· March, 2012

Stories about Middle East & North Africa from March, 2012

Iran: Earth Hour celebrated in Tehran

  31 March 2012

Iranians are going to celebrate the “Earth Hour” today Saturday 31st of March. Here in this Farsi-language website, Iranians are organizing the “Earth Hour” events, including turning-off lights for an hour ‘to protect the planet’. Parham, an Isfahan-based user, tweets: ‘They are going to turn off Si-o-se Pol (historical bridge)...

Bahrain: Tweeting Against Formula 1

  31 March 2012

As Bahrain gears up to host the Grand Prix, from April 20 to 22, netizens are rallying for the cancellation of the car race claiming that human rights violations are still continuing against protesters seeking more democratic rights in the Arab country. Mona Kareem sheds light on one Twitter campaign to draw attention to this.

Kuwait: Call to Kill the “Infidel” Twitter User

  30 March 2012

A Kuwaiti Twitter user has been detained, pending investigation, over a tweet in which he allegedly insulted Prophet Mohammed. The issue is taking a sectarian twist in Kuwait as the Twitter user Hamad Al-Naqi denies the charges, claiming that his account was hacked, while others charge that it is a Shiite attack on Sunni Islam. Meanwhile, a protest was held calling for the Twitter user to be killed for his alleged blasphemy.

Algeria: 2012 Election Watchdog launched by Internet Activists

  28 March 2012

With the upcoming Algerian Legislative Election scheduled for May 10, 2012, one of the many elections taking place in 2012 [fr] within the continent of Africa, a collaborative website called Nahrag [ar] has just been launched by internet activists. Putting the case for more transparency in an election threatened with...

Tunisia: Bloggers Help Draft the Constitution

  26 March 2012

On October 23rd, 2011, Tunisians elected an assembly to draft its new constitution, following the toppling of the Ben Ali regime. Now, five months later, the assembly has just started studying the draft proposals. Yet, disagreements about the first article of the constitution is slowing down the work of the assembly and Islam and the Arab identity are at the heart of debates nationwide. Netizens are chipping in to help bridge the gap.

Syria: A Year On, From Beirut With Love

  26 March 2012

On March15, the Syrian revolution completed its first year with the same level of determination that marked its beginning. Protests in different cities around the world expressed their support to the revolution while Beirut wanted to announce its support in its own way. This post explains how activists expressed their love to the Syrian revolution on Beirut walls.

Egypt: The Abou Ismail Poster Frenzy

  26 March 2012

Preparations are in full swing for the presidential elections in Egypt, set for May 23 and 24, 2012, with candidates' election posters already up on the streets. But when it comes to Hazem Salah Abou-Ismail, he sure beats all the rest in the poster frenzy. His posters are almost seen almost everywhere. Netizens grasp the opportunity to make fun of the poster bonanza.

Kuwait: Could a Hash Tag Send Twitter Users to Prison?

  26 March 2012

As in any country with netizens using Twitter, hash tags are created every day, every hour and somne times even every few minutes. In Kuwait, one user created a hash tag #بطارية (battery in Arabic) and all hell broke loose. Kuwaiti blogger Abdullatif AlOmar tells us why.

Jordan: One Year On, Tensions Building Up

  24 March 2012

It's March 24th, 2012 - a year after the weekend that shocked Jordan domestically, further exacerbating a lethargic reform effort. It is the anniversary of the weekend when a diverse group of Jordanians took to the streets of Amman with the intent of open peaceful protest and were met with a counter group that called itself 'Home Calling' (Nidaa Watan).

Arab World: Happy Mother's Day – Tribute to Martyrs’ Mothers

  21 March 2012

The Arab world marks Mother's Day today, March 21. On social networking sites, netizens send out congratulations to their mothers on the day. They also remember the mothers of the thousands of martyrs killed by the authorities as they protested against dictatorship in this so-called Arab Spring.

Iranians to Israelis: “We Are Your Friends”

  21 March 2012

An Israeli Facebook campaign to say to Iranians “We will never bomb your country. We love you.” has received an answer from Iranians in the form a corresponding Facebook initiative that says to Israelis, “We are your friends.”

Libya: Libyan Memes

  21 March 2012

What are Libyans laughing about on social networking sites? Check out this Facebook page to keep abreast with Libyan memes.

Egypt: Women's Right to Divorce Debated in Parliament

  21 March 2012

The performance of the new Egyptian Parliament continues to stir debate on social media sites. The new parliament was seen as a move towards to democracy. However, the parliament continues to discuss matters that seem irrelevant to the country’s most pressing needs. Now, MPs are discussing a request to strip women of their right to file for a divorce.

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Mariam A.
Mariam A. is the editor for the Middle East & North Africa. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.