What's New

Resources updated between Monday, December 30, 2013 and Sunday, January 5, 2014

January 4, 2014

Kuwaiti singer Shams

"A Saudi court has sentenced a man convicted of defaming a Kuwaiti singer by accusing her on Twitter of adultery to three months in jail and 80 lashes, a news website reported Thursday. The Saudi national, apparently a fan of a rival pop star, was sentenced for 'accusing (Kuwaiti singer) Shams of adultery without providing proof,' the Saudi Sabq news website cited the verdict as saying. The ruling is based on Islamic sharia law which stipulates flogging for those who accuse others of having extra-marital sex without giving proof. The man was also jailed for three months and fined 10,000 riyals ($2,700), the news website said."

Saudi Sentenced To Jail, Lashes Over Twitter Libel: Report Human Rights Voices

January 3, 2014

Children in danger in CAR

"Escalating violence in the Central African Republic is posing a threat to children, with at least two beheaded and thousands recruited as soldiers...The nation plunged into chaos after a coalition of rebels named Seleka ousted President Francois Bozize in March, the latest in a series of coups since the nation gained independence...Seleka is a predominantly Muslim coalition, and to counter the attacks, vigilante Christian groups fought back. The country descended into anarchy, and the United Nations has warned that a genocide is brewing."

Children beheaded as violence grows in Central African Republic Human Rights Voices

January 2, 2014

President Obama

2013 might be called the year of the shape-shifter. President Obama, the leader of the free world, cozied up to Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism. Saudi Arabia poured billions into fighting Islamic terrorists in Lebanon and Egypt. Egypt banned Muslim radicals from government. What does this confusing scene tell us about 2014? Do our expectations need fixing? We expect a President committed to democracy, human rights, the rule of law and the security of our allies. So it turns out our expectations were not the problem. Considering why each of these expectations wasn't met suggests we should expect 2014 to be even worse.

What to Expect From Obama in 2014? Remember the Catastrophes of 2013 Article

January 1, 2014

December 31, 2013

In 2013, Chinese arrested Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, Falun Gong adherents for proselytizing, holding illegal gatherings, providing religious education classes and publicizing their persecution.

"Human Rights Without Frontiers International, a non-profit advocacy organization based in Brussels, released a report on Monday highlighting what we've long known to be true: The U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a joke. Eight of the UNHRC's 47 member states, including newly elected Morocco, China and Saudi Arabia (their three-year terms begin Wednesday), imprisoned people in 2013 for breaking laws that restrict religious freedom. The five current member states to do the same were India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Libya and South Korea...The U.N. General Assembly can suspend the rights of UNHRC members that commit serious human rights violations. Newcomers China and Saudi Arabia are two of the world's worst states when it comes to religious freedom and other human rights. Their election to the UNHRC is a disgrace. Should their rights should be suspended the moment they're granted on January 1?"
Full HRWF report is available here.

U.N. Human Rights Council fails to protect religious freedom Article

Saudi religious police also traditionally banned the sale of red roses and gifts for Valentine’s Day on February 14.

"New Year's Eve means party time all around the world – but not in Saudi Arabia, where celebrating Hogmanay has been officially banned by religious police. Public warnings have been issued by the country's feared secret police agency, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), ahead of December 31st. The commission is responsible for enforcing strict Islamic law on the Kingdom's 30 million inhabitants, which it does on behalf on the ruling House of Saud. Any merchandise to do with celebrating New Year such as t-shirts, has also been outlawed."

Saudi Arabia Bans New Year Celebrations Human Rights Voices

December 30, 2013

UN "expert" Falk had argued that Israel might be organizing a Nazi-like Holocaust, and had defended Palestinian terrorism as “the right of resistance”.

"The Simon Wiesenthal Center announced on Monday its 2013 top-10 list of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel slurs, giving the top two slots to the leaders of Iran and Turkey. The list underlined the failure of the international community to confront contemporary anti-Semitism by citing state-sponsored drives to attack Jews and Israel and the role of a UN official, authors, academic and church groups and celebrities in stoking Jew-hatred...Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories, occupied the third spot."

Wiesenthal releases 'Top Ten 2013 anti-Semitic, anti-Israel slurs' list Article