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From 2002 to 2004, my wife and I lived in Cairo as newlyweds, and together we came to learn that public sexual harassment of women in Egypt is, from a Westerner’s perspective, simply a disturbing fact of life in this city of about 7 million people. While I was a graduate student, my wife More »
Despite renewed violence in central Cairo and a stand-off between protesters and the currently ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), Egyptians are still prepared to head for the polls for participation in one of the most important elections in several generations, if not the history of modern Egypt. Egyptians are set to elect More »
After the fall of Hosni Mubarak and his National Democratic Party, the Christian minority of Egypt joined coalitions of Muslim youth in the secular and liberal political spectrum to prepare for Egypt’s new politics of inclusion. Today, more than 6,000 Egyptians are competing for fewer than 500 seats in parliamentary elections starting November 28. More »
France says the time has come to strengthen sanctions against a Syrian government that it says seems content to ignore calls for change. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe called for stronger sanctions and a United Nations Security Council Resolution against Damascus during a news conference Friday in Ankara. He also expressed hope that those More »
A huge story is breaking the the Arab press this week… An Egyptian activist posted nude pictures of herself online to protest limits on free expression in Egypt. Twenty-year-old Aliaa Magda Elmahdy exposed herself on her own blog. Conservatives have lambasted the bold move, as any public display of nudity is frowned upon in More »
Rally is called by the Muslim Brotherhood in reaction to a government proposal to give the military the final say on major policies More »
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says the elevated tensions make now the 'right time' to stop the massacre More »
Since March, 2011, nearly 100 Syrian journalists, bloggers, writers and commentators have been harassed, detained – or they disappeared altogether. A new report by the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), “Crackdown on Media Workers in Syria,” details dozens of violations over the past nine months, detailing 117 separate incidents. Mazen Darwich More »
Arab foreign ministers continue to criticize Syrian government for failing to end its violent crackdown on dissent More »
In recent weeks, rebels engaged in battles with pro-Assad troops in Idlib, Homs, Daraa More »
For our next installment of our Middle East Voices podcast, we would like two Bahraini national guests to join our anchors – one Bahraini in support of protesters and democratic change and one in support of the current political structure and the monarchy. We would like a spirited, respectful debate. If you would like to More »
Only days before Egyptians go to the polls to break with the legacy of the Hosni Mubarak regime, Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmi announced a new “supra-constitutional principles” document that places greater constitutional powers in the hands of the currently ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Amid many recent surprises, the document, published More »
“#DearDictator you need to learn from the Ba$ha Salama. Those who rule the waves, wave the rules,” reads a tweet from a spoof account in the name of Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad (@SalamBasha). The account is one of several set-up by unknown activists using satire to criticize Palestinian officials online. “Just dropped a billion on More »
Rights activists say security forces have killed more than 1,100 civilians in city, its surrounding province since uprising began More »
Yemen and the United States are miles apart in many ways. The way the people of the two countries speak, how they worship, their style of governance, the size and depth of the natural resources of one country and the lack of both in the other. The list is long. As I look back on More »
Nearly everyone has been following daily news reports for more than a year now of what’s commonly called the “Arab spring.” But it’s easy to lose sight of the composite picture of events in the region or the historical perspective. Here are some tidbits explaining the basics. But please add your own factoids in More »
What is the political reality in Egypt these days? It depends upon whom you ask. Embedded in people’s opinions may be hidden agendas or influences of having seen what they care to see – it is human nature to seek out facts that reinforce one’s opinions. But beyond the split between reform proponents and More »
There is lots of skepticism about the viability and possible unintended consequences of the Arab League’s first proposal for ending the Syrian violence that threatens to overturn the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. A prominent and authoritative blogger on Syria and director of the University of Oklahoma’s Center for Middle East More »
During Middle East Voices’ ongoing coverage of the 2011 uprisings in Bahrain, we have heard time and time again from impassioned Bahraini nationals on Twitter, Facebook and e-mail about the “true” motivations of the country’s protesters and about our reporting on events. Some have praised our coverage of what is now well-documented human rights abuses, More »
The scattered unofficial border crossings between Syria and the northern Lebanese region of Wadi Khaled have been treacherous since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began some eight months ago. But in recent weeks, many points have become impassable and even more deadly than before, according to residents on both sides of the More »