Stories about Middle East & North Africa from November, 2014
If Mubarak Is Innocent, Who Ordered the Killing of 900 Protestors During the Egyptian Revolution?
Egyptians are back to the streets after a court acquitted former president Hosni Mubarak of killing protestors during the January 25 revolution.
Morehshin Allahyari's Art on Iranian Censorship Will Soon Be Out of This World
Iran’s censored Internet is a theme that features prominently in Morehshin Allahyari's art, some of which will soon be headed to outer space as part of the Forever Now project.
The Story Behind Iran's Censorship Redirect Page
When Internet users in Iran try to access a blocked website, they're taken to www.peyvandha.ir. The page has changed throughout the years, reflecting the government's evolving approach to censorship.
Iranian Facebook User Sentenced to Death
Soheil Arabi was sentenced to death for insulting the Prophet Mohammad on the Facebook.The Revolutionary Guards arrested Soheil Arabi on November 2013. Iranian Twitter user Velgard tweeted below about this, explaining that Arabi is only a 30 year old Iranian who is not a political activist, but merely “one of...
As Turkish Women Struggle for Freedom from Violence, Their President Tells Them: Give up on Equality
2014 has been another horrendous year for violence against women in Turkey. In this context, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's suggestion women should seek "equivalence" instead of equality has disappointed many.
Bahrain's Justice Minister Picks Fight With Newspaper Editor on Twitter
"Calm down, your excellency, an open mind makes more room for justice," Mansoor Al-Jamri tweeted at the minister of justice, who had criticized Al-Jamri's column about Bahrain's elections.
Hossein Derakhshan Released from Prison
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, on Thursday pardoned the jailed blogger Hossein Derakhshan after his six years.Derakhshan thanked God, Khamenei and his family on his Google Plus page.
How the Tunisian Electoral Authority Robbed Me of the Right to Vote
On the eve of her country's presidential elections, one Tunisian expatriate suspects politics are at the root of at a rule-change by the electoral authority that prevents her from voting.
Bahrain Will Stamp Out Popular Protests, but Not Support for ISIS
The cyber-crime unit which arrests bloggers and human rights activists did not arrest the publishers of videos such as those calling for support of ISIS and inciting sectarian violence
All Set for Global Voices Meetup in Beirut, Lebanon, on November 26
Our next Global Voices Meetup is scheduled for November 26 to take place in Beirut, Lebanon. Please join members of our GV community for this special gathering.
Kurds Blame Arab Refugees for Deadly Suicide Bombing in Capital Erbil
Some social media users are pointing the finger at South Kurdistan's influx of refugees after an unusual suicide car bombing killed five people on Wednesday.
Western Media Is Obsessed With Kurdish Female Fighters Battling ISIS
Social networking sites are abuzz with pictures of female Peshmergas. However, there are dozens of examples which illustrate women fighters are not new, but have existed within Kurdish communities historically.
Western Commentators Still Getting Turkey's Gezi Park Protests Wrong
Over a year after the Gezi Park protests rocked Turkey, some are still going to considerable effort to misunderstand them.
Poetry Project Bridges Language and Cultural Barriers between Arabic and Hebrew Speakers in Israel
The Two Project is a new collaboration between Israeli Jews and Arabs to connect the two cultures through the language of poetry.
Turkish President's Columbus Comments Trigger “Mosque on the Moon” Mockery
Turkish President Recep Erdoğan has been challenging Columbus' discovery of America and promising to build a mosque in Cuba. This is perfect fodder for the country's satirists.
Kuwait Sentences 1,000 Bidoon Children to Illiteracy
Children from Kuwait's stateless Bidoon minority received a rude awakening when they tried to attend school this year.
‘Coup Today, Gone Tomorrow’ and Other Hilarious #FakeArabProverbs
With the current state of affairs in the Middle East "troubling," Arab Twitter users have launched the satirical #FakeArabProverbs to lighten the mood with a little humor.
They Vote So You Don’t Have To: Lebanon’s Parliament Extends Its Own Term in Office
In a move that could be a serious, dangerous even, setback for Lebanon, the national parliament has postposed elections for the second time.
Prison in Bahrain: A Tale of Torture
Following the death of Hasan Alshaikh due to torture, Global Voices author Mohamed Hassan details his own experience being tortured by Bahrain authorities.
An American Muslim Reflects on Religion and Politics at the Temple Mount, Jerusalem
“It's sad some people demonize others only because they don't share the same belief. Yehuda Glick suffered from two assassination trials, once in real life and second on media.”
GV Face: Voting After the Revolution in Tunisia and Ukraine
Tunisia and Ukraine recently held elections, a challenging feat in a post-revolutionary time.
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