The Amnesty report asserted that the rate of executions rose significantly in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen and Iran in 2011.

According to the London-based group, around 676 executions are known to have taken place in 20 countries in 2011, an increase from 2010 which saw around 527 executions in 23 countries.

The group also noted that only 20 out of 198 countries carried out executions in 2011; a drop of more than a third of the total number of countries in the last decade.

However, the report also suggests that China alone has carried out more executions than all the other countries combined. It is hard to get an exact number on the executions taking place in China since it is a state secret.  Nevertheless, Amnesty asserts that the numbers are in the thousands.

The group also notes that “an increasingly isolated group of countries executed at an alarming rate in 2011.”

The majority of those countries are in the Middle East.

Most Middle Eastern states use the Islamic Shariah law as a source for their legislations which allows for executions of convicted individuals.

In its annual death penalty report, Amnesty confirmed that 558 executions took place in the Middle East in 2011, a rise by almost 50 percent from 2010.

The report also suggests that the actual number of executions could be a lot higher as many cases go unreported.

“The numbers don’t include the thousands of executions worldwide that go unreported,” Jan Wetzel, an Amnesty death penalty specialist, said in an interview.

Even though Iran and Saudi Arabia did not fall prey to the Arab spring, they top the list of practitioners of the death penalty in the Middle East.

Amnesty has confirmed that last year 360 executions took place in Iran.

However, according to Amnesty, the group received information from credible sources suggesting that there are more than 200 executions that went unreported in Iran last year as well.

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia tripled the number of its execution in 2011. The government of Saudi Arabia imposed the death sentence on criminals charged with a wide range of offenses that included robbery, kidnapping, murder and drug-related charges.

What may or may not seem surprising to many, the United States ranked fifth on the Amnesty list with 43 executions in 2011, down from 46 year in 2010.

“If you look at the company we’re in globally, it’s not the company we want to be in: China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq,” Suzanne Nossel, executive director of Amnesty International USA, told The Associated Press.

In early February, the relationship between the two countries hit a new low as Egypt issued a travel ban on workers from the pro-democracy groups and moved to file criminal charges against 19 American citizens and two dozen other employees involved with these non-governmental organizations. 

Out of the 19 Americans, only six still remain in Cairo including Sam LaHood, son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and Egypt’s director for the International Republican Institute, one of the organizations in question.

According to The New York Times, charges brought against the NGOs include “operating without licenses, conducting research to send to the United States and supporting Egyptian candidates and parties to serve foreign interests.” The State Department and the Obama administration have been troubled by the charges, especially after an Egyptian delegation scheduled to meet with lawmakers in Washington last week unexpectedly cancelled their trip.

“We are deeply concerned by these reports and are seeking clarification from the government of Egypt,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

Since the resignation of Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak, U.S.-Egyptian relations have been steadily declining.

Mubarak was arguably one of the most important allies to the United States in the region because he kept the peace with Israel, cracked down on Muslim extremists, and negotiated peace talks in the Middle East.

As a result, the United States provided Egypt with almost $2 billion in annual military and economical aid. Since the assault on the pro-democracy groups, Washington has threatened to cut of the annual aid package which could cripple Egypt’s struggling economy. “The harassment of Americans who are in Egypt trying to help build their democracy is unacceptable,” said Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), chairwoman of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.

In response, Egypt has shown no signs of backing down. “Those groups are unregistered and from the view of the judiciary they were breaking the laws of Egypt. This is a total judicial issue. We cannot exercise influence on the judges,” said Mohammed Amr, Egypt’s foreign minister.

The International Republican Institute asserted in a statement that the prosecution of its employees is politically charged.

In order to help resolve the issue, The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, travelled to meet Egypt’s military rulers. This past weekend, Dempsey met with Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, and his counter part, Lt. General Sami Enan. The U.S Department of Defense website asserted that the generals discussed issues such as the NGO problem and future military cooperation.

Dempsey told The American Forces Press Service during the flight back that the United States wants to stay engaged with Egypt, “not to influence or shape, but simply be there as a partner to help them understand their new responsibilities.”

“I think they are eager to have that kind of partnership with us,” he added, “but we have to get beyond this NGO issue.”

Experts have asserted that the crackdown on these groups is an attempt to reinforce the Egyptian generals claims that protests against their rule are stirred up by foreigners.

The demonstrations quickly turned violent as protesters and security forces clashed creating the deadliest spark of violence in months.

Most of the clashes were between the protesters and military personnel. However, some perpetrators, assumed to be thugs, are believed to have implanted themselves amidst the Copts and provoked the security forces igniting a deadly response.

Egypt’s Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s 80 million residents, accuse the ruling military council, which has been in power since February, of being too lenient on extremists by failing to criminally prosecute those responsible for the acts of violence against the church.

Sectarian tensions have greatly increased since the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year. Christians are worried as ultraconservative Muslim ideology – which was banned under Mubarak’s regime – spreads across the country.

“What is taking place is not clashes between Muslims and Christians but attempts to provoke chaos and dissent,” Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said.

According to various news reports, some security officials dressed in riot gear and marched along with civilian Muslims chanting, “The people want to bring down the Christians.”

Accounts of the violence also spread through social media. Hani Bushra, an Egyptian-American, who was attacked in Egypt on Sunday, gave his account of the events via a Facebook note, “Suddenly a mob came to the police saying ‘Christians where are you, Islam is here.’ They were not stopped by anyone and were cheered by army units.”

On the other hand, some Muslims stood side by side with the Copts supporting their cause chanting, “Muslims and Christians are one hand.”

Eyewitnesses claim that security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and even live ammunition into the gathering crowd in an attempt to disperse them.

“I saw civilians running past my window as troops fired wildly into the crowds,” Nigel Hetherington, an eyewitness told BBC.

Some of the protesters were run over by military vehicles in retaliation to the killing of at least two security officials. Egypt’s Health Ministry estimated the death toll at over 23 and said there are about 200 wounded.

Gruesome pictures of victims who were crushed by armored military vehicles circulated on the internet and news quickly reached Egyptian-Americans living in the U.S.

“My heart breaks for Christians in Egypt. If this kind of blatant murder happens in a western country, it would be an atrocity and political jargons would be thrown around, so sick of the hypocrisy about human rights,” said Mary Abdelmalak, an Egyptian native, a recent John Carroll University graduate and a current pharmacy student at The Ohio State University. “The question becomes, are we, the so-called generation of ‘change,’ going to stand up and make a difference this time around?”

Earlier this year, Egypt was added to the list of countries named to be the worst violators of religious freedom by the United States commission on international religious freedom.

Egypt is going through a sensitive transitional phase as the first post-Mubarak parliamentary elections are scheduled for next month. Sharaf’s cabinet stressed that it will not allow any interference into Egypt’s democratic future claiming that the igniters of this incident are the enemies of the Jan. 25 revolution.

Hazem el Beblawi, the deputy prime minister and who also serves as the finance minister, resigned early Tuesday morning in protest of the government’s handling of the crisis, unconfirmed reports of the entire government’s resignation have circulated around the web.

According to Al-Ahram, a state sponsored newspaper, a cabinet spokesman later clarified that the government has not submitted an official resignation, but has placed the matter under the disposition of the military council.

These unselfish and noble individuals have put their lives at risk in order to bring to justice the man who has committed some of the most dreadful and violent acts against the United States and the world.

Acting on intelligence received a couple years ago, a team of Americans carried out an operation in which the main objective was to kill or capture the most wanted man in the world, Osama bin Laden.  After a firefight that lasted approximately 40 minutes, bin Laden was dead.

The news of bin Laden’s death was welcomed by the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations.

For many years Osama bin Laden has killed thousands of innocent individuals and destroyed the lives of many more.

Finally, due to the heroic efforts of our intelligence community, the men and women of the military, and the boldness of our president, Osama bin Laden has been brought to justice.

For almost 10 years many have waited, longed, and hoped to see this day. Mothers, fathers, daughters and wives have all cried out for justice, and they finally received it.

While bin Laden’s death will not bring those loved ones back, it will certainly provide some comfort to the families and friends of those victims who lost their lives due to the radical beliefs of this individual.

Most of us will never forget the day we heard the tragic news of 9/11.  Likewise, we will never forget the day justice was served.

No matter where one stands within regards to the war on terror, it is our duty as American citizens to appreciate those who answer the call when their country calls upon them.

It is our duty to remember the sacrifices that are being made on our behalf by those in uniform. Their sacrifices have kept us free and safe, and have protected us from our enemies who wish to harm our great nation.

I humbly take this opportunity to thank all the unknown soldiers who have brought justice and comfort to many and to those who work tirelessly to keep America safe, so that we can live the “American dream.”

The ex-president affirmed that he will fully cooperate with authorities to prove he did not accumulate wealth by abusing his power, and promised that he will pursue legal action against those attempting to smear his reputation.

Soon after the pre-recorded speech aired, Egypt’s chief prosecutor Abdel Meguid Mahmoud asserted that he had issued orders summoning the ex-president and his two sons for questioning.

Mubarak’s speech came in response to Friday’s rally, which activists dubbed as a rally “to protect the revolution.”

Thousands of Egyptians returned to Tahrir Square in Cairo, creating the largest demonstration since Mubarak’s resignation.

The crowd demanded the former president, along with key members of his party be put on trial, as well as the immediate release of political prisoners.

Earlier last week, Mahmoud froze the personal bank accounts of Sawfat El-Shrief, the ex-speaker of Egypt’s Shura Council, Fathi Suror, the ex-speaker of the People’s Assembly, and Zakriya Azmi, Mubarak’s chief of staff.  These 3 key members of Mubarak’s party were then detained for 15 days pending an investigation of corruption and abuse of power.

Some demonstrators also demanded the immediate resignation of Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the man who heads the military council and is one of Mubarak’s closest and most loyal allies.

“Either Field Marshal Tantawi puts these people – Mubarak, Gamal [Mubarak’s son] and the others – on trial, or he leaves his post and lets someone else do it,” Ashraf Abdel-Aziz, a shop owner, told Reuters. “The slowness of the process makes people suspicious that the army [leadership] might be implicated.”

According to a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, Tantwi was described as “aged and change resistant.”

The cable also notes that Tantawi “has opposed policy initiatives he views as encouraging political or religious cleavages within Egyptian society.”

Among those demonstrating were some ten uniformed military officers who defied direct orders and joined in the protests.

The Washington Post reported that shortly after 3 a.m., military vehicles stormed into the square firing into the air in an attempt to disperse the protesting crowd.  As a result, at least two have been killed and 15 more injured.  According to eyewitnesses, the protesting officers were arrested. Critics of the military believe, it’s still part of the old regime and is its means of protection.

“Obviously, the Supreme Council is not supporting the people’s interests,” Ahmed Naguib, one of the protest leaders who said he helped plan Friday’s march told The Wall Street Journal.

On the other hand, those associated with the military argue that due to its unpreparedness to be in the situation they are in, the transition to a civilian government will be longer.

“They are well versed and knowledgeable individuals, but they were not prepared for what they are doing right now,” Nabil Fouad, a retired general and professor of strategic studies told The New York Times.

“The army was suddenly handed this mission, and it was complicated even more by the absence of the police,” Fouad said.

As for Mubarak, because he is a former Air Force hero, it will be difficult for the military to see the former commander stand trial.

Some argue that it is now time for the nation to heal. They believe Mubarak’s prosecution will do more harm than good, while others believe the healing process cannot begin until Mubarak faces justice.

In any case, the decision of whether or not to prosecute Mubarak may only be judged by history.

In the meantime, The New York Times reported Tuesday that Mubarak was hospitalized, though his health problems were deemed to be not very severe. Prosecutors were then permitted to question the ousted president. Hours after their father’s hospitalization, Mubarak’s two sons were then detained pending an investigation of corruption and abuse of power early Wednesday morning. A few hours later, Mubarak himself was also detained at the hospital.

Because CIA officials work in different capacities around the world, White House officials did not confirm or deny the CIA’s presence in Libya, but argued their presence should not be viewed as a troop deployment.

While the role of these operatives is unclear at the moment, U.S. intelligence experts told the Associated Press, “The CIA sent officials to Libya to make contact with the opposition and assess the strength and needs of the rebel forces battling Gadhafi in the event President Barack Obama decides to arm them.”

At this time, it’s still unclear how the White House will proceed with Operation Odyssey Dawn after the transfer of it’s Libyan air campaign to NATO on Monday. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told Congress that President Obama does not have any military moves in mind at the current time.

Even though the president has made it clear that arming the rebels in Libya is a possibility, no concrete decision has been made.

“No decision has been made about providing arms to the opposition or to any group in Libya,” White House Spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement. “We’re not ruling it out or ruling it in.”

Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough told reporters, “We’re looking at … specific non-lethal assistance of the sort that (the rebels) might find useful.”

NATO coalition forces have recently issued a warning, advising the rebels against attacking Libyan civilians.  A senior White House Official told The New York Times, “We will be compelled to defend civilians, whether against pro–Gadhafi or pro–opposition forces.”

The possibility of the U.S. arming Libyan rebels and the warning issued by NATO have fueled heated debates between lawmakers in Washington. Representative Mike Rogers (R–Mich.), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, believes the U.S. should not arm the rebels based on how little intelligence the government currently has, “We need to understand more about the opposition before I would support passing out guns and advanced weapons to them.”

On the other hand, Senator John McCain (R–Ariz.) expressed hope that the Obama Administration would arm the rebels. When asked on CBS’s “The Early Show” if the United States would arm the rebels, Sen. McCain replied, “It’s very possible, in fact, I hope so that if not the U.S., other countries would.”

It is worth noting that after the United States armed rebels fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s, those same rebels later joined Taliban and are now fighting U.S. troops. “Even if you think you know them, you can not guarantee that those weapons won’t later fall into the hands of bad actors,” said Rogers.

While the White House has not yet made a decision on whether or not to arm the rebels, the CIA’s presence in Libya should help President Obama make an informed decision.

Egypt's Coptic Christian leader Pope Shenouda III, center, is greeted by hundreds of Christians as he leaves a polling station in Cairo, Egypt, on March 19, after he voted in a referendum on constitutional amendments. (AP)

After Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign on Feb. 11, the military suspended the constitution and appointed a legal committee headed by top legal adviser and judge, Tarkek El-Bishri, with the task of amending the constitution.

After 10 days of deliberation, the eight member committee announced the proposed changes that will set the stage for parliamentary and presidential elections later this year.

The amended articles eased restrictions on who can run for president, ensured full judicial monitoring of all elections, and limited the number of the presidential terms to two four-year terms.

In the past, the constitution did not set a limit on how many terms a president can serve, which explains how Mubarak stayed in power for thirty years.

Article seventy-five of the constitution was amended to guarantee that the president cannot be a dual-citizen, must be born to Egyptian parents and grandparents, and the candidate’s spouse cannot be of foreign origin. The ambiguous language used in the article regarding the president’s spouse has led some women to oppose the referendum.

Previously, the constitution did not include any restrictions on who the president’s spouse can or can not be (Mubarak’s wife is half Welsh). Article 139 now guarantees that the president will appoint a vice president within the first 60 days of being in office.

Mubarak served five terms without appointing a deputy.

In the weeks leading up to the election on the referendum, Egyptians organized campaigns debating their stance in an attempt to influence public opinion.

The majority of Christians, who make up roughly 10 percent of the population, opposed the referendum fearing it would open the door for Islamic groups to rise to power.

“I fear the Islamists because they speak in civil slogans that have a religious context, like when one said he believed in a civil Egypt but at the same time no woman or Coptic Christian should run for president,” Samuel Wahba, a Coptic doctor, told Reuters.

Article two of the constitution says that Islam is the religion of the state and Islamic jurisprudence is the main source of legislation, therefore, presenting Christians with reasonable doubt regarding the true intentions of Islamic groups.

Christians want to see article two abolished and this has been a point of contention between Christians and Muslims in the weeks leading up to the referendum.

After the revolution, Islamic groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood resurfaced and are now legally and actively participating in Egyptian politics. The Brotherhood was one of the main supporters of the amendments as they were one of the two organized factions ready to move forward.

Now, there is a fear, not only among western states, but among Egyptians as well that these groups will hijack the revolution and change the future of a democratic Egypt.

Two presidential hopefuls Amr Moussa, current secretary general of the Arab League and Mohammed El-Baradei, ex-director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency also opposed the referendum believing more time was needed for other political parties to form and respond to the needs of the revolution.

Both candidates also believe the constitution lost its legitimacy when Mubarak resigned.

Therefore, it can not be amended. However, those in support of the referendum argued that it would restore Egypt’s security and stability.

On March 19, elections were held to allow the public to either accept or reject the amendments.

Despite the Muslim Brotherhood and Mubarak’s National Democratic Party are the only two parties organized enough to capitalize on the rapid re-birth of Egyptian politics, the amendments passed with 77 percent of the vote.

Though the referendum was intended to be free and fair; voter fraud still plagued the election. In addition, only 41 percent of voters actually voted.

However, by Egyptian standards this was a high voter turnout.

In prior elections, approximately 19 percent of eligible voters voted. With the passing of the amendments, it’s possible Egypt may have a new president by the end of the year.

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, shown here at his inauguration in 1981, was ousted by protesters on Feb. 11 after three decades in power. (AP)

Hosni Mubarak became the president of Egypt in 1981 following the assassination of then-President Anwar Sadat. The assassins were Muslim extremists who considered Sadat a traitor for signing a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. The treaty was courageously upheld by Mubarak during his entire 30 years in office. As a result, Egypt received some $2 billion in aid from the United States every year, and became one of its most important allies in the Middle East.

Mubarak also consistently urged for peace in the Middle East, and on numerous occasions mediated negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. He worked side by side with the U.S. on a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

Mubarak also worked tirelessly to improve Egypt’s relations with its Arab neighbors. In 1989, he was able to restore Egypt’s membership to the Arab League, which had kicked Egypt out after signing the treaty with Israel. In that same year, the League’s headquarters were also moved back to Cairo.

Egypt’s economy also experienced impressive economic growth under Mubarak’s reign. Since 2004, Mubarak’s economic team had reduced tariffs and taxes, improved transparency of the national budget, and passed economic legislation designed to reduce bureaucratic obstacles to business and stimulate private sector economic growth. Between 2005 and 2008, the economy grew at a steady seven percent. The World Bank also currently rates Egypt as the 18th easiest state in which to start a business.

However, in reality, the success of the economy did not seem to trickle down to the common Egyptian citizen. It is undeniable that the country and most of its people suffered severely under Mubarak as well. Egyptians had every right to protest for their freedom. Under Mubarak’s watch, public corruption, sectarian violence, poverty, high inflation and high food prices were ignored. His crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood also came at the expense of most citizens. He enforced emergency laws, which allowed the police to arrest citizens without warrants for almost his entire presidency.

In his last speech, Mubarak admitted that he had made mistakes over the years. According to Mona DeBaz, a professor of political science at John Carroll University, “Mubarak’s downfall began when he lost legitimacy among his people. Over time, Egyptians felt that Mubarak did not have the right to rule them anymore.”

However, before he resigned, Mubarak vowed that he would use his last months as president to correct those mistakes. He began by firing his cabinet, appointed a vice-president and a new prime minister.

While Egypt seemed to be on the road to a smooth transition of power, Mubarak decided to satisfy the demands of the people and stepped down on Feb. 11. Despite criticism for all his wrongdoings, his dedication to preserving peace in the Middle East and to serving his country should not be forgotten.