Politics

Egypt, Alaa Abd El-Fattah and democracy

"You have not yet been defeated"

Alaa Abd el-Fattah, arguably Egypt’s most prominent democracy activist, has just been handed another lengthy prison sentence. Despite this, a book of his writing has recently been published. It reveals the former Tahrir Square activist as a reflective, left-wing intellectual. Jannis Hagmann read the book
By Jannis Hagmann
Modi's India

Authoritation pseudo-democracy in the making?

India is generally considered to be the world’s largest democracy. As civic freedoms are being eroded, international experts now consider it seriously under threat. By Mira Mandal
By Mira Mandal
Arabic Network for Human Rights

Egypt's leading rights group forced to close

A prominent rights group in Egypt, the Arabic Network for Human Rights, is ending operations just as the country braces for a controversial NGO law. Is this the beginning of the end for civil society in Egypt? By Jennifer Holleis
By Jennifer Holleis
Syria torture trial

Anwar Raslan: "No small cog in the wheel"

Life imprisonment for crimes against humanity: that was the sentence handed down to Anwar Raslan in the world's first trial of a member of the Syrian torture system. Matthias von Hein reports
By Matthias von Hein
Protests in Kazakhstan

Putin's nightmare?

Russia is seeking to shore up the government of Kazakhstan and is sending in the military. For President Putin, there is more at stake than simply his influence in a partner country that is currently being rocked by unrest. By Roman Goncharenko, Emily Sherwin and Olga Sosnytska
By Roman Goncharenko & Emily Sherwin & Olga Sosnytska
Interview with Asef Bayat

Examining the Arab Spring revolutions from within

Asef Bayat, professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, has been studying revolutions and how they affect people since 1979. In his recent book, "Revolutionary Life: The Everyday of the Arab Spring", Bayat takes a new approach to studying revolutions by focusing on how they affect citizens in their everyday lives. Tugrul von Mende spoke to him about how his understanding of revolutions has changed over the past 20 years
By Tugrul von Mende
The Gulf

Bahrain – where human rights don’t count

The catastrophic human rights situation in Bahrain is being largely ignored by the rest of the world. Despite all the damning evidence, which includes a Human Rights Watch report, the West is unlikely to apply any pressure on the regime due to geostrategic interests. By Diana Hodali
By Diana Hodali
Iranian economy

The causes of Iran's economic woes

Talks to salvage the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal have entered their eighth round in Vienna. Even if a deal is struck and some of the sanctions are lifted, the state of the Iranian economy is such that there can be little hope that any relief provided by a revived agreement will trickle down to the general population. By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Terrorism in Pakistan

Afghan Taliban do little to stop Pakistan Taliban

The Pakistani Taliban, known by the acronym TTP, are regrouping and reorganising, with their leadership headquartered in neighbouring Afghanistan, according to a U.N. report from July. That is raising fears among Pakistanis of a return of the horrific violence the group once inflicted
Yemen conflict

Marib: from refuge to battlefield

The city of Marib is the most important place of refuge in Yemen for those displaced in the country. But fighting between Houthi rebels and government troops is currently escalating there, further exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe. Karim El-Gawhary reports
By Karim El-Gawhary
Bangladesh turns 50

Pakistan's greatest defeat remains taboo

In 1971, Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan after a bloody civil war to become independent. But the events of that time are still largely taboo today. A reappraisal of this central chapter in Pakistan's history has yet to take place. Analysis by Mohammad Luqman
By Mohammad Luqman
Turkey-Africa summit

Erdogan scores "Made in Turkey" points

Ankara staged its third Turkey-Africa summit on 17 December, a sign of growing economic partnership under President Erdogan. Military co-operation is also a hot topic. Martina Schwikowski, Daniel Bellut and Pelin Unker have the details
By Martina Schwikowski & Daniel Bellut & Pelin Unker