Stories about Middle East & North Africa from November, 2023
A lucky Gazan routine?
I try to sleep through the noises of heavy bombing sounds and news reports on the radio. My eyes get heavier and heavier. And then my mind eventually gives up and I drift off to sleep.
Fighting violence against women in Turkey is no easy feat
The AKP has taken a number of controversial stances against gender equality in recent years.
Interview with the political figure Boubacar Touré on the coup which overthrew Niger's president
The risk of pitting various African countries against one another since the Niger coup seems to be increasing while an ultimatum from the African Union lies fallow.
Exiled Iranian crown prince awarded US LGBTQ+ award for speaking up for Iran's queer community
The Iranian LGBTQ+ community is kept invisible by the Iranian opposition, but a US LGBTQ+ award to exile Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi seems to signify changes in attitudes.
Statement: Israeli occupying forces launch a new campaign targeting journalists and media outlets in Palestine
Global Voices stands with 29 human rights organizations in solidarity with Gaza journalists. We demand Israel's compliance with international law and the protection of journalists' safety in Gaza.
When the messages stopped
"After Israel has bombed Gaza into the Dark Ages again, arrested and killed hundreds elsewhere, what then? Will Israeli soldiers occupy the Strip? Will they tighten the siege forever, or in their words, repeatedly 'mow the lawn?'"
Portraits of exile: Feminista group's ongoing struggle for justice in Iran
Activists Maryam Bahrami and Setayesh Hadizadeh share their 80-day sit-in experiences in Berlin, advocating for reduced Germany-Iran diplomatic relations to protest human rights violations in Iran.
When Palestinians ‘die’ and Israelis get ‘killed’ in the same war
"In news reporting, every semantic choice, nuanced omission, prioritization, and bias holds the power to shape how readers interpret information, particularly evident during wars such as the conflict in Gaza."
Digital apartheid and the use of social media algorithms in humanitarian crises
Big tech platforms extensively censor Palestinian voices, shadow banning them and their supporters, violating their rights to free speech, assembly, information access, political participation, and protection from discrimination.
A silent ‘coup’ in Turkey deepens political and judicial crisis
Both decisions — rejecting the Constitutional Court's decision and filing a criminal complaint against the members of the court — have been critiqued by officials as well as independent lawyers and observers.
Italy's plan to set up asylum-seeker center in neighboring Albania sparks debate
A center will open in Albania to temporarily accommodate immigrants en route to Italy, while their asylum applications are assessed.
Digital Blackout: Systematic censorship of Palestinian voices
During the continuous Gaza bombardment and worsening humanitarian crisis, Palestinians face a communication blackout and tech censorship, hindering access to crucial information and the documentation of human rights violations.
In Turkey, the state is targeting scores of journalists
According to Reporters Without Borders, Turkey is ranked 165th out of 180 countries where "authoritarianism is gaining ground, challenging media pluralism" and "all possible means are used to undermine critics."
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