Featured stories about Middle East & North Africa
Stories about Middle East & North Africa
Sweden and Turkey relations sour after far-right politician burns the Koran
Following the torching of a Koran, a series of protests were held outside the Swedish Consulate General in Istanbul where participants burned the Swedish flag and chanted slogans against Sweden.
Saudi Arabia: Government agents infiltrate Wikipedia, sentence independent admins to prison
The Saudi government infiltrated Wikipedia by recruiting the organization’s highest-ranking administrators in the country to control information about the country and prosecute those who contributed critical information about political detainees.
The film ‘Burning Days’ is a grim reflection of Turkey's current political situation
Since then the film has collected a number of awards at various film festivals internationally and won stellar reviews but at home, its been subject to criticism.
Turkey’s state religious body says women cannot travel alone
This is not the first time Turkey's state religious body has explicitly gone after women and their freedoms, diminishing their place in society.
Mountain Jews: A glimpse into the life of one of Azerbaijan's minorities
A Berlin exhibition provides a glimpse into the life of Azerbaijan's Mountain Jews, a group originating from Persia that settled in the Caucasus and maintained its identity to this day.
European Parliament’s Report on Pegasus spyware indicates involvement of North Macedonia companies
Pegasus and Predator spyware can allegedly extract all communications records from mobile devices. A European Parliament report and journalist investigations suspect wide illegal use in and outside of the European Union.
Turkey's Saturday Mothers, 27 years on, are still searching for justice and closure
Throughout their existence, Saturday Mothers have faced police violence. Most recently in August, 2022, when police detained 14 members of the group.
How Morocco’s Atlas Lions made history at the 2022 World Cup
Morocco's national football team, the Atlas Lions, was the first African and Arab country ever to make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Inside my bounty: Raghda's journey
Raghda shares with us her fascinating journey to recovery from depression brought on by social isolation as a result of her childhood fluency disorder.
Governments are still free to use the Pegasus software without human rights safeguards in place
There is an urgent need to regulate the global trade in surveillance technology with the inclusion of human rights safeguards.
Cartoonist Kianoush Ramazani: Hope in Iran during turbulent times
Award-winning political cartoonist and activist Kianoush Ramazani offers his thoughts on the Iranian people's resilience during the current demonstrations and the place of political cartoons among other forms of expression.
Call to Action on International Migrants Day: Stop forced labour and restore workers’ agency
Domestic workers in the GCC countries are majority migrant women. Employers have full control over their work and lives. This article echoes their requests and explains the exploitation.
In Turkey, local court hands popular mayor a jail sentence
The court's decision is largely viewed as the ruling party's attempt to sideline any potential competition ahead of the general election in June 2023.
Rasha Azab and her friends: Seven days off-script for three Egyptian journalists
Three women journalists staged a sit-in to remind the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate of its role in relation to political discourse and freedom of expression under President Abdel Fattah
In defense of whom? Protesting Jordan’s perpetual state of emergency
Human rights groups challenge Jordan's Defense Law but the government wants to keep it in place until the World Health Organization has declared the pandemic finished.
Breaking the binary of trauma and resilience in mental health: Interview with Lamia Moghnieh
The declared absence of trauma has consequences on how mental health is framed by international and humanitarian organizations, according to Lebanese psychologist and anthropologist Lamia Moghnieh.
In Turkey, a child bride scandal puts religious cults in the spotlight
According to the news reports, one of the members of the brotherhood, married his 6 year old daughter to a man aged 29, eighteen years ago.
Khodanoor Lajaei: Icon for a revolution
Khondoor Lajaei rose to fame because of the way he contrasted the happiness and freedom experienced by ordinary Iranians with the grief that many Iranians associate with the government.
Nepali migrant workers who built the World Cup stadiums are completely forgotten
Rights-based organizations and international media are raising their voices for forgotten migrant workers of Qatar but the Nepali media fell short in covering the human cost of the Football World Cup.
Istanbul's Uyghur community protest outside the Chinese Consulate despite the cost of reprisals
Today's demonstration comes at a great risk amid fears of retribution for the members of the Uyghur community living in Turkey.
President Erdoğan is on a mission to mend ties but at what cost?
Whether its Ankara's ties with Washington DC and the EU, or Turkey's role in Ukraine war, President Erdoğan is seemingly turning "these separate developments into his favor."
About our Middle East & North Africa coverage
Mariam Abuadas is the editor for the Middle East & North Africa. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
