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Honour killings in Pakistan

Little hope of change

In the space of just a few weeks, two cases of honour killings in Pakistan shocked the world. Although some might expect such global outrage and attention to help trigger change, activists in Pakistan do not hold out much hope for improvement in the near future. By Roma Rajpal Weiss
The Druze in the Syrian conflict

Potential to tip the scales

For many years, Syria's Druze community was regarded as a loyal ally of Assad. Yet their pleas to Damascus to protect them against extremist groups fell on deaf ears. Now, on account of their increasing distance to the Baath regime, the Druze are at risk of getting caught in the crossfire. Details by Firas Maksad
Abduction in Syria of Paolo Dall'Oglio

A voice of peace in a wilderness of violence

The Italian Jesuit Paolo Dall'Oglio was abducted eight months ago in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa. There has been no trace of him since. A popular figure in Syria, the priest has been a consistent champion of dialogue between Christians and Muslims. He was one of the few members of the Church to align himself with the opposition right at the start of the uprising against Assad in March 2011. By Claudia Mende
Oriental Christians in Germany

Providing a Diplomatic Bridge

A new central council of oriental Christians has been formed in Germany to raise public awareness of the problems Arab Christians are facing in conflict-ridden countries like Syria, Egypt and Iraq. Günther Birkenstock reports
Christians in Egypt

Persecuted and Forgotten

Anti-Christian violence is on the rise in Egypt. Although 45 churches and buildings were burned to the ground just a month ago, the Egyptian state is doing little to protect the country's Christians. By Markus Symank
Four years of war in Syria

Where the uprising began and still lives on

The southern Syrian city of Daraa is the "cradle of the revolution" and the last bastion of the uprising against the Assad regime. Kristin Helberg on the special significance the provincial city has held since the start of the Syrian rebellion four years ago
Egypt's and Tunisia's State Security Files

An Inaccessible Past

Two years after the Arab Spring started shaking up the political landscape of the Middle East, many secret police files are still kept locked up in the relevant ministries and therefore remain inaccessible. Christoph Dreyer reports
Parliamentary and presidential elections in Tunisia

The euphoria has evaporated

In the run-up to parliamentary elections on 26 October, more than five million Tunisians registered to vote, considerably more than in 2011. Nevertheless, observers expected voter turnout to be low. Many Tunisians are frustrated by the fact that their situation has hardly improved in the three years since the overthrow of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. By Sarah Mersch in Tunis
Social media and the Arab Spring in Tunisia

Not as soft as jasmine

Social media did not topple Tunisia's dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, but they certainly played an important role. According to the Tunisian blogger Aya Chebbi, cyber activism is now an important tool for democratisation in this North African country
Interview with the Tunisian documentary filmmaker Sami Tlili

"We've reached a crossroads"

In conversation with Martina Sabra, the Tunisian literary scholar and documentary filmmaker Sami Tlili talks about the political future of the North African country following the recent parliamentary elections, and the democratic prospects three years after the "Jasmine Revolution"