In the week leading up to the one year anniversary of Bahrain's February 14 Revolution, many journalists have been denied visas to the country. Journalists from the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, Associated Foreign Press, and Al-Jazeera English were all denied visas because of what the government is calling a "high volume of requests."

"This refusal to allow access for such prestigious media organizations is another ominous signal from the Bahrain government about what might happen this coming week,” said Brian Dooley of Human Rights First. "The days approaching the anniversary are tense and rife with rumor. Bahrain's refusal to admit human rights and media organizations only fuels suspicions that the government wants to hide the truth about its ongoing abuses."

It is unclear how many journalists are allowed to enter the country for the February 14 anniversary, but the Information Affairs Agency maintains they are allowing many foreign media outlets to cover the events.

As part of the 2011 "Arab Spring" uprising, the protests in Bahrain were initially aimed at achieving greater political reforms and equality for the predominantly Shia population. However, following a bloody night raid on February 17, 2011 against peaceful protestors staging sit-ins at Pear Roundabout in Manama, the protestors raised their demands and called for an end to the centuries-long authoritarian rule of the Khalifa dynasty. On March 14, Hundreds of Saudi troops entered Bahrain to help protect government facilities amid escalating protests against the Sunni-led government.

Mohammed al-Maskati, head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, says his team has documented 60 deaths since February 14, 2011 and that the police's aggressive approach in countering activists has stiffened in the past two months. Meanwhile, hundreds of activists have been detained, injured, and tortured in the past year.

After almost a year, violence is still rife in Bahrain as the revolutionary youths remain resolute in their demands and Saudi-backed forces are increasingly brutal in their crackdowns. This week the February 14 Youth Coalition issued a "charter" saying the government crackdowns had gone too far. "The aim of this revolution has become to bring down the regime and decide our own fate after it became clear that trying to live with it and reform it has become impossible," it said.

As next week's anniversary approaches, many people are uncertain about how the events will unfold and worry of increased violence, chaos, and deaths. Emile Hokayen, Mideast Analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, tweeted, "Here in Bahrain, lots of uncertainty abt next week. Rumors galore, concern in some quarters, fatigue in others, real frustration among opp."

Photo: A girl flashes the victory sign with her fingers amid fellow anti-government protestors waving Bahraini flags during a rally held by Al-Wefaq, Bahrain's main Shiite opposition, in Sanabis, west of Manama January 12, 2012. Thousands of anti-government protesters participated in the rally shouting anti-government slogans demanding the downfall of the ruling family. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed.

This time last year, Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire, sparking a popular uprising in Tunisia that spread to countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The uprisings have come to be known throughout the world as the "Arab Spring" and have caused more change in one year than the region has seen in decades. For months, chants across the Middle East echoed, "The people want the downfall of the regime." Only a month after Tunisians ousted Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, it took the Egyptian people only 18 days to overthrow Hosni Mubarak after being in power for 30 years. 

Shortly after the downfalls of Ben Ali and Mubarak, Libyans took up arms against Muammar Gaddafi. After ten months of violent battles that took the lives of thousands of civilians, Libyan revolutionaries claimed victory when Gaddafi was killed in his hometown of Sirte. 

Protestors in Yemen hope to turn a new page after months of bloody crackdowns as embattled ruler Ali Abudllah Saleh belatedly signed the Gulf-brokered deal that will transfer power in the country by early next year. 

In a report entitled "Saudi Arabia's Political Prisoners: Towards a Third Decade of Silence," the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) describes political imprisonment in Saudi Arabia as  "an epidemic [which] has not spared any sector of Saudi society." According to the IHRC, there are an estimated 30,000 political prisoners in Saudi Arabia out of approximately 18 million Saudi nationals. The report calls attention to the plight of these political prisoners over the last three decades with hopes that the Saudi government and international community will finally take notice. 

Protests in Saudi Arabia have been ongoing for several months calling for political reform and the release of political prisoners. On Monday, these protests turned violent for the first time when Saudi security forces opened fired at demonstrators. Al-Alam reported that 24 people were injured in the clashes in Saudi's oil-rich Eastern Province. The clashes took place in Qatif and al-Awamiyah, home to a largely Shia population. In an official statement, the Interior Ministry blamed a "foreign country" for the unrest, undoubtedly a veiled reference to Iran, adding that "those involved in sabotage will be dealt with an iron hand." 

In an al-Jazeera opinion piece entitled "Saudi political prisoners long for justice," Hala al-Dosari detailed the case of one mother who appealed to the head of the Interior Ministry for the release of her son, Fahad al-Saeed, arrested nine years ago without trial or charges. The "articulate language and heart-breaking details " of the plea garnered a shocking, first-time response from the government, but one that denied the arrest and detainment of al-Saeed. 

The Independent newspaper reported that protests in the oil-rich kingdom are gaining momentum and are expected spread to more cities. A Facebook page entitled "Revolution of the Eastern Region" is among several opposition websites gaining popularity. What will the spread of protests mean for a country that has long punished political dissidents? 

Dubai TV reported on the escalating violence in several Yemeni cities in what has become known as the "Massacre of Hay al-Qa'a and Kentucky." Yemeni security forces, snipers, and gunmen opened fire and used rocket-propelled grenades against protestors in the capital Sanaa. Amnesty International reported that 26 people were killed and hundreds more injured in Sunday's attack. Despite the violence, Yemen's youth vowed to achieve "revolutionary resolve" and try the remnants of Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime. 

Following the bloodiest two days Yemen has seen since March, activists uploaded graphic videos online of regime forces using excessive force to disperse protestors. The National Council for Revolutionary Forces issued a report detailing the human rights violations committed by Saleh's regime. The Council called on the international community, the UN Human Rights Council, and all “friends of Yemen” to condemn the Yemeni regime's merciless crackdown on protestors and disregard for human rights. 

Foreign Policy Magazine discussed the "Costs of Ignoring Yemen," as world powers continue to place Yemen on the "backburner" amid more pressing regional concerns. The US and Saudi Arabia's passive calls for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen were criticized, drawing attention to the fact that inattention to the Yemeni crisis has increased the risks of a real civil war in the country.

Syria: Human rights activists reported that security forces stormed several towns in the countryside of Idlib this morning. Yesterday, 34 people were killed by security forces, according to the Syrian Revolution General Commission. On the second consecutive day of security operations in Homs, Syrian state media reported that eight security members were killed by what it referred to as terrorist groups. The opposition has named tomorrow the "Friday of International Protection" in the hopes that the international community will step in to help protect Syrian civilians. 

Libya: The International Criminal Court announced today that has it requested the International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, issue an arrest warrant for Muammar al-Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and his intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi on charges of committing crimes against humanity. This comes after Gaddafi denied fleeing from Libya to Niger in an audio message. On the ground, the National Transitional Council dispatched additional forces to the town of Bani Walid. A spokesman for the revolutionaries said clashes broke out last night after Gaddafi's battalions launched attacks on the revolutionaries from inside the town. 

Bahrain: Security forces launched a fierce attack on activists who were celebrating the recent release of doctors and workers from the regime's jails. Saudi-backed Bahraini security forces fired live ammunition, sound bombs, and tear gas to disperse and pursue the protestors. Politically, the Bahraini opposition has accused the US and the UK of collaborating with Manama in the murder of civilians and of supplying the regime with internationally-banned arms and ammunition. The opposition also condemned the Arab League for ignoring reports of human rights violations in Bahrain.

Yemen: Protestors rallied nationwide today to call for the prosecution of the remaining figures of the regime, denounce Saudi and US intervention, and show their determination for the revolution. In an attempt to convince Saudi Arabia to change the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, which calls on Ali Abdullah Saleh step down from power, Saleh's cabinet met with the embattled president in Riyadh today. Saleh's cabinet also called on Saudi Arabia to support a new initiative, which would allow Saleh to return to Yemen as the leading president until the end of the year.

Libya: Violent clashes took place between the revolutionaries and Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the strategic oil town of Brega in eastern Libya. The town is one of the three major battlefronts of the Libyan conflict. The other two towns are Misurata and Jabal Nafusa, in western Libya. Brega is a strategic city for both sides and contains oil facilities, including refineries, a port, in addition to residential areas. The revolutionaries assert they are on the verge of taking control of the town, while Gaddafi's forces are desperately defending it.

Syria: According to activists, the number of people who have been killed in military operations in Syria since the beginning Ramadan has reached 271, an average of one death per hour. In addition, Syrian security forces re-entered the cities of Hama and Saraqeb after the journalist tour organized by authorities was over. Syrian activists reported that 44 people, including 18 in Homs, have been killed over the past few hours. The Syrian opposition continues to rally its supporters to take part in protest rallies tomorrow under the slogan, "We won't kneel, except to God."

Bahrain: The Youth of the February 14 Revolution Coalition called for a massive demonstration under the slogan "Right of Return to Martyrs' Square" in the Sanabis region on Thursday. The head of the Shura Council of al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Jamil al-Kazem, demanded the regime respond to the people's political and social demands and said that the protestors will not back down until their demands are met.

Libya: Reports from the Libyan town of Bi'r al-Ghanam, about 80 kilometers south of the capital Tripoli, indicate that armed opposition fighters have taken control of the area. Eyewitnesses in the area say there is no sign of government forces other than burned tanks and artillery wreckage. On the other hand, Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi responded to the reports by saying that the government forces retook control of the town and that life there has returned to normal.

Syria: Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia have decided to recall their ambassadors from Damascus for consultations. On the ground, reports from Syria indicate that the Syrian army opened fire on a number of areas of Deir az-Zour this morning. Yesterday, the city witnessed similar attacks in which over 50 people were killed and dozens more injured, according to opposition activists. These reports were denied by a Syrian military spokesman.

Saudi Arabia: Amnesty International has strongly condemned a new Saudi Arabian anti-terror law that criminalizes legitimate political oppositions. The organization said in a statement that the draft law considers it a crime to question the integrity of the king or the crown prince and carries a minimum prison sentence of ten years. The draft law also allows for detaining a suspect for one year without a trial and holding suspects for four months in solitary confinement. The rights organization describes the law as posing a dangerous threat to freedom of speech in the name of preventing terrorism.

Yemen: Anti-regime protestors gathered in the capital Sana'a and various other provinces to reaffirm their rejection of Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime. They named today the "Friday of Rejection of Collective Punishment." Meanwhile, supporters of the ruling party rallied in support of Saleh at Sana'a's al-Sabeen Square on what they called the "Friday of Sit-in to Thank God."

Syria: Cities throughout the country witnessed popular protests today, like every Friday since March. Activists on social networking websites called for demonstrations on the "Friday of the Grandsons of Khaled Ibn el-Waleed." The opposition estimated that 1.2 million protestors participated in today's demonstration. Protests were witnessed in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Hama, Daraa in the south, Idlib in the north and Deir az-Zour in the east near the border with Iraq. According to preliminary estimates by human rights activists, five people were killed today.

Syria: Conflicting reports are emerging about the arrest of several actors and intellectuals in Damascus. While several reports confirm the report, Syrian officials have made no comment regarding the issue. The opposition's Facebook page is filled with comments calling for the release of these artists, including actress Mai Skaf and actor Faris al-Helou. According to a member of the Human Rights Association of Syria, security forces opened fire on protestors in Deir az-Zour, killing two people and wounding five. In Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that 11 citizens were wounded by the security forces' gunfire in two separate neighborhoods.

Yemen: The Yemeni Joint-Meeting Parties (JMP) denied the statements in an article published by a Saudi Arabian newspaper saying that JMP forces are fighting Houthis in al-Jawf province. Yemenis, however, accuse the Saudi regime of sowing chaos by arming militias loyal to Riyadh in al-Jawf province to attack Houthis in the north. They say the start of revolutions in countries with strong ties with Saudi Arabia, such as Tunisia and Egypt, made the kingdom's rulers fearful that democratic countries would emerge near its borders and cause unwanted change in the country.

Bahrain: Pro-democracy poet, Ayat al-Qurmezi has been placed under house arrest shortly after she was released from prison. Hailed as the "freedom poet," she was arrested on March 30 for reciting anti-government poetry in the capital Manama's Pearl Square. She was charged with incitement and insulting members of the royal family and handed a one-year jail term. In jail, she was subjected to torture and inhumane treatment.

Bahrain: King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has ordered the formation of an independent fact-finding commission to investigate the events that occurred in Bahrain in February and March. He also confirmed his invitation to to start a national dialogue. One political activist said that a dialogue was destined to fail and said that all opposition parties have rejected it. They view the dialogue as an attempt to thwart the revolution and reduce international pressure on Manama.

Yemen: Fresh protests have broken out in the capital Sanaa and 11 other cities. Protestors reaffirmed their demand for the formation of a transitional council and condemned the human rights violations committed by security forces against peaceful protestors. Dozens of soldiers from President Ali Abdullah Saleh's army have defected from the regime and announced that they will join the peaceful revolution. As the humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate, Saleh is soon expected to return from Saudi Arabia after receiving medical treatment. 

Syria: Syrians continue to stage protests throughout the country demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad's regime and rejecting all calls for dialogue. In the past 24 hours, massive protests have been held in Hama, Homs, Latakia, Der al-Zor, and other cities in Rif Dimashq. While Assad has proposed a number of constitutional amendments, they don’t meet the minimum requirements of the people who insist on comprehensive reforms, a new constitution, and a democratic state.