ISSUE #14 CONTENTS:
- Before the Judge: A Pre-Trial Interview with Al-Maskati
- One Month in Jail: Update on Fouad Al-Farhan
- Persepolis: Iranian Rebel Hits the Big Screen
- QUIZ: An Egyptian Judge in Bahrain
- Become a Partner in CRIME
SPOTLIGHT CASES:
Before the Judge: A Pre-Trial Interview with Al-Maskati
On January 21, Bahraini youth activist Mohammed Al-Maskati has his day in court for the alleged crime of operating an unlicensed human rights group. In a special interview with The CRIME Report, Al-Maskati spoke of his trial and speculated about a future prison sentence.
In late December, riots broke out in Bahrain, with pockets of unrest continuing until today. Al-Maskati said he believes the government took advantage of the internal strife to detain two members of his organization, the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights. According to Al-Maskati, these arrest on December 21 (Eid Al-Adha) were “done to undermine the organization and silence and intimidate” him, the organization’s leader.
“I knew I was on the [government’s] list,” Al-Maskati said. “But when I saw the list I realized that instead of targeting me, they targeted the second tier of activists, since I have international backing.” When the families of the detained members visited their relatives in prison, they could clearly see traces of torture, likely electro-shock.
As Al-Maskati explained, “If the international community stands up, there will be no repression, especially in the Gulf.” Speculating about his trial, he expects that it “will be delayed because of the intense interior situation and the international pressure; nonetheless, everything is in place for me to be imprisoned.” Help Al-Maskati by simply singing this petition started by the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists.
One Month in Jail: Update on Fouad Al-Farhan
Fouad Al-Farhan was once a minor celebrity within the limited scene of Saudi Arabian bloggers. Now, he is an internationally-known dissident, with leading newspapers, organizations, and diplomats calling for his release.
Al-Farhan, one of the first Saudis ever to blog under his real name, is known as the godfather of Saudi blogging. But on December 11, security forces from the Interior Ministry arrested him at his office after he refused to retract some of his blogposts criticizing Saudi officials. Fouad has now been in jail for thirty-six days, but apparently still has not been informed of the charges against him.
On January 5, Al-Farhan’s father-in-law was allowed to meet with him for one hour inside Jeddah’s Dahban Prison. The next day, blogs across the Middle East and around the world observed a “Day of Blog Silence” – refusing to post in protest of Al-Farhan’s detention. The New York Times also weighed in with a staff editorial condemning the arrest and calling for Al-Farhan’s release.
Over 1,000 people have already sent letters to Saudi and American officials calling for Fouad’s immediate release. If you haven’t already, send a letter to help Free Fouad.
Persepolis: Iranian Rebel Hits the Big Screen
The Islamic Republic of Iran is not an easy place for a free-spirit young woman who thinks different, challenges the rules, and wants to be her own person. The story of just such a character was brought to life by artist Marjane Satrapi in her award-winning memoir Persopolis. The black-and-white illustrated story has now been translated to the big screen and just opened in movie theaters across the US.
The tale of a young woman coming of age under the eye of the mullahs and the religious police is both funny and painful. The star of the film is a hardcore music fan who likes Iron Maiden and gets in trouble for wearing punk rock t-shirts. Wearing the wrong clothes or saying the wrong thing can get you arrested… or worse.
While Persepolis captures a moment in time from two decades ago, the civil rights restrictions its spotlights persist today. Marjane Satrapi left Iran in order to produce her work. But inside the country thousands of young rebels are still yearning to break free.
QUIZ: Being Judgmental
Why is the judge trying Al-Maskati's case Egyptian? Bahrain, like other Gulf countries, outsources much of its workforce, including security officers and even judges. In fact, the majority of officers and judges in Bahrain come from other countries, including Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. This means foreigners get to judge Bahrain’s citizens in local courts, as Mohammed Al-Maskati will see on Monday.
BECOME A PARTNER IN CRIME:
Here is a list of four quick ways you contribute to the Middle East civil rights movement:
- Forward this alert to friends & encourage them to subscribe.
- Write a letter to help free jailed blogger Fouad Al-Farhan.
- Sign the solidarity petition for Mohammed Al-Maskati.
- Apply to participate in HAMSA’s civil rights fellowship program.