Stories about Middle East & North Africa from July, 2022
Turkish football fans chant ‘Vladimir Putin’ during match against Kyiv
Aggravated Turkish football fans chanted "Vladimir Putin" during a match again the Ukrainian Dynamo Kyiv team, in a reference to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. International scandal followed.
How this Tunisian island brings Muslims and Jews together
“Djerba remains a melting pot of civilizations and a land of peace and tolerance for all, from which emanates a message of love and peace.”
World Cup theme songs through the ages
World Cup Theme Songs: A Sneak Peek into the Past to the Present
Mother of jailed Egyptian ex-lawmaker turns to social media in her quest for justice
“All that mattered was to express the pain brewing inside me, and to keep alerting people to the arrest of prisoners of conscience who do not deserve being arrested”.
Activist Emre Pshigusa talks about his work revitalizing the Circassian-Kabardian language
Through his research of the Circassian-Kabardian language at Ohio State University, Emre has been motivated to promote the language in digital spaces for its preservation.
The history of Turkey's unpopular hydroelectricity projects in Southeastern Anatolia
Turkey's hydrology projects along the Tigris and Euphrates have attempted to modernize Southeastern Anatolia, often at the cost of local history, tradition, or desires.
Iraq, Iran, and local residents continue to oppose Turkey's hydroelectric projects along the Tigris
The Ilisu Dam, completed in 2019, has flooded the 12,000-year-old city of Hasankeyf, destroyed farms in Iraq, and caused dust storms in Iran. Is the destruction worth the benefit?
Access the Unfreedom Monitor database
The Unfreedom Monitor is an Advox initiative to deepen our understanding of the relationship between technology and authoritarian power. In the first phase of this project, researchers working in 11 countries and four key themes conducted analysis of incidents, narratives, and media items, to explain acts of digital authoritarianism and...
Turkey clashes with the top European human rights court
On July 11, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), said Turkey failed to fulfill its obligation under Article 46/1 to comply with the court's 2019 judgement to release Kavala.
In Turkey death of a doctor renews old grievances about violence against healthcare workers
Despite attempts to save Karakaya's life, he died, leaving behind devastated family but also becoming the most recent and brazen example of the on-going violence against healthcare workers in Turkey.
Central Asia rushes into armed drone race as regional arms transfers brew
Central Asia’s search for military drones started long before the Russian-Ukrainian war, and was shaped by the imminent rise of military drones and Russia’s gradual lag in advanced military technologies.
Iran’s latest surge in executions heavily targets Baloch minority
'Data gathered by Iran Human Rights shows that Baluch prisoners accounted for 21 percent of all executions in 2021, while only representing 2–6 percent of Iran's population'
In Turkey, a song about love between two men draws backlash
The song has also triggered a harsh response from the country's conservative population, who claim the video has no place in a country like Turkey.
Turkey blocks access to two news websites
On June 30, Turkey’s Radio and Television High Council blocked access to the Turkish language websites of Deutsche Welle and Voice of America after two news outlets refused to obtain a broadcaster license.
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.
