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Syrian-German director Anis Hamdoun"I want audiences to see me first as an artist, not a refugee"
Born into a prominent theatre family in Homs, Anis Hamdoun rebuilt his career in Germany from scratch after leaving Syria in 2012. The director and playwright reflects on life between cultural worlds and the future of Syrian theatre.
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General Amnesty LawA solution to Lebanon's prison crisis?
Thousands of inmates in Lebanon are held in overcrowded prisons under appalling conditions, many without a final verdict. A proposed law promises relief, but political and sectarian rivalries stand in the way.
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DenaturalisationKuwait is stripping its leading intellectuals of citizenship
Up to 300,000 people in Kuwait have lost their citizenship in the last two years. What the authorities describe as a "correction" is leaving stars of the national cultural scene stateless. Among them is Talib al-Rifai, the "father of the Kuwaiti novel".
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Iraq's Anfal campaignThe survivor who brought her torturer to justice
After decades in hiding, the head of a notorious prison during the 1988 campaign against Iraq's Kurds has been sentenced to death. For survivor Fazila Mohammad, who helped identify him, the verdict is a milestone, but not the end.
Politics
More about Politics-
Syria after AssadStriking deals with the old elites
The HTS regime presents itself as the "liberator of Syria" while collaborating with key figures from the Assad era. Instead of conducting a thorough reckoning with the past, the new elites are consolidating power with the help of the old.
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Saudi sports policyThe limits of Saudi Arabia's football ambitions
Saudi Arabia has emerged as an influential player in the politics of international sports, particularly football. The 2034 World Cup will be hosted by the Kingdom, but war in the Gulf could be jeopardising its ambitious goals.
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Turkey's Role as Mediator in the Gaza ConflictDubious Diplomacy
As in other countries, Israel's attacks on Gaza have been greeted in Turkey with angry protests. Nevertheless, the government of Recep Tayyip Erdo?an is currently making every effort to mediate between the two sides. According to Can Baydarol, in doing so, it is protecting its own interests too
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Interview with Avi Primor
EU Essential for Guaranteeing Israeli Security in Gaza
In this interview, Avi Primor, Israel's former ambassador to Germany, talks to Diana Fong about the reasons for the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and how the EU can help bring about peace between the Jews and Palestinians
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Anti-war Demonstrations in Israel
Fighting the Cynicism of Escalation
In Israel, opponents of the military campaign in the Gaza Strip are starting to make their protest heard. The era of the old guard of the 'Peace Now' movement would appear to have come to an end; a new generation of activists is rising up to take their place. Joseph Croitoru reports
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The Bangladesh Vote
Rival Leaders Draw Closer
Following her landslide victory in the recent elections, the Awami League's Sheikh Hasina offered an olive branch to her arch-rival Khaleda Zia from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in a bid to create a positive political environment in the troubled country. Anne Thomas and Disha Uppal report
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Mideast Crisis
Gaza Invasion Won't Solve Mideast Problems
Peter Philipp writes that Israel's ground offensive in Gaza is shocking despite all the warning signs in the past days and warns the West against backing Israel in a falsely understood show of solidarity
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Uncertainty Surrounding the Presidential Candidature
Iranian Reformers between Resurgence and Diffidence
In June 2009 presidential elections will be called in Iran. The reform lobby's great hope is a man who had actually abandoned all ambitions to return to the political arena: ex-president Mohammad Khatami. Marcus Michaelsen reports from Teheran
Society
More about Society-
Libyan commander at the ICCThe "angel of death" on trial
The ICC has confirmed charges against Khaled El Hishri, accused of crimes against humanity at Tripoli's Mitiga prison. The first Libyan suspect to appear before the court, his trial could expose a wider system of abuse affecting Libyans, migrants and refugees.
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Israel's high-tech warfareA new era of automated violence
In Gaza, mobile phones are both a lifeline and a threat, feeding algorithmic targeting systems while remaining essential for survival. Researcher Gihan AbouZeid examines how AI-driven surveillance technologies are reshaping the experience of war.
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Women's Rights in Morocco
New Family Code Faces Many Hurdles
In Morocco many women's rights organizations are pointing to great difficulties in implementing the new family code. Reasons include the vague legal requirements and the government's inadequate information policy. By Beat Stauffer
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Intellectual Discourse in Pakistan
Ignoring Social Reality
During his visit to Pakistan, publicist Yoginder Sikand, a Muslim from India, had the impression that education is not withheld from the people due to a lack of means, but instead as a deliberate ploy
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Radical Islamic Networks on the Internet
My Enemy's Enemy Is My Friend
Under the pretense of supporting the struggle for liberation in Iraq and the Palestinian territories, "solidarity groups" are spreading radical and inflammatory propaganda. Irmgard Pinn and Aiman Mazyek on the dangers of online extremism
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Interview with Hatta Ramli and Farid Shahran
"The Islamic State Model Works"
In recent years, Malaysia has demanded a normative Islamization of society. Relations with the other religions in the multi-faith, multi-ethnic country have thus become a frequent topic of debate. Two Malaysian Islamic activists spoke with Qantara.de about democracy, the Islamization of society and their experiences with Europe
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Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim Receives Ibn Rushd Award
A Life Dedicated to Politics
Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim was the first female parliamentarian in Sudan. She dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of women, social justices and freedom of speech. Ibrahim was now honoured with the Ibn Rushd Award for Free Thinking. Jutta Schwengsbier reports
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Azhar Conference on Genital Mutilation
Scholars Proscribe Abuse of the Female Body
The German organization TARGET has organized for the first time together with Egypt's Azhar University an international conference on female genital mutilation. No consensus, however, was reached on issuing a legal opinion on banning female circumcision. By Nelly Youssef
Culture
More about Culture-
Egyptian film "Asad"Slave drama sparks debate on national identity
In Egypt, a historical film has sparked a present-day controversy, with critics accusing "Asad" of distorting the past and promoting Afrocentric narratives. Beneath the political rhetoric, however, lies a deeper cultural dispute.
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Iranian author Shahrnush ParsipurWriting in defiance
With the death of Shahrnush Parsipur, Iran has lost one of its most indomitable literary voices. The author of "Women Without Men" confronted censorship and oppression throughout her life. Most recently, she refused to glorify the war against Iran as a liberation.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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