What's New

Resources updated between Monday, December 2, 2013 and Sunday, December 8, 2013

December 6, 2013

Draft, as orally revised, was adopted without a vote.

GA Second Committee Draft Resolution "Harmony with Nature", A/C.2/68/L.59 Development

December 5, 2013

Draft was adopted with 169 votes in favor, 5 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Palau, United States), and 6 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, India, Panama).

General Assembly Resolution "The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East", A/RES/68/65 Development

Three of the four executed Iranian political prisoners

"Four Ahwazi Arab political prisoners have been executed, according to reports received by Iran Human Rights (IHR). The executions are also reported by BBC Persian and several other sources. Ghazi Abbasi, Abdul-Reza Amir-Khanafereh , Abdul-Amir Mojaddami and Jasim Moghaddam Payam were sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Ahwaz revolutionary court on August 15, 2012. They were convicted of 'enmity with God', which is a common charge made against critics of the government. The death sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court in February, although it is believed that the lawyer representing Abdul-Reza Amir-Khanafereh was still in the process of appealing against the conviction before the executions."

Iran Human Rights Condemns Execution of Four Ahwazi Political Prisoners Document

December 4, 2013

Shezanne Cassim has been in a UAE jail since April

"A Minnesota man is being held in an Arab jail after putting a spoof video about youth culture in Dubai online. Shezanne Cassim, 29, was arrested in April and charged with violating a 2012 cyber crime law that has penalties for allegedly challenging authorities, his attorney, Susan Burns, said. Mr Cassim, who was moved to a maximum security prison in Abu Dhabi in June, has been accused of endangering national security. He is the first foreigner arrested under tougher measures governing internet use in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Emirates Center for Human Rights... 'It's tragic. It's something that can happen to anybody, especially young people who post all the time on YouTube,' Ms Burns said. To be incarcerated over something that's clearly a joke, clearly meant in jest, clearly meant in good humor - and held for seven months - is a violation of human rights.'"

American Arrested in Dubai for Video About Arab 'Gangstas' Document

December 3, 2013

Waleed Saad Shaker, one of two Coptic Christians killed by Muslims in Libya

"Two Egyptian Christians living in Libya were killed by Muslims when they refused to convert to Islam in late September. The Morning Star News reported that Waleed Saad Shaker, 25, and Nash'at Shenouda Ishaq, 27, Coptic Christians from Egypt living in Libya, were surrounded by a group of militant Muslims in northeastern Libya's Derna District, in what initially seemed like an armed robbery. After taking their belongings and beating them, the group demanded that the two men recite the shahada, the Islamic conversation declaration. When the men refused, the extremists tied them up and shot them."

Egyptian Christians Killed In Libya For Refusing To Convert To Islam Document