Minaret of Freedom Weblog

Secularists’ real fears of a growing public manifestation of Islam in Turkey are at the local level, not the national level:

• On Turkish Streets, Local Battles Over Islam’s Role (Christian Science Monitor)

Young democracy activists from American and Egypt agree on little from the public role of Islam to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:

• Young Americans and Egyptians Talk, but Don’t See Eye to Eye (Christian Science Monitor)

Iran shoots itself in the foot, indefinitely detaining Iranian-American academic who brought in other experts favoring diplomacy over military muscle:

• Tehran Jails Iranian American Scholar After Long House Arrest (Washington Post)

While the US apologizes to families of 69 Afghans killed or wounded in March incident, 21 other Afghan civilians die in air strike from American-led NATO forces:

• 69 Afghans’ Families Get a U.S. Apology (Washington Post)
• Air Raid ‘Kills Afghan Civilians’ (BBC News)

Living in the midst of a lack of security and foreign military occupation from Ethiopian troops, Somalis are further angered by government soldiers confiscating and burning face veils worn by women:

• Anger at Somali Face Veil Burning (BBC News)

Although Muslim women suffer under sexist and culturally skewed interpretations of Islam, nascent Muslim civil society institutions are stepping in to address and prevent domestic violence: 

• For Some Muslim Wives, Abuse Knows No Borders (Washington Post) 

Suddenly evicted from his home in Anbar province, a shaykh periodically visits his home and patiently waits for the American and Iraqi soldiers to eventually leave his private property: 

• A Sheik and His Uninvited ‘Guests’ Mirror Uneasy Iraq-U.S. Ties (New York Times) 

Minority Sunni Arab activists flee Iran for Syria, but find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place 

• Iranians Find Tenous Refuge in Syria (Christian Science Monitor) 

Meeting between EU and Gulf leaders commence, free trade and regional security are the main discussion topics: 

• Middle East: EU-Gulf Summit Opens in Riyadh (Adnkronos International) 

Iraq news compilation by Middle East expert Juan Cole includes Sunni threats to pull out of the government, rampant sectarianism dominating the minds of tribal leaders of Anbar in spite of its so-called stabilization, and what are the real issues behind the Iraqi oil bill: 

• Sunnis Threaten to Pull out of al-Maliki Government, Demand a Unitary Iraq; 65 Killed in Civil War Violence (Informed Comment) 

• Petroleum Law Not About Fair Distribution of Revenues (Informed Comment) 

Selfless act by Muslim student at Virginia Tech gave his life to save others’: 

• Student Gave His Life To Save Others (Sky News)

While Fareed Zakaria quotes Abdullah Gul asking if his party’s harmonization of Turkish law with European standards of human rights is the “sharia” feared by the Turkish secularists …

• A Quiet Prayer for Democracy (Washington Post)

… Daniel Hummel compares tensions between Secularism and Islam in Turkey with those in Indonesia:

• Turkey, Indonesia’s Uneasy Ties with Secularism (Jakarta Post)
  

One of the few civic institutions functioning and holding the nation accountable, Afghani media faces severe threats from authoritarian measures of the government and violence from tribal extremists:

• Afghan News Media Find Foes on All Sides (Washington Post)
  

Pakistan’s Supreme Court suspends politically motivated probe into outspoken former Chief Justice:

• Pakistan Court Halts Judge Probe (BBC News)
  

France’s newly elected Prime Minister has French Muslim groups worried, calling for “reassurance” and policies that “serve the interests of the whole of French society”:

• France: Sarkozy Must Reassure Muslims Says Top Islamic Group Chief (Adnkronos International)
  

Security experts argue why the security and privacy flaws of a national identification card and other post 9/11 big brother measures need to be debated:

• Perspective: National ID Card a Disaster in the Making (Cnet News.com)

Ruling Islamic-oriented AK party withdraws its candidate for Presidency after Turkish Parliament failed to reach a quorum:

• Gul Withdraws from Turkey Poll (Al-Jazeera)
  

New York Times editorial criticizes Bush administration’s lack of support for Democracy in Egypt:

• Denial and Democracy in Egypt (New York Times)
  

Using an article blaming Islamic values on blocking development as its excuse, a putatively secular nation whose president is on the Reporters Without Borders watchlist of “predators of press freedom” increases the number of journalist critics of the regime in prison to five:

• Azerbaijani Court Sentences Two Journalists (Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)
  

Strong support shown for Pakistan’s former Chief Justice, seen as test of strength for opposition and Musharraf:

• Lahore Crowds Mob Suspended Judge (Al-Jazeera)
  

Human rights groups detail torture methods used by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian detainees:

• Israel Accused of Prisoner Abuse (BBC News)

Grassroots engagement and successful economic policies that helped significantly lift Turkey’s economic welfare make the Islamic-oriented ruling party popular among many Turks:

• Turks Find Much to Like In Ruling Party (Washington Post)

At Iraq conference in Sharm El-Shaikh Rice discusses bilateral issues with Syrian, counterpart, Iran’s Foreign Minister issues a strongly worded statement denouncing American-led occupation of Iraq:

• U.S. and Syria are Talking (LA Times)
• Iran FM Attacks US Policy in Iraq (BBC News)

Sectarian warfare and government heavy-handedness earn Iraq a spot on the religious freedom violators “Watch List”:

• Iraq on Watch List of Nations That Violate Religious Rights (Washington Post)

Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and Pope Benedict XVI and discuss how dialogue “very deep” wounds can be healed between Christians and Muslims:

• Christian-Muslim Wounds Still “Very Deep”: Khatami (Reuters)

US pushes Kenyan government to pass big-brother legislation giving security minister powers to declare an individual or organization a terrorist:

• Kenya Gets US Anti-terror Funds (BBC News)

After flawed elections, is there still hope for Nigeria?

• Democracy in Nigeria Falters but Is Far From Dead (NY Times)

Breaking the ice: the US and Syrian top officials finally meet to talk about Iraq:

• US and Syria Hold Landmark Talks (BBC)

Protests in Pakistan as Chief Justice has his day in court to hear the charges against him:

• ‘Several Injured’ in Judge Clash (BBC)

Early elections announced in Turkey, as well as potential reforms allowing the public to directly elect the president:

• Turkey to Call General Election (Al Jazeera)

Government incompetence potentially loses radioactive material, so it places ad in its search for lost items:

• Pakistan Downplays Radioactive Ad  (BBC)

Turkish Constitutional Court strikes down Islamic-oriented party’s presidential bid, described by some constitutional law experts as “unfortunate” and denounced by Prime Minister Erdogan as a “bullet fired at democracy”:

• Court Cancels Presidential Vote, Early Elections Loom (Zaman)
• Turkey: PM Lashes Out at Constitutional Court (Adnkronos International)

“Instead of improving ourselves, we are returning back to the Stone Age.”–Um Mohammad, Baghdad resident

• In Baghdad, Survival Depends on Simpler Ways (Washington Post)

“We can no longer accept civilian casualties. It is becoming a heavy burden…”–President Hamid Karzai

• CORRECTED: Karzai Says Afghans Lose Patience Over Killings (Reuters)

New York Times editorial slams Bush administration’s withdrawal of its voluntary–not legally mandated– decision to get a court warrant before electronically spying on Americans:

• Spying on Americans (New York Times)
• Administration Pulls Back on Surveillance Agreement (New York Times)

Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff advocates for an immoral and ineffective race-based approach to preventing UK-based terrorists from infiltrating America:

• U.S. Seeks Closing of Visa Loophole for Britons (New York Times)

Amid reports of the alleged death of Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub Al-Masri, US National Counterterrorism Center releases annual report showing a 91% increase in terrorist attacks inside Iraq:

• Al-Qaeda in Iraq Leader ‘Killed’ (BBC News)
• U.S. Cites 91 Percent Rise In Terrorist Acts in Iraq (Washington Post)

While the legal standoff over the Turkish Presidential goes directly to the courts, a CSM editorial argues that secularist should be pushing for greater checks and balances in government and electoral reforms, not banning public religious practice and the Washington Post argues that “the principal threat to democracy in Turkey comes not from the AK party but from its opponents”:

• Judgment Day Cometh (Turkish Daily News)
• Untying Turkey’s Head-Scarf Knot (Christian Science Monitor)
• Turkey’s Democracy Crisis (Washington Post)

Issues of religious freedom and profiling, competing with the need for security are at the heart of discrimination case brought by Imams to US Federal court:

• In Imams’ Airline Case, a Clash of Rights, Prejudice, Security (Christian Science Monitor)