Greater Middle East

Egypt: crackdown ahead of revolution anniversary

In anticipation of the fifth anniversary of the start of the Egyptian revolution, authorities have clamped down on dissidents in an effort to avoid further political unrest.

Greater Middle East

Regional powers exploit Bahrain protests

Shi'ite protesters have repeatedly mobilized in Bahrain to demand the release of imprisoned dissident cleric Sheikh Ali Salman—ignored by the foreign media except in Iran.

North Africa

Algeria: Kabyles march for independence

Thousands of Berbers marched in Algeria's Kabylia region to oppose a constitutional revision they say fails to respect their language rights, and assert their right to independence.

Iran

Iran, Saudi Arabia wage execution war

Violent protests in Iran against Saudi Arabia's execution of a dissident Shi'ite cleric come as the Islamic Republic is itself preparing a mass execution of Sunni political prisoners.

Greater Middle East

Health concerns for imprisoned Saudi blogger

Imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi—winner of the EU's Sakharov Prize—has suffered fainting spells and deteriorating health owing to his lengthy hunger strike.

Greater Middle East

Syria: civil wars in the civil war

A growing split between secular and Islamist elements of the FSA is unfortunately mirrored by a breach between Kurds and Ankara-backed Arab and Turkmen forces.

Greater Middle East

Saudi Arabia sentences Palestinian poet to death

A court in Saudi Arabia sentenced Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh to death for apostasy and abandoning his Muslim faith after he protested the kingdom's religious police.

Greater Middle East

Egypt: officials arrest prominent rights activist

Egyptian authorities arrested prominent human rights activist Hossam Bahgat after military officials questioned him concerning a report he wrote on the use of secret trials.

North Africa

Meanwhile in, um, Benghazi…

Missiles and mortar rounds were fired into a crowd of anti-Islamist demonstrators in central Benghazi, killing six and injuring many more.

Greater Middle East

Bahrain sentences political activist to prison

Bahrain's Court of Appeals convicted rights activist Zainab al-Khawaja on charges related to her ripping up a photo of the country's king during a court hearing in 2014.