Democracy Lab Weekly Brief, October 7, 2013

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Mohamed Eljarh reports on the backlash in Libya after U.S. special forces snatch a suspected terrorist off the streets of Tripoli.

Anna Nemtsova analyzes Russian reactions to a court’s draconian sentencing of an international crew of Greenpeace activists on piracy charges.

Christian Caryl looks at the obstacles that stand in the way of the world’s girls.

Juan Nagel charts the tricky terrain of foreign investment in Venezuela’s oil fields. 

Silvana Toska explains why the words "free and fair" no longer mean what they used to.

And Morten Jerven argues that Africa’s future depends (in part) on improving the quality of economic data.

And now for this week’s recommended reads…

FP‘s Marc Lynch argues that it’s time for the Obama Administration to rethink its democracy promotion policies in the Middle East.

The International Crisis Group reports on the worsening anti-Muslim violence in Burma. (In the photo above, a Muslim man inspects the smoking ruins of a vandalized mosque in Rakhine state.)

NYU’s Center for Constitutional Transitions argues why it’s vital for new democracies to establish the principle of constitutional review.

In its new report on prosperity in Africa, the Legatum Institute finds that things are looking up for the continent’s economies.

Alexey Malashenko, writing for the Carnegie Moscow Center, urges Russia to revise its policies on the Middle East.

The National Interest‘s Frank Salameh explains how Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is using ethnic cleansing to help his cause.

Human Rights Watch’s Hanan Saleh reports from Libya on a general state of lawlessness that is imperiling the rights of an increasing number of citizens.

The National Endowment for Democracy interviews Moisés Naím about his new book on the evolution of democracy and power.

The Diplomat covers the continuing protests in Maldives. Meanwhile, Azaz Shami reports on the worsening protests in Sudan.