However, huge challenges still lie ahead for the constituent assembly that will rewrite the constitution, appoint a new interim government and exercise legislative power.
Robert Cooper, a hand-picked senior adviser to Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, must not have gotten the memo. His boss had acknowledged that Bahraini security forces used violence and excessive force to suppress largely peaceful pro-democracy protests, offered her condolences to the families of those killed, and stressed that Bahrain's rulers need to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.
King Abdullah's quick decision to change the prime ministerial guard, firing Prime Minister Samir al-Rifai on February 1 and replacing him with Marouf al-Bakhit, Jordan's prime minister from 2005 to 2007, comes as a surprise. When I was in Jordan the week before, Abdullah and al-Rifai reacted to peaceful and relatively small demonstrations over the past weeks by inviting opposition leaders for dialogue and touring the country to listen to citizens' concerns. So what message is the king sending?
As Egypt marks the first anniversary of the Jan. 25 civilian revolt that eventually toppled the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak, there's no agreement – on how to celebrate or even whether rejoicing is in order.
As heartening as Tunisia's successful election was for post-revolutionary democratic transition in the Arab world, the distressing signals from Egypt indicate it has veered off course from the freedom and democracy goals of Tahrir Square. The country's military rulers have become steadily more abusive, while finding excuse after excuse to delay handing over power to civilian authorities. The Obama administration, the military's principal patron, stands by the generals as it did President Hosni Mubarak, with nary a public peep about the dangerous direction in which they're taking the country.
The parties of both the minority and the majority must not forget that the revolution in Tunisia carried within it a desire for freedom, dignity, and justice.
Over the nine months since the ouster of President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia’s human rights situation has improved somewhat as the three interim transition governments have prepared the ground for democratic change. However, huge challenges still lie ahead for the constituent assembly that will rewrite the constitution, appoint a new interim government and exercise legislative power.
Robert Cooper, a hand-picked senior adviser to Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, must not have gotten the memo. His boss had acknowledged that Bahraini security forces used violence and excessive force to suppress largely peaceful pro-democracy protests, offered her condolences to the families of those killed, and stressed that Bahrain's rulers need to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.