Legal News Headlines
24.05.2013 Jeddah, 22 May 2013
“Oman calls for ban on veiled women drivers” (The Peninsula)
In the last meeting of the traffic chiefs from GCC, Oman proposed that women with face veils should not be allowed to drive since it is difficult to identify them in case of accidents or traffic violation...
23.05.2013 Riyadh, 21 May 2013
“Saudi Arabia executes five Yemenis in Jizan” (BBC News Middle East)
Saudi Arabia has executed five Yemenis convicted of murder and committing a series of robberies in various regions in the kingdom...
21.05.2013 Tunis/Kairouan, 21 May 2013
“Amina Tyler, Tunisia’s ‘topless jihad’ activist, caught and under arrest” (Al Arabiya)
Amina Tyler, 19, the outspoken Tunisian feminist who sparked a trend of “topless jihad” has been arrested. She may be charged for conducting “provocative acts”...
17.05.2013 Sanaa, 16 May 2013
“Yemenis reel from Saudi labour crackdown” (Aljazeera)
On July 3 the new punitive labour law with stricter regulations for the foreign labourers will come into effect in Saudi Arabia...
16.05.2013 Manama, 15 May 2013
“Twitter activists jailed in Bahrain for insulting king” (BBC News Middle East)
A court in Bahrain has sentenced six twitter activists to a year in jail for insulting King Hamad and the ruling al Khalifa family...
14.05.2013 Cairo, 14 May 2013
“Egyptian House approves higher taxes on the wealthy” (The Peninsula)
Yesterday Egypt’s parliament approved a new income tax law. “The law aims to achieve social justice and increase taxes on those with higher incomes. The changes are biased towards those with limited incomes,” said Mohamed El Feki, member of the Shura Council...
10.05.2013 New York, 10 May 2013
“Eight charged in US over $45 million cyber crime on UAE and Oman banks” (The National)
A gang of cybercriminals have stolen US$45 million from RAKBank in United Arab Emirates and BankMuscat in Oman by hacking into a database of prepaid debit cards...
09.05.2013 Dhaka, 9 May 2013
“Bangladesh Jamaat leader sentenced to death” (Aljazeera)
A Bangladesh war crimes tribunal has convicted Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, assistant secretary-general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, on charges of genocide and torture of unarmed civilians during 1971 war for independence from Pakistan...
06.05.2013 Dhaka, 6 May 2013
“Bangladesh clashes rage over blasphemy law” (Aljazeera)
Clashes between security forces and demonstrators have raged in the centre of the Dhaka. The protesters are demanding an anti-blasphemy law with provision for the death penalty...
03.05.2013 Beirut, 2 May 2013
“Lebanon civil marriage raises hope for change” (Aljazeera)
By ratification of the marriage contract in the last week, the first couple in the history of Lebanon and the Arab world got a civil marriage in their home country....
02.05.2013 Istanbul, 2 May 2013
“Turkey's Bank Asya secures $380 mln Islamic loan” (Reuters)
Turkish Islamic lender Bank Asya had secured a $380 million syndicated Islamic loan from 28 banks...
29.04.2013 Mumbai, 29 April 2013
“Mumbai gets its first Shariah court to settle civil, marital disputes” (The Times of India)
The Darul Qaza or Shariah court, which is set up by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, settles civil and marital disputes in the Muslim community. Shariah courts already function at many places in India, such as Hyderabad, Patna and Malegaon.
25.04.2013 Kuwait City, 24 April 2013
“Kuwait PM Rejects Media Restrictions” (Kuwait Times)
Kuwait Prime Minister expressed his readiness to “listen to the opinion of the Editors-in-Chief in regards to the unified media law or other topics that are of interest to the media” in his meeting with President of Kuwait Journalists Association and Editors-in-Chief of local newspapers...
23.04.2013 Cairo, 22 April 2013
“Mursi in crisis talks with judges over reform” (The Peninsula)
President Mohammed Mursi held crisis talks with Egypt’s top judges after the justice minister resigned...
19.04.2013 Riyadh, 19 April 2013
“Importance of Arbitration Stressed” (Arab News)
Minister of Justice of Saudi Arabia visited the European Court of Justice in Luxemburg as a part of the King Abdullah Project to study the best international practice and develop legal facilities in the Kingdom based on Shariah law....
18.04.2013 Cairo, 17 April 2013
“Egypt's Hosni Mubarak ordered back to prison” (BBC News Middle East)
Former Egyptian President has been ordered back to prison after he had spent the maximum time in prison under temporary detention.....
15.04.2013 Kuwait City, 15 April 2013
“Kuwaiti opposition leader jailed for 5 years for insulting emir” (Al Arabiya)
On Monday main opposition leader and former MP Mussallam al-Barrak was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of insulting the emir...
12.04.2013 Kuwait City, 12 April 2013
“Kuwait Seeks tough Media Penalties” (Arab News)
A new media bill has been approved by the Kuwait’s Cabinet. The new law stipulates a 10-year jail term for religious offenses and a fine of more than $ 1 million for criticizing the emir...
11.04.2013 London, 10 April 2013
“Death penalty 'becoming thing of the past', says Amnesty” (BBC News)
The trend toward abolishing the death penalty continues, despite an "alarming" rise of executions in Iraq ...
09.04.2013 Dhaka, 8 April 2013
“Bangladesh PM rules out blasphemy law” (Aljazeera)
Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, refuses to introduce death penalty for blasphemy...
08.04.2013 Cairo, 6 April 2013
“Egypt court rejects bid to ban Bassem Youssef TV show” (BBC News Middle East)
The court said the lawyer who filed the suit did not have an interest in the case...
04.04.2013 Riyadh, 4 April 2013
“Saudi man sentenced to be paralysed for knife attack” (The Times Middle East)
A court in Saudi Arabia has ruled that a young man should be paralysed from the waist down as punishment for stabbing a friend in the back...
02.04.2013 Kuwait City, 2 April 2013
“Three convicted killers hanged at the gallows – First executions in Kuwait since 2007” (Kuwait Times)
Three convicted murderers were hanged yesterday in the first executions in Kuwait since May 2007. The men were executed in front of judicial and security officials and journalists...
28.03.2013 Cairo, 28 March 2013
“Egypt court overturns Morsi sacking of top prosecutor” (BBC News Middle East)
An Egypt appeal court has ordered the reinstatement of the country's top prosecutor and cancelled Mr Morsi's decision to appoint a new prosecutor general...
26.03.2013 Muscat, 25 March 2013
“Dozens of web activists pardoned and released in Oman” (BBC News Middle East)
The sultan has pardoned and released online activists. Amnesty International called the decision a "very welcome step"...
21.03.2013 London, 21 March 2013
“Saudi prince jailed in UK for murder flies home” (The National)
Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir, a grandson of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, was jailed in 2010 for killing his servant in a London hotel ...
21.03.2013 Riyadh, 19 March 2013
“Saudi Arabia arrests 18 suspected spies” (Aljazeera)
Sixteen Saudis, an Iranian and a Lebanese were arrested on charges of espionage for a foreign country ...
20.03.2013 Abu Dhabi, 15 March 2013
“Criminal age for children in UAE to increase to 10 years” (The National)
The age at which a child can be held liable for a crime would increase from seven to 10 under the new amendnments ...
13.03.2013 Riyadh, 13 March 2013
“Saudi Arabia executes seven men for armed robbery” (BBC News Middle East)
Seven men who were sentenced to capital punishment in 2009 have been executed in Saudi Arabia...
12.03.2013 Riyadh, 12 March 2013
“Women Shura members” (The Peninsula)
For the first time in the kingdom's history, thirty women took seats in the Shura Council in Riyadh...
08.03.2013 Cairo, 7 March 2013
“Egypt election body scraps voting dates - state TV” (BBC News Africa)
The dates for parliamentary elections which had been scheduled to begin next month were canceled by Egypt's electoral commission...
05.03.2013 Kabul, 5 March 2013
“Prison sentences in Kabul Bank investigation” (Aljazeera)
Two of the former heads of Kabul Bank have been given five-year prison sentences for fraud and embezzlement...
04.03.2013 Abu Dhabi, 4 March 2013
“UAE trial: Ninety-four in court over 'coup plot'” (BBC News Middle East)
Alleged members of an Islamist organisation are to go on trial charged with plotting to overthrow the United Arab Emirates government. Among the defendants, there are two prominent human rights lawyers, as well as judges, teachers, and student leaders...
04.03.2013 Kuwait City, 3 March 2013
“131 women eye prosecutor job” (Kuwait Times)
'More than a 100 women submitted applications to the Ministry of Justice to work as prosecutors in Kuwait’s judicial system...'
25.02.2013 Doha, 25 February 2013
“Qatari poet life sentence reduced to 15 years” (BBC News Middle East)
The sentence to life in prison for inciting the overthrow of the government and insulting Qatar's rulers was reduced to 15 years, his lawyer said...
19.02.2013 Kuwait City, 18 February 2013
“Anti-money laundering law to be enforced this year” (Kuwait Times)
Kuwait's government is pushing the parliament to accord priority to enforce the anti-money laundering and anti-terror funding law as a first step in a series of measures...
18.02.2013 Muscat, 17 February 2013
“Court employees go on strike” (Times of Oman)
Omani court employees went on strike demanding the implementation of a Royal Decree, which, among other things, covers the independence of the judiciary...
18.02.2013 Cairo, 17 February 2013
“Cairo court affirms death for 7 Copts over anti-Islam film” (Al Arabiya)
A Cairo tribunal upheld death sentences passed on seven Egyptian Coptic Christians in absentia for their involvement in a movie that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammed...
12.02.2013 Amman, 11 February 2013
“MPs call for amending press law” (The Jordan Times)
'Ten deputies on Monday submitted a memorandum to amend the disputed Press and Publications Law, responding to public demands chiefly from the online media.'
05.02.2013 Tehran, 5 February 2013
“Iran arrests former Tehran prosecutor” (Aljazeera)
A former Iranian prosecutor has been arrested, according to the Tehran prosecutor's website...
28.01.2013 Abu Dhabi, 28 January 2013
“94 Emiratis charged with compromising UAE security” (The National)
'A group of 94 Emiratis accused of compromising the security of the state have been referred to the Federal Supreme Court for trial.'
29.01.2013 Rabat, 24 January 2013
“Morocco to change rape marriage law” (Aljazeera)
A year after 16-year-old girl committed suicide after being forced to marry her alleged rapist, the Moroccan government says there are plans to change a law that allows rapists to avoid charges if they marry their victims...
22.01.2013 Beirut, 20 January 2013
“Suleiman Voices Support for Civil Marriage ” (The Middle East Times)
The President on Sunday expressed support for a law allowing currently illegal civil marriages in Lebanon, saying it will help build unity in the multi-faith country.
17.01.2013 Amman, 16 January 2013
“Convicted molester says devil tempted him” (The Jordan Times)
'The Criminal Court has handed a reduced sentence to a 32-year-old man for molesting a woman in the street...'
14.01.2013 Cairo, 14 January 2013
“Egypt court orders retrial for Mubarak” (Aljazeera)
'Former president and ex-interior minister to face new trial for complicity in killing of protesters in 2011 uprising.'
12.01.2013 Riyadh, 11 January 2013
“Saudi Arabia's king appoints women to Shura Council” (BBC News Middle East)
'Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has appointed 30 women to the previously all-male consultative Shura Council.'
07.01.2013 Manama, 7 January 2013
“Bahrain rejects jailed opposition activists' appeal” (BBC News Middle East)
"Bahrain's highest appeal court has upheld the sentences of 13 activists for their part in anti-government protests in 2011, lawyers say."
04.01.2013 Doha, 2 January 2013
“Sponsorship review possible, says report” (The Peninsula)
A review of the sponsorship system is possible as the award of the 2022 FIFA World Cup has put Qatar in the international spotlight, says the Oxford Business Group in its latest report. According to a May 2011 report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on labour conditions in Qatar and the UAE, ‘even when laws are changed to benefit the workers, there are often shortfalls in their implementation…’
27.12.2012 Cairo, 26 December 2012
“Egypt's President Morsi hails constitution and urges dialogue” (BBC News Middle East)
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has congratulated Egyptians for endorsing a new constitution and urged all parties to join him in a national dialogue. But opponents say the document is too Islamist and have rejected the call for dialogue as "lacking seriousness"…
20.12.2012 Muscat, 18 December 2012
“Laws on takaful, sukuk soon” (Times of Oman)
The Omani draft law for Islamic insurance or takaful firms and amendments in the Capital Market Law for accommodating Sharia compliant debt instrument or sukuk have been finalised. It is hoped that the law will be enacted soon…
18.12.2012 Amman, 17 December 2012
“Man sentenced to 20 years for sex with minor“ (The Jordan Times)
A Jordanian Criminal Court has sentenced a young man to 20 years in prison after convicting him of engaging in sexual activity with a minor. The 23-year-old defendant was also found guilty of sodomising his victim, who was 14 years old at the time of the incident, and handed him the maximum sentence because she was a virgin…
14.12.2012 Cairo, 12 December 2012
“Egypt court jails blogger Alber Saber for blasphemy“ (BBC News Middle East)
A court in Egypt has sentenced a blogger to three years in prison for blasphemy and contempt of religion. Mr. Saber was arrested in September after neighbours accused him of posting links to a film mocking Islam that led to protests across the Muslim world. The case raises concerns over freedom of expression just as Egyptians are set to vote on a draft constitution…
12.12.2012 Manama, 11 December 2012
"Bahrain activist Nabeel Rajab's prison sentence reduced" (BBC News Middle East)
An appeals court in the Kingdom of Bahrain has reduced the prison sentence handed to prominent human rights activist Mr. Rajab from three years to two. Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, has been a leader of the pro-democracy protests which have rocked the kingdom since February 2011...
10.12.2012 Abu Dhabi, 10 December 2012
"Women on every UAE board, rules Cabinet" (The National)
The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates yesterday made it compulsory for corporations and government agencies to include women on their boards of directors. The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting to approve a draft law on small and medium enterprises...
05.12.2012 Kuwait City, 4 December 2012
"Kuwait’s new Companies Law to drive investment" (Arab Times)
On 29 November 2012, the long-awaited Companies Law for Kuwait (Decree Law No. 25 for 2012) has been published in the Official Gazette (Kuwait Al-Yom). The new law introduces a raft of new concepts and principals set to shape the way commercial entities operate in Kuwait...
30.11.2012 Cairo, 30 November 2012
“Egypt power struggle: Assembly backs draft constitution“ (BBC News Middle East)
Egypt's Islamist-dominated constituent assembly has approved a draft constitution, as the judiciary threatens to dissolve it amid a power struggle with President Mohammed Mursi. The draft constitution will now be sent to Mr Mursi, who is expected to call a referendum…
29.11.2012 Kabul, 29 November 2012
“Afghan girl’s throat slit over refusal to wed“ (Al Arabiya News)
Two men have been arrested for slitting the throat of a 15-year-old Afghan girl after her family refused a marriage proposal from one of the men, police said today. Extreme violence against women and girls remains a major problem in the conservative Muslim nation more than a decade after U.S.-led troops brought down the Taliban Islamist regime…
28.11.2012 Tunis, 26 November 2012
"Tunisian Government Joins Effort to Combat Domestic Abuse" (Tunisialive)
As high rates of violence against women continue to plague Tunisian society, the government is making an effort to join the national movement to protect women. Various provisions in the Tunisian Penal Code prohibit different types of violence against women, including domestic violence and sexual harassment. However, many deem the laws protecting women’s rights as “incomplete”...
23.11.2012 Cairo, 23 November 2012
"Egypt President Mursi defends new powers amid protests" (BBC News Middle East)
Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has appeared before supporters in Cairo to defend a new decree that grants him sweeping powers. The new decree bans challenges to Mr. Mursi's laws and decisions, and says no court can dissolve the constituent assembly, which is drawing up a new constitution...
23.11.2012 Manama, 21 November 2012
"Bahrain court sentences medics to prison" (BBC News Middle East)
A Bahrain court has sentenced 23 medics to three months in jail each or payment of a fine for their role in last year's prodemocracy protests, officials say. The case against the medical personnel dates back to February and March 2011, when they worked at the Salmaniya Medical Centre in Manama in which many of those hurt during the protests were treated...
20.11.2012 Islamabad, 20 November 2012
“Pakistan acquits girl of blasphemy charges“ (Al Jazeera)
A Pakistani court has thrown out charges against a young Christian girl accused of blasphemy in a case that drew international condemnation, lawyers said. The girl spent three weeks on remand in an adult jail after she was arrested in August for allegedly burning pages from the Quran. A cleric who first gave police the burned papers as evidence against her, was detained on September 1…
16.11.2012 Abu Dhabi, 17 November 2012
“Adoptive parents in the UAE can lose out on benefits“ (The National)
Many parents who adopt a child from abroad return to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to find they are not entitled to workplace benefits. Contrary to Nationals, expatriates may adopt legally from other countries but cannot foster children from the UAE. On the other hand, Emiratis cannot adopt but foster children born in the UAE…
13.11.2012 Abu Dhabi, 13 November 2012
"Cyber-crime law to fight internet abuse and protect privacy in the UAE" (The National)
The United Arab Emirates yesterday implemented arguably the most comprehensive cyber-crime law in the Arabian Gulf and wider Middle East. Crimes punishable under the new law include using the internet to transmit, publish or promote pornographic material, gambling activities and indecent acts, as well as creating or running websites that deride or damage the reputation or stature of the country and its rulers...
08.11.2012 Riyadh, 8 November 2012
“Saudi cleric condemns minor girls’ marriage to wealthy older men“ (Al Arabiya News)
A former member of the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars admitted that the “sale” of minor girls to wealthy husbands takes place in rural and Bedouin communities and stressed the necessity of raising awareness about marriage age. Sheikh al-Rakban also said he differed with religious scholars who argue that it is not religiously permissible to set a minimum age for marriage…
07.11.2012 Riyadh, 7 November 2012
“Saudi rules women must remove their veils for security checks“ (The National)
A proposal to allow women to keep their faces covered during security checks has been rejected by Saudi Arabia's Shura Council, a consultative body appointed by the king. The decision apparently stopped a draft law that would have allowed women to continue wearing veils during the checks…
07.11.2012 Cairo, 6 November 2012
“Egyptian teacher sentenced for cutting unveiled girls’ hair“ (Al Arabiya News)
An Egyptian school teacher received a six-month suspended jail sentence yesterday for cutting the hair of two 12-year-old girl pupils who were not wearing Islamic headscarves. The incident had been condemned by Egyptian human rights groups and women’s organizations as an example of hardline Muslims trying to impose their values on others since Islamists took power in Egypt...
02.11.2012 Riyadh, 1 November 2012
“Smokers may be denied child custody in Saudi“ (Emirates 24/7)
Saudi Arabia’s judicial authorities are considering enacting laws depriving any of the separated parents from taking custody of their children in case they are smokers, a newspaper in the Gulf kingdom reported yesterday. Judges at courts across the country are discussing such a legislation which could be the first if its kind in the Arab region…
30.10.2012 Tunis, 30 October 2012
"Tunisia slammed for firing 75 judges" (The Gulf Today)
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday that Tunisia’s “unfair and arbitrary” dismissal of 75 judges in May was a dangerous precedent for the independence of the country’s judiciary. HRW, which met some of the judges which have been dismissed, officially in an anti-corruption drive, noted that they all “described unfair disciplinary proceedings that violated international standards on the independence of the judiciary.”...
23.10.2012 Doha, 23 October 2012
"QFC introduces new regulations" (The Peninsula)
The Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFC Authority) yesterday announced it has issued important new regulations governing special purpose companies, holding companies and single family offices operating in or from the Qatar Financial Centre. Originally issued by the end of September, the Special Company Regulations (SCR) and Single Family Office Regulations (SFOR) provide for a more attractive legal, regulatory and business environment...
19.10.2012 Riyadh, 18 October 2012
“Saudi Arabia plans female religious police“ (BBC News Middle East)
The head of Saudi Arabia's religious police, known as the "mutawa", has said there is a pressing need to employ more women in the force. Saudi's religious police enforce the kingdom's strict Islamic laws, including dress and prayer times…
17.10.2012 Riyadh, 17 October 2012
"Women lawyers to be allowed into Saudi courts next month" (Arab News)
The Saudi Ministry of Justice will permit women lawyers to practice the legal profession like their male counterparts from early November. The expert’s committee of the Council of Ministers sent to the ministry on Saturday the statutes governing entry of women lawyers to Saudi courts, where only men lawyers were allowed in the past. The new lawyers’ regulations do not differentiate between men and women practitioners of the profession, a source at the Saudi Human Rights Commission said...
12.10.2012 Tunis, 12 October 2012
“No blasphemy clause in Tunisia’s new constitution“ (Al Arabiya News)
A controversial blasphemy clause proposed by the ruling Tunisian Islamist party Ennahda will not be included in Tunisia’s new constitution, the speaker of the National Constituent Assembly told AFP…
11.10.2012 Istanbul, 11 October 2012
“Court acquits woman for killing rapist for ‘defense’“ (Today's Zaman/Hürriyet Daily News)
A Turkish court has acquitted a woman for killing her rapist on the grounds of lawful defense. The acquittal of the woman, 43, for the homicide of her rapist on grounds of lawful defense may mark a turn in the Turkish judicial system in favor of women’s rights according to some turkish newspapers such as Hürriyet Daily News…
11.10.2012 Cairo, 10 October 2012
“Egyptian 'Battle of the Camels' officials acquitted“ (BBC News Middle East)
An Egyptian court has acquitted 24 former officials who were accused of sending men on camels and horses to break up a protest on Tahrir Square in Cairo in 2011, an incident that was later called ‘The Battle of the Camels’…
09.10.2012 Cairo, 8 October 2012
"Egypt's President Mursi pardons 'revolutionaries'" (BBC News Middle East)
Egypt's President, Mohammed Mursi, has pardoned all those arrested since the beginning of last year's popular uprising that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak. The amnesty deed was posted on the president's official Facebook page. The decree could lead to the release of several thousand people...
05.10.2012 Cairo, 5 October 2012
“Egypt releases Coptic children held in blasphemy case“ (BBC News Middle East)
A court in Egypt has ordered the release pending investigation of two Coptic Christian boys detained on Tuesday for blasphemy against Islam. A Muslim cleric in a village in Beni Suef province said he saw the boys, aged nine and 10, take pages of the Koran and urinate on them. Human rights groups say allegations of contempt of religion are on the rise...
04.10.2012 Riyadh, 4 October 2012
“Saudi Arabia eyes field work guidelines for religious police“ (Al Arabiya)
Saudi Arabia’s Consultative Assembly has urged the kingdom’s religious police authority to set up field guidelines for its members and define the cases in which they can intervene to enforce the kingdom’s interpretation of Islamic law. Members of the religious police, who often patrol the streets to enforce dress codes, gender separation and behaviours believed to be commended by the Islamic Sharia, have come in many cases under controversy for reportedly overstepping their duties to breach citizens’ basic civil liberties...
02.10.2012 Tunis, 2 October 2012
"Crowd backs Tunisia 'rape' woman outside court" (BBC News Middle East)
A woman allegedly raped by police in Tunisia has been questioned by a judge in Tunis who will decide whether to prosecute her for "indecency" with her fiancé. Outside the courthouse, hundreds of people voiced support for the 27-year-old, whose case has been headline news in Tunisia. There are fears that the ruling Islamist Ennahda party wants to weaken women's rights...
02.10.2012 Manama, 1 October 2012
"Bahrain Court Rejects Final Appeal by Medics, Upholds Jail Terms" (Al Arabiya)
A Bahraini court rejected on Monday the final appeal by nine medics who were ear-lier convicted for the „crime“ of treating injured protesters last year. Bahrain's highest court upheld the jail terms of the medical personnel who were part of a group of 20 doctors and nurses who worked at a medical complex in Manama...
28.09.2012 Riyadh, 28 September 2012
“Shoura to refer new HIV prevention law to Cabinet“ (Arab News)
The Saudi Shoura Council will refer to the Cabinet in the next few days a new regulation on HIV prevention. The regulation, a modified version of a former one, consists of 30 articles and details the patients’ rights and obligations. Inter alia, the regulation prohibits health departments from denying health care to any HIV carrier, no matter how he or she was infected...
27.09.2012 Algiers, 25 September 2012
“Algeria revises hydrocarbons law“ (Magharebia)
Following a steep drop in foreign investment, the Algerian government decided to amend the 2005 law on hydrocarbons. The new bill aims to "maintain Algeria's attractiveness for foreign energy investment", according to the statement released after the meeting…
25.09.2012 Riyadh, 24 September 2012
"Relatives of Saudi inmates hold protest over detentions" (BBC News Middle East)
Relatives of Saudi prisoners have held a rare protest urging their release. More than 100 people, including women and children, have taken part in the sit-in that began last Sunday outside a desert prison in Qassim province. One of the protesters in Qassim told AFP news agency that her husband had been "detained for more than nine years without charge"...
25.09.2012 Ismailia, 24 September 2012
"Egypt upholds death sentences for Sinai Islamist attacks” (BBC News Middle East)
A court in Ismailia/Egypt has upheld death sentences for 14 Islamist militants over attacks on the army and police in the Sinai Peninsula last year. The court sentenced another four militants to life imprisonment. All the men are members of the Tawhid wa al-Jihad group...
21.09.2012 Benghazi, 20 September 2012
“Libyans 'exploiting Syrian women' with marriage offers“ (BBC News Middle East)
Hard living conditions for Syrian refugees in Libya are forcing some families to marry off their daughters to wealthy local men, BBC’s Ahmed Maher reports from Benghazi. The father-of-two is appalled that penniless Syrian families are apparently being forced to sell off their daughters…
20.09.2012 Manama/Geneva, 20 September 2012
“Bahrain pledges to improve rights record“ (Al Jazeera)
The Kingdom of Bahrain has said it will implement most of the recommendations in a new United Nations report on the nation's human rights situation. However, while Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the nation's foreign minister, told the UN's top human rights body that Bahrain would accept the bulk of the recommendations, including calls for fair trials and improved religious protection, he rejected the recommendations for abolishing the death penalty…
12.09.2012 Abu Dhabi, 12 September 2012
“Drug user confesses with a smile in Abu Dhabi court“ (The National)
An Emirati man happily confessed to taking drugs and drinking alcohol, asking the judge to issue a verdict on the spot. "Under UAE law, if a Muslim confesses in court to drinking alcohol he will face the Sharia’a penalty of 80 lashes."…
07.09.2012 Islamabad, 7 September 2012
“Pakistan court to decide on bail for ‘blasphemy girl’“ (Al Arabiya)
After listening to lawyers from both sides, judge Muhammad Azam Khan will announce his decision on the bail application after Friday prayers…
05.09.2012 Cairo, 5 September 2012
“Former Egypt culture minister charged with corruption“ (BBC)
Former Egyptian culture minister Farouk Hosni has been charged with corruption state media said. Hosni had failed to explain how he had about $3m in assets…
30.08.2012 Islamabad, 30 August 2012
“Pakistan court delays blasphemy case hearing“ (Al Jazeera)
The bail hearing of a Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy has been delayed after a lawyer questioned a medical report putting the girl's age at 14. The challenge on Thursday quashed the possibility that the controversy surrounding the case of Ms Masih would be swiftly defused and the girl set free. She is due to appear in court within the next 10 days. The girl could be formally charged with blasphemy…
29.08.2012 Rabat, 28 August 2012
“Moroccan jailed for breaking Ramadan fast in public“ (Ahram Online)
A young Moroccan protester has been handed a three-month jail sentence for eating in public during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, a judicial source told AFP yesterday. According to Article 222 of Morocco's penal code anyone "breaking the fast in a public place during Ramadan, without a reason accepted" in Islam, can be imprisoned for up to six months and fined…
24.08.2012 Islamabad, 24 August 2012
“No Country for Minorities“ (Pakistan Today)
An 11-year-old Christian Pakistani girl could face the death penalty under the country's notorious blasphemy laws, after she was accused by her neighbours of deliberately burning sacred Islamic texts. Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad writes a column on this topic…
24.08.2012 Manama, 23 August 2012
“Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab acquitted of Twitter charges“ (BBC News Middle East)
Bahraini rights activist Nabeel Rajab has been cleared of defamation by the Court of Appeals in Manama. He had been arrested in June and accused of publicly insulting residents of the town of Muharraq for their ties to the ruling dynasty via Twitter. Mr. Rajab also plans to appeal against his further sentence of three years in jail for organising illegal protests during last year's uprising…
23.08.2012 Amman, 22 August 2012
“Government approves amendments to press law“ (The Jordan Times)
The Jordanian government yesterday approved a draft bill amending the Press and Publications Law for the year 2012 that will include online media under the umbrella of the legislation. Under the new draft online media will be required to register and receive a licence under the Press and Publications Law…
17.08.2012 Manama, 16 August 2012
“Bahrain activist Nabeel Rajab jailed for three years“ (BBC News Middle East)
Prominent Bahraini human rights activist and president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, has been jailed for three years for taking part in "illegal gatherings". Mr. Rajab was one of the organisers of pro-democracy protests which have rocked the Gulf kingdom since last February and is already serving a three-month sentence he received in July over comments on social networking websites…
16.08.2012 Kuala Lumpur, 15 August 2012
“Islamic finance body plans scholar accreditation, ethics code“ (Al Arabiya News)
The Malaysian-based Association of Sharia Advisers in Islamic Finance (ASAS), set up in April last year, wants to develop a global code of ethics and a professional development program for scholars, in order to improve standards in the industry, its president told Reuters…
16.08.2012 Tunis, 13 August 2012
“Tunisia's new constitution 'not ready' before April 2013 “ (Egypt Independent)
Tunisia's new constitution will not be adopted by parliament until April 2013, six months later than planned, the official who heads the committee in charge of drafting the constitution, said on Monday…
14.08.2012 Tunis, 13 August 2012
“Thousands rally in Tunisia for women's rights” (Reuters)
Thousands of Tunisians rallied yesterday to protest against what they see as a push by the Islamist-led government for constitutional changes that would degrade women's status in one of the Arab world's most liberal nations...
14.08.2012 Riyadh, 12 August 2012
“Saudi Arabia plans new city for women workers only” (The Guardian)
A women-only industrial city dedicated to female workers is to be constructed in Saudi Arabia to provide a working environment that is in line with the kingdom's strict customs. This city is set to be the first of several planned for the Gulf kingdom. The aim is to allow more women to work and achieve greater financial independence, but to maintain the gender segregation...
10.08.2012 Tunis, 10 August 2012
“Freedom of speech still a distant dream in Tunisia“ (The National)
Tunisian journalists hoped that an era of freedom of speech was dawning after last year's uprising toppled their autocratic leader. However, since the beginning of the year, there have been a number of high-profile cases regarding journalists' alleged limited freedom of speech…
08.08.2012 Manama, 7 August 2012
“Bahrain charges policemen over abuses” (Al Jazeera)
Bahrain's public prosecutor says authorities have charged 15 policemen with mistreating medical personnel during last year's crackdown on opposition protesters. The charges yesterday follow an investigation into police abuses that was recommended last year by an independent commission that studied the Gulf state's Shia Muslim majority's uprising against the Sunni monarchy...
07.08.2012 Tunis, 4 August 2012
“Human Rights Watch Condemns Controversial Defamation Bill” (Tunisia Live)
In a press communique Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned a new bill that would ban blasphemy in Tunisia. The draft bill, proposed to the Constituent Assembly last Wednesday by Tunisia’s ruling moderate Islamist party Ennahdha, would criminalize “insults, profanity, derision, and representation of Allah and Mohammed.” If passed, the draft law would punish such violations with prison terms of up to two years and fines through an additional article to the Tunisian Penal Code...
03.08.2012 Abu Dhabi, 2 August 2012
“New rules for domestic and foreign investment funds in the UAE“ (Zawya)
Regulatory experts from an international law firm have reviewed the eagerly awaited Investment Funds Regulation which has been implemented by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) this week. The Regulation applies to all matters relating to domestic investment funds and to the promotion and offering of foreign funds in the UAE…
03.08.2012 Cairo, 1 August 2012
“Egypt prosecutor appeals Mubarak trial verdicts“ (Zawya)
Egypt's prosecutor general appealed on Wednesday against the outcome of the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and several of his senior officials over deaths in the uprising that led to the President’s resignation…
02.08.2012 London, 31 July 2012
“Olympics judo: Saudi Arabia hijab dispute resolved“ (BBC News)
Saudi Arabia judoka Wojdan Shaherkani will compete at the Olympics after a dispute over a hijab was resolved…
31.07.2012 Bamako, 31 July 2012
“Islamists stone unmarried couple to death” (The National)
Islamists in northern Mali have stoned an unmarried couple to death, the first reported sharia killing since they occupied the area, according to Agence France Presse. In Timbuktu, they have also implemented strict Islamic law and destroyed ancient World Heritage sites which they consider idolatrous. Once one of the region's stable countries, Mali has crumbled into despair in half a year...
27.07.2012 Rabat, 26 July 2012
“Comment la nouvelle Constitution a redistribué les pouvoirs“ (L’Economiste)
Depuis l’accession du Souverain marocain au trône en 1999, la réforme constitutionnelle a été la première revendication des forces politiques. “La nouvelle Constitution intervient suite à la mise en œuvre d’un certain nombre de réformes et introduit de nouveaux concepts tels que la bonne gouvernance…”,explique Hassan Ouazzani, professeur de droit…
26.07.2012 Amman, 25 July 2012
“Jordanian kills divorced sister over ‘suspicions’“ (Al Arabiya News)
A Jordanian man was charged yesterday with killing his divorced sister after stabbing her and driving his truck over her body several times because of her alleged “suspicious behavior”, police said. Murder is punishable by death in Jordan, but in so-called “honor killings”, courts can commute or reduce sentences. Between 15 and 20 women die in “honor” murders each year in the Arab kingdom, despite government efforts to curb such crimes…
25.07.2012 Amman, 23 July 2012
“King approves amended Elections Law“ (The Jordan Times)
A Royal Decree was issued on Monday approving the amendments to the 2012 Elections Law, the Jordan News Agency reported. The Lower House and the Senate passed the overall legislation first on June 20 and 25 respectively, approving a mixed electoral system that features a majority vote at the district level and a closed proportional list at the national level, which are open to all citizens and political parties…
20.07.2012 Riyadh, 20 July 2012
“Saudi Arabia to deport Ramadan violators“ (The National)
Saudi authorities are warning non-Muslim expatriates against eating, drinking or smoking in public during Ramadan. Otherwise, a statement of the Interior Ministry says, authorities will cancel violators' work contracts and expel them…
18.07.2012 Cairo, 17 July 2012
“Egyptian court postpones key ruling on constitutional panel“ (Al Arabiya News)
An Egyptian court yesterday postponed issuing a key ruling on whether a Muslim Brotherhood-led panel tasked with writing Egypt’s new constitution is legal, following protests outside the courtroom by the supporters of the Islamist movement…
13.07.2012 Manama, 12 July 2012
“Seven to 10-year jail for attacking security personnel“ (24x7 News)
Bahrain yesterday announced the amendment of Article 221 of its Penal Code. According to the newly added paragraph, imprisonment shall be the penalty for any person who assaults a member of the public security force…
11.07.2012 Kabul, 11 July 2012
“Afghan women protest over woman’s public execution“ (Al Arabyia News)
Dozens of Afghan women’s rights activists took to the streets today to protest against the recent public execution of a young woman for alleged adultery, which was captured in a horrific video. The 22-year-old victim was shot dead as dozens of men cheered in a village about 100 kilometers north of the capital Kabul…
09.07.2012 Tel Aviv, 8 July 2012
“Israeli PM Netanyahu's party backs conscription law” (BBC News Middle East)
Israeli PM Mr. Netanyahu's party has unanimously approved a plan to end exemptions from conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arab Israelis. Thousands of people rallied in Tel Aviv last Saturday, saying all Israelis must share the burden of military service...
06.07.2012 Tripoli, 5 July 2012
“Sharia should be ‘main’ source of Libya legislation, not subject to referendum: NTC “ (Al Arabyia News)
Libya’s outgoing National Transitional Council said yesterday that Sharia should be the “main” source of legislation and that this should not be subject to a referendum. Libyans are to vote tomorrow for a General National Congress, which will be tasked with appointing a new government and a constituent authority. Libya’s constitution needs to be approved in a national referendum. Some of the key issues to be determined by the constitution are the form of governance, the weight of Islam in state and society, the role of women and the rights of minorities…
04.07.2012 Dubai, 4 July 2012
“UAE's abandoned babies given new hope“ (The National)
A new federal UAE-law will establish a standardised system to care for abandoned children. These children, called laqeet, are distinct from orphans, or yateem, who are children of known parentage but whose father or both parents have died. Whereas yateem are often absorbed into extended families, laqeet usually are cared for by foster families. Taking in and bringing up an abandoned child is considered to be a highly pious act in Islam…
02.07.2012 Amman, 1 July 2012
“Jordan lacks legal protection against wage discrimination - study” (The Jordan Times)
A recent study funded by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to examine loopholes in Jordan’s laws governing pay equity found a total lack of legal protection against gender discrimination in wages. The study also found gender discrimination in the bylaws of several workplaces and urged legislators to revise the Labour Law so as to prohibit this...
28.06.2012 Amman, 28 June 2012
“‘Rape-law’ triggers fury in Jordan“ (Al Arabiya News)
The ordeal of a 14-year-old girl who was kidnapped and raped repeatedly for three days has infuriated Jordanians, especially when her attacker agreed to marry her in order to avoid going to jail. In Jordan, rapists can walk free thanks to penal code Article 308, known as the “rape-law”…
28.06.2012 London, 28 June 2012
“Israel 'breaching UN convention on children's rights'“ (BBC News Middle East)
A UK government-backed report has accused Israel's security forces of regularly breaching the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). A delegation of senior lawyers who visited Israel and the West Bank analysed the effects of Israel's military judicial system on Palestinian children. According to them, six UNCRC articles had been breached…
27.06.2012 Cologne, 27 June 2012
“Court says child circumcision 'an assault'“ (Al Jazeera)
Circumcising young boys on religious grounds amounts to grievous bodily harm, a German court has ruled. The regional court in Cologne, western Germany, ruled yesterday that the "fundamental right of the child to bodily integrity outweighed the fundamental rights of the parents"...
27.06.2012 Abu Dhabi, 26 June 2012
“Khalifa issues law to protect abandoned children“ (Gulf News)
A law to protect children of unknown parentage and provide them with foster families was issued by the UAE President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Many of these children are abandoned because they have disabilities, are born out of wedlock, or are the result of an unwanted pregnancy. The law ensures rights of abandoned children, their civil liberties and interests, according to WAM, the Emirates News Agency…
27.06.2012 Riyadh, 24 June 2012
“London 2012 Olympics: Saudis allow women to compete” (BBC News Middle East)
Saudi Arabia is to allow its female athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time in history. For the desert kingdom, the decision to allow women to compete in the Olympics is a huge step, overturning deep-rooted opposition from those opposed to any public role for women...
22.06.2012 Kuwait, 20 June 2012
“Kuwait court voids election and reinstates parliament“ (BBC News Middle East)
Kuwait's former parliament has been reinstated after the country's latest election was declared "illegal". The unprecedented constitutional court ruling held that a move to dissolve the previous government, ordered by Emir Sabah al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, was unconstitutional. Following a row between cabinets and lawmakers, Sheikh Al-Sabah suspended parliament for a month earlier in the week…
20.06.2012 Amman, 19 June 2012
“Elections law sets stage for ‘boycott showdown’“ (The Jordan Times)
As deputies passed the 2012 draft elections law on Tuesday, various groups across the political spectrum said they are set to boycott what has been billed as one of the most important elections in Jordan’s history. The law, which allocates 17 out of the parliamentary’s 140 seats for a national proportional list and restricts citizens to one vote at the district level, is rejected by opposition groups because it allegedly goes against the King’s and public’s reform aspirations…
20.06.2012 Riyadh, 19 June 2012
“Saudi man executed for 'witchcraft and sorcery'“ (BBC News Middle East)
A Saudi man has been beheaded on charges of sorcery and witchcraft, the Saudi state news agency SPA says. Mr Asiri was beheaded after his sentence was upheld by the country's highest courts, the Saudi news agency website said…
19.06.2012 Dubai, 18 June 2012
“Unfair dismissal has to be compensated: Court” (Emirates 24/7)
Dubai’s Highest Court, the Court of Cassation, has established three new legal principles in favour of employees in a single judgment. According to the first principle, the employer is obliged to pay the employee gratuity or provident fund, whichever is higher, at the end of his service...
15.06.2012 Cairo, 14 June 2012
"Shafiq hails ‘historic’ court ruling on isolation law, says aiming at ‘civil state’" (Al Arabiya News)
Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court declares Ahmed Shafiq eligible to run for presidency overruling a law passed by the parliament...
14.06.2012 Cairo, 14 June 2012
“Egypt braces for controversial court ruling” (Aljazeera)
Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court has to decide whether presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq will be disqualified from this weekend's elections...
12.06.2012 Abu Dhabi, 12 June 2012
“Call for federal dress-code law in the UAE” (The National)
A member of the UAE Federal National Council has appealed for a federal law banning tourists and residents from wearing revealing clothes in public. Mr. Al Rahoumi said he was not talking about forcing people to wear a "niqab, headscarf or an abaya", but to dress "appropriately"...
13.06.2012 Manama, 11 June 2012
“Bahrain 'protest boy' Ali Hasan freed from prison” (BBC News Middle East)
An 11-year-old Bahraini boy jailed for taking part in an anti-government protest has been set free. The boy was allowed to go home, but he was ordered to appear in court again on 20 June to face charges including joining an illegal gathering. Ali Hasan had spent a month behind bars after being arrested on 14 May outside the capital, Manama...
08.06.2012 Cairo, 8 June 2012
“Egypt parties end deadlock over constitutional panel“ (BBC News Middle East)
Political parties in Egypt have agreed on how to select the 100-member panel that will write the country's new constitution, ending weeks of deadlock. A deal was reached after talks between representatives of 22 parties and the head of the ruling military council. It is expected that panel members from the parliament will be elected next week…
06.06.2012 Tripoli, 5 June 2012
“First trial of senior official in Qaddafi regime opens“ (Al Arabiya News)
The first trial of a senior official accused of killing demonstrators in the 2011 uprising against Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi opened yesterday. Former foreign intelligence chief Bouzid Dorda is accused of ordering security forces to “kill demonstrators and fire live ammunition at them” during the 2011 uprising that ended Mr. Qaddafi’s rule…
04.06.2012 Kuwait, 4 June 2012
“Kuwaiti jailed for 10 years for Twitter 'blasphemy'” (BBC News Middle East)
A court in Kuwait has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for endangering state security by insulting the Prophet Muhammad and the rulers of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in messages on Twitter. The Shia Muslim was also found guilty of mocking Islam and provoking sectarian tensions. Some Sunni activists had demanded that he be sentenced to death for blasphemy...
01.06.2012 Cairo, 31 May 2012
“Egypt state of emergency lifted after 31 years“ (BBC News Middle East)
Egypt's state of emergency, that gave security forces sweeping powers to detain suspects and try them in special courts, has ended after 31 years. Lifting the law was a key demand of activists in last year's uprising against President Hosni Mubarak. Egypt's military rulers, who took charge after the ousting of Mr Mubarak, indicated they would not renew the law…
31.05.2012 Cairo, 30 May 2012
“Egypt: Hosni Mubarak's sons face new corruption trial“ (BBC News Middle East)
The two sons of deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak are to be tried on suspicion of insider trading, Egypt's prosecutor general says. The men are already on trial alongside their father for abuse of power. A verdict is due on Saturday…
29.05.2012 Tel Aviv, 29 May 2012
“High Court upholds legality of 'Big Brother' legislation” (Haaretz)
The High Court of Justice yesterday upheld the constitutionality of a 2008 law allowing state investigators to obtain information about citizens' telephone, e-mail and text message use. However, the justices also imposed restrictions on the collection of information under the Communication Data Law, popularly known as the "Big Brother Law"...
25.05.2012 Manama, 25 May 2012
“MPs given more powers in new constitution” (Gulf Daily News)
Constitutional amendments, ratified by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa earlier this month, give broad powers to Bahrain's parliament, it was declared yesterday…
22.05.2012 Tel Aviv, 22 May 2012
“New bill attempts to crack glass ceiling for Israeli women“ (Haaretz)
A new draft law would extend from two years to seven years the statute of limitations for suing an employer who pays a female employee less than a male employee who does the same job. A ruling of last Thursday of the High Court of Justice placed the burden of proof in the case of a gender-based pay inequality claim on the employer, rather than the employee…
22.05.2012 Lahore, 21 May 2012
“Christian charged with blasphemy ‘after snooker quarrel’“ (Pakistan Today)
A young Christian man has been charged with burning “holy pages” under the blasphemy laws after he had an argument with some Muslim boys over a snooker game. Section 295-B of the governing law makes wilful desecration of the Holy Quran or use of an extract in a derogatory manner punishable with life imprisonment…
18.05.2012 Damascus, 18 May 2012
“Syrian activist sentenced to death for ‘treason’“ (Al Arabiya News)
Syrian authorities have sentenced to death for “treason” an activist who was arrested in April a Syrian human rights group said today. Hariri was arrested after discussing on Al-Jazeera television the terrible humanitarian and security situation in southern Daraa province, cradle of the anti-regime uprising that erupted in March 2011, the group said…
18.05.2012 Abu Dhabi, 18 May 2012
“Girls 'should stay with mothers until marriage'“ (The National)
Divorced mothers should retain custody of their daughters until they marry if doing otherwise would be damaging for the child, the United Arab Emirates Federal Supreme Court has ruled. The court explained that custody takes into consideration the rights of the father, the mother and the child. If those clash, the child's welfare takes priority…
16.05.2012 Algiers, 16 May 2012
“Algerian women claw their way into parliament” (Al Arabiya News)
Algeria’s legislative election saw women take almost a third of the seats, making the national assembly the most gender-balanced in the region. According to a provisional count, at least 145 of the new, enlarged national assembly’s 462 seats will be occupied by women…
14.05.2012 Tehran, 13 May 2012
“Iran: Cartoonist sentenced to 25 lashes” (CNN iReport)
The semi-official Iranian news agency ILNA reported last week that Iranian regime has sentenced a cartoonist to 25 lashes for drawing a cartoon of a former member of Iranian regime's parliament…
11.05.2012 Kuwait, 10 May 2012
“Kuwaiti lawmakers mull female judge ban“ (ArabianBusiness.com)
Lawmakers in Kuwait have proposed a law that would prohibit women from becoming judges or prosecutors. The draft ruling, presented by five MPs, includes an amendment to Article 19 of Law Number 23/1990, which states that a judge needs to be a “Kuwaiti Muslim”. The change would add the term "man" to the article…
09.05.2012 Manama, 8 May 2012
“Bahrain court adjourns retrial of activists” (BBC News Middle East)
A court in Bahrain has adjourned for two weeks the retrial of 21 activists and opposition figures accused of plotting to overthrow the state last year. The court said two of the defendants, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Abdullah al-Mahroos, had to be present in court. Mr Khawaja was sentenced to life in jail by Bahrains National Security Court. Mr Mahroos, a prominent Shia religious figure and critic of the Gulf kingdom's Sunni-dominated government, was sentenced to 15 years by the same military tribunal…
09.05.2012 New Delhi, 7 May 2012
“Polygamy Fatwa Sparks Debate in India” (The Siasat Daily)
A new controversy is heating in India over a fatwa by the country’s most influential Muslim religious seminary against polygamy. The fatwa was issued in response to a query by a man who wanted advice on marrying twice…
08.05.2012 Doha, 6 May 2012
“Top UK judges support Qatari legal push” (Zawya)
Qatar is hosting England and Wales' most prominent judges as part of the emirate's bid to become a leading arbitration centre. The move is intended to bolster Qatar's reputation before the country hosts the World Cup in 2022. The ruling family wants the contracts related to the football tournament to contain a clause that would see any dispute resolved at its international court…
04.05.2012 Kuwait, 3 May 2012
“Kuwaiti parliament approves death penalty for cursing prophet Muhammad” (Times of Israel)
Kuwait’s parliament passed a bill Thursday imposing the death sentence, inter alia, for those who curse God, the Prophet Muhammad or claim prophetic abilities. A Kuwaiti citizen was arrested in the past for mocking the prophet and his wife on Twitter, but could not be tried under existing Kuwaiti laws…
04.05.2012 Manama, 3 May 2012
“Bahrain king enacts parliamentary reforms” (Al Jazeera)
Bahraini King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa ratified a number of amendments to Bahrain’s constitution that had previously been approved by the Shura and Representative Councils. Opposition groups dismissed the extra powers given to parliament on Thursday as not enough, describing the moves as merely symbolic…
02.05.2012 Doha, 1 May 2012
“Qatar to allow trade union, scrap ‘sponsor’ system” (Al Arabiya News)
Qatar is to allow the establishment of a trade union to protect labour rights and scrap the ‘sponsor’ system for foreign workers. Highly condemned by human rights bodies, the sponsor system requires that all foreign workers be sponsored by local employers…
02.05.2012 Sana'a, 30 April 2012
“Sexual harassment goes unpunished in Yemen” (Yemen Times)
Many women in Yemen who are subjected to sexual harassment do not notify the police as they fear the social tradition that demeans those who speak about being subjected to harassment. Additionally, security measures are fragile and allow offenders to easily evade penalties…
26.04.2012 Tripoli, 25 April 2012
“Libya bans religious political parties” (Al Jazeera)
Libyan authorities have banned the formation of political parties based on religious principles ahead of elections scheduled to take place in June. The law comes two months ahead of the country's first general elections to choose a 200-member assembly tasked with writing a new constitution and forming a government…
24.04.2012 Dubai, 24 April 2012
“Divorce rate rises in Emirati and expat marriages” (The National)
The number of divorces in Dubai has risen by almost a quarter in the past three years, helped by the financial downturn and the changing role of women in society, experts say. Divorce among nationals is rising because a of broader social change, an Emirati lawyer in Dubai explains. „A lot of women are working women now. They won’t just accept what their mothers used to accept”…
19.04.2012 Dammam, 19 April 2012
“Age of consent for marriage of Saudi girls soon” (Arab News)
The Justice Ministry will soon make an announcement to establish the age of consent for Saudi women to marry, a local daily reported yesterday quoting an official source at the ministry. However, the Director of the Department of Marriage at the ministry Mr. Al-Babtain declined to reveal the age of consent for marriage, but said the issue was still being discussed…
19.04.2012 Tunis, 18 April 2012
“Protests against veil ban in Tunisian universities bring lectures to a halt” (Al Arabiya News)
The controversy over the face veil, which emerged following the fall of former Tunisian President’s secular regime, has resurfaced again on campus with lectures coming to a halt following ongoing disputes on the issue…
18.04.2012 Cairo, 17 April 2012
“Egypt's football deaths trial opens amid chaotic scenes” (BBC News Middle East)
The trial of dozens of people charged in connection with Egypt's worst football violence has opened in Cairo amid chaotic scenes. The proceedings were disrupted by the defendants as they chanted to proclaim their innocence. At least 74 people died after clashes erupted following a match in the city of Port Said on 1 February…
13.04.2012 Kuwait, 12 April 2012
“Kuwait mulls death penalty for insulting God, Prophet” (The Jordan Times)
Kuwaiti lawmakers voted in favour of a legal amendment yesterday which could make insulting God and the Prophet Muhammad punishable by death, after a case of suspected blasphemy on Twitter caused an uproar in the Gulf Arab state. Members of parliament must vote on the proposal again in a second session and it would need the approval of the country's ruler before becoming law…
11.04.2012 Cairo, 10 April 2012
“Egypt court suspends constitutional assembly” (BBC News Middle East)
A court in Egypt has suspended the 100-member assembly appointed in March to draft the country's new constitution. Several lawsuits had demanded Cairo's Administrative Court block the decision to form the panel because it did not reflect the diversity of Egyptian society…
05.04.2012 Kuwait City, 4 April 2012
“Kuwaiti artist fights for freedom of expression” (Gulf News)
A female Kuwaiti artist whose paintings of male society were deemed “obscene” by authorities has vowed to continue pushing the boundaries. The closure of the exhibition has sparked controversy, as it’s unprecedented in the art history of Kuwait for the authorities to crack down on freedom of expression…
04.04.2012 Kuwait City, 3 April 2012
“Kuwaiti denies blasphemous tweets, says account must have been hacked” (Al Arabiya News)
A Kuwaiti Shi‘ite accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad on Twitter has denied making any such comments, saying that his account must have been hacked. The allegations sparked protests by Sunni activists and some members of parliament have called for him to be executed. Defaming Islam is illegal in Kuwait under the 1961 press and publications law, but is not usually punishable by death…
30.03.2012 Cairo, 29 March 2012
“Egyptian court obliges telecom companies to block porn sites” (Egypt Independent)
The State Council administrative court issued a ruling obliging the head of National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology to block pornographic websites, according to the state-owned daily Al-Ahram…
28.03.2012 Kabul, 28 March 2012
“Afghan women are being jailed for ‚moral crimes', says report” (The Guardian)
Nearly half of all women in Afghan prisons are being held for so-called ‚moral crimes’ such as running away from home or adultery, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. After more than a decade of international efforts to reform the legal system and women's rights in Afghanistan, the report found that women still face extremely limited protection in the court system…
28.03.2012 Tunis, 27 March 2012
“Tunisian Lawmaker talks of turbulent year” (euronews)
Karima Souid, an MP with the centre left Ettakatol party, answers to questions such as: One year after Tunisia’s revolution, what has changed there? How is the work of the Constituent Assembly going? What future can be expected by the men, women and young people who believed in the revolution?…
23.03.2012 Beirut, 23 March 2012
“Charbel: Women in the ISF are not allowed to wear the hijab” (The Daily Star)
Neither veils nor any other religious symbol are allowed to be worn with the uniform of security personnel in all Lebanese state institutions , Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told a newspaper yesterday, after women who wear the hijab were accepted by the Internal Security Forces…
22.03.2012 Riyadh, 22 March 2012
“Divorce cases increase by 21 percent” (Arab News)
There were 406 marriages every day in Saudi Arabia last year against 85 divorce cases, a Saudi newspaper reported yesterday quoting official statistics of the Justice Ministry. The ministry said the divorce cases rose by 21 percent last year compared to marriages…
16.03.2012 Rabat, 15 March 2012
“Morocco protest after raped Amina Filali kills herself” (BBC News Middle East)
Moroccan activists have stepped up pressure to scrap a provision in the penal code that allows the "kidnapper" of a minor to marry her in order to escape jail after a 16-year-old female victim killed herself. The girl swallowed rat poison after being severely beaten during a forced marriage to her rapist…
14.03.2012 Cairo, 13 March 2012
“Egyptian doctor cleared over virginity test” (Zawya)
An Egyptian military court has acquitted an army doctor charged with carrying out a forced virginity test on a female detainee arrested during protests last year because of conflicting evidence from witnesses, according to a report in the official Middle East news agency…
14.03.2012 Beirut, 8 March 2012
“Lebanon: Tussle over gender violence law” (Irin News)
Proposed amendments to a draft law on gender violence in Lebanon have sparked demands from civil society organizations that parliament uphold an original draft criminalizing, e.g., ‚honor crimes‘. Intense lobbying by Lebanon’s main religious authorities, campaigners said, had prompted the committee to remove marital rape, and economic and psychological violence from the draft and introduce a new provision giving religious bodies primacy over civil courts in overseeing cases…
09.03.2012 Baghdad, 8 March 2012
“Women deplore restrictions in male-dominated Iraq” (The Jordan Times)
Iraqi women sharply criticised societal restrictions placed upon them in events marking International Women's Day. Until the 1980s, Iraqi women were widely considered to have more rights than their counterparts across the Middle East. Since it peaked in 2006 and 2007, overall violence has declined, but Iraqi women remain victims of violence, trafficking, forced marriage at a young age, and kidnapping for confessional or criminal reasons, NGOs say…
07.03.2012 Tel Aviv, 5 March 2012
“Israeli ministerial committee okays bill raising marriage age to 18” (Haaretz.com)
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved legislation that would raise the minimum age for marriage in Israel under most circumstances from 17 to 18. However, in exceptional cases the courts will be empowered to recognize marriages of couples under 18…
01.03.2012 Amman, 29 February 2012
“Cabinet ready with constitutional court bill” (Jordan Times)
The Jordanian Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed the draft law on the constitutional court, which is stipulated in the newly amended Constitution. The financially and administratively independent Amman-based court will be competent to rule on the constitutionality of laws and bylaws and interpret the Constitution…
01.03.2012 Tunis, 26 February 2012
“Tunisian leader urges law against allegations of blasphemy” (Al Arabiya News)
Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki on Saturday called on parliament to outlaw accusations of blasphemy as a threat to public order, in order to „protect the coexistence, fraternity and solidarity among Tunisians”. His comments came a day after an Arabic-language newspaper published an interview with a radical Islamist who branded a university professor as an infidel…
23.02.2012 Islamabad, 22 February 2012
“Senate passes Domestic Violence Bill” (Pakistan Today)
The landmark ‘Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2012’, which had already been passed by the National Assembly in August 2009, has now been passed unanimously by the Senate. The Domestic Violence Bill makes violence against women and children an offence, punishable by time in jail and imposition of fines. It also stipulates that the cases regarding domestic violence be dealt with expeditiously…
23.02.2012 Cairo, 22 February 2012
“Egypt sets Mubarak trial verdict date” (Al Jazeera)
The verdict in the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will be delivered on June 2, according to the judge presiding over the case. The prosecution has called for the death penalty for Mubarak, who refrained from a chance to address the court in the final session…
16.02.2012 Dubai, 16 February 2012
“Speedy resolution of civil and commercial disputes” (Gulf News)
Since the widening in last November of the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts‘ jurisdiction to hear cases other than disputes between DIFC-registered free zone companies there has been an increasing number of cases coming from other enterprises due to the speedy resolution of civil and commercial disputes…
16.02.2012 Damascus, 15 February 2012
“Syria to hold referendum on new constitution” (BBC Middle East)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has decreed that a referendum on the new draft constitution will be held on 26 February. The document drops the article giving the ruling Baath Party unique status as the "leader of state and society". However, it is highly questionable how a referendum could be carried out efficiently and credibly at short notice and while much of the country is in chaos…
09.02.2012 Cairo, 8 February 2012
“Sentence of Egyptian tycoon for diva's murder confirmed” (Morocco World News)
A 15-year jail sentence handed down in 2010 to Egyptian tycoon Hisham Talaat Moustafa for the murder of a Lebanese pop singer has been confirmed by a Cairo court. Moustafa was accused of having paid a former policeman $2 million for the murder of Suzanne Tamim…
09.02.2012 Cairo, 5 February 2012
“Egypt move on foreign groups puts aid at risk” (Financial Times)
Egypt has referred 40 employees of local and foreign civil society groups to a criminal court in a move that could jeopardise a significant amount of military and economic assistance to the country. It is not yet known what charges they are facing…
09.02.2012 Riyadh, 4 February 2012
“Saudi activists sue government over driving ban” (The Straits Times)
Manal al-Sherif, the icon of an Internet campaign launched last year urging Saudi women to defy a ban on driving and a human rights activist have filed law suits against the interior ministry for refusing to issue them driver's licences and banning them from driving a car…
02.02.2012 Doha, 31 January 2012
“Qatar’s family law breaches women’s basic rights: Expert” (The Peninsula)
Qatar’s family law encourages violence against women on several pretexts, says a prominent legal expert calling for amending the provisions of the legislation along with raising awareness in the society against oppressing women…
02.02.2012 Amman, 31 January 2012
“Cabinet approves draft political parties bill“ (Zawya)
“Cabinet approves draft political parties bill“ (Zawya) According to the provisions of the draft law citizens have the right to assemble parties by their own free will and the proportion of women founders shall not be less than 10 percent of the total number of founders…
18.01.2012 Amman, 17 January 2012
“Jordan to scrap regulation on passport for women“ (The Gulf Today)
A regulation that prevents married women from obtaining a passport without the written consent of their husbands shall be scrapped, the ministry of interior said…
05.01.2012 Riyadh, 5 January 2012
„Labor Ministry working with Haia to protect rights of saleswomen“ (Arab News)
The Saudi Ministry of Labour and the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Protection of Vice (Haia) will join forces to supervise the implementation of a 2006 law banning men from working in women’s lingerie stores…
05.01.2012 Khartoum, 4 January 2012
“Opposition paper shut down again in Sudan” (The Gulf Today)
The Rai al-Shaab newspaper, belonging to the party of Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi – once a key figure in the regime of President Omar al-Bashir but now one of his fiercest critics – was shut down again on Monday just months after it started publishing again following an earlier raid…
29.12.2011 Tel Aviv, 28 December 2011
„Israelis rally against ultra-Orthodox extremism“ (BBC News Middle East)
The Israeli government has ordered a crackdown on intolerance at home backing recent protests against some ultra-Orthodox who are seeking to segregate men and women...
29.12.2011 Cairo, 27 December 2011
„Egypt court orders end to 'virginity tests' in army prisons“ (Al Arabiya News)
An Egyptian court ordered the Egyptian army on Tuesday to stop forced virginity tests on female detainees which have been justified by the military as a necessity to head off possible charges of rape...
22.12.2011 Dubai, 17 December 2011
“Amnesty, HRW urge Saudi to scrap amputations“ (Zawya)
Human rights organisations have urged Saudi authorities to void a sentence passed by Riyadh’s General Court to chop off the right hands and left feet of six bedouin men accused of "highway robbery"…
15.12.2011 Dubai, 13 December 2011
„UAE ready with draft federal insol-vency law“ (Gulf News)
The first Federal Insolvency Law, currently at the draft stage, will have clear provisions for bankruptcy procedures, defining the rights of shareholders and creditors in the event of insolvency, restructuring or even dissolution of a corporate entity…
15.12.2011 Kuwait City, 12 December 2011
"Kuwait begins trial of dozens of state-less protesters“ (ahramonline)
A Kuwait court yesterday charged 31 stateless people, locally known as ‚bidoons‘, with illegal assembly and assaulting police during demonstrations earlier this year to demand citizenship and other basic rights. Under Kuwaiti law, only citizens have the right to hold public gatherings while foreigners are banned…
15.12.2011 Cairo/Sanaa, 8 December 2011
„Human Rights Watch urges Yemen to ban child marriage, details plight of country’s child brides“ (The Washington Post)
Human Rights Watch urged authorities in Yemen to set 18 as the minimum age for marriage. According to a report by this group, approximately 14 percent of girls in Yemen are married before the age 15, and 52 percent are married before they are 18 years old. This issue has also been highlighted by Yemeni activist Tawakkol Karman, one of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners...
08.12.2011 Baghdad, 8 December 2011
„Laws not enough to counter violence against women“ (Iraqinews.com)
Iraqi Premier Nouri al-Maliki emphasised in his speech on the International Day on anti-women violence that violence against women must be tackled with new laws as well as education…
08.12.2011 Mecca, 7 December 2011
“Australian faces lashes for blasphemy in Saudi Arabia“ (BBC News Asia)
An Australian man on a pilgrimage to Mecca has been sentenced to 500 lashes and a year in prison after being convicted of blasphemy by judges in Saudi Arabia.…
28.11.2011 Tunis, 23 November 2011
“Table ronde sur le rôle de la femme dans le processus de transition démocratique” (Le Temps Tunisien)
Le Centre de recherches, d'études, de documentation et d'information sur la femme (CREDIF) a organisé au siège du gouvernorat de Béja, une table ronde sur ‘Le rôle de la femme dans le processus de transition démocratique’…
28.11.2011 Manama, 23 November 2011
“Bahrain’s King Hamad promises human rights reforms” (BBC News Middle East)
Bahrain’s King Hamad promised reforms in Bahrain, which has a majority Shia Muslim population, to prevent abuses by security forces in the future…
28.11.2011 Dubai, 22 November 2011
“Saudi falls short on opening door for female lawyers” (ArabianBusiness.com)
Saudi government is planning to allow female lawyers to participate in court in a departure from strict gender segregation…
17.11.2011 Ankara, 16 November 2011
“Turkish Parliament passes broadcast law” (Hürriyet Daily News)
Turkey’s Parliament passed a law which opens the door for foreign companies to invest in Turkey’s dynamic media sector…
17.11.2011 Mecca, 13 November 2011
“300 lashes for practicing black magic” (Arab News)
A man, arrested by Saudi police because he allegedly ‘acted suspiciously’, has been sentenced to eights months in prison and 300 lashes on charge of practicing Black Magic…
01.11.2011 Cairo, 25 October 2011
“Egyptian expats can vote” (The Egyptian Gazette)
An administrative court ruled that millions of Egyptians living abroad will have the right to vote in the upcoming parliamentary election…
25.10.2011 Doha, 25 October 2011
“Qatar imposes new anti-human trafficking law” (Gulf News)
People involved in human trafficking in Qatar face 15 years in prison and hefty fines under a new antihuman trafficking law…
24.10.2011 Riyadh, 24 October 2011
“Women and divorce in Saudi courts” (Arab News)
Saudi women who institute divorce proceedings against their husbands embark on a long and arduous journey towards an open-ended outcome due to gender-biased laws and court proceedings...