This article titled “Syria, Egypt and Middle East unrest – live updates” was written by Brian Whitaker and Haroon Siddique, for guardian.co.uk on Thursday 3rd May 2012 12.19 UTC

1.19pm: Egypt: The ruling military council is committed to handing over power to a civilian administration by 1 July as it promised, the Associated Press reports, citing a senior member of the council.

The announcement came a day after deadly clashes between protesters and assailants left at least 11 dead in Cairo, prompting some politicians to voice fears that the military might use the violence as a pretext to ignore its own deadline to relinquish control of the country.

Maj Gen Mohammed al-Asar also told reporters that the military will ensure the integrity and fairness of presidential elections scheduled for May 23-24.

The military took over after a popular uprising ousted Egypt’s authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. But in over a year in power, it has been accused of badly bungling the transition, killing protesters, hauling more than 10,000 civilians to trial before military tribunals and of scheming to enshrine a political role for itself after handing over power.

“We say it frankly and clearly, the armed forces and their supreme council are committed to the handover of power on June 30,” al-Asar said. “We don’t desire power. The Supreme Council (of the Armed Forces) is not a substitute for legitimacy in Egypt.”

1.00pm: Here’s a summary of the main developments so far today.

Syria

• At least four students have been killed after security services stormed dorms at Aleppo University, activists and opposition groups said. Dozens more were injured and scores arrested, according to the reports. There have numerous clashes at the university and the assault followed the biggest demonstration there since the beginning of the uprising, according to an opposition website.

• The son of the leader of a Syrian opposition party has been killed, the state news agency reported, blaming an armed terrorist group. Ismail Haider, son of Syrian Social Nationalist party (SSNP) leader Ali Haidar was with another party member, who was also killed, when machine guns opened fire on their car on the road between Homs and Masyaf. A SSNP member told al-Akhbar that the party, which calls for democratic change and rejects the militarisation of the uprising, has enemies on both sides.

• The Syrian government imported $167m-worth of air defence systems and missiles and a further $1m of small arms and ammunition in the months before it began the crackdown on opposition activists, a report by the charity Oxfam says.

Egypt

• The military rulers have expressed sorrow for the bloodshed in Abbasiya but said protesters should have demonstrated in Tahrir Square instead. At a press conference on the violence, they also insisted they were committed to handing over power by 30 June.

Tunisia

• The head of Nessma TV, Nabil Karoui, has been fined 2,400 dinars (about $1,500) for broadcasting the award-winning film, Persepolis, after being convicted of a public order offence. Hedi Boughnim, who dubbed the film into Tunisian dialect, was also fined 1,200 dinars (about $750).

12.29pm: Syria: More arrests are being carried out at the campus of Aleppo University – where activists say at least four students were killed earlier today and scores arrested by government forces – according to the Local Coordination Committees opposition group.

12.08pm: Syria: The assault by the security forces at Aleppo University last night followed the largest anti-regime demonstration at the university to date, the opposition website al-Ayyam says.

This video purports to show the demonstration yesterday.

Al-Ayyam says:

The protest drew many students and was the largest protest at Aleppo University to date. Security forces arrived quickly on the scene and assaulted the protesting students forcing them to disperse and fold back.

The main assault [was] overnight. The students started another protest in the university’s housing complex. They launched the protest from their rooms. Witnesses report that three buses carrying security forces and Shabbiha [pro-regime thugs] surrounded and laid siege to the housing complex. The attack started shortly after midnight Thursday and lasted about an hour.

Security forces stormed the complex with five military vehicles while firing from mounted machine guns. The initial assault caused widespread damage and killed two students. Security forces and Shabbiha followed on foot. They searched room by room, breaking in, and firing bursts of gunfire to intimidate the students. More than 50 students were seen being taken away.

11.50am: Libya: The National Transitional Council yesterday passed a number of laws criminalising the “glorification” of the late Muammar Gaddafi, his regime and his sons, the Tripoli Post reports:

This law and other two laws that aim to protect the nation and the new democratic Libya have been under debate for some time and have been demanded by a large part of the population.

The remnants of pro-Gaddafi elements have exploited the atmosphere of forgiveness and the spirit of reconciliation expressed by the leaders of the uprising and has been working undercover to undermine the state for some time now.

The Tripoli Post quotes a statement read out to reporters by a judicial official:

Praising or glorifying Muammar Gaddfi, his regime, his ideas or his sons … is punishable by a prison sentence …

If those news reports, rumours or propaganda cause any damage to the state the penalty will be life in prison …

In conditions of war, there is a prison sentence for any person who spreads information and rumors which disrupt military preparations for the defense of the country, spread terror or weaken the citizens’ morale.

(Libya is still considered to be in a state of war, apparently.)

A second law stipulates prison sentences for anyone who “attacks the February 17 revolution, denigrates Islam, the authority of the state or its institutions,” the Tripoli Post says, stating that these are laws “governing the transition” – which perhaps means that they are intended to be temporary.

A third new law promulgated yesterday confiscates all property and funds belonging to figures of the previous regime, including Gaddafi’s relatives.

11.21am: Yemen: Democracy is America’s second choice in Yemen, counter-radicalisation expert Francisco Martin-Rayo argues in an article for Foreign Policy that is highly critical of the Obama administration and its apparent obsession with al-Qaida:

Though Yemen’s internal politics have changed dramatically since January 2011, US strategy there has remained single-mindedly focused on eradicating AQAP [al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula]. Democracy promotion, and the hopes of millions of Yemenis who supported the revolution, do not appear to be among the Obama administration’s concerns in the country.

Nowhere was this more clear than in a recent press conference in Sana’a, where Jeffrey Feltman, the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, reinforced US support for the existing transition plan, which doesn’t call for elections until February 2014 and which has widely left President Saleh’s patronage network intact. (His son, Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, still controls the Republican Guard and Special Forces – a fact that inspires considerable disquiet among members of the pro-democracy opposition.)

Since the beginning of the demonstrations against President Saleh’s regime, the US has signally failed to support the pro-democracy youth movement, a group that consists largely of the young and dissatisfied men that AQAP recruits so assiduously …

In April 2011, the youth movement openly petitioned the US for support, only to be ignored. The US instead supported the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) negotiations with the old regime, squashing any hopes of an authentic democratic revolution and antagonising Washington’s most likely local allies.

11.05am: Tunisia: It appears that Nabil Karoui, the head of Nessma TV, has been convicted of a public order or “morality” offence rather than blasphemy in the Persepolis trial. This may explain why he has been fined rather than jailed.

According to Le Nouvel Observateur (in French), the court judgment said he was punished for “broadcasting to the public a film that disturbed public order and was contrary to good morals”.

Tunisia Live says Hedi Boughnim, who dubbed the award-winning film into Tunisian dialect, was also fined 1,200 dinars (about $750).

10.57am: Syria: The son of the leader of the opposition Syrian Social Nationalist party (SSNP) was assassinated on Wednesday by an armed terrorist group, the state news agency reports.

Ismail Haidar, son of Ali Haidar, was killed alongside another SSNP member, Fadi Atawneh, by machine gun fire on the road between Homs and Masyaf, says Sana.

The SSNP, founded by Lebanese academic Antun Saadeh in the 1930s, is “an opposition party calling for democratic change in Syria, but adamantly rejected foreign intervention and the militarisation of the uprising,” says al-Akhbar.

It quotes an anonymous high-ranking member of the SSNP based in the US as saying:

The SSNP has taken a position that is neither to the complete liking of the regime nor to the complete liking of many elements in the opposition, but which it feels represents the interest of Syria, which should be above all other interests.

Unfortunately, certain elements on the ground believe that unless you are 100% with them, then you are 100% against them, and as a result two young members of the SSNP have paid with their lives for the party’s position.

Mohammad Zahweh, from the SSNP, told Al-Akhbar.

It happened yesterday evening. There were gunmen waiting [on the street] and they began firing on the car … We have received threats, particularly against the president [of] the party, but we couldn’t specify the source of those threats. I can’t really say for sure [who was responsible]. The investigation is underway [and] we don’t want to guess who was behind it, it could’ve been a criminal act.

Sana quotes SSNP leader Ali Haidar as saying:

I don’t need condolences over the deaths of my son and his comrade, because their blood is no more precious than the blood of any Syrian that was martyred before or will be martyred in the coming days … Those who carry guns will not terrorise us and will not silence us nor stop is from working day and night to establish peace and security in Syria …Ismael and his comrade are the victims of terrorism that is afflicting Syria… they, like the rest of the martyrs, fell so that Syria may live, for Syria’s interest is above all interests.

10.45am: Tunisia: Reports are coming in that the head of Nessma TV has been fined 2,400 dinars (about $1,500) for broadcasting the film, Persepolis, which religious elements complained was blasphemous. More details shortly.

10.36am: Bahrain: The kingdom’s human rights record will come under scrutiny at the UN Human Rights Council later this month, as part of the “periodic review” system.

As part of that process, the kingdom has submitted a report detaiing its achievements since the last review in 2008. As usual with these reports, it gives a fairly glowing picture. It also refers to the king as “beloved” three times (pages 8, 20 and 25) and “dearly beloved” once (page 7).

A second report, by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is less congratulatory. It complains about “a deterioration in the human rights situation” and notes “with concern” allegations of torture, including the torture of children.

10.19am: Syria: In another video from Aleppo University, where activists say at least four students were killed (see 9.40am), the sound of intense gunfire can be heard. It is difficult to make out the different figures running outside as the video is filmed from a room high off the ground. A voiceover at the end says “Assad mukhabarat [secret police].”

Another video purports to show students outside the dormitories amid their belongings, strewn on the ground.

10.03am: Tunisia: Two police officers who killed a protester last year have been jailed for 20 years each – the first punishment meted out to security officials over their crackdown on the revolution that ousted President Ben Ali, Reuters reports.

The officers were also fined 80,000 dinars ($60,000) each for their role in the death of Salim al-Hadhary, a source said. The money will go to the victim’s family.

9.40am: Syria: Syrian security forces stormed student dorms at Aleppo University in the north-west of the country following anti-government protests there, killing at least four students and wounding several others with teargas and live ammunition, activists and opposition groups said today. From AP .

Around 1,500 students had been protesting in student quarters adjacent to Aleppo University’s main campus late Wednesday when security forces and pro-regime gunmen swept into their residences, firing tear gas at first, then live ammunition to disperse them.

Student activist Thaer al-Ahmed said panic and chaos ensued as students tried to flee. “Some students ran to their rooms to take cover but they were followed to their rooms, beaten up and arrested,” he said.
He said raids and intermittent gunfire continued until early Thursday morning. Dozens of people were wounded, some critically, and around 50 students were arrested, he said.

The Local Coordination Committees activist group confirmed the raid and said five students were killed and some 200 arrested while the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four students were killed. “Regime forces demanded through loudspeakers that the dorms be evacuated, then began detaining the students,” the LCC said in a statement.

The LCC says demonstrations are taking place now, both elsewhere on the campus and outside the campus, in solidarity with the students who were attacked.

A video posted online purports to show a student who was shot.

This video shows purports to show a fire still blazing at the university dorms after the attacks. http://youtu.be/uulRMOFytWc

A picture of one of those said to have been killed, named as Majed Abdulhaid, has been posted on Twitter. (warning:graphic)

9.33am: Syria: Will it end in stalemate or checkmate? The New York Times is intrigued to discover that the president of the World Chess Federation was in Damascus at the weekend and had three hours of talks with President Assad .

It says Kirsan Ilyumzhinov – described as “an eccentric Russian millionaire” – was officially visiting Syria to promote the teaching of chess in schools, though the paper notes that he also went to Libya last year in an effort to negotiate a settlement between the Libyan rebels and Colonel Gaddafi:

Although he holds no formal diplomatic position with the Russian government, his repeated visits to Arab countries in turmoil have reinforced the impression that he is serving as an informal envoy, using the chess organization’s business as a fittingly Russian ruse.

9.23am: Bahrain: To mark World Press Freedom Day, King Hamad has announced “a new era” for Bahrain’s media, the pro-government Gulf Daily News reports. The king is quoted as saying:

There should be no tampering with the right of Bahraini citizens in expressing their opinions, nor any ceilings put on their freedoms or creativity apart from professional consciousness, national and ethical responsibilities and observance of the people’s unity and national interest in compliance with the constitution and the law.

Media freedoms are ushering in a more advanced phase of diversity, independence and respect of opinion and counter-opinion.

The king added that legislation to “boost freedom of opinion and expression in compliance with highest international standards” was on in preparation.

9.00am: Good morning. Welcome to Middle East Live. During the day we shall be monitoring unrest in Syria, Egypt, Bahrain and other parts of the region, and keeping an eye on the growing problems faced by the Un monitoring operation in Syria.

Syria

• The UN monitoring mission is in trouble – and not just on the ground in Syria, where the monitors are constantly tailed by the authorities. “The UN is making repeated calls to member states seeking personnel as it tries to deploy the full force by the end of May,” Bloomberg reports.

It adds that the deployment is hindered by the acknowledgment of US and other security council diplomats that the mission is likely to fail and that its purpose is to convince Russia and China that stronger measures, which they previously blocked, are needed to force President Bashar al-Assad to stop killing his opponents and civilians.

• In a statement last night, the Avaaz organisation said the Annan plan is “in the gutter”.

Referring to developments in Homs, it said “While the pace of bombardment slowed significantly ever since the UN observers arrived in the city, the Annan plan is not being upheld. Armed opposition groups remain inside the city while the regime’s forces retain a formidable presence.”

• The Syrian government imported $167m-worth of air defence systems and missiles and a further $1m of small arms and ammunition in the months before it began the crackdown on opposition activists, a report by the charity Oxfam says.

Egypt

• The ruling military council (Scaf) says it was not reponsible for the deaths of 11 or more protesters during recent clashes in Cairo and will hold a press conference later today, the Egypt Independent reports.

A statement on Scaf’s Facebook page says: “The armed forces have over the last week endured what it cannot tolerate of insults and attacks from demonstrators in front of the defence ministry.”

Libya

• Shokri Ghanem, Libya’s former oil chief who was found drowned in the river Danube on Sunday, was wanted for questioning in Libya,
Reuters reports. The Libyan authorities had sent a warrant to Interpol about a month ago but were still awaiting a “decisive reply”.

• The National Transitional Council has lifted controversial restrictions on the types of political parties that can take part in next month’s election, the BBC reports.

In April the NTC had announced a ban on parties organised along religious, regional, tribal or ethnic lines, saying that this was a measure to preserve “national unity”. But yesterday it issued a new version of the law which made no mention of the restrictions.

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