Reasons to Seethe E

GYPT IS NOT ALONE. Fed by the example of Tunisia, whose leader was driven from power by demonstrations last month, anger has begun to boil over, or threatens to do so, across a number of Arab countries living under authoritarian rule or, in the Palestinians case, in a state of intermittent conflict. While the fury has varied roots, clues to its depth are offered by snapshots of rights violations reported by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch in the region during the last year.

Tunisia

(predating change of leadership)

Palestinian Territories
RECURRING CONFLICT between Palestinians and Israelis especially in and from Hamas-ruled Gaza, which Israel has tried to isolate worsens a long-standing humanitarian and human rights crisis. ECONOMIC UPHEAVAL:

Lebanon
TORTURE

SYSTEMATIC TORTURE

and other mistreatment in police stations and detention centers.

is prohibited, but former detainees report its use against them. has severely divided Lebanese since 2005, when Prime Minister Rafik Hariri (on poster at right) was assassinated and suspicions focused on Hezbollah, acting in concert with Syria.

IMPUNITY FOR ASSASSINATION

on freedom of expression, association and assembly.

SEVERE RESTRICTIONS HARASSMENT by threats or prosecution, of journalists, human rights defenders and student activists who criticized the regime.

14%

Mass unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages have left four in five Gazans dependent on humanitarian aid.

HARASSMENT OF MEDIA:

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, DETENTIONS:

Lebanon's media community is robust, but some writers and bloggers critical of the army or officials are detained.

Israeli restrictions and settlement activity hamper Palestinian movement in the West Bank. Rights organizations cite arbitrary detentions by both Israeli and Palestinian security forces.

28%

OF LEBANESE BELOW POVERTY LINE

40% 70%

GAZA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF PEOPLE IN GAZA BELOW POVERTY LINE

16.5% WEST BANK UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 46% OF PEOPLE IN WEST BANK BELOW POVERTY LINE
IRAQ

Syria
A LICENSE FOR ABUSE:

Jordan
ALGERIA

Syria has been under a state of emergency since 1963. Political activists, human rights defenders, bloggers, Kurdish minority activists and critics of the government encounter arbitrary arrest, prolonged detention and prison terms.

Cairo
LIBYA

SYSTEMATIC TORTURE:

Reports of this and other mistreatment of detainees.

SYSTEMATIC TORTURE

RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION were imposed in September

and other mistreatment is reported in police stations, detention centers and prisons. in marriage and inheritance rights is enshrined in law; the penal code allows lower penalties for murder and other violent crimes against women in defense of family honor.

Egypt
A LICENSE FOR ABUSE is provided by a 30-year-old state of emergency. The authorities detain peaceful critics of the government as well as people suspected of terrorism and offenses against national security. Some are detained without charge or trial despite court orders for their release. TRIALS of civilians are conducted before military courts, in breach of international fair trial standards and with no recourse for appeal. SYSTEMATIC TORTURE

under a law leaving journalists and others liable to prosecution for insulting the king, the judiciary and religion.
DANGER TO WOMEN

INEQUALITY OF WOMEN

who are accused of violating a familys honor. Twenty-four were reported to have been victims of honor killings by family members in 2009.

13.4%

SAUDI ARABIA OMAN

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

and other mistreatment of political prisoners and individuals charged with common crimes is widespread in police cells, security police detention centers and prisons. include detentions of journalists and bloggers.

Yemen
REPORTS OF TORTURE and other mistreatment of detainees by police and prison guards include use of beatings with sticks and rifle butts, kicking and punching, and suspension by the wrists and ankles. RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOMS

RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOMS

ELECTORAL PROBLEMS in the 2010 parliamentary contests included restrictions on opposition political parties and harassment of them.

include establishment of a court in 2009 to try cases related to the media, the confiscation of newspapers, and the use of troops to prevent publication by Al Ayyam, a large daily newspaper.
ARRESTED Tawakkol Karman, a journalist, was detained for taking part in a student demonstration expressing sympathy for Tunisians.

RALLYING CRY

Khaled Said is alleged to have been dragged out of an Internet cafe by plainclothes police in Alexandria and beaten to death. Said has been adopted by Egyptians as a symbol of security forces brutality.

Bahais, Coptic Christians and other minorities continued to face official discrimination, including limits on reconstruction of churches.
RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION:

WOMEN

20%

face discrimination under the law and are subjected to early and forced marriage; they are believed to suffer high levels of violence within their families.

OF EGYPTIANS BELOW POVERTY LINE

35%

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

45%

OF YEMENIS BELOW POVERTY LINE

Sources: Geoffrey Mock, Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; CIA World Factbook (economic data); Natural Earth (map terrain)

BILL MARSH AND JOE BURGESS/THE NEW YORK TIMES; PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMAL SAIDI/REUTERS (LEBANON); KHALED DESOUKI/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSEGETTY IMAGES (EGYPT); KHALED FAZAA/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSEGETTY IMAGES (YEMEN)