Rule of law
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Turkey at 100What will become of Ataturk's legacy?
A century ago, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded the Turkish Republic based on secular values. Today, many fear his vision is under threat by conservative President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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Egypt's broken justice system"My approach was to joke about prison"
In 2016, Egyptian author Ahmed Naji was imprisoned for one year, his writing allegedly "harming public morals". His new book "Rotten Evidence" chronicles his journey to and through prison. Darkly humorous, it offers vivid insights into the cruel and mundane world of Egyptian prison. Interview by Hannah El-Hitami
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Saudi Arabia and the Khashoggi murderStill no justice
Far from a pariah state after the assassination of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Arabia features ever more prominently on the world stage. How do Saudi activists keep fighting when the world is looking away? By Cathrin Schaer
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Turkey's 2024 local electionsHow to win against Erdogan's AKP?
While Turkey's opposition has been in deadlock since losing the elections, many of its supporters are suffering from post-election stress. As Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling AKP turn their attentions to the 2024 local elections, their rivals remain preoccupied with infighting. Ayse Karabat reports from Istanbul
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Financial crisis in LebanonBeirut's bank robber folk heroes
Desperation is driving some Lebanese to take matters into their own hands. These days, robbing a bank to access your own money is likely to make you a folk hero. Karim El-Gawhary met two such 'criminals' in Beirut
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Repression in Sisi's EgyptActivists targeted in presidential election run-up
Egypt's clampdown on political dissent increasingly includes family members of activists living abroad. The Sisi regime has also admitted to leveraging the release of individual political prisoners for financial aid. Jennifer Holleis reports
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Jordan's new cybercrime lawHeading towards Internet censorship
Jordan's controversial new cybercrime law, now ratified by the king, could have serious consequences for freedom of expression, political participation and the digital economy. By Abdullah Jbour
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Transnational repressionWhy a friendlier Middle East is more dangerous for activists
Authoritarian governments often harass and hinder their critics, even if those people are outside the country. As former enemies become friends in the Middle East, will they cooperate to shut down opposition voices? By Cathrin Schaer
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Music festivals in TurkeyOnly "halal" festivals acceptable?
In Turkey, concerts and festivals by artists at odds with the government line are being cancelled with increasing frequency. Islamist and nationalist groups are often responsible. Elmas Topcu and Aynur Tekin report
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10 years after Egypt's Rabaa massacreStill waiting for justice
The massacre of protesters in Cairo under Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's watch was one of the worst in modern history – and one of the best documented. But 10 years on, no-one has been held accountable. By Cathrin Schaer
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Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial reformsIsraeli government and the Supreme Court at loggerheads
Benjamin Netanyahu's government is set on curtailing the powers of the judiciary. But the judges will not give up without a fight. What happens next will determine just how endangered Israel's democratic system really is. By Joseph Croitoru
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Sweden Koran burningsPlaying to the radicals
As Sweden grapples with the diplomatic fallout of a series of Koran burnings, radicals on all sides are rubbing their hands and exploiting the moment. Birgit Svensson travelled from Baghdad to Stockholm to get the full picture