President Obama: Be on the Right Side of History in Egypt and Bahrain! from Human Rights First 25JAN12

THE American government has to make it clear to the government in Bahrain and the transitional government in Egypt that they must honor and respect the human rights of their citizens. Inaction, and the approval of material exported to these countries to be used against their own citizens will result in long term harm to relations. Please click the link and send a message to Pres Obama to stand on the side of freedom, democracy and human rights in Egypt and Bahrain. From Human Rights First......

President Obama asserted in last night's State of the Union address that the United States is a global leader. He said that the United States "will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings" and that it "will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies...because tyranny is no match for liberty." We agree. But as the people of Egypt build a new government and as human rights defenders and NGO's in Bahrain call for democratic reforms, tyranny continues. Tell President Obama to support in word and deed democracy and human rights in Egypt and Bahrain! We've seen a positive impact when the United States leads and it must do so more concretely in the Middle East. Last weekend, President Obama called Egyptian Field Marshal Tantawi to condemn SCAF's recent violence against peaceful protesters and raids in NGO's. He reminded him that an active civil society and respect for human rights are foundations for a stable democracy. We need more of this leadership. In Bahrain, despite recommendations by its own Independent Commission of Inquiry, the monarchy continues to attack, harass, and detain human rights defenders who are calling for democratic reforms. Medics and peaceful protesters continue to receive unfair sentences in sham trials and international NGO's—including Human Rights First—are denied entry to document abuses. Yet the United States remains silent on these abuses. To lead in the Middle East, President Obama must give unequivocal support for human rights and democracy in Egypt and Bahrain. He must openly criticize attacks against NGO's and human rights defenders in the region. Tell President Obama to call for an effective transition to civilian rule in Egypt and an end to violence against peaceful protesters in Bahrain! Sincerely, Neil Hicks Human Rights First Human Rights First is an independent American advocacy organization that challenges our country to live up to its ideals. We press American institutions to respect human rights and the rule of law. When they don't, we step in to demand accountability and justice. Around the world, we work in places where we can harness American influence to secure core freedoms.

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Landslide Win For Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood 21JAN12

THE Egyptian people have spoken, the democratic process has worked, all without the drama and confusion of the Iowa 2012 gop / tea-bagger caucus. Congrats Egypt!

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

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Weekend Edition Saturday

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Enlarge Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images Egyptian women show their ink-stained fingers after voting at a polling station earlier this month. According to the election results, less than 2 percent of parliamentarians will be female.

The final results for Egypt's parliamentary elections are in, and while there are no surprises, the Muslim Brotherhood exceeded expectations by capturing 47 percent of the vote.
The final election results were read out Saturday with little ceremony, but the final tally cemented what most people in Egypt already know — Islamists groups are the new political powerhouse in post-revolutionary Egypt.
Out of the almost 28 million people who voted in these elections, almost half cast their ballots for the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party — the FJP. That's a staggering victory for a group that was oppressed and marginalized under former leader Hosni Mubarak.
Coming in second with a quarter of the seats is Al Nour, the new party representing Salafis — hardline Islamists who believe in the segregation of sexes in public life.
Altogether, that means Islamists will control a whopping 70 percent of Egypt's parliament.
Coming in third is WAFD, a nationalist party founded in the aftermath of World War I. Many people discounted its electoral power, but it did relatively well, considering. New parties formed after Egypt's revolution fared badly; the Egyptian Bloc, representing a union of secular liberal groups, came in fourth.
Because no quota system was put in place, women will also have little representation in the lower house of parliament, something that has outraged Egypt's women activists. Less than 2 percent of parliamentarians will be female.
Whether Islamist groups will band together to push through a conservative agenda is still unclear. The Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafis are rivals, but they've already reached an initial power-sharing agreement over who will become the new speaker of parliament.
As the new kings of the political scene, The FJP has promised to reach out to all the different parties.
The biggest confrontation, however, may not be between the parties but rather between the ruling military junta and the newly empowered groups in Egypt. It's not yet clear what authority the parliament will have, and there are indications the generals running this country won't cede control easily.
The new parliament is expected to convene on Monday.
Saturday's announcement of the election results comes nearly one full year since Egypt's revolution began. Those protests ultimately toppled Mubarak, and more country-wide protests are expected to mark the anniversary on Wednesday.

Year of Rebellion: Where do we go from here? from AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 19JAN12

THE American government shouldn't be supporting the Egyptian transitional government's repression of freedom, democracy and human rights. Our history of supporting the dictatorship of hosni mubarak has already damaged the reputation of the U.S. with the Egyptian people, supporting the military transitional government's brutality and undemocratic actions against their citizens will only further degrade our relations with whatever government finally takes over once elections are completed. Allowing weapons of death and repression to be exported to the current Egyptian government is morally wrong will greatly diminish our influence in support of democratic forces in Egypt. Please participate in this action from Amnesty International calling on the US State Department to halt exports of weapons, ammunition and equipment to Egypt to be used against their own citizens by the government in Cairo, click the link to take action (on the campaign site go to page 2).

Throughout the Middle East and North Africa, 2011 was the year a tightly wound coil was suddenly unsprung. Ordinary people flooded the streets to demand change, releasing energy and power that continues to transform the region.

Millions of people, many of them women protesting for the first time, risked their lives to publicly express a deep, burning need for change. Government forces responded with relentless brute force.

It's not over yet. Brave individuals continue to put their safety on the line, standing against governments that respond with guns, tear gas and tanks.

Our special in-depth report "Year of Rebellion: The State of Human Rights in the Middle East and North Africa," documents this historic, tumultuous year and issues a bold human rights agenda for change in the region. Foremost among these recommendations: stop sending weapons to governments that use them to kill and repress their own people.

I'm going to be talking a lot about weapons sales in the next few months -- it's an issue I care about, and one that has major implications for human rights.

Take Egypt. Last January, Egyptian protestors stormed Tahrir square and braved violent government crackdowns as they drove President Hosni Mubarak from power.

One year later, Egypt's new military government continues using excessive force against protestors. Many have died. The government has even fired tear gas canisters that say "Made in the USA."

This is unacceptable. Urge the U.S. State Department to stop authorizing the shipment of U.S.-manufactured tear gas, bullets, and other military equipment that could be used by Egypt's military to violate human rights.

The people of Egypt have achieved momentous change, but their gains are fragile.

Your solidarity is needed still.

Demand that the State Department stop any future transfers of weapons and equipment that the Egyptian military could use to attack Egyptian protestors.

Thank you for all you do to support human rights.

In solidarity,

Sanjeev Bery
Advocacy Director, Middle East North Africa
Amnesty International USA 

End unfair trials in Egypt from AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 20JAN12

DEMOCRACY is still a work in progress in Egypt following last years revolution. It does take time to establish a free and democratic government and the associated institutions and establish open, transparent and democratic policy and behavior. That doesn't mean abuses and violations of human rights by the transitional governing authority should be tolerated and ignored. The governing military council in Egypt must end their practice of unfair trials before military tribunals, drop politically motivated charges against citizens and release all political prisoners. Please consider participating in this action by Amnesty International, click the link.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/node/29251 

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Like thousands of Egyptians, Amr Abdallah Al-Beheiry is waiting for justice.
One year after the “25 January Revolution”, it seems further away than ever.
Last February, military police and soldiers beat Amr Abdallah Al-Beheiry up and arrested him at a protest in Cairo. Days later, a military court sentenced him to five years in prison for assaulting a public officer and breaking the curfew. Amr Abdallah Al-Beheiry had no chance of a fair trial. His hearing lasted just minutes. The court didn’t allow his family or lawyer into the room. Instead, it chose its own lawyer to defend him. Now, a military appeals court has said Amr Abdallah Al-Beheiry will be retried – by another military court.
As for Maikel Nabil Sanad, he is in jail for criticizing the army. The blogger, who is considered by Amnesty International to be a prisoner of conscience, had his three-year sentence reduced to two years after a retrial before a military court. He was imprisoned in April for criticising the post-Mubarak military authorities on his Facebook page and for supposedly “spreading lies and rumours about the armed forces” on his blog.
Military courts can’t deliver justice.
Egypt’s military courts violate basic human rights, like the right to a fair trial and the right to appeal to a higher tribunal. Since the uprising, they have tried 12,000 and convicted an estimated 8,000 ordinary Egyptians for crimes like “thuggery” or “breaking curfew”. Sentences range from a few months to years in prison. They have even sentenced people to death.
Enough with the hollow promises of Egypt’s military rulers to stop such trials. It’s time to call on them to put a stop to unfair trials once and for all

TAKE ACTION
Call on the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to end military trials of civilians.

Dear Field Marshal Muhammad Tantawi,
I call on the SCAF to end military trials of civilians:

• Stop trying civilians before military courts;
• Immediately and unconditionally release any one detained solely for criticising the army and for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly;
• Release those facing trial before military courts or transfer ongoing cases to civilian courts for a new trial, in proceedings that meet international standards for fair trial and without recourse to the death penalty; 
• Order fair re-trials for others already convicted by military courts or release them.

• Take Action