Politics

Endemic anti-Ahmadiyya discrimination

Pakistan's "Commission for Minorities" without the Ahmadis

Pakistan’s conduct towards the Ahmadis and its obsession with religious identity is symptomatic of the radicalisation of society that permeates all areas of life and is reflected in the laws of the land, says Mohammad Luqman
By Mohammad Luqman
Fourth Brussels Syria Conference

After nine years of war, who is helping the Syrians?

Twelve million Syrians are dependent on humanitarian aid, a sombre figure that conceals much suffering and high costs, of which Europe bears 80%. With an aid shortfall looming, the EU is mobilising donations and counting on civil society. Christian Hanelt argues that Brussels must take a stronger stance politically if the suffering is to stop
By Christian Hanelt
Political transition on the Bosphorus?

Turkey's "woke" Generation Z haunts President Erdogan

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to win over the millions of young Turks who will soon be of voting age. Yet many of the country's youth are in rebellious mood and openly reject him and his policies. By Sinem Ozdemir and Daniel Derya Bellut
By Sinem Özdemir & Daniel Derya Bellut
Mask diplomacy and power politics

Erdogan's foreign policy in the shadow of coronavirus

In the age of corona, Ankara's regional power strategy is twofold: on the one hand, Turkey is engaged in a charm offensive to revamp its political image, which has suffered lately in certain quarters. On the other, President Erdogan is pursuing a tough policy of interests backed up by military force. By Ronald Meinardus
By Ronald Meinardus
Corruption in the Arab world

Why are most Arabs so prepared to trust the military?

Why do so many people in Arab countries trust the armed forces, even though most armies in the region are highly corrupt? Abdalhadi Alijla has the answers
By Abdalhadi Alijla
International Day in support of victims of torture

"The international human rights system is slowly eroding"

From Syrian war crimes to U.S. hypocrisy in the Julian Assange case, the global "erosion of human rights standards" is of critical concern, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer tells Matthias von Hein
By Matthias von Hein
Germany hosts the Sudan Partnership Conference

A historic opportunity to move Sudan's transition along

The Sudan Partnership Conference on 25 June is seeking funding commitments to rebuild Sudan’s desolate economy. As Annette Weber argues, the crucial point will be aligning financial assistance with a successful transition process
By Annette Weber
The collapse of Haftar's offensive

Is Egypt really preparing to jump into the Libyan fray?

With General Haftar's troops increasingly on the defensive, the Egyptian leadership recently threatened direct military intervention in Libya, now in its sixth year of civil war. Analysis by Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
War crimes in Syria

Can Syrian sexual violence survivors get justice in Germany?

Brutal sexualised violence is widespread in Syrian prisons – and yet the subject receives little attention. Human rights activists are trying to achieve justice for thousands of victims in Germany. By Lisa Ellis
By Lisa Ellis
Interview with pioneering Islamic thinker Fehmi Jadaane

What is the essence of Islam, and does it need reforming?

Renowned Jordanian Islamic scholar Fehmi Jadaane vehemently objects to the transformation of Islam into an ideology. The religion ends up mired in a political swamp, he says, its message nothing more than an instrument of governance. Interview by Alia Al-Rabeo
By Alia Al-Rabeo
Arab states

Pandemic shines a light on the Gulf's three-way split

With Ramadan over and coronavirus hopefully on the wane, Bader Al-Saif takes a look at how divisions dating back to the June 2017 blockade of Qatar shaped the region's contrasting approaches to political messaging and public health in a time of both crisis and observance
By Bader Al-Saif
The death of George Floyd and endemic discrimination

It's time to replace "race" in the German constitution

At a time of widespread international protests against racism, triggered by the killing of George Floyd in the United States, there are calls to remove the term race from the German constitution. But not everyone agrees. By Volker Witting
By Volker Witting