Syria Opinion: "Nobody Is Above Criticism" (Maysaloon)

Yacine Benrabia of France 24 with insurgents in Aleppo in late July

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The time to demand that those who fight for us, or claim to speak for us, adhere to human rights and respect the rights of all Syrians is now, and it's incumbent upon each and every one of us to speak up if somebody else is being bullied for voicing their doubts or asking questions. We need a cultural and social shift away from shouting each other down, and have to start realising that debate and questioning are not a threat but a strength. Syria does not need more politicians, soldiers or leaders. What we do need is more people who will stand up and point their finger at something that is wrong.

If the Free Syrian Army have stepped up to the burden of protecting the Syrian people, then that burden also includes doing the job the right way. The Syrian revolution has come this far, let's not have it fall at the first hurdle just because somebody is courageous enough to point out shortcomings.

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Sudan Feature: Can Activists Maintain Hope Amid Waning Protests? (Peterson)

France 24 on "Khartoum's Revolution"

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"They are geniuses, we must admit this," says an engineering student activist, about the regime's ability to survive political and economic crises. "They manipulate Sudanese minds and know how to do it, to tell people what they want to hear. Now, for example, people are tortured, but you would not know it unless it happened to a relative. But the economic crisis has made people open their eyes more."

Those who have taken to the streets are mostly activists, says this student, who like other activists interviewed for this story asked not to be named. "But a regular Sudanese is just sitting in his house saying, 'Good work,'" says the student. "They are not physically engaged."

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Iran Video Interview: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with France 24

President Ahmadinejad's interview with France 24 on Wednesday, covering topics such as Iran's nuclear programme and the violence in Syria:

Syria Video Special: On the Ground with the Free Syrian Army

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France 24 reporters Adel Gastel and Karim Hakiki were able to get into the town of Binnish in northwest Syria. In the video above, they speak to members of the Free Syrian Army, who said they had succeeded in driving out heavily-armed regime snipers.

And then there is this interview with a captain in the Khaled bin AlWaleed Brigade in Homs. He describes a major battle in the Bab al Dreib district, and claims that the Free Syrian Army soldiers captured a BMP vehicle, destroyed a T-72 tank and a BRDM recon vehicle, and will continue the fight tomorrow. He also reported the formation of a new brigade, "The Grandchildren of Khaled bin AlWaleed."

(hat tip for translation to "DSyrer")

Bahrain Video: The Police Attacks on the Women and Men of Sanabis (France 24)

France 24, picking up on the story of the Bahrain demonstrations, offers vivid first-hand testimony and video of attacks by security forces last Friday in Sanabis, near the capital Manama. The incidents occurred as protesters were trying to reach Pearl Roundabout/Martyrs Square, the symbolic centre of the challenge to the regime from mid-February.

Both of the events --- alleged police assaults on chador-clad women and the burning of buildings in Sanabis --- have been covered here on EA, but France 24 has additional video that we have not posted, as the well as the accounts of the woman and man who claim first-hand knowledge.

Bahrain Snapshot: The Police Abuse of a Female Journalist (Reporters Without Borders)

Nazeeha SaeedA woman police officer mocked and insulted her. When Nazeeha ignored her, the policewoman grabbed her by the chin, held it hard, and slapped her with the other hand. “You must tell me the truth,” she screamed, continuing to slap her and then seizing her by the hair and throwing her to the ground. Four policewomen proceeded to slap, punch and kick her repeatedly. One of the women took her shoe and forced it into her mouth. “You are worth less than this shoe," she said.

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Iran Video Analysis: Assessing the Protests and the Regime (Parsi)

Rouzbeh Parsi, a research fellow at the European Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), is interviewed by France 24 about the current political position for the opposition and the regime in Iran. He evaluates why the 2009 rising did not succeed in its objective --- "Iran is a much more nuanced political system...so it isn't just the Government and the opposition" as in Tunisia and Egypt --- and how the regime, unlike its Ben Ali and Mubarak counterparts, did not blink because "they were prepared for the challenge".

And now? "The opposition is likely to become more radical....Both sides are pushing each other to the brink, with the primary responsibility being on the side of the Government."

Iran Dispute: Number of Ahmadinejad Fans --- 2.2 Billion or 31?

France 24 looks at the audience scorecard for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the United General Assembly on 23 September.

The initial tally from Fars News, citing reader comments on an article on France 24.com, was 2.2 billion --- or about one comment for every three people on Earth and 1 1/2 comments for every Web user on the planet. 

Unfortunately for Iranian media and for Ahmadinejad, France 24 did some checking. Its article on the speech, in French and English, prompted 25 comments on the French version and six on the English. version, and 25 for the French. 

Fars' original article has now disappeared, but France 24 provides a very helpful screen-shot.

Iraq: 30,000 Prisoners Held Without Due Process (Amnesty/Cole)

Juan Cole writes:

Every time there is an election in Iraq, as happened last March 7, the Neoconservatives come out to crow about how great the Iraq War was. Their implicit argument is that Iraq was a brutal dictatorship, is now a thriving democracy. This argument is typical of their warped ethics, since it maintains that the ends justifies the means, and we are not supposed to bring up the dead, the wounded, the damaged that the Neocons have inflicted on Iraq. Never mind that the elections have not so far produced a viable new government. Never mind that democratic institutions are weak or non-existent. Never mind that widespread abuses are committed against the public by the new state.

Amnesty International reports that the Iraqi government is holding some 30,000 prisoners without charges or due process. In some instances the prisoners have been abused or even tortured. About 10,000 of these prisoners were recently handed over to the Iraqis when the US combat mission in Iraq supposedly ended.

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