Politics

Interview with the journalist and author Garance le Caisne

Caesar and the butcher of Damascus

In her book ″Codename Caesar. Im Herzen der syrischen Todesmaschinerie″ (Codename Caesar. At the heart of the Syrian death machine), Garance le Caisne reveals Bashar al-Assad′s system of torture and the efforts of ″Caesar″ the photographer to put an end to the murder. Interview by Ruth Renee Reif
By Ruth Renée Reif
Diyarbakir and the Turkish military offensive

The spoils of urban warfare

The Turkish military operation brought death and destruction to the historic heart of Diyarbakir. Now, there has been a sudden decision to nationalise the neighbourhood – sounding alarm bells for its historic legacy. By Sonja Galler
By Sonja Galler
Tunisia's fight against IS

Craving genuine alliance

Terrorism is threatening the only democracy to emerge from the Arab spring. Tunisia needs more support from the international community if it is to win the war on terror, writes Tawfik Jelassi
By Tawfik Jelassi
AfD and its historical antecedents

Whose struggle is it anyway?

The call by the AfD for a ban on Muslims being able to practise their faith freely and publicly is an attack on the German constitutional right to freedom of religious expression. If people start calling for minarets to be erased from public life, then it is not unreasonable to expect that one day, those minarets will burn, says Stefan Buchen
By Stefan Buchen
The Egyptian economy

Going, going, gone

Rather than trying to rescue his country′s foundering economy, Egypt′s president, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, has been forced to relinquish territory to Saudi Arabia in return for financial aid. It′s a decision that has sparked a public outcry and widespread derision. By Barak Barfi
By Barak Barfi
Corruption in Tunisia

Why look to Panama?

For Tunisia, the Panama Papers' revelations could not have come at a better time: after a long period of inactivity, they could put the wind back in the sails of the country’s lacklustre fight against corruption. Sarah Mersch reports from Tunis
By Sarah Mersch
IS attacks in Paris and Brussels

Orchestrating a reign of terror

The majority of IS terrorists to have been arrested recently are EU citizens, jihadist returnees from Syria and Iraq. Ever since the assault on the French satirical newspaper "Charlie Hebdo" in January 2014, international jihadists have increasingly been setting their sights on Europe
By Birgit Svensson
Panama Paper revelations

The Emirs of Panama

The autocratic Gulf states in particular are famous for their covert business style. It′s something they share with Panama′s offshore operations. Karim El-Gawhary reports on the involvement of prominent Arab politicians and businessmen in dubious financial transactions
By Karim El-Gawhary
Police co-operation with Egypt

Is Germany an "accessory to repression"?

A security agreement between Germany and Egypt is imminent, as confirmed by German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere during his Cairo visit in March. But is the Egyptian Interior Ministry, which has been held responsible for systematic torture and human rights violations, an appropriate partner for Berlin in the war against terrorism and in migration policy? By Sofian Philip Naceur
By Sofian Philip Naceur
Reforming the Arab security sector

A plea for transparency

In many Arab countries, comprehensive democratisation and national reconciliation is needed if urgently needed security sector reforms are to have the desired effect, says Yezid Sayigh, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut
By Yezid Sayigh
Egyptian-Saudi relations

Tightening the pursestrings

Saudi Arabia has stumped up billions to help Egypt′s economy in recent years. But bilateral relations seem to be cooling under the new Saudi King Salman. An analysis by Sebastian Sons
By Sebastian Sons
Global strategies in the war on terror

Eliminate the breeding grounds

One of the reasons for terrorism is a world order that is out of whack, which no longer reacts appropriately to crises around the globe, writes Syrian publicist Mohammed Dibou. Neither ″national″ nor ″continental″ measures can offer the protection craved by the West's citizens
By Mohammed Dibou