1815 GMT: Eighteen members of the European Parliament have called on the European Union to hold the Bahrain government accountable over current and historic human rights violations, with targeted sanctions to follow if a strict deadline for reform is not met.
In a letter to Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, the MEPs noted Saturday's arrest of Nabeel Rajab as "only the latest escalation of the increasingly repressive policy by the Bahraini government against the opposition movement"
The letter, initiated by Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake, continues:
It is high time the EU speaks out against the ongoing repression of the opposition
and violation of human rights. In its resolution of 15 March 2012 on human rights violations in Bahrain the Parliament called for "the immediate and unconditional release of all peaceful demonstrators, political activists, human rights defenders, doctors and paramedics, bloggers and journalists" and urged you to "hold the Bahraini Government to its promises to respect human rights, implement the necessary reforms, start independent investigations into human rights violations and ensure that those responsible are held to account."
We urge you to reiterate this call and hold the Bahraini Government to its promises, and to set a clear deadline to be met in order to prevent serious consequences. We call on you to prepare a set of targeted restrictive measures, including; a formal ban on the export of all military equipment (in particular tear gas), to ensure that no military equipment is sold or exported from within the EU to Bahrain; visa bans and asset freezes for those individuals responsible for the violent repression of peaceful protestors. It is essential for the EU's credibility in the region to show that the EU has a consistent policy towards governments violating their citizens' human
rights.
2227 GMT: While we continue to look for more details on the explosion in Barzeh, it is worth noting how important the Barzeh district is. While we only know the general area of the explosion, it is only a little over a mile away from Tishreen Palace, the home of the President, and is within short distance of many other important buildings in Damascus.
2150 GMT: The explosion appears to have happened somewhere in the Barzeh district of Damascus, but as you can see from the reports below, the area where the explosion occurred is extremely large:
Ali Alsheikh (killed Sept 2011) & Sayed Hashim (killed Dec 2011)Activist Mohammed Ashoor gives the names and claimed cause of death of 56 people slain since the start of the uprising in Bahrain on 14 February 2011. The list does not appear to include five policemen who have died in the violence:
1- Martyr Ali Mushaima - 14 February 2011 - Killed by birdshot in Al Daih 2- Martyr Fadhil Salman Al Matrook - 15 February 2011 - Killed by birdshot during the funeral of martyr Ali Mushaima 3- Martyr Ali Mansoor Khudair - 17 February 2011 - Killed by birdshot during the first Lulu attack [the assault by security forces on Pearl Roundabout, the symbolic centre of the protests] 4- Martyr Mahmood Abu Taki - 17 February 2011 - Killed by birdshot during the first Lulu attack 5- Martyr Ali Mo'men - 17 February 2011 - Killed near Lulu and left to die on the street near Al Gufool traffic lights 6- Martyr Isa Abdul Hussain - 17 February 2011 - Killed by splitting his head open near SMC [Salmaniya Medical Centre]
1934 GMT: Two Syrian opposition parties have signed an agreement in Cairo, promising to unite against Assad. The interesting part of the agreement - the two parties, the Syrian National Co-ordination Committee and the Syrian National Council, are committed to resist international intervention. But as Al Jazeera points out, many in the opposition are in favor of intervention:
2100 GMT: The Lede at The New York Timeshas further information on the occupation of Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain, including a picture of the popcorn machine brought in amongst the tents.
Video earlier today from the Roundabout:
2055 GMT: Al Masry Al Youm summarises the continuing protests across Egypt over working conditions, including university workers, police, sugar cane workers, and fishermen.
Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 11:21