Politics

Amnesty's Israel report

The power of words

Apartheid! Anti-Semitism! Why the row about definitions is shifting the focus away from the issue at hand. Commentary by Daniel Marwecki on the debate about Amnesty International's Israel report
By Daniel Marwecki
Kurdish autonomy in northeast Syria

Between Assad and Erdogan

The Kurdish Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria controls a third of Syria, but is not recognised by anyone. Attacks by Turkey, a threatened takeover by the Assad regime, dealing with tens of thousands of IS supporters and international isolation complicate people's daily lives. Kristin Helberg reports for Qantara.de from Qamishli
By Kristin Helberg
Turkey-Armenia relations

Normalisation after 31 years of tension?

Turkish-Armenian rapprochement kicked off in Moscow in January, after a break of 13 years. This time, focusing on relatively easy fixes such as trade and transportation, both countries are emphasising a lack of pre-conditions. Turkey is nevertheless reluctant to let third countries, such as Russia, to play a role in the process. By Leyla Egeli
By Leyla Egeli
Assad's rehabilitation

At the expense of the Syrian people

A number of Arab League member states have announced in recent weeks that they intend resuming relations with the Syrian regime. A potential invitation to the Arab League summit in Algeria in March was even on the table, but the conference has since been postponed. By Bente Scheller
By Bente Scheller
UAE foreign policy rethink

Is dialogue replacing proxy politics?

The UAE is revisiting its foreign policy goals with the aim of boosting its global trade partnerships and ensuring its security and political stability, by replacing robust military intervention and proxy politics with dialogue and diplomacy. By Mohammad Barhouma
By Mohammad Barhouma
India state elections

India's BJP revives Hindu-Muslim dispute

Hindu monk and chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, up for re-election in key state polls next month, has turned his attention to a revered religious site in Mathura, situated next to a mosque, suggesting he will champion the Hindu cause in a long-running dispute with Muslims over who owns the site
Sudan's popular resistance

The revolution will succeed

The struggle for civilian rule in Sudan is ongoing. Neighbourhood "resistance committees" are the driving force behind ongoing protests against the now-ruling military junta. Operating at a local, decentralised level, they have begun bundling their forces and coordinating nationally, with the aim of playing a role at the political level. Eduard Cousin reports for Qantara.de from Khartoum
By Eduard Cousin
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