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| Syria crisis and Bahrain unrest - live updates | Syria crisis and Bahrain unrest - live updates |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.31am: Bahrain: Amnesty has more criticism of Bahrain to bewilder John Yates, this time over the delay of the appeal for hunger striker Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and fellow political prisoners. | |
| Its Middle East deputy director Hasiba Hadj Sahraoui said: | |
| The Bahrain authorities' delaying tactics are toying with the life of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, who is on death's doorstep as he enters his 75th day on hunger strike. | |
| He and the 13 other defendants in this case are prisoners of conscience, held solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression amid anti-government protests last year. | |
| The Grand Prix has come and gone but for the people of Bahrain the media spotlight has moved on while Bahrain's authorities have yet to turn the corner on the human rights situation in the country. | |
| 10.19am: Syria: Tunisia's president, Moncef Marzouki (pictured), has warned Bashar al-Assad that he is "finished" and will leave Syria "dead or alive", according to al-Arabiya citing an interview in al-Hayat. | |
| It quotes Marzouki as saying: | |
| The Russians, Chinese and Iranians must understand that this man (Assad) is finished and that it is no longer possible to defend him. | |
| You [Assad] will leave, in one way or another. You will leave, dead or alive. It is best for you and your family to leave alive because if you decide to leave dead, this would mean that you will cause the death of tens of thousands of innocent people. | |
| 10.04am: Bahrain: President Obama's crackdown on the "malign use of technology" in connection with human rights abuses in Iran and Syria has led Twitter users to question why it doesn't apply to Bahrain too. | |
| Last August, Bloomberg reported the case of Abdul Ghani Al Khanjar, a Bahraini whose torturers had obtained transcripts of his text messages and details from personal mobile phone conversations. | |
| According to Bloomberg, the equipment used to intercept this information was sold by Siemens AG (SIE), and maintained by Nokia Siemens Networks and Trovicor GmbH. | |
| The only way officers could have obtained messages was through the interception programme, says Ahmed Aldoseri, director of information and communications technologies at Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. | |
| While he won't disclose details about the programme, he says, "If they have a transcript of an SMS message, it's because the security organ was monitoring the user at their monitoring center." | |
| The use of the system for interrogation in Bahrain illustrates how western-produced surveillance technology sold to one authoritarian government became an investigative tool of choice to gather information about political dissidents – and silence them. | |
| 9.55am: Syria: Rebel groups have killed a number of members of the security forces, according to separate reports. | |
| The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three intelligence officers were killed in the Barzeh neighbourhood of Damascus, according to AP. It gave no further details. | |
| The state news agency, Sana, said armed groups killed a Lieutenant Colonel in the Dera'a countryside and a colonel and a warrant officer in the central city of Hama, in separate attacks. | |
| The reports can't be independently verified. | |
| 9.49am: Bahrain: The Formula One grand prix provided an "enthralling weekend" in Bahrain, the chairman of Bahrain International Circuit, businessman Zayed Alzayani, says in a congratulatory statement emailed this morning. | 9.49am: Bahrain: The Formula One grand prix provided an "enthralling weekend" in Bahrain, the chairman of Bahrain International Circuit, businessman Zayed Alzayani, says in a congratulatory statement emailed this morning. |
| Hosting such a big event would not be possible without the enormous hard work of all involved, including the marshals, other volunteers and my team at BIC and I would like to thank all of them for their efforts. | Hosting such a big event would not be possible without the enormous hard work of all involved, including the marshals, other volunteers and my team at BIC and I would like to thank all of them for their efforts. |
| I am pleased to say that we have had a great level of support for this race weekend. | I am pleased to say that we have had a great level of support for this race weekend. |
| Alzayani says the race attracted 28,000 paying spectators. The circuit's website says the stadium has a capacity for 45,000 spectators. | Alzayani says the race attracted 28,000 paying spectators. The circuit's website says the stadium has a capacity for 45,000 spectators. |
| Alzayani cited "an independent survey" showing that 77% of Bahrainis support the race. | Alzayani cited "an independent survey" showing that 77% of Bahrainis support the race. |
| He adds that BIC is planning to host a number of other motorsport events this year, including GP2 next week, the World Endurance Championship in September and the World Karting Championship in November." | He adds that BIC is planning to host a number of other motorsport events this year, including GP2 next week, the World Endurance Championship in September and the World Karting Championship in November." |
| 9.39am: Syria: Britain's ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, warned Syria of "robust consequences" if it continues to renege on Kofi Annan's six point peace plan. | 9.39am: Syria: Britain's ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, warned Syria of "robust consequences" if it continues to renege on Kofi Annan's six point peace plan. |
| In a statement to the security council, Lyall Grant said: | In a statement to the security council, Lyall Grant said: |
| It is essential that the Syrian regime now meets its commitments on troop movements and heavy weapons, and ensures the conditions that will allow the mission to operate effectively, such as unhindered freedom of movement and access. This Council will be receiving regular and frequent reports – starting tomorrow. Failure of the regime to meet its commitments or any attempt to hinder the work of the Mission must be met by real and robust consequences. | It is essential that the Syrian regime now meets its commitments on troop movements and heavy weapons, and ensures the conditions that will allow the mission to operate effectively, such as unhindered freedom of movement and access. This Council will be receiving regular and frequent reports – starting tomorrow. Failure of the regime to meet its commitments or any attempt to hinder the work of the Mission must be met by real and robust consequences. |
| Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, urged the international community to be patient. | Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, urged the international community to be patient. |
| Too early to dismiss #Syria monitoring mission. Given #Assad record, odds are against it. Maybe arrival of 300 extra obs can make difference | Too early to dismiss #Syria monitoring mission. Given #Assad record, odds are against it. Maybe arrival of 300 extra obs can make difference |
| — Nadim Houry (@nadimhoury) April 24, 2012 | — Nadim Houry (@nadimhoury) April 24, 2012 |
| 9.24am: Syria: A car bomb in central Damascus has injured at least three people, according to the BBC and al-Jazeera's Rula Amin, citing Syrian state TV. | 9.24am: Syria: A car bomb in central Damascus has injured at least three people, according to the BBC and al-Jazeera's Rula Amin, citing Syrian state TV. |
| Activists said a "huge explosion" was heard in the city's Marjeh Square. | Activists said a "huge explosion" was heard in the city's Marjeh Square. |
| State TV said a "booby-trapped" vehicle exploded in central Damascus, according to the Lebanon news site Naharnet. | State TV said a "booby-trapped" vehicle exploded in central Damascus, according to the Lebanon news site Naharnet. |
| 8.34am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. The full scale of an alleged massacre in Hama, following the visit of UN monitors, is becoming clearer as the US warns Syria that its patience is running out. | 8.34am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. The full scale of an alleged massacre in Hama, following the visit of UN monitors, is becoming clearer as the US warns Syria that its patience is running out. |
| Here's a roundup of the latest developments | Here's a roundup of the latest developments |
| Syria | Syria |
| • Activists claim the Syrian army killed dozens of people in a bombardment of the city of Hama after a visit by UN monitors. The Local Co-ordination Committees in Syria said 50 people in the city, it named 13 of them who were killed in a direct hit by a tank shell on home in Arbaeen in the east of the city. Dozens of videos purporting to show the victims of the massacre and their funerals have emerged. | • Activists claim the Syrian army killed dozens of people in a bombardment of the city of Hama after a visit by UN monitors. The Local Co-ordination Committees in Syria said 50 people in the city, it named 13 of them who were killed in a direct hit by a tank shell on home in Arbaeen in the east of the city. Dozens of videos purporting to show the victims of the massacre and their funerals have emerged. |
| Video footage of the Arbaeen area showed several homes completely flattened by the attack. | Video footage of the Arbaeen area showed several homes completely flattened by the attack. |
| • UN observers have made a brief visit to Homs after initially being denied entry to the city. | • UN observers have made a brief visit to Homs after initially being denied entry to the city. |
| The observers promised to established a fixed schedule of visits starting today. | The observers promised to established a fixed schedule of visits starting today. |
| • Susan Rice, US ambassador to the UN, warned that the US would not wait 90 days if the Syrian government continued to flout the ceasefire. "The Syrian regime should make no mistake: we will be watching its actions day and night," she said. | • Susan Rice, US ambassador to the UN, warned that the US would not wait 90 days if the Syrian government continued to flout the ceasefire. "The Syrian regime should make no mistake: we will be watching its actions day and night," she said. |
| • President Barack Obama has signed an executive order targeting people and entities who use technology to help authoritarian regimes in Iran and Syria suppress their people. "Technologies should be in place to empower citizens, not to oppress them," Obama said on Monday at a speech at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. | • President Barack Obama has signed an executive order targeting people and entities who use technology to help authoritarian regimes in Iran and Syria suppress their people. "Technologies should be in place to empower citizens, not to oppress them," Obama said on Monday at a speech at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. |
| Bahrain | Bahrain |
| • John Yates, the UK's former head of counter terrorism turned adviser to the Bahraini police, says he is "bewildered" by the level of criticism aimed at the Bahraini government. But in an article for the Telegraph he admitted that "challenges remain". | • John Yates, the UK's former head of counter terrorism turned adviser to the Bahraini police, says he is "bewildered" by the level of criticism aimed at the Bahraini government. But in an article for the Telegraph he admitted that "challenges remain". |
| The decision not to give visas to certain correspondents is one, as the Crown Prince said, that the government may wish to reflect upon. The death over the weekend of Salah Abbas al-Qattan, an anti-government protester, is also a powerful reminder of the tragic consequences of the unrest. However, the determination of the police chief to establish how Salah died and the level of resources now being applied to the investigation is testament to the new resolve to fix things. | The decision not to give visas to certain correspondents is one, as the Crown Prince said, that the government may wish to reflect upon. The death over the weekend of Salah Abbas al-Qattan, an anti-government protester, is also a powerful reminder of the tragic consequences of the unrest. However, the determination of the police chief to establish how Salah died and the level of resources now being applied to the investigation is testament to the new resolve to fix things. |
| • Bahrain's highest appeals court has delayed giving a verdict on a jailed hunger striker and other activists seeking to overturn long sentences handed out for their part in pro-democracy protests last year. The court, which had been due to give a ruling yesterday, set the next hearing for 30 April amid claims by the family of the hunger striker, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, that his health is in sharp decline 11 weeks into his protest.Bahrain officials insist Khawaja faces no immediate medical risks. | • Bahrain's highest appeals court has delayed giving a verdict on a jailed hunger striker and other activists seeking to overturn long sentences handed out for their part in pro-democracy protests last year. The court, which had been due to give a ruling yesterday, set the next hearing for 30 April amid claims by the family of the hunger striker, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, that his health is in sharp decline 11 weeks into his protest.Bahrain officials insist Khawaja faces no immediate medical risks. |
| Egypt | Egypt |
| • Saudi Arabia has suggested it may pardon an Egyptian human rights lawyer after his arrest sparked outrage in Egypt. Ahmed Gizawy was sentenced to a year in jail and 20 lashes for criticizing the King Abdullah after he travelled to Saudi Arabia to defend imprisoned Egyptian, Egyptian Chronicles reports. | • Saudi Arabia has suggested it may pardon an Egyptian human rights lawyer after his arrest sparked outrage in Egypt. Ahmed Gizawy was sentenced to a year in jail and 20 lashes for criticizing the King Abdullah after he travelled to Saudi Arabia to defend imprisoned Egyptian, Egyptian Chronicles reports. |
| • The latest Arabist podcast includes a useful and entertaining look ahead to next month's presidential election with discussions of the key candidates left in the race. | • The latest Arabist podcast includes a useful and entertaining look ahead to next month's presidential election with discussions of the key candidates left in the race. |
| It also reviews the "train wreck" of Egypt's political transition. Issandr El Amrani argues that the leading Islamist candidates Khairat al-Shater and Hazem Abu Ismail only have themselves to blame for their disqualification because they helped draw up the the arbitrary and unfair election rules which they have fallen victim to. | It also reviews the "train wreck" of Egypt's political transition. Issandr El Amrani argues that the leading Islamist candidates Khairat al-Shater and Hazem Abu Ismail only have themselves to blame for their disqualification because they helped draw up the the arbitrary and unfair election rules which they have fallen victim to. |