Freedom of the press
All topics-
Detention in Egypt
Cairo's model Badr prison rife with abuse
A new prison, touted by Egypt as a model for reform, that holds some of its most prominent prisoners denies inmates healthcare and subjects them to punitive treatment including isolation, relatives of those inside and rights groups say.
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Human rights in Algeria
Banned, intimidated, driven into exile
Algeria's civil society is once again being targeted by the authorities. With the judicial dissolution of the human rights league LADDH, yet another human rights group critical of the government has been shut down – the outlook could hardly be worse. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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Cairo's crisis
Egypt needs democracy to fix its economy
Sisi’s mismanagement has plunged the country into crisis. Both political and economic reform is needed to save it, writes Abdelrahman Mansour
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Human rights deteriorating in Morocco
Rabat's defamation drive
Morocco's regime continues to silence voices through censorship and arrest, apparently feeling vulnerable in the face of widespread popular criticism. Commentary by Abdellatif El Hamamouchi
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Migrating to Germany
Turks up sticks as prospects worsen at home
Inflation, poverty, and no freedom of expression: as the political and economic situation in Turkey worsens under Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s increasingly autocratic government, more and more Turks are fleeing to Germany. Elmas Topcu reports
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Sudan's path to democratic transition
Will the Sudan deal hold?
Sudanese protesters have been calling for the removal of German diplomat Volker Perthes from the UN mission to the country. Despite the fractious nature of post-dictatorship politics, there are some reasons for optimism, such as the latest deal. By Cathrin Schaer
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COVID-19, COP27 and World Cup 2022
Crisis management in the Arab world
November 2022 sees the Arab world firmly in the spotlight with the COP27 in Egypt and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Public trust in MENA governments is weak, thanks to their miserable record in protecting citizens’ rights, which leaves nations ill-equipped to handle complex crises like climate change or COVID-19. By Jan Voelkel
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Turkey’s new media law
Censorship by any other name
According to Turkey’s revised media legislation, spreading "fake news" now carries a prison sentence. The definition of what this entails has been kept intentionally vague. Opposition leaders, journalists and human rights observers call foul. Leyla Egeli reports
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Nedim Turfent’s freedom of speech
Beyond the walls of Van
Kurdish journalist Nedim Turfent has been in prison in Turkey since 2016 – because he reported on police violence. A collection of his writings penned while behind bars is now available in German. Gerrit Wustmann read the book
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Turkey
20 years of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKP
On 3 November 2002, Erdogan's newly founded AKP, Justice and Development Party, came to power in Turkey. It has ruled the country ever since, becoming more authoritarian with each victory. By Elmas Topcu
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UN climate summit in Egypt
Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's greenwashing fail
COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh is turning into a PR disaster for Egypt’s military regime. Instead of praise for the host, the news is full of solidarity for imprisoned activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and criticism of the event’s grotesque surveillance measures. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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"I’m very worried": Mother of hunger striker Alaa Abdel Fattah wants action
Detained Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah’s decision to escalate a hunger strike in prison to a refusal to drink water has raised the stakes and shone a spotlight on human rights violations as Egypt hosts the COP27 climate summit