الربيع العربي

The Arab Spring (Arabic: الربيع العربي‎ ar-Rabīʻ al-ʻArabiyy), otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010. To date, there have been revolutions in Tunisia[2] and Egypt;[3] a civil war in Libya resulting in the fall of its government;[4] civil uprisings in Bahrain,[5] Syria,[6] and Yemen, the latter resulting in the resignation of the Yemeni prime minister;[7] major protests in Algeria,[8] Iraq,[9] Jordan,[10] Kuwait,[11] Morocco,[12] and Oman;[13] and minor protests in Lebanon,[14] Mauritania, Saudi Arabia,[15] Sudan,[16] and Western Sahara.[17] Clashes at the borders of Israel in May 2011 and the Palestine 194 movement are also inspired by the regional Arab Spring.[18]

The protests have shared techniques of civil resistance in sustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches and rallies, as well as the use of social media to organize, communicate, and raise awareness in the face of state attempts at repression and Internet censorship.[19]

Many demonstrations have met violent responses from authorities,[20][21][22] as well as from pro-government militias and counter-demonstrators.[23][24][25] A major slogan of the demonstrators in the Arab world has been ash-shab yurid isqat an-nizam ("the people want to bring down the regime").[26]

Contents [hide]
1 Overview
1.1 Summary of protests by country
2 Background
2.1 Motivations
2.2 Recent history
3 Tunisian revolution
4 Egyptian revolution
5 Libyan civil war
6 Syrian uprising
7 Yemeni uprising
8 Bahraini uprising
9 Concurrent incidents
9.1 Algeria
9.2 Iraq
9.3 Israeli border areas
9.4 Jordan
9.5 Kuwait
9.6 Morocco
9.7 Oman
9.8 Saudi Arabia
9.9 Others
10 Analysis
10.1 Ethnic scope
10.2 Impact of the Arab Spring
10.3 International reactions
11 See also
12 References
13 Further reading
14 External links

[edit] OverviewThe series of protests and demonstrations across the Middle East and North Africa has become known as the "Arab Spring",[27][28][29] and sometimes as the "Arab Spring and Winter",[30] "Arab Awakening"[31][32][33] or "Arab Uprisings"[34][35] even though not all the participants in the protests are Arab. It was sparked by the first protests that occurred in Tunisia on 18 December 2010 following Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation in protest of police corruption and ill treatment.[36][37] With the success of the protests in Tunisia, a wave of unrest sparked by the Tunisian "Burning Man" struck Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, and Yemen,[38] then spread to other countries. The largest, most organised demonstrations have often occurred on a "day of rage", usually Friday after noon prayers.[39][40][41] The protests have also triggered similar unrest outside the region.

As of November 2011[update], governments have been overthrown in three countries. Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on 14 January following the Tunisian revolution protests. In Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak resigned on 11 February 2011 after 18 days of massive protests, ending his 30-year presidency. The Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown on 23 August 2011, after the National Transitional Council (NTC) took control of Bab al-Azizia. He was killed on 20 October 2011, in his hometown of Sirte after the NTC took control of the city.

During this period of regional unrest, several leaders announced their intentions to step down at the end of their current terms. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced that he would not seek re-election in 2015,[42] as did Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose term ends in 2014,[43] although there have been increasingly violent demonstrations demanding his immediate resignation.[44] Protests in Jordan have also caused the sacking of two successive governments[45][46] by King Abdullah.[47] Another leader, President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, announced on 23 April that he would step down within 30 days in exchange for immunity,[48] a deal the Yemeni opposition informally accepted on 26 April;[49] Saleh then reneged on the deal, prolonging the Yemeni uprising.[50]

The geopolitical implications of the protests have drawn global attention,[51] including the suggestion that some protesters may be nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.[52] Tawakel Karman from Yemen was one of the three laureates of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize as a prominent leader in the Arab Spring.

AlgeriaLibyaEgyptSudanMauritania—TunisiaMoroccoWestern
SaharaSaudi ArabiaJordanLebanon—Israeli border—SyriaIraq—Kuwait—BahrainOmanYemen Government overthrown Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes Protests and governmental changes
Major protests Minor protests Protests outside the Arab world[edit] Summary of protests by countryCountry Date started Status of protests Outcome Death toll Situation
Tunisia 02010-12-18 18 December 2010 • Government overthrow on 14 January 2011
• Protests ended March 2011
• Pressure on elected government continues • Overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali; Ben Ali flees into exile in Saudi Arabia
• Resignation of Prime Minister Ghannouchi
• Dissolution of the political police[53]
• Dissolution of the RCD, the former ruling party of Tunisia and liquidation of its assets[54]
• Release of political prisoners
• Elections to a Constituent Assembly on 23 October 2011[55]
223[56][57] Government overthrown
Algeria 02010-12-28 28 December 2010 Subdued since April 2011 • Lifting of the 19-year-old state of emergency[58][59] 8[60] Major protests
Lebanon 02011-01-12 12 January 2011 Limited • A 40% increase in wages[61] 17 (non government related)[62][63] Protests and governmental changes
Jordan 02011-01-14 14 January 2011 Ongoing • King Abdullah II dismisses Prime Minister Rifai and his cabinet[64]
• Months later, Abdullah dismisses Prime Minister Bakhit and his cabinet after complaints of slow progress on promised reforms[65]
1[66][67] Protests and governmental changes
Mauritania 02011-01-17 17 January 2011 Subdued since May 2011 1[68] Protests
Sudan 02011-01-17 17 January 2011 Subdued since April 2011 • President Bashir announces he will not seek another term in 2015[69] 1[70] Protests
Oman 02011-01-17 17 January 2011 Ended May 2011 • Economic concessions by Sultan Qaboos[71][72][73][74]

• Dismissal of ministers[75][76]
• Granting of lawmaking powers to Oman's elected legislature[77]
2–6[78][79][80] Protests and governmental changes
Saudi Arabia 02011-01-21 21 January 2011 Large Protests in Eastern Saudi Arabia • Economic concessions by King Abdullah[81][82]

• Male-only municipal elections to be held 22 September 2011[83][84]
• King Abdullah announces women's approval to vote and take part in next Shura Council and municipal elections, in 2015
2[85][86] Protests
Egypt 02011-01-25 25 January 2011 • Government overthrown on 11 February 2011
• Protests ongoing • Overthrow of Hosni Mubarak; Mubarak charged for killing unarmed protesters
• Resignation of Prime Minister(s) Nazif and Shafik[87]
• Assumption of power by the Armed Forces[88]
• Suspension of the Constitution, dissolution of the Parliament[89]
• Disbanding of State Security Investigations Service[90]
• Dissolution of the NDP, the former ruling party of Egypt and transfer of its assets to the state[91]
• Prosecution of Mubarak, his family and his former ministers[92][93][94]
887[95][96] Government overthrown
Yemen 02011-02-03 3 February 2011 • President signs transition deal on 23 November 2011
• Protests ongoing • Resignation of MPs from the ruling party[97]

• On 4 June, President Ali Abdullah Saleh is injured in an attack on his compound in the Yemeni capital Sana'a. Saleh returned to Yemen on 23 September 2011[98]
• On 23 November, Saleh signed a power-transfer agreement brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, which will end his 33-year reign[99][100]
1,784-1,870[101] Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes
Iraq 02011-02-10 10 February 2011 Subdued since August 2011 • Prime Minister Maliki announces that he will not run for a 3rd term;[102]

• Resignation of provincial governors and local authorities[103]
35[104] Major protests
Bahrain 02011-02-14 14 February 2011 Ongoing • Economic concessions by King Hamad;[105]

• Release of political prisoners;[106]
• Negotiations with Shia representatives;[107]
• GCC intervention at the request of the Government of Bahrain
51[108] Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes
Libya 02011-02-15 15 February 2011 • Government overthrown on 23 August 2011
• War ended 23 October 2011
• Intervention ended on 31 October 2011 • Overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi; Gaddafi killed by NTC forces on 20 October
• Opposition forces seize control of all major Libyan cities.[109][110][111]

• Formation of the National Transitional Council[112][113]

• UN-mandated NATO, Jordanian, Qatari, Swedish, and Emirati military intervention[114]

• Civil war ended with an NTC victory on 23 October 2011.[115][116][117]

• Intervention ended with NATO withdrawal on 31 October 2011
25,000[118]–30,000[119] Government overthrown
Kuwait 02011-02-18 18 February 2011 Subdued since 31 March 2011, resumed in September and ended in November.[120] • Resignation of Cabinet[121]
• Resignation of the Government[122]
0[123] Protests and governmental changes
Morocco 02011-02-20 20 February 2011 Subdued since July 2011 • Political concessions by King Mohammed VI;[124]
• Referendum on constitutional reforms;
• Respect to civil rights and an end to corruption[125]
1[126] Protests and governmental changes
Western Sahara 02011-02-26 26 February 2011 Subdued since May 2011 0 Protests
Syria 02011-03-15 15 March 2011 Ongoing • Release of some political prisoners;[127][128]
• End of Emergency Law;

• Dismissal of Provincial Governors;[129][130]
• Military action in Hama, Daraa, Homs and other areas;[131]
• Resignations from Parliament;[132]
• Resignation of the Government;[133]
• Large defections from the Syrian army and clashes between soldiers and defectors;[134]
• Formation of the Free Syrian Army
• Formation of the Syrian National Council[135]

• Syria suspended from the Arab League

4,000[136]–4,600[137] Sustained civil disorder and government changes
Israeli border areas 02011-05-15 15 May 2011 Ended 5 June 2011 30–40[138][139] Major protests
Total death toll: 32,043–37,743+ (International estimate, ongoing)
[edit] Background[edit] MotivationsNumerous factors have led to the protests, including issues such as dictatorship or absolute monarchy, human rights violations, government corruption (demonstrated by Wikileaks diplomatic cables),[140] economic decline, unemployment, extreme poverty, and a number of demographic structural factors,[141] such as a large percentage of educated but dissatisfied youth within the population.[142] Also, some[who?] attribute the 2009 Iranian protests as one of the reasons behind the Arab Spring.[143] The catalysts for the revolts in all Northern African and Persian Gulf countries have been the concentration of wealth in the hands of autocrats in power for decades, insufficient transparency of its redistribution, corruption, and especially the refusal of the youth to accept the status quo.[144] Increasing food prices and global famine rates have also been a significant factor, as they involve threats to food security worldwide and prices that approach levels of the 2007–2008 world food price crisis.[145] Amnesty International singled out Wikileaks' release of US diplomatic cables as a catalyst for the revolts.[146]

In recent decades rising living standards and literacy rates, as well as the increased availability of higher education, have resulted in an improved human development index in the affected countries. The tension between rising aspirations and a lack of government reform may have been a contributing factor in all of the protests.[144][147][148] Many of the Internet-savvy youth of these countries have, increasingly over the years, been viewing autocrats and absolute monarchies as anachronisms. A university professor of Oman, Al-Najma Zidjaly referred to this upheaval as youthquake.[144]

Tunisia and Egypt, the first to witness major uprisings, differ from other North African and Middle Eastern nations such as Algeria and Libya in that they lack significant oil revenue, and were thus unable to make concessions to calm the masses.[144]

[edit] Recent historyThe current wave of protests is not an entirely new phenomenon, resulting in part from the activities of dissident activists as well as members of a variety of social and union organizations that have been active for years in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and other countries in the area, as well as in the territory of Western Sahara.[149]

Tunisia experienced a series of conflicts over the past three years, the most notable occurring in the mining area of Gafsa in 2008, where protests continued for many months. These protests included rallies, sit-ins, and strikes, during which there were two fatalities, an unspecified number of wounded, and dozens of arrests.[149][150] The Egyptian labor movement had been strong for years, with more than 3,000 labor actions since 2004.[151] One important demonstration was an attempted workers' strike on 6 April 2008 at the state-run textile factories of al-Mahalla al-Kabra, just outside Cairo. The idea for this type of demonstration spread throughout the country, promoted by computer-literate working class youths and their supporters among middle-class college students.[151] A Facebook page, set up to promote the strike, attracted tens of thousands of followers. The government mobilized to break the strike through infiltration and riot police, and while the regime was somewhat successful in forestalling a strike, dissidents formed the "6 April Committee" of youths and labor activists, which became one of the major forces calling for the anti-Mubarak demonstration on 25 January in Tahrir Square.[151]

In Algeria, discontent had been building for years over a number of issues. In February 2008, United States Ambassador Robert Ford wrote in a leaked diplomatic cable that Algeria is 'unhappy' with long-standing political alienation; that social discontent persisted throughout the country, with food strikes occurring almost every week; that there were demonstrations every day somewhere in the country; and that the Algerian government was corrupt and fragile.[152] Some have claimed that during 2010 there were as many as '9,700 riots and unrests' throughout the country.[153] Many protests focused on issues such as education and health care, while others cited rampant corruption.[154]

In Western Sahara, the Gdeim Izik protest camp was erected 12 km south-east of El Aaiún by a group of young Sahrawis on 9 October 2010. Their intention was to demonstrate against labor discrimination, unemployment, looting of resources, and human rights abuses.[155] The camp contained between 12,000 and 20,000 inhabitants, but on 8 November 2010 it was destroyed and its inhabitants evicted by Moroccan security forces. The security forces faced strong opposition from some young Sahrawi civilians, and rioting soon spread to El Aaiún and other towns within the territory, resulting in an unknown number of injuries and deaths. Violence against Sahrawis in the aftermath of the protests was cited as a reason for renewed protests months later, after the start of the Arab Spring.[156]

The catalyst for the current escalation of protests was the self-immolation of individuals such as Mohamed Bouazizi, which brought together various groups dissatisfied with the existing system, including many unemployed, political and human rights activists, labor, trade unionists, students, professors, lawyers, and others.[149] These groups have become an unprecedented movement that has built sufficient momentum to engender the current scope of events.[citation needed]

[edit] Tunisian revolution
Protesters in downtown Tunis on 14 January 2011Main article: Tunisian revolution
Following the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi in Sidi Bouzid, a series of increasingly violent street demonstrations through December 2010 ultimately led to the ouster of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on 14 January 2011. The demonstrations were preceded by high unemployment, food inflation, corruption,[157] lack of freedom of speech and other forms of political freedom,[158] and poor living conditions. The protests constituted the most dramatic wave of social and political unrest in Tunisia in three decades,[159][160] and have resulted in scores of deaths and injuries, most of which were the result of action by police and security forces against demonstrators. Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi Arabia, ending his 23 years in power.[161][162]

Following Ben Ali's departure, a state of emergency was declared and a caretaker coalition government was created, which included members of Ben Ali's party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), as well as opposition figures from other ministries. However, the five newly appointed non-RCD ministers resigned almost immediately.[163][164] As a result of continued daily protests, on 27 January Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi reshuffled the government, removing all former RCD members other than himself, and on 6 February the former ruling party was suspended;[165] later, on 9 March, it was dissolved.[166] Following further public protests, Ghannouchi himself resigned on 27 February, and Beji Caid el Sebsi became Prime Minister.

[edit] Egyptian revolutionMain article: 2011 Egyptian revolution
See also: Supreme Council of the Armed Forces#Actions

Celebrations in Tahrir Square after Omar Suleiman's statement concerning Hosni Mubarak's resignationFollowing the uprising in Tunisia and prior to his entry as a central figure in Egyptian politics, potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei warned of a 'Tunisia-style explosion' in Egypt.[167]

Protests in Egypt began on 25 January and ran for 18 days. Beginning around midnight on 28 January, the Egyptian government attempted, somewhat successfully, to eliminate the nation's Internet access, in order to inhibit the protesters' ability to organize through social media.[168] Later that day, as tens of thousands protested on the streets of Egypt's major cities, President Mubarak dismissed his government, later appointing a new cabinet. Mubarak also appointed the first Vice President in almost 30 years.

On 10 February, Mubarak ceded all presidential power to Vice President Omar Suleiman, but soon thereafter announced that he would remain as President until the end of his term.[169] However, protests continued the next day, and Suleiman quickly announced that Mubarak had resigned from the presidency and transferred power to the Armed Forces of Egypt.[170] The military immediately dissolved the Egyptian Parliament, suspended the Constitution of Egypt, and promised to lift the nation's thirty-year "emergency laws". It further promised to hold free, open elections within the next six months, or by the end of the year at the latest.[citation needed] A civilian, Essam Sharaf, was appointed as Prime Minister of Egypt on 4 March to widespread approval among Egyptians in Tahrir Square.[171] Protests have continued through the end of 2011, however, in response to Sharaf and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces' perceived sluggishness in instituting reforms.[172]

[edit] Libyan civil war
Thousands of demonstrators gather in BaydaMain article: 2011 Libyan civil war
After the success of the revolution in Tunisia, a protest on living conditions began on 14 January in Bayda, Libya, where protesters clashed with police and attacked government offices.[173][174] Anti-government protests began in Libya on 15 February 2011. By 18 February, the opposition controlled most of Benghazi, the country's second-largest city. The government dispatched elite troops and mercenaries in an attempt to recapture it, but they were repelled. By 20 February, protests had spread to the capital Tripoli, leading to a television address by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who warned the protestors that their country could descend into civil war. The rising death toll, numbering in the thousands, drew international condemnation and resulted in the resignation of several Libyan diplomats, along with calls for the regime's dismantlement.[citation needed]

On 26 February 2011, amidst ongoing efforts by demonstrators and rebel forces to wrest control of Tripoli from the Jamahiriya, the opposition set up an interim government in Benghazi to oppose Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's rule.[175][176] However, despite initial opposition success, government forces subsequently took back much of the Mediterranean coast.

On 17 March, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 was adopted, authorising a no-fly zone over Libya, and "all necessary measures" to protect civilians. Two days later, France, the United States and the United Kingdom intervened in Libya with a bombing campaign against pro-Gaddafi forces. A coalition of 27 states from Europe and the Middle East soon joined the intervention. The forces were driven back from the outskirts of Benghazi, and the rebels mounted an offensive, capturing scores of towns across the coast of Libya. The offensive stalled however, and a counter-offensive by the government retook most of the towns, until a stalemate was formed between Brega and Ajdabiya, the former being held by the government and the latter in the hands of the rebels. Focus then shifted to the west of the country, where bitter fighting continued. After a three-month-long battle, a loyalist siege of rebel-held Misrata, the third largest city in Libya, was broken in large part due to coalition air strikes. The four major fronts of combat were generally considered to be the Nafusa Mountains, the Tripolitanian coast, the Gulf of Sidra,[177] and the southern Libyan Desert.[178]

In late August, anti-Gaddafi fighters captured Tripoli, scattering Gaddafi's government and marking the end of his 42 years of autocracy. Many institutions of the government, including Gaddafi and several top regime officials, regrouped in Sirte, which Gaddafi declared to be Libya's new capital.[179] Others fled to Sabha, Bani Walid, and remote reaches of the Libyan Desert, or to surrounding countries.[180][181] However, Sabha fell in late September,[182] Bani Walid was captured after a grueling siege weeks later,[183] and on 20 October, fighters under the aegis of the National Transitional Council seized Sirte, killing Gaddafi in the process.[184]

[edit] Syrian uprisingMain article: 2011 Syrian uprising

Tens of thousands prayed at the Central Square of Homs calling for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad.Protests in Syria started on 26 January, when one case of self-immolation was reported. Protesters have been calling for political reforms and the reinstatement of civil rights, as well as an end to the state of emergency, which has been in place since 1963.[185] A "day of rage" was set for 4–5 February, but it was uneventful.[186][187]

On 6 March, the Syrian security forces arrested about 15 children in Daraa in Southern Syria for writing slogans against the regime. Children were tortured brutally. Daraa is the first city to protest against the Baathist regime, which has been ruling Syria since 1963.

Thousands of protestors gathered in Damascus, Aleppo, al-Hasakah, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, and Hama on 15 March,[188][189][190] with recently released politician Suhair Atassi becoming an unofficial spokesperson for the "Syrian revolution".[191] The next day there were reports of approximately 3000 arrests and a few martyrs, but there are no official figures on the number of deaths.[192] On 18 April 2011, approximately 100,000 protesters sat in the central Square of Homs calling for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad. Protests continued through July 2011, the government responding with harsh security clampdowns and military operations in several districts, especially in the north.[193]

On 31 July, Syrian army tanks stormed several cities, including Hama, Deir Ez-Zour, Al-Bukamal, Daraa, Medmah. At least 136 people were killed in the most violent and bloody day since the uprising started.[194]

[edit] Yemeni uprisingMain article: 2011 Yemeni uprising

Protests in Sana‘aProtests occurred in many towns in both the north and south of Yemen starting in mid-January. Demonstrators initially protested against governmental proposals to modify the constitution of Yemen, unemployment and economic conditions,[195] and corruption,[196] but their demands soon included a call for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh,[197][196][198] who had been facing internal opposition from his closest advisors since 2009.[199] A major demonstration of over 16,000 protesters took place in Sana'a on 27 January,[200] and soon thereafter human rights activist and politician Tawakel Karman called for a "Day of Rage" on 3 February.[201] According to Xinhua News, organizers were calling for a million protesters.[202] In response to the planned protest, Ali Abdullah Saleh stated that he would not seek another presidential term in 2013.[203] On 3 February, 20,000 protesters demonstrated against the government in Sana'a,[204][205] others participated in a "Day of Rage" in Aden[206] that was called for by Tawakel Karman,[201] while soldiers, armed members of the General People's Congress, and many protestors held a pro-government rally in Sana'a.[207] Concurrent with the resignation of Egyptian president Mubarak, Yemenis again took to the streets protesting President Saleh on 11 February, in what has been dubbed a "Friday of Rage".[208] The protests continued in the days following despite clashes with government advocates.[209] In a "Friday of Anger" held on 18 February, tens of thousands of Yemenis took part in anti-government demonstrations in the major cities of Sana'a, Taiz, and Aden. In the capital, Sana'a, the crowd marched towards the Presidential Palace, chanting anti-government slogans, despite the attempts of riot police to stop them. Three people were killed in the demonstrations, one of whom was killed by a hand grenade in Taiz. There were also reports of gunfire in Aden during a rally, and as the riots continued overnight protesters set fire to a local government building. Security forces killed one demonstrator, and killed another demonstrator during protests the following day.[210] Protests continued over the following months, especially in the three major cities, and briefly intensified in late May into urban warfare between Hashid tribesmen and army defectors allied with the opposition on one side and security forces and militias loyal to Saleh on the other.[211]

After Saleh pretended to accept a Gulf Cooperation Council-brokered plan allowing him to cede power in exchange for immunity only to back away before signing three separate times,[212][213] an assassination attempt on 3 June left him and several other high-ranking Yemeni officials injured by a blast in the presidential compound's mosque.[214] Saleh was evacuated to Saudi Arabia for treatment, but he handed over power to Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi, who has largely continued his policies[215] and ordered the arrest of several Yemenis in connection with the attack on the presidential compound.[214] While in Saudi Arabia, Saleh kept hinting that he could return any time and continued to be present in the political sphere through television appearances from Riyadh starting with an address to the Yemeni people on 7 July.[216] On 12 September, Saleh issued a presidential decree while still receiving treatment in Riyadh authorizing Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi to negotiate a deal with the opposition and sign the GCC initiative.[217] On 23 September, three months since the assassination attempt, Saleh returned to Yemen abruptly, defying all earlier expectations.[218] Pressure on Saleh to sign the GCC initiative eventually led to his signing of it in Riyadh on 23 November, effectively ending his 33-year-old rule of Yemen and setting the stage for the transfer of power. [219] Tawakul Karman got 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her role in supporting women rights and involvement in the Arab Spring.

[edit] Bahraini uprisingMain article: 2011 Bahraini uprising

Hundreds of thousands of Bahrainis taking part in the "March of Loyalty to Martyrs", honoring political dissidents killed by security forces, on 22 February.The 2011 protests in Bahrain were initially aimed at achieving greater political freedom and respect for human rights, and were not intended to threaten the monarchy.[220] Lingering frustration among the Shiite majority with being ruled by the Sunni government was a major root cause, but the protests in Tunisia and Egypt are cited as the inspiration for the demonstrations.[221][222] The protests began in Bahrain on 14 February[220] and were largely peaceful, until a raid by police on the night of 17 February against protestors sleeping at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama, in which police killed three protestors.[223][224] Following the deadly raid, the protestors' aims expanded to a call for the end of the monarchy.[225] On 18 February, government forces opened fire on protesters, mourners, and news journalists,[226] prompting protesters to begin calling for the overthrow of the Bahraini monarchy and government.[227] On 19 February, protesters occupied Pearl Roundabout after the government ordered troops and police to withdraw.[228][229][230] On 22 February, an estimated one hundred thousand people, one fifth of the nation's population, marched. On 14 March, at the request of the Crown Prince, GCC Saudi Arabian troops entered the country,[231] and opened fire on the protesters, several of whom were killed.[232][233] Later thousands of Shia protesters arose in Iraq and Qatif in opposition to the Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain.[234][235][236]

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa declared a three-month state of emergency on 15 March and asked the military to reassert its control as clashes spread across the country.[237] It was later lifted on 1 June 2011.[238] On 16 March 2011, the protesters' camp in the Pearl Roundabout was evacuated, bulldozed, and set on fire by the Bahraini Defense Force, riot police, and the Peninsula Shield Force, the military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which intervened reportedly at King Hamad's behest.[239] Later on 18 March, the Pearl Roundabout monument was torn down as part of the crackdown on protesters.[240]

Since the lifting of emergency law on 1 June, several large rallies have been staged by the Shi'ite community demanding the release of detained protesters, greater political representation, and an end to sectarian discrimination. As of July 2011, medical personnel are being prosecuted for treating injured protesters, and several human rights groups and news organizations have alleged they have been deliberately targeted by the Bahraini government.[241]