Blog archive all
Syrians from more than 40 different organisations met in Beirut last month to consider what role civil society might play in resolving the country's crisis. With no sign of a swift end to the armed conflict, and with many governments uncertain how to respond to it, the conference also… Read more
It is a sad testament to the failure of Mohamed Morsi's presidency that his claim to remain in office has been based on right rather than merit.
Almost everyone accepts that he was legitimately elected, and that is certainly a strong point in his favour. But once a leader has been… Read more
With the Egyptian army’s ultimatum due to expire this afternoon there are obvious reasons to be fearful. Yesterday’s outbreaks of street violence – at least 23 reported dead and some 200 injured in clashes between supporters and opponents of President Morsi – brought a taste of… Read more
For Egyptians who oppose the Muslim Brotherhood, the run-off in last year’s presidential election posed an unenviable choice. Much as they might dislike Mohamed Morsi, the Islamist candidate, the key question was whether they disliked him enough to vote for his opponent, Ahmed Shafik.… Read more
A report issued by Human Rights Watch this week looks at abuse, torture and ill-treatment of people from marginalised social groups by the Lebanese Internal Security Forces. It is based on more than 50 interviews with people arrested for suspected drug use, sex work, or homosexuality over… Read more
Research by the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge University has discovered alarmingly high levels of support for 'honour' killings among Jordanian teenagers.
Such crimes are a particular problem in Jordan, where government efforts to discourage them have met… Read more
The Emir of Qatar's abdication this morning (see text of his speech) is widely seen as a milestone – and rightly so. It breaks the long-standing Arab tradition of leaders who cling to power until the drop, or are forcibly removed from office.
Sheikh Hamad came to power in 1995, removing… Read more
posted on Twitter following yesterday's attack" src="/sites/default/files/egypt-shia-killing_0.jpg" style="border-style:solid; border-width:1px; height:291px; width:388px" />
At least four Shia Muslims – including a prominent religious figure – were killed yesterday when a mob attacked homes in… Read more
Following my blog posts about the coming-out of Yemeni revolution activist Alaa Jarban (here and here) I received an email from another Yemeni who identifies as gay. I'm posting it below, with the sender's permission:
When I read Alaa’s coming-out news on… Read more
"In a dictatorship," the Sudanese-born intellectual Abdel-Wahab al-Effendi once remarked, "the role of the minister of culture isn't to protect culture, but to stifle culture and to protect the regime".
For 24 years, this was the role that Farouk Hosni performed in Egypt as the "… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
