[17 Nov 2013] Amnesty Intl censures Qatar for conditions of workers -...
International human rights groups have censured Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their treatment of migrant workers.
Amnesty International has issued...
International human rights groups have censured Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their treatment of migrant workers.
Amnesty International has issued a report criticizing the conditions of workers preparing venues for the 2022 World Cup. The report details non-payment of wages, harsh working conditions, and poor standards of accommodation. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has urged Persian Gulf monarchies to take additional steps to safeguard migrant workers. In a statement, HRW appealed to the Arab states to adopt the new codes of the International Labor Organization. Saudi Arabia is currently conducting a brutal crackdown on undocumented workers. Several people -- including three Ethiopians -- have been killed since the kingdom launched a visa crackdown two weeks ago.
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[24 Nov 2013] Bahraini court sentences 13 people to jail for...
The crackdown on dissent continues in Bahrain where a court has sentenced 13 people to jail for allegedly trying to kill policemen. Twelve of these...
The crackdown on dissent continues in Bahrain where a court has sentenced 13 people to jail for allegedly trying to kill policemen. Twelve of these Bahrainis received a 10-year jail term. Another person was given a three- year sentence. They had all taken part in an anti-regime demonstration.
In a separate case at another court in the Bahraini capital Manama, a policeman was acquitted of attempting to murder a protester because of what was called insufficient proof. The legal proceedings against protesters have been described as show trials by rights activists. The Bahraini regime has harshly cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrations which began in the Persian Gulf kingdom in early 2011.
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[28 Nov 2013] Saudi Arabia to deport thousands of Egyptian workers -...
Decades of lax immigration enforcement in Saudi Arabia allowed migrants including Egyptians to take low-wage jobs in the kingdom. Now, thousands of...
Decades of lax immigration enforcement in Saudi Arabia allowed migrants including Egyptians to take low-wage jobs in the kingdom. Now, thousands of Egyptians are facing deportation as Riyadh launches a visa crackdown on undocumented foreign workers.
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[01 Dec 2013] HRW urges Saudi Arabia to probe last month-s crackdown on...
A leading human rights group has called on Saudi Arabia to probe the recent violence during a regime crackdown on undocumented migrant workers....
A leading human rights group has called on Saudi Arabia to probe the recent violence during a regime crackdown on undocumented migrant workers.
Human Rights Watch has warned of a \"humanitarian disaster\" if the workers remain held in Saudi deportation centers. The Arab kingdom in the Persian Gulf launched a clampdown on illegal migrant workers earlier last month.
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[02 Dec 2013] Bahrain sentenced 16 Shia activists to 7 years in prison -...
A Bahraini court has sentenced 16 Shia activists to seven years in prison each for taking part in anti-government protests.
This is the latest...
A Bahraini court has sentenced 16 Shia activists to seven years in prison each for taking part in anti-government protests.
This is the latest in a series of convictions the Bahraini regime has imposed against protesters - among them prominent rights activist Nabil Rajab. Rajab was arrested in late 2012 and is currently serving a two-year sentence. Rights groups have repeatedly called for his release but Bahraini authorities have refused to free him from jail. The arrests and trials come against the backdrop of unabated protests in the Persian Gulf Kingdom against the rule of the Al Khalifah monarchy.
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[13 Dec 2013] Bahraini regime forces arrest several people after filing...
Bahraini regime forces have arrested several people after they filed official notice of peaceful protests in the Persian Gulf Kingdom.
The main...
Bahraini regime forces have arrested several people after they filed official notice of peaceful protests in the Persian Gulf Kingdom.
The main opposition group al-Wefaq says that at least three people were arrested after they gave authorities the required official request for a mass protest organized by opposition parties. Al-Wefaq condemned the move, saying authorities are using their power to punish the individuals through arrest. Bahrain has been rocked by anti-regime demonstrations since February 2011. The protesters have been calling for the downfall of the regime. Dozens of people have been killed and a large number of demonstrators arrested in the crackdown since then.
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[15 Dec 2013] Saudi spy chief pushing to expand his power - English
A new report has revealed the reality of a power struggle in Saudi Arabia. The country\\\'s spy chief is pushing to expand his power in the...
A new report has revealed the reality of a power struggle in Saudi Arabia. The country\\\'s spy chief is pushing to expand his power in the Persian Gulf Kingdom.
The report says Bandar Bin Sultan is doing all he can to remove Saudi King Malek Abdullah\\\'s successor crown prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz from power. Bandar has apparently spread rumors of Salman\\\'s bad health condition and his inability to conduct his official duties. According to the report, Bandar and his lobby are campaigning to persuade the king to remove Salman from power and replace him with House member Muqrin bin Abdulaziz al Saud. The issue has been rejected by the Allegiance Council, which is from now on in charge of selecting the king\\\'s successor. Bandar is accused of being behind numerous deadly terrorist acts in Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq.
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[19 Dec 2013] Shia activist gets 13 year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia...
Saudi Arabia has sentenced a Shia activist to 13 years in jail and a 15-year travel ban.
Human Rights Watch says a judge convicted Adel...
Saudi Arabia has sentenced a Shia activist to 13 years in jail and a 15-year travel ban.
Human Rights Watch says a judge convicted Adel al-Labbad in the Eastern Province on Thursday. Labbad faced a total of five charges, including disobedience to the ruler and disturbing public order. Media across the kingdom has not yet reported on the sentence. Meanwhile, the Saudi public prosecutor has demanded the death penalty for a 20-year-old man accused of participating in anti-regime protests. Saudi Arabia is one of the most repressive countries in the world where there\'s zero tolerance for dissent.
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[30 Dec 2013] 5 Bahraini protesters sentenced to 15 years in prison -...
A Bahraini court has sentenced five protesters to 15 years in prison with two of the defendants in absentia.
The Bahraini regime accuses the men...
A Bahraini court has sentenced five protesters to 15 years in prison with two of the defendants in absentia.
The Bahraini regime accuses the men of being behind two bomb attacks including one during last year\'s Formula one race. The kingdom\'s state news agency says the protesters have admitted being behind the blasts. Activists, however, say they have pleaded not guilty. The tiny Persian Gulf monarchy is accused of widespread and excessive use of force against protesters, including confessions under torture. Bahrain has been rocked by anti-regime demonstrations since February 20-11, with the protesters calling for the government to step down.
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[03 Jan 2014] Protest rally held against Al Khalifah in Shakhora village...
Bahrain is the scene of yet another anti-government rally. The protest west of Manama was joined by the leader of the main opposition bloc...
Bahrain is the scene of yet another anti-government rally. The protest west of Manama was joined by the leader of the main opposition bloc Al-Wefaq.
Sheikh Ali Salman attended the rally in the village of Shakhora to condemn the jailing of photographers and activists by the Al Khalifa regime. The protest comes as Manama continues its brutal crackdown against opposition leaders and activists calling for democratic change in the Persian Gulf Kingdom. The Al Khalifa regime has detained hundreds of opposition activists since the revolution started in 20-11. Scores of protesters have died in the crackdown and many others have been given lengthy jail sentences for attending anti-regime protests.
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[08 Jan 2014] Bahrain ends negotiations with Shia opposition leaders -...
National dialog in Bahrain fails. Manama has suspended negotiations with Shia opposition leaders as anti-monarchy demonstrations continue in the...
National dialog in Bahrain fails. Manama has suspended negotiations with Shia opposition leaders as anti-monarchy demonstrations continue in the kingdom.
The country\'s state news agency, B-N-A says the national dialog ended after the opposition said it would not participate in talks. The opposition\'s decision came after security forces arrested the secretary general of the main opposition party, Al-Wefaq. Authorities have charged Khalil Al Marzooq with inciting and advocating terrorism in his speeches. The opposition denies the charges. Meanwhile, fresh pro-democracy protests have been held in several towns including in Sanabis and Samahis. Manama, has so far refused to heed the nation\'s demand and responded with a harsh security crackdown. Security forces have killed dozens of protesters and injured many more.
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[17 Jan 2014] Islam and Life - Holy Quran desecrated in Saudi Arabia -...
State organizations in Saudi Arabia have desecrated the Holy Qur\'an by discarding over fifty copies in Taif city\'s street sewerage canals....
State organizations in Saudi Arabia have desecrated the Holy Qur\'an by discarding over fifty copies in Taif city\'s street sewerage canals.
According to a Saudi official in the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the incident was reported by a local student, who saw the holy books on his way home in Al-Salama district of Taif.
The service company that specializes in opening drainage inlets was then called, and dozens of copies of the Quran were retrieved.
A photo that shows desecrated books has now gone viral on the internet and social media websites.
This is not the first time the Holy Quran has been desecrated in Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, the move by prison officials in Al-Haer province to insult the Holy Book led to protests in different parts of the Kingdom.
The desecration of the holy Quran in a country, which is the birthplace of Islam, has raised eyebrows in the Muslim world.
This week\'s Islam & Life asks: How do certain stories affect the world\'s perception of Saudi Arabia?
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[26 Jan 2014] Bahraini forces fire tear gas, birdshot at protesters...
In Bahrain, regime forces have once again used force against protesters.
Regime forces fired tear gas and birdshot at a funeral procession for a...
In Bahrain, regime forces have once again used force against protesters.
Regime forces fired tear gas and birdshot at a funeral procession for a young Bahraini protester, identified as Fadhil Abbas Muslim. He was shot earlier this month. Scores of people have been killed and many more injured since a popular uprising against the rule of the Al Khalifah family broke out in the Arab kingdom about three years ago. And dozens of activists have been imprisoned for attending demonstrations. International human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the Manama regime for its excessive use of force against peaceful protesters.
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[30 Jan 2014] Beirut conference denounces dissolution of Shia group by...
While Bahrainis have taken to the streets to protest the al-Khalifa regime\'s dissolution of a prominent Shia clerical group, Bahrain Forum for...
While Bahrainis have taken to the streets to protest the al-Khalifa regime\'s dissolution of a prominent Shia clerical group, Bahrain Forum for Human Rights in Beirut held a conference to denounce the regime\'s decision and call for reversing the regime\'s decision.
Activists have called the move a sectarian crackdown on Shias in the tiny Kingdom, stressing its unconstitutionality. Islamic scholars have condemned the dissolution, calling the regime\'s crackdown on peaceful demonstrators crime against all Muslims in the region. Other religious figures have urged Bahraini authorities to reverse their decision, warning of an eruption of violence in Manama. Since mid-February 2011, Bahrain has been witnessing peaceful demonstrations calling for the al-Khalifa royal family to relinquish power. On Wednesday, a court in the tiny Persian Gulf country ordered the dissolution of the clerical group. Following the move, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the main opposition bloc in the country, censured the move, saying that \"the regime has declared war on Shias.\" Bahrain\'s Justice and Islamic Affairs Ministry dissolved the prominent Shia clerical group after calling for confiscating all the Council\'s assets. Activists and religious leaders have gathered here in Beirut to denounce dissolving the Shia body in Bahrain, amid a widespread crackdown on Shias in the Persian Gulf State. Fateme
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[25 Feb 2014] Jordan main opposition party asks the government to scrap...
Jordan\'s main opposition party is asking the government to scrap a 1994 peace treaty with Israel.
The Islamic Action Front has urged the...
Jordan\'s main opposition party is asking the government to scrap a 1994 peace treaty with Israel.
The Islamic Action Front has urged the government to freeze and eventually cancel the peace deal, according to the demands of the people. Meanwhile, the Islamic Action Front says the Israeli Knesset\'s planned debate on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound proves that Jordan\'s policies in dealing with the enemy have failed. The opposition party has also previously called on Jordan\'s government to close the Israeli embassy in the kingdom.
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