Bahrain 1st-Hand: Nabeel Rajab's Wife Describes The "Judicial Farce" of His Appeal

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Nabeel Rajab, briefly released from prison, at his mother's funeral on 5 October

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Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was in court on Tuesday to appeal his three-year sentence for organising and participating in protests, only to hear that the appeal is postponed to 8 November. One witness, Stéphanie David of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) was denied entry to Bahrain, and the judge refused the defence's request for the testimony on others on the grounds that this would not be "relevant".

In a statement, The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders said the appeal proceedings "blatantly violate[d] the rights of the defence" and called on "the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Rajab and to put an end to all acts of judicial harassment against him".

Last night, Nabeel's wife Sameera posted an account of the hearing:

(1) I'll tweet details of Nabeel Rajab's trial which was on (Oct 16) and I'll number tweets coz they'll be many and very important #Bahrain

— SumayaRajab (@binmrajab) October 18, 2012

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Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Ripping Up King Hamad, Taking Out Assad's Air Force

1932 GMT: Syria. With military progress largely stalled, the Syrian military is expanding their bombing campaign in Idlib - and the target is civilians. According to the AFP, at least 44 people were killed in airstrikes in Ma'arrat al Nouman. This video shows a bomb falling on Ma'arrat Harma (map), to the west of most of the fighting:

Meanwhile, the Free Syrian Army reportedly launched an all-out attack on the Wadi al Daif base, just east of Ma'arrat al Nouman, the largest base in the are, and one that the FSA has had surrounded for days:

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A New Diplomatic Initiative?

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1921 GMT: Syria. Another plane shot down? This video was reportedly filmed over Hanano, Aleppo. At least one parachute is clearly visible:

We'd like to see multiple angles, just so we can compare it to other videos of planes being shot down. However, if confirmed, this is another sign of how weak Assad's air forces are becoming.

The Guardian and C.J. Chivers think so too.

Last August, Chivers wrote that Syria’s fleet of Mi-25 Hind-D attack helicopters, which numbered 36 at the start of the conflict, was insufficient to hold back the rebels.

He also cited estimates that only half the regime's helicopter fleet may be operational at any given time – "maintenance technicians are struggling to keep the machines aloft" – and that some of the original 36 helicopters have been cannibalised for spare parts.

That was late August --- but Assad is now losing helicopters and airplanes at a rate of one to two per day.

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Attacks on President Assad's Air Force

The aftermath of the downing of a Syrian jet fighter near Aleppo on Saturday

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Insurgents Attack in the North

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1959 GMT: Bahrain. Five medics whose convictions were recently upheld have gone on hunger strike, according to their lawyers.

The five were among 20 medical staff who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms by a military court last year after they gave medical treatment to demonstrators. The sentences were reduced this summer; however, after they were reaffirmed by an appeal court last month, the five medics were detained.

Calling their action "The Lost Justice", the medics repeated that the authorities used "harsh and systematic torture" during their detention, which "caused injuries and disabilities whose traces remain on [their] bodies.

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Insurgents Attack in the North

Syrian demonstrators in Aleppo burn a picture of President Assad on Friday

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2027 GMT: Palestine. Doctors have said that at least one person has been killed and three others, including a child, have been wounded in two Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

The Israeli military said two men, one killed and one critically wounded, were "terror operatives of the Hashora Council of the Mujahideen, a Gaza-based Global Jihad affiliate".

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Bahrain Opinion: "How The Police Recruit Radicals" (The Economist)

Claimed footage of police beating protester after funeral of a political prisoner, 3 October 2012

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Bahrain’s Western-backed government has been trumpeting its reforms. British barristers have helped advise on new legal codes, while former police chiefs from London and Miami have been advising Bahrain’s growing police force, whose bosses prefer to bring Sunnis from overseas (including Pakistan) into its ranks rather than recruit from among local Shias.

The punishment of peaceful activists is making Bahrain’s opposition more radical.

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Feuding About a Plane --- Meanwhile, 200+ Die

2102 GMT: Syria. A multi-story building collapsed after government forces shelled the Palestinian refugee camp in the Yarmouk district of Damascus. Videos show ambulances evacuating the wounded and survivors trying to rescue the wounded from the rubble.

Protests have reportedly been held to demonstrate against the shelling.

2047 GMT: Egypt. While things have calmed considerably, Tahrir Square was an eventful place, as supporters and detractors of the Muslim Brotherhood and President Morsi clashed for several hours in Tahrir Square.

#Tahrir square is full of revolutionaries arguinh and debating...beautiful. twitter.com/tarekshalaby/s…

— Tarek Shalaby (@tarekshalaby) October 12, 2012

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Syria (and Beyond) Live: Regime Advances in Homs, But Insurgents Take Key Town

2008 GMT: Turkey/Syria. According to Turkish reports, weapons equipment was also found on the planes (updates below):

Turkish inspectors also found parts that could be used in missiles in the Syria-bound plane intercepted by Turkey.

— Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) October 10, 2012

2003 GMT: Turkey/Syria. No weapons, but military communications equipment, we found on the plane detained by Turkey (see updates below), according to a Turkish journalist:

Turkey seizes military communication equipments in Syria-bound civilian plane and sends the plane to Damascus with passengers.

— Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) October 10, 2012

1910 GMT: Syria. 164 people have been killed by the Assad regime so far today, according to the Local Coordination Committees:

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Renewed Shelling of Homs

Claimed footage of shelling of the Khalidiya section of Homs in Syria this morning

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1900 GMT: Israel. The Israeli air force shot down a drone after it crossed into southern Israel on Saturday, military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich said on Saturday.

It is unclear who despatched the aircraft, first spotted above the Mediterranean Sea in the area of the Gaza Strip to the west of Israel.

The drone was followed by Israeli air force jets, travelling east about 35 miles across Israel's southern Negev desert, before it was shot down in an unpopulated area near the border with the occupied West Bank about 10 a.m. (0700 GMT).

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A Double Bombing in Aleppo "Kills Dozens"

2048 GMT: Turkey/Syria. The entire statement from NATO:

As stated on 26 June 20l2, the Alliance continues to closely follow the situation in Syria. In view of the Syrian regime’s recent aggressive acts at NATO’s southeastern border, which are a flagrant breach of international law and a clear and present danger to the security of one of its Allies, the North Atlantic Council met today, within the framework of Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, and discussed the continuous shelling of locations in Turkey adjacent to the Turkish-Syrian border by the Syrian regime forces.

The most recent shelling on 3 October 20l2, which caused the death of five Turkish citizens and injured many, constitutes a cause of greatest concern for, and is strongly condemned by, all Allies.

In the spirit of indivisibility of security and solidarity deriving from the Washington Treaty, the Alliance continues to stand by Turkey and demands the immediate cessation of such aggressive acts against an Ally, and urges the Syrian regime to put an end to flagrant violations of international law.

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