Politics

Interview with Iranian activist Taghi Rahmani

"A robust civil society is the essence of democracy"

The execution of wrestler Navid Afkari triggered an international outcry, as well as protests against the Iranian justice system. At the same time, it has highlighted the persistently precarious situation of many human rights activists in the Islamic Republic. Azadeh Fathi spoke to the journalist and activist Taghi Rahmani
By Azadeh Fathi
A sacred site in Jerusalem

The new Saladin

Now that he has converted Hagia Sophia back into a mosque, Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is setting his sights on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Joseph Croitoru explains why the call to "liberate Al-Aqsa" is being elevated to a state ideology in Turkey
By Joseph Croitoru
Protests in Libya

Violence and corruption: young people say enough's enough

Just as in Lebanon and Iraq, civil war-torn Libya is also experiencing a wave of protests against corruption and undignified living conditions. The difference here is that demonstrators in Libya are confronted with two governments at once. By Kersten Knipp and Khaled Salameh
By Kersten Knipp & Khaled Salameh
COVID-19 in Iran

Power, identity and the coronavirus

The coronavirus is changing everything, forcing cancellation of the usual shows of force and mass religious events seen as indispensable to the rulers of the Islamic Republic. A new age is dawning in Iran: a virtual age. By Ali Sadrzadeh
By Ali Sadrzadeh
Afghanistan's decline and long search for peace

A slide into war and chaos

The Soviet Union's 1979 invasion and 10-year domination of Afghanistan started the country's descent into poverty and lawlessness. The country still has not found peace. People have lost faith in institutions, tend to only trust persons from their own tribe, and the nation's attitude is now more xenophobic than in the past. By Nawid Paigham
By Nawid Paigham
19 years on from 9/11

Has Germany failed in Afghanistan?

After the al-Qaida terrorist network attacked the US on 11 September 2001, Germany backed the US-led military and diplomatic mission in Afghanistan – and still does. Nineteen years on, what has Germany achieved? By Sandra Petersmann and Nina Werkhäuser
By Sandra Petersmann & Nina Werkhäuser
Coronavirus in Morocco

The threat of a new lockdown emerges

After the country initially showed itself to be gaining control over the pandemic, to the point of being classified as a safe country for travel from the European Union, the situation in Morocco has deteriorated, as the King himself has noted. So has Morocco lost its way in the fight against the coronavirus? By Ismail Azzam
By Ismail Azzam
French President in Beirut

Can Macron save Lebanon?

In the aftermath of the devastating explosions in Beirut, French President Emmanuel Macron is styling himself as Lebanon's saviour. Ultimately, however, the success of his efforts will depend on the goodwill of the regional powers in the Middle East. An analysis by Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Riad Seif’s testimony at the Syrian torture trial in Germany

A Syrian opposition legend speaks out

In the first case of its kind anywhere in the world, a German court is probing Syria's state torture system. Giving testimony at the trial is one of Syria's most widely respected opposition figures, Riad Seif, who helped the accused, Anwar R., get a visa for Germany. By Matthias von Hein
By Matthias von Hein
Interview with political scientist Hugo Micheron

"The attack on Charlie Hebdo was a belated wake-up call"

Political scientist Hugo Micheron on the origins of Islamist terrorism in France, his conversations with jihadists – and on the trial now beginning against the perpetrators of the 2015 attacks. Interview by Nadia Pantel
By Nadia Pantel
Pakistan and the Gulf

Arab allies jump ship over Pakistan's 'new Kashmir policy'

Lacking support from Arab countries for its stance on the Kashmir dispute, Pakistan is looking for new alliances under China's leadership. How practical is it for Islamabad to pursue its new foreign policy? By Haroon Janjua
By Haroon Janjua
2015 and the Syrian influx

Five years on: how has Germany's refugee policy fared?

Five years ago, as hundreds of thousands of refugees came to Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel maintained: "We can do it." How has Germany – and those who sought asylum – managed since then? Christoph Hasselbach explains
By Christoph Hasselbach