But not if you’re Kuwaiti apparently…

I have a sneaking suspicion that much of the state religious intolerance we see in the ME these days is a smokescreen for the paranoia of authoritarian regimes. Dictators and kings seem to view any organized minority group as a potential source of unrest and a threat to their power. In Egypt, the state pretends it’s shutting out the Baha’i under pressure from fundamentalists (which do exist in Egypt in abundance, a fact the state cleverly manipulates to keep its western allies a) afraid and b) out of Egypt’s business) when really it’s because the Baha’i are a mobile, organized, monied minority. What you don’t here is that the Mubarak regime is also trying to make it illegal to be in a rock band, and routinely arrests rockers–because as we all know, rockers are also an organized, vocal, anti-authoritarian group. Both Baha’i and rock musicians are generally well-tolerated by the public. The same goes for Egypt’s large Bohra community. When I was in Alexandria a few years ago, the (Sunni) officials at the mosque of Nabi Daniel actually closed the building to passerby while the Bohra were conducting a prayer inside. But mark my words, if there’s ever a hint of a rumor that the Bohra are agents for a foreign government or fomenting opposition, there will suddenly be “religious pressure” to drive them underground.

The law will cover different aspects like enforcing the veil and Islamic dress on women, restricting women’s travel without the approval from father or husband.
[...]
It also aims at introducing gender segregation at universities, colleges, ministries and private institutions.

http://tinyurl.com/3rx5re

http://tinyurl.com/5tzeqg

(Thanks AE.)