[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.]
Reports and Opinions
FBI surrounds house of Saudi student after sightings of him with pressure cooker pot – only to discover he was cooking RICE Martin Jay writes on Talal al Rouki who aroused suspicion when he carried a pressure cooker to a friend’s house, in the Daily Mail.
Saudi Arabia to punish men for converting woman to Christianity A news report on the sentencing of a Lebanese man to three hundred lashes and a Saudi national to two hundred lashes for converting a woman to Christianity, in The Independent.
The Yemeni Way Thomas Friedman describes Yemen as unique among Arab countries witnessing protests and uprisings, in The New York Times.
“Terrorism Has No Religion” Souad Mekhennet interviews Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, the Bahraini king, on questions of terrorism and democratic reform, on The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahraini blogger Ali Abdulemam flees to UK Bill Law reports on the smuggling of the prominent blogger out of Bahrain, on BBC.
Escape From Bahrain: Ali Abdulemam Is Free Thor Halvorssen provides an inside story of the blogger’s dramatic escape, in The Atlantic.
Blogger Emerges From Hiding After Fleeing Bahrain Christine Hauser writes on Ali Abdulemam’s escape and arrival in Britain, in The New York Times.
Bahrain Online founder Ali Abdulemam breaks silence after escape to UK Peter Beaumont interviews Ali Abdulemam about his fifteen-year jail sentence, his living in hiding for two years, and his escape last month, in The Guardian.
UK company’s spyware ‘used against Bahrain activist’, court papers claim Jamie Doward writes on the efforts of human rights groups to exert pressure on the British government to investigate the sale of surveillance equipment to repressive regimes in the Gulf, in The Guardian.
Crisis in Yemen
Abducted Finns and Austrian man freed in Yemen A news report on the release of three Europeans who were kidnapped last December, on BBC.
Postcard from Yemen Thomas Friedman writes on his visit to Taiz and on water shortages in the country, in The New York Times.
Yemen military jet crashes in Sanaa A news report on the crash of a military plane in a residential area and the death of the pilot, on Al Jazeera English.
Human Rights Watch
Saudi Arabia: Cleric Backed Protests on Trial for His life A statement by the organization urging the Saudi authorities to guarantee a fair trial for Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
On Olympic Anniversary, End Hurdlers for Saudi Women Minky Worden calls upon the Saudi government to allow girls in public school and at all levels of education to play sport.
Gulf Center for Human Rights
Saudi Arabia – Human rights defender Fawzan Al-Harbi summoned by police for questioning about his human rights activities A report on a recent summons sent to the activist, who is a co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association.
Bahrain – Human rights defender Naji Fateel to be detained for 60 days on anti-state charges after allegedly being tortured The organization provides an update on the case of Fateel, who was arrested on 5 May.
UAE – Human rights defender Waleed Al-Shehhi arrested as trial of UAE 94 continues A news report on the arrest of al-Shehhi three days ago, who was active in defending the ninety-four activists on trial.
Migrant Workers
Saudi threatens illegal workers with prison Saudi authorities warn that illegal workers will face prison and fines after the expiration of the grace period, on Al Jazeera English.
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