Tunisian political parties present candidates

2011-09-02

Candidates for Tunisia's October 23rd Constituent Assembly elections were introduced by their political parties on Thursday (September 1st), TAP reported. Tunisia's Independent High Electoral Commission (ISIE) required candidates from the country's 105 political parties to have no history of activities within the dissolved Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) or the regime of ousted president Zine El Abdine Ben Ali.

The constituent assembly will be tasked with drafting a new constitution. Of the body's 218 seats, 19 are reserved for Tunisian expatriates.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/09/02/newsbrief-03.

Morocco to implement justice reforms

The Moroccan government is taking steps to embody the spirit of the recently approved constitution.

By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Rabat – 02/09/11

Morocco last week passed a bill to reform criminal proceedings. The draft law aims to facilitate access to justice and ensure transparency in court judgements.

The constitution guarantees a fair trial but that can only be achieved through practice, the Justice Ministry's Penal Affairs Director Mohamed Abdennabaoui said at an August 24th press conference.

The bill will allow detainees to remain silent and contact their family and lawyer while they are being held awaiting charges, according to Abdennabaoui. He added that the law must be implemented now, while bolder legislation is being developed.

The bill aims to bring Moroccan law in line with the constitution, approved in the July 1st referendum. According to the new constitution, the national law enforcement must comply with international conventions, which stipulate that detainees should know the reasons for their arrest as well as their rights, including the right to remain silent, to receive legal advice, and to contact their families within a short period.

For justice reform to achieve its goals, issues of rights and responsibilities need to be introduced into school syllabi from the earliest years onwards, according to lawyer and MP Fatima Moustaghfir.

Honest and competent individuals are needed to uphold the spirit of the law, she added. If people are ignorant of their rights the long-awaited reforms will come to nothing.

To battle corruption, divisions specializing in financial affairs will be set up in the courts of appeal in Rabat, Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech. Fifty judges will be trained to understand the details of financial cases.

"Up to now, Morocco has lacked magistrates who specialize in finance," economist Magid Badri commented. "This is a laudable initiative to fight financial crime, including money laundering." Furthermore, the government will set up appeal chambers attached to the courts of first instance to rule on smaller cases valued at less than 20,000 dirhams.

The initiative aims to make justice more accessible since at present many have to travel to appeal courts, which could be a long way from the courts of first instance. The justice minister cited the example of the court in Dakhla, which is located 600km away from the court of appeal in Laayoune.

Additionally, competence areas of single judges will be expanded to speed up the processing of cases. Under this key measure, the thinking of the judges will be public, according to Justice Minister Mohamed Naciri. Judges will no longer be able to hide under the cover of secret deliberations, he added.

"Any deviation will be seen," the minister explained. "In addition, the number of sessions will be increased, because judges will share out the cases among themselves."

The mechanism of single judge trials will introduce greater fairness and transparency, Moustaghfir said.

"The lawyer is faced with a single interlocutor," she said. "The weight of responsibility is greater, because it is easier to keep tabs on the magistrate who has given the verdict. The judge will not be able to shirk his responsibilities."

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/09/02/feature-04.

World vows Libya will lead its own transition

PARIS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- While the international community will steer Libya's Transitional National Council in the right direction, transition is Libyan owned, a British official said.

Paris is hosting international delegates at a conference aimed at clearing the way for a post-war stabilization plan for Libya.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement the international community would work with the TNC on stabilization plans.

"But this is Libyan led and Libyan owned and that's a very important point," he said.

Moscow emerged Thursday as the latest government to recognize the TNC as the sole governmental authority in Libya. A U.S. State Department official speaking to reporters on background ahead of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's arrival in Paris noted the TNC was in the process of developing a draft constitution for Libya "which would hopefully end at some point down the line in elections."

Tripoli last week fell into rebel hands, leading NATO officials to say the reign of Moammar Gadhafi was "finished."

Gadhafi is on the run but presumably still in Libya. He's wanted on a series of war crimes charges and it emerged this week that his forces summarily executed countless numbers of prisoners during the battle for Tripoli.

Speaking on the 42nd anniversary of the coup that brought him to power, an audio recording reportedly featuring Gadhafi vowed to never surrender.

"Even if you cannot hear my voice, continue the resistance," Gadhafi said, according to al-Jazeera.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/01/World-vows-Libya-will-lead-its-own-transition/UPI-23811314899431/.

Turkey-Israel crisis complicates EU ties

ANKARA, Turkey, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Turkey's diplomatic rupture with Israel complicates EU efforts to balance ties with two major allies, especially after Ankara played a key role in mediating peace and helping evacuation of thousands of EU and other foreign nationals fleeing upheavals in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Turkey remains a candidate for EU membership but the mood in the country is shifting away from the financially troubled and politically divided Europe. Turks say they are frustrated that opposition to their membership remains strong while EU eagerness to make use of Turkey remains steadfast.

Turkish media commentaries increasingly make little distinction between the EU and the West at large.

Latent anger flared up after officials realized a U.N. report on violence aboard a Gaza-bound protest flotilla last year would not press for an Israeli apology, as Ankara demanded.

Ahead of the leaked report's official publication Friday Turkey responded by expelling Israeli Ambassador Gabby Levy and cutting all military ties with Israel, downgrading the embassy to second secretary levels.

Ties could only improve after an Israeli apology, Turkish Foreign Ahmet Davutoglu said. He said the ambassador and other high-level Israeli diplomats would leave the capital by Wednesday.

"The time has come for Israel to pay for its stance that sees it above international laws and disregards human conscience," Davutoglu said. "The first and foremost result is that Israel is going to be devoid of Turkey's friendship."

As Middle Eastern diplomacy goes, it is a sharp reversal in traditionally friendly ties between Turkey, a Muslim state, and Israel. Turkey recognized Israel against the trend in Islamic countries, taking a stance that referenced its secular constitution, European ambitions and to some extent uneasy ties at the time with Arab countries that used to form part of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey's measure was also the opposite of the U.N. report's recommendation that Turkey and Israel "should resume full diplomatic relations, repairing their relationship in the interests of stability in the Middle East and international peace and security," a copy leaked by The New York Times on its Web site read.

Turkey announced the expulsions and suspension of military cooperation hours before the report was to be published by the United Nations Friday.

Nine activists -- eight Turks and one Turkish-American -- were killed by Israeli naval commandos aboard the Turkish-flagged ship Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010, apparently after the passengers resisted the Israelis' takeover of the vessel. The flotilla was en route to Gaza in an attempt to bring international attention to Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory.

After an international outcry over the killings, Israel eased restrictions on goods moving into Gaza over land but left the naval blockade in place. Campaigners say the blockade constitutes collective punishment for Gazans and is illegal. Israel says it needs to continue the blockade to prevent weapons from reaching Palestinian militants.

The diplomatic rupture presents EU negotiators with a tough challenge at a time of uncertainties over the final outcome of the Libyan project, on which EU and NATO politicians have staked their reputations. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi remains at large and there are persistent questions over the credentials of the emerging new leadership and its stance toward the West as a whole, and NATO and Europe in particular.

Of all regional powers, Turkey is still seen as a major influential player in North Africa, one that is a potentially useful ally for both the EU and Israel.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/02/Turkey-Israel-crisis-complicates-EU-ties/UPI-36661314982217/.

Turkey Expels Israeli Ambassador Over Leaked UN Report

By Jack Phillips
September 2, 2011

The Turkish Foreign Minister’s office on Friday said that it expelled the Israeli ambassador to the country and suspended all military ties after a leaked United Nations report foisted the blame on Israel for the deaths of nine activists in last year’s flotilla raid.

The Turkish government has insisted that Israel must apologize for the incident or it would downgrade its diplomatic ties. However, Israeli officials have maintained that the incident does not warrant an apology.

“As long as the Israeli government does not take the necessary steps, there will be no turning back,” Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said a press conference, according to the news agency.

The report, which was leaked early to The New York Times, found that the raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla was legal but said Israel used “excessive and unreasonable” force. Israel also has the right to maintain a naval blockade around Gaza, as it is a “legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering.”

The report also called on Jerusalem to make an apology for the raid, which took place in May 2010.

“Non-violent options should have been used in the first instance,” the U.N. report said. It added that “the loss of life and injuries resulting from the use of force by Israeli forces during the take-over … was unacceptable.”

In a statement posted on its Foreign Ministry website, Turkey said that it will challenge certain aspects of the U.N. report, saying that around 15 percent of the report deals with Israel’s actions and should be more thorough. The report also made an effort to “demonize” those participating in the flotilla, said the Ministry.

However, the report urges both Turkey and Israel—once close allies—to repair their relationship that has soured over the past years.

Source: The Epoch Times.
Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/turkey-expels-israeli-ambassador-over-leaked-un-report-61102.html.

Bahrain uprising will be victorious: Leader

02 September 2011

TEHRAN -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that the divinely inspired movement of the Bahraini people will definitely achieve victory.

The Leader made the remarks in a sermon during Eid ul-Fitr prayers at the campus of the University of Tehran on August 31.

The Leader said, “Muslim nations, no matter whether they are in Egypt, in Libya, in Tunisia, in Yemen, or in any other country, need to be vigilant. They should not allow their achievements to be hijacked by the enemies. They should not forget that those who have entered the scene in Libya and claim to be the master of events there are those who were collaborating with the oppressors of the Libyan nation until a short while ago. Today, they have come to exploit the situation. Nations should be on their guard.”

“However, we are worried about the situation in Bahrain. The people are being oppressed there. Certain promises have been made but not kept. The Bahraini nation is an oppressed nation. However, any movement that is godly and whose driving force is the will of the people will definitely achieve victory. This applies everywhere. The same is true there (in Bahrain),” he added.

“Who would have thought that the elements affiliated with the United States and Zionism in the region would fall one by one?”

Elections are a source of support for national security

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader commented on Iran’s upcoming parliamentary election, which is scheduled to be held on March 2, 2012.

Elections are a source of support for national security, Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

“Elections have always been challenging events in our country to some extent,” the Leader said.

He added that elections held in certain countries in the world, both self-proclaimed developed countries and other countries, are accompanied by malicious moves, treason, clashes, and even killings.

“Thank God, such things do not happen in our country. But still it (the election issue) is a challenge. Do not allow this challenge to undermine the country’s security,” he stated.

The Leader also said, “Elections are the manifestation of the people’s presence and religious democracy and should contribute to our security.”

In conclusion, the Leader spoke about the situation in Somalia, which is currently experiencing famine and drought, and asked the Iranian people and the country’s officials to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the Somali people.

These are bright times for Iran

The Leader also held a meeting with a number of officials in Tehran on the same day, in which he said that the current period is one of the brightest times in the history of the Islamic Republic.

Source: Tehran Times.
Link: http://www.tehrantimes.com/index.php/politics/2145-bahrains-uprising-will-surely-reach-fruition-leader.

أردنيون يدعون للتضامن مع البحرين ويستنكرون مشاركة قواتهم بقمع الاحتجاجات

الجمعة 02-09-2011

قال الحراك الشبابي الاردني أنه سينظم إعتصاماً مساء الاحد امام السفارة البحرينية في عمان للتضامن مع الشعب البحريني المطالب بالحرية - على حد وصف بيان صدر عنهم الخميس -.

وعبر التحرك عن رفضه للتدخل الأمني الاردني في الخارج. ووجه الناشطون دعوة للاعتصام أمام السفارة البحرينية الكائنة في الشميساني عند الساعة السادسة من مساء الأحد القادم تضامنا مع الثورة الشعبية في البحرين، ورفضا للتدخل الأردني ضد الثورة هناك.

وبحسب المنظمين يهدف الاعتصام إلى التعبير عن التضامن مع الشعب البحريني في مطالبه المشروعة ،ورفض القمع بحقه، ورفض "الاحتلال السعودي" للشعب البحريني على حد وصفهم.

ويشدّد الداعون لهذا الاعتصام على رفض إقحام قوات الجيش والدرك الأردنية في معارك ليست بمعاركنا كما يحصل في البحرين وافغانستان وليبيا.

ومن الجدير بالذكر أنّه قد تمّ الكشف عن إرسال الأردن لقوات من الدرك لمساعدة السلطات البحرينية في استعادة النظام والقضاء على الثورة الشعبية استجابة لطلب من الحكومة البحرينية.

المصدر: الجزيرة العربية.
الرابط: http://www.jurnaljazira.com/news_view_42.html.