Your Questions Answered: Middle East & North Africa

Update: Read a transcript of this chat here

bahrain protesters

©AFP/Getty Images

Join us Thursday, February 9th from 1:00 – 2:00 PM EST for a live online chat on Facebook with Amnesty International on the crisis in the Middle East and North Africa.

2011 was an unprecedented year in the region — a year in which millions of people flooded the streets to demand change. While change has come to some countries, in others repressive governments continue to clamp down on dissent with deadly force and censor their citizens:

  • In recent days in Syria, hundreds have been slaughtered in the streets.
  • The US government continues secret arms transfers to Bahrain, even as that government continues to use deadly force against protesters.
  • In Egypt, the military government has attacked protestors and used the old dictatorship’s laws to prosecute civilians.
  • Across the region, new curbs on online freedom of speech have crept up.

Our specialists will be on hand to answer your questions and discuss:

Geoffrey Mock, Egypt Country Specialist for Amnesty International USA. For over 17 years Geoffrey has worked with Amnesty to support human rights defenders, end unfair trials and torture in Egypt and defend Egypt’s civil society against harassment and legal attacks.

Sanjeev Bery, Advocacy Director for Middle East North Africa issues at Amnesty International USA. He lobbies US officials, diplomats, and officeholders regarding human rights concerns across the MENA region.

To Join The Online Chat
To join the chat, visit the Amnesty International USA Facebook page on Thursday, Feb 9th from 1-2 PM EST and post your questions directly to our “Wall.”  RSVP here.

Chat Rules

  • Please keep your questions on topic.  We welcome all questions relating to the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa and will try to answer them as they are received.
  • Unrelated questions will be removed from our Wall feed for the duration of the chat.  Thanks for your understanding.
  • Please abide by our Community Guidelines

We look forward to answering your questions!

AIUSA welcomes a lively and courteous discussion that follow our Community Guidelines. Comments are not pre-screened before they post but AIUSA reserves the right to remove any comments violating our guidelines.