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.
Tag: Arab Revolution
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
Syria: anti-ISIS forces advance —despite everything
The new Kurdish-Arab alliance in northern Syria continues to advance into ISIS-held territory—in spite of efforts by virtually all the regional powers to sabotage it.
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.
Greater Middle East
Saudi Arabia confirms Shi’ite cleric’s death sentence
Saudi Arabia's high court upheld the death sentence of Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, found guilty of sedition over Arab Spring protests.
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.
Greater Middle East
Saudi activist sentenced to 10 years in prison
Abdel-Karim al-Khadar, a rights advocate and opponent of Islamist extremism, was senteced to 10 years by a Saudi "anti-terrorist" court for criticizing the regime.
Greater Middle East
New Syrian rebel coalition unites Kurds, Arabs
A new coalition of 13 armed organizations announced the formation of the Democratic Forces of Syria, which is now planning a major offensive against ISIS.
North Africa
Tunisia: progressive forces still under attack
The same day the Tunisia Quartet civil activist group was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, a parliamentarian from the center-left ruling coalition survived an assassination attempt.
Greater Middle East
Egypt passes draconian anti-terror law
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi approved a counter-terrorism law assailed by rights groups as making permanent powers usually reserved for a state of emergency.
Iraq
Mass protests shake Baghdad regime
Tens of thousands took to the streets of Baghdad to protest economic conditions and corruption. The demonstrations are bringing together Sunnis, Shi'ites and leftists.