Arab Spring

When and
where it
happened?
The Arab protests of 2010-
2012, known as the Arab
Spring, corresponded to a
series of popular
demonstrations calling for,
according to the protesters,
democracy and social
rights organized by the
Arab population.
 Why it happened?

The beginning of these

demonstrations is considered to
be December 17, 2010, in the
city of Sidi Bouzid, when a
street vendor (Mohamed
Bouazizi) was deprived of his
merchandise and savings
accounts by the police and, in
response, blew himself up in
protest. .
Food prices, lack of work,
repression, request for
freedoms and democratic rights
or change of government or
regime
 Consequences
The consequences of the Arab Spring
were the Syrian Civil War; the Libyan
Civil War; the rise of the ISIL (Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant), the
insurgency and civil war in Iraq; the
Yemeni Crisis and Civil War; the
Egyptian Crisis, coup and insurgency.
In total there where 4 civil wars in the
aftermath, 9,700 riots, protests and
unrests.
In material and human losses there
where 61,000 death approximately.
Most of the deaths occurred in
demonstrations and protests. And
most deaths happened in Libya.
 Timeline: Tunisia – Libya – Egypt
Tunisia
• The 17th December 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi
died after protesting against the corruption of the
police.
• Following this event young Tunisians started to
protest.
• Days after the protests the Tunisian president,
Ben Ali, that led a Socialist political party, tries to
stop the protests, but they don’t stop and
continue furthermore in 2011.
• In January 14th 2011, Ben Ali, the president, flees
to Saudi Arabia and bows to protests.
• Other political figures try to overtake the role of
the nation’s leader but all fail, and the country
gets a democratic party system.
Libya
• Inspired by the Tunisians’ protests, the first
reports of Libyan unrests happen just right after
Tunisia gained it’s democracy.
• The Socialist president Muammar Gaddafi tries
to stop protest, firstly by imputing policies and
then by making the armed force to his dirty work.
• Gaddafi goes into hiding but rebel forces find him
and kill him on October 20th 2011.
• Gaddafi’s son Safi is captured when he wanted
to flee to Niger one month later his father’s
death.
• All leading figures are killed or captured from the
Gaddafi regime on November 20th 2011.
Egypt
• After Tunisia’s democratic goal, protestors in
Egypt start to show up.
• Socialist president Hosni Mubarak makes an
announcement proclaiming that he will refuses to
step down.
• In consequence the army joins the protestors’
side.
• Bloody battles follow up between the close
forces of Mubarak and the protestors.
• Then Mubarak hand his power to the military and
after the population vote for for a democratic
party and Mubarak is sentenced to life prison on
June 2nd 2012.
 Timeline: Bahrain – Saudi Arabia –
Bahrain
Yemen
• On February 2011 several hundreds of Bahrainis
gather to show solidarity with the Egyptian
protestors.
• Then demonstrations are made and protestors
are put in tents.
• The king stops the protests and denies Kuwaiti
involvement and continues with a monarchy
system.
Saudi Arabia
• Authorities ban public protests in March 11th
2011.
• King Abdullah announces reforms to stop a
violent conflict and the rights for people to have
free elections from 2015.
Yemen
• On January 2011 activists are arrested even
Tawakil Karman, winner of a Nobel Peace Prize.
• Protestors call for the removal of president Ali
Abdullah Saleh.
• Salem survives an assassination attempt on
June 3rd 2011.
• On September 23rd 2011 Saleh returns from his
recovery and calls for truce.
• In February 27th 2012 Saleh officially hands over
his power to his Vice-President and giving a
democratic state to the nation.
• Saleh is later killed in 2017.
 Timeline: Syria – Jordan – Sudan
Syria
• The first serious unrest happens in March 15th
2011, protestors are against president Bashar al-
Assad.
• Security armed forces kills more than 500 people
the rest of the year.
• In 2012 al-Assad calls the protestors ‘terrorists’
and attacks the city of Homs.
• The first truce in battle is announced in April
2013.
• In September 2015 al-Assad asks Russian
president Vladimir Putin for help, but Putin
refuses.
• In 2016 after Putin attacks Syria, Syria gains a
semi-presidential republic.
Jordan
• Protests start on January 2011 against Prime
minister Samir Rifai.
• After the resignation of an economic reform,
protestors organize marches in various cities.
• On November 2012 Protests erupt nationwide
and this leads to changes in the government
system.
Sudan
• The protests started by late 2018.
• In April 2019 president Omar al-Bashir ends his
30 years in power.
• After the overthrow of al-Bashid, military forces
take over and take action to the protestors.
• In July 2019 protestors are shot in a student
protest.
• Then the government is taken over by a federal
system.