Group items tagged

The article looks into why it is not illegal for Syria to use chemical warfare against its people. It covers several international treaties including the Geneva Convention and explains why Syria is not legally at fault for the treatment of their civilians.

Laws in Iran are being discussed to make divorce harder for women, jobs harder to find if women do not have children, and contraception more difficult to attain. Women are merely being degraded to "baby making machines."

This article basically accentuates the driving factors to the ongoing insurgency of ISIL in Libya and how the threat is even more extreme than that of Iraq and Syria. One is the Islamist ideology in itself, rejecting any form of a modern state and the institutions that accompany its success. For example in Libya the leader of the AS branch declares that his militants will not disarm or demobilize until sharia law is imposed. Second, during Gaddafi's rule he unleashed a crackdown on all Islamic expression. The brutality shown towards Islamic groups during this time has fueled their resentment towards sectarian rule and has urged them to push for the rejection of state institutions even more so. The article explains how Islamic groups have claimed power in both Benghazi and Derna, the latter being the historic recruiting ground for Jihad fighters to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. The author makes it clear that both military and diplomatic force from the international community is crucial for the reconciliation of security.

Woman is physically and verbally attacked for not wearing a head scard.

On Sunday, Sept. 28, President Sisi made a speech at Cairo University, declaring his affection and support for the Egyptian youth. He also warned the students against "malicious" activities and that universities were "solely for education." The speech followed the draft of a new controversial law allowing for the arbitrary firing of faculty members. Sisi pledged to dedicate state resources like special councils and scholarship funds to the cause of the youth demographic.

Oct. 22. As the Egyptian government's crackdown on dissent broadened over the last year, university campuses have increasingly been in the crosshairs as one of the last remaining spaces for dissent. Despite efforts to quell political activity on college campuses, there have been at least 58 protests on college campuses since the first week of classes at the beginning of October. As campuses like Cairo University crack down on security and bans on political activity, Egyptian authorities are also attempting to control the activities of the youth. Sisi reinstated the law of appointing university presidents. The administration knows its weakness is the youth population, since all its support comes from the older generation of Egyptians. However, although he acknowledges there grievances, he basically tells them to stay out of the politics that should be reserved for the older generation. By taking this tone with the Egyptian youth, Sisi risks alienating the population and pushing them to join back in alliances between secular and religous groups.

It is clear that Egypt needs to take greeter actions in ensuring FGM is completely banned. Rothna Begum is a women's rights researcher who focuses on the Middle East and Africa. The doctor claims to have done the procedure other medical purposes other than FGM. 

Women2Drive is a group related to a national campaign trying to bring awareness and make a change in the laws in Saudi Arabia forbidding women to drive. They hope that by spreading social awareness they will make a change. Women2Drive encourages Saudi women to post pictures of themselves behind the wheel to help advocate.

Not only do Saudi Arabian women have many laws to abide by they also have an unjust legal system when it comes to their punishments. In this article, a case is discussed in which a woman went out with a man that was not her husband. While out, she was raped by 7 men. Although her attackers were punished, the woman was also punished for having been out with a man that was not her husband and was sentenced to 90 lashes.

This article provides an analysis of the role in religion moving forward from the revolution. While some groups promote a totally secular state, others are encouraging a system of government that is dictated by Sharia law. Some articles have been passed in the new constitutional referendum that are very controversial. The articles (2, 54, and 219) were an attempt to establish Islamic authority in rule, as well as the authority of other groups like Coptic Christians and Jews. In short, the identity of the Egyptian state is being defined by these political moves. Although different Islamic groups try to distinguish themselves politically, other leaders have tried to present the issue as a dichotomy between and Islamic state and a secular state. In reality, the political diversity is better represented by a spectrum. However, these groups must find enough popular and physical support to enact policies. Any policies enacted will be too much for one group, and not enough imposition for another.

Political parties are demanding payments of up to $28,000 for candidates to be included in their electoral lists. This is prohibiting youth groups from having an active role in the formation of the new government. Although the new electoral law gave Copts, women, and people with disabilities the right to be a part of parties' electoral lists, splits and conflicts between parties interferes with the process. There is a consensus in the higher order of politicians that the youth are not prepared to be a part of the political process. Others believe this is an unfair statement. However, the mistake of the youth in the revolution was that they did not take part in the government process at the beginning. They missed their opportunity to fulfill their demands by only aiming to overthrow the regime.

Abu Saif, doesn't support ISIS, but does support the way they have implemented Islamic law and the system in Raqqa.

This link tells the story of a woman named Salma. Salma was sold at the age of 13 to an elderly man. She was then abused for 17 years and then divorced, the ex husband taking the children. This is one example of gender inequality and lack of a decent legal system and protective laws. I am not saying that all marriages are bad but stores such as this are horrendous and actions should be taken to prevent it from happening in the future.

Tunisian government's new draft counterterrorism law would permit extended incommunicado detention, weaken due process guarantees for people charged with terrorism offenses, and allow the death penalty. This bill was sent to parliament on March 26, 2015.

This is an updated lists of amendments made to Egyptian law regarding divorce in marriage. It is published by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.

A women tells her story of women genital mutilation in Egypt. She recalls how painful it was and will be ending the tradition. This tradition has become less popular but is still going on.

Certain things like genital mutilation are common practice based on tradition. With no laws discouraging these types of acts, there is almost a sense of encouragement, which for women who no longer want to participate in these traditions serves as a up hill battle.

This article is definitely an interesting read. It talks about a network of travelers from Walsall that are now part of ISIS. I think that we really need to better understand why people in Western countries feel the urge to leave everything they have and go live under Islamic rule in Syria. There has to be some sort of brainwashing involved because this article shows one of the men having claimed not to be murderous, and that he just wants to "live under Islamic law and help the oppressed amongst us."