[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Arabian Peninsula and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Arabian Peninsula Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to ap@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
The Gulf security pact: Another GCC dilemma Joseph A. Kechichian analyzes the disagreement among the Gulf Cooperation Council members over the Saudi proposal of an upgraded union.
GCC Security Pact: Kuwait holding back Yazan al-Saadi examines Kuwait’s reservations over the security pact proposed by Saudi Arabia.
UAE jails Qatari doctor for supporting banned group Bill Law writes about Mahmoud al-Jaidah, a Qatari national sentenced for seven years in jail on charges of ties to al-Islah group.
Detention of High Profile Bahraini Activists Upon Arrival in the UK Sets a Worrying Precedent Ahmed Ali condemns the British authorities for arresting two Bahraini activists, who were attempting to claim political asylum in the United Kingdom.
Iran must stop meddling in our affairs: Bahrain Bahrain’s ministers of foreign affairs and information accuse Iran of inciting violence in the Gulf state.
Kuwait launches Egypt-Qatar mediation effort Habib Toumi examines the Kuwaiti emir’s efforts to bridge differences between Qatar and Egypt before the Arab summit to be held in Kuwait at the end of this month.
Russia warns Riyadh against giving Syria rebels missiles Moscow warns Saudi Arabia against supplying Syrian rebels with missile launchers since it could endanger the security of the region.
Reports and Opinions
Saudi Arabia: besieged and fearful Immanuel Wallerstein examines the options open to Saudi Arabia after the deterioration of its relations with Washington.
Saudi Arabia to set up judge training centres A news report on the Saudi authorities’ decision to train judges in order to enhance “efficiency and performance.”
Court jails three for aiding Brotherhood Two Emirati nationals and one Qatari national receive jail sentences for their involvement with al-Islah branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Doha gas blast kills and injures dozens At least twelve people, including children and migrant workers, are killed in an explosion in a restaurant in Doha.
Omani CEO jailed for 23 years in graft case: court The Court of First Instance sentences Adel al-Raisi to twenty-five years in jail on charges of corruption.
Saudi police hurt by gunfire in Shi'ite village A news report on the injury of three policemen in Qatif.
Saudi beheaded for killing compatriot A Saudi man is beheaded in Qatif, bringing the number of executions this year to eleven.
Repression in Bahrain
Second Bahrain detainee dies in custody – ministry A news report about the death of a second person held by the authorities this year.
Clashes with police after Bahrain funeral Hundreds of protesters clash with police in a village during funeral processions of Jaafar Mohammed Jaafar, who died in police custody last week.
Bahrain blast kills three policemen: Interior Ministry Three policemen are killed by a remotely detonated bomb during a protest in village in Bahrain.
Regional "Political Consensus" Not in Favor of Bahrain Sovereign People The Alliance of Youth of Change issues a press release on secret meetings of representatives from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States, which focused on regional issues, including the Bahraini uprising.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013: Bahrain The US Department of State issues its report on human rights conditions in Bahrain for 2013.
State Department Report on Bahrain Confirms Extent of Repression Brian Dooley analyzes the report on Bahrain issued by the US Department of State.
Crisis in Yemen
Deaths in clashes in northern Yemen Clashes between Houthi fighters and security forces in al-Jawf leave thirteen people dead.
RPG attack kills 5 Yemeni Soldiers: official A news report on the death of five soldiers in an ambush in Shabwa.
Yemen drone strikes, ambushes kill 10 A news report on a recent drone strike that killed at least four suspected al-Qaeda militants, and on the ambush of soldiers in Shabwa.
UN authorises sanctions regime for Yemen The United Nations Security Council will impose sanctions against anyone in Yemen who undermines the process of political transition or commits human rights violations.
U.N. authorizes sanctions regime for Yemen, leaves blacklist blank Louis Charbonneau analyzes the United Nations resolution and its failure to blacklist any specific individuals.
Migrant Workers
Qatar's foreign domestic workers subjected to slave-like conditions Rebecca Falconer writes on new revelations of mistreatment of domestic workers in Qatar.
Broken promises: Qatar's migrant workers caught in the kafala system Rebecca Falconer reflects on the sponsorship system in Qatar, which renders migrant workers powerless regardless of their treatment.
Zaha Hadid defends Qatar World Cup role following migrant worker deaths James Riach reports on a statement made by the architect of al-Wakrah stadium on the plight of migrant workers in Qatar.
Man killed in Saudi prison riot An expatriate man is killed and nine are wounded during a riot in a jail, near Mecca, for foreign workers waiting to be deported.
Three Saudis arrested over grisly murder of five Indian expatriates Habib Toumi reports on the arrest of three Saudis who killed five Indian workers by burying them alive.
Citizenship and Statelessness
10 Days of Protests, 9 Activists in Jail A news report on the ongoing Bedoon protests around the Taimaa area despite the heavy presence of riot police forces.
Interior Ministry Threatens to Target Protesters’ Families A news report on the campaigns in the local press against Bedoon activists and protests since February 2011.
Kuwait detains ‘stateless’ rights demonstrators A news report on the recent arrest of fifteen people during protests by the Bedoon in Kuwait.
Human Rights
Bahrain: Reports of Physical Torture and Sexual Assault of Detainees at the Criminal Investigations Department Continue The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its concerns over the mistreatment of activists held in the custody of the Criminal Investigations Department.
Letter to President Obama re: Saudi Arabia Visit Human Rights Watch urges the US president to raise human rights issues –in particular the rights of activists, migrant workers, and women– with Saudi officials during his visit to the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia: The ill-treatment of detained human rights defenders in the Kingdom The Gulf Center for Human Rights condemns the ill-treatment of activists held by the Saudi authorities.
Mounting Threats to Rights Defenders in the Gulf Documented in Annual Report by Gulf Center for Human Rights The Gulf Center for Human Rights issues its second annual report on human rights violations in the Gulf states.
UAE: Qatari prisoner of conscience tortured then jailed for seven years Amnesty International condemns the treatment of Mahmoud al-Jaidah, who was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Emirati authorities.
Media
Support for journalists detained in Egypt continues to mount Aaron T. Rose reports on protests held in solidarity with Al Jazeera journalists, in forty locations worldwide.
Al Jazeera calls for global support of staff Al Jazeera network is calling for a Global Day of action to demand the release of the imprisoned journalists.
Journalists hold global day of protest over Al-Jazeera staff held in Egypt Dugald Baird writes about media workers holding a day of solidarity with Al Jazeera staff in Egypt.
Saudi Arabian photo-journalist killed Roy Greenslade blogs on the death of Hussein Ali Madan al-Faraj, a photo-journalist known for documenting protests and funerals of protesters during the last three years, who was shot dead in al-Awamiyah last week.
Yemen's Aden al-Ghad newspaper says is back in print The local newspaper, linked to the southern separatist movement, is back in print after it was prevented from being printed at a government-owned press.
Bahrain arrests 4 for ‘religious insult’ on Instagram The Bahrain authorities arrest four cyberactivists for posting insults about the companions of the Prophet on Instagram.
Social Issues
Saudi women welcome taxi app Uber Lisa De Bode argues that the launch of Uber in Riyadh can enable Saudi women to be more mobile, but it ignores lower-income families’ concerns.
Saudi women activists demand end to 'absolute' male control Women activists submit a petition to the consultative council, which proposes a curb on the “absolute authority” of male guardians.
Bahrain to discuss draft law on domestic abuse Bahrain’s Shura Council will consider a draft law to protect families from domestic violence.
Standard contract for maids in the UAE Samir Salama writes on the introduction of a new standard contract aiming to regulate relations between domestic workers and their employers.
Culture
BEYOND THE WALLS OF YEMEN’S REVOLUTION Tom Finn reviews the Yemeni documentary, which documents two cameramen during the Yemeni uprising.
Riyadh fair bans Oman writer’s book The organizers of the Riyadh Book Fair ban a book written by the Omani grand mufti, entitled El Estbdad (The Tyranny).
Saudi Arabia denies banning Oman mufti’s book The Saudi Embassy in Oman denies that any Omani book was banned at the Riyadh Book Fair.
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