· April, 2012

Stories about Middle East & North Africa from April, 2012

Armenia: Art, Genocide, Westernization and Identity

  30 April 2012

Writing on Hyperallergic, Hrag Vartanian explains how he marked the 97th anniversary of the massacre and deportation of 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. The writer and art critic/curator took his mother to an exhibition of Armenian art exploring art, westernization and ethnic identity in the post-Genocide world.

Iran: Street Sweeper Finds and Returns $500,000

  30 April 2012

An Iranian street sweeper named Ahmad Rabani found 1 billion Toman (about $570,000 US dollars) and returned it to the owner. As thanks, he received a 200,000 Toman ($120 US dollars) reward.

Iran: Cockroaches and New Hijab Crackdown

  29 April 2012

Iranian bloggers protested against security forces who launched new hijab(veil) crackdown in Tehran. A Balatarin user published a photo of two agents and write they are like cockroaches when the weather becomes hot, they reappear.

Iran: Jailed blogger's open letter to Head of the Judiciary

  29 April 2012

Jailed blogger and human rights activist,Hossein Ronaghi Maleki,wrote [fa] an open letter to Iranian Head of the Judiciary,Amoli Larijani to protest against his conditions. The blogger says he refuses to be operated in prison and he wants to go to hospital.

Tunisia: Clashes Over Future of State Television

  29 April 2012

On April 25 a sit-in outside the offices of Tunisia's state television network that had lasted almost eight weeks came to an end. Protestors demanded the “cleansing” of the network of Ben Ali supporters, and also opposed suggestions of its privatisation.

Bahrain: Where is Abdulhadi Alkhawaja?

  28 April 2012

For some days there has been no news of imprisoned Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, who has been on hunger strike since February 8. It is feared that Alkhawaja is either being force-fed or is in a critical state.

Tunisia: Uproar at Kiss of President's Hand

  27 April 2012

On April 26 a video featuring two men kissing the hand of interim Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki made a buzz on the web. Kissing the hand of the president is seen as a relic of the rule of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and against the values of post-uprising Tunisia.

Do Arab Men Hate Women? Mona Eltahawy Faces Firestorm

  25 April 2012

Egyptian-American columnist Mona Eltahawy has once again sparked controversy with an article in Foreign Policy magazine entitled “Why Do They Hate Us?”, in which she argues that Arab societies are fundamentally misogynistic.

Accused of Molesting Children, Iranian Diplomat Leaves Brazil

  25 April 2012

An Iranian diplomat based in the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, was accused of molesting underage girls at a swimming pool on April 14, 2012. While Iran's embassy denied the allegations, and said they were the result of a "cultural misunderstanding", netizens both from Iran and Brazil didn't take long to react.

Bahrain: One-Woman Demo!

  22 April 2012

We have become accustomed to seeing million-man protests in Arab countries, but how about a one-woman protest?

Jordan: New Website for Short Stories

  22 April 2012

Project Pen is an initiative to promote short story writing by Arabs and “encourage a new generation of writers, creating new kinds of stories, for a new kind of readership”. By sharing stories across social media, and by connecting writers with each other, Project Pen intends to bypass traditional publishing...

Armenia: A Tale of Two Nations

  22 April 2012

Security, in the Caucasus and beyond…. comments on the 97th anniversary of the massacre and deportation of 1.5 million Armenians from the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Considered an act of genocide by many historians and countries, the blog explains why the events are still very much politically relevant to both...

Iran: Ahmadinejad's Car, A Woman, And a Hungry Old Man

  21 April 2012

An online video showing a young woman jumping onto the hood of the car of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad while he was visiting Bandar-Abbass on 10 April, is making a big splash. But Iranian bloggers seem more interested in the old man shouting beside the car.

Tunisia: Police Clash with Jobless Protestors in Radès

  21 April 2012

On April 13 police clashed with a group of young protestors from Cité El Mallaha in the port of Radès, just south of the capital Tunis. The protesters were staging a sit-in, demanding a share of some jobs which had been recently created in Radès port.

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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.