Stories about Middle East & North Africa
3 September 2016
In This Traditional Turkish Candy Shop, a Daughter Takes Her Turn
The Old City of Istanbul has long been a man's world. But inside one fifth-generation candy shop, times are changing.
2 September 2016
After Two Months on Hunger Strike, Jailed Algerian Journalist Enters Coma
Mohamad Tamalt went on hunger strike on 27 June to protest his arrest and imprisonment. He is in jail for insulting the Algerian President online.
Iran Declares ‘Unveiling’ of Its National Intranet
Iran declared a grand "unveiling" of its national internet. But what's really new here? We analyze the project and the government performance around its so-called "unveiling".
26 Years After the End of the Lebanese Civil War, Families of the Disappeared Still Demand Justice
"We have been calling on the Lebanese state... to dig up mass graves and reveal the fate of my brother and many others, but our state has done absolutely nothing."
1 September 2016
Lebanon’s Many Environmental Issues Are Back in the Spotlight With Greenpeace Visit
It's no coincidence that Greenpeace chose Lebanon for the launch of its Mediterranean tour promoting the use of solar energy.
31 August 2016
Remembering Samad Behrangi, the Writer Who Inspired Countless Iranian Revolutionaries
Remembering Samad Behrangi on the 49th anniversary of his death. More than the author of dark children's novels, he wrote allegories that symbolized struggles of generations of Iranian revolutionaries.
28 August 2016
The Refugee Olympic Team Showed They Have Plenty to Offer, in Spite of Tragic Stories
"It is this determination that they show against all odds. I love the athletes in this team as if they were my own children."
August Was Another Month of Tragedy for Turkey's Besieged LGBTQ+ Community
"She would also be very restless sometimes. She had been stabbed and beaten before. This doesn’t happen only to Hande, it happens to all of them."
26 August 2016
Daraya, Symbol of Non-Violent Revolution and Self-Determination, Falls to the Syrian Regime
"The people of Daraya paid a heavy price for their dream of freedom. For four years they defended their autonomy from the Assadist state, and kept going despite the siege."
25 August 2016
Wife of Persecuted Labour Activist Goes to Trial Over Facebook Post
The wife of a labor activist has been charged with posting “insulting” content on Facebook even though she is not a member of the social media site.
WikiLeaks: From Collateral Murder to Collateral Recklessness
From rape victims to democratic party donors, WikiLeaks' latest data dumps demonstrate a disturbing trend of publishing the personal information of private individuals.
Where’s the Outrage Over Iran’s Exploited Children?
"I dream every night that my parents and brothers and sisters are looking for me. I wake up every morning crying."
ISIS Left Thousands of Mines in Manbij Before Fleeing. It Hid Them Inside Everything.
"Mines were found inside a garlic and onion basket, a staircase, and even normal-looking rocks across the fields."
24 August 2016
Ahmad Abughaush, Jordanian Gold Medalist, and the Erasure of Palestinian Identity
To those who know the history of Palestine, Ahmad Abughaush's surname speaks volumes. Yet this information was absent from news reports on his gold medal triumph at the 2016 Olympics.
In Syria and Beyond, Protesters Make Sure the World Doesn't Forget the Ghouta Chemical Massacre
"We must teach all dictators a lesson, that all people will come together against any dictatorial regime in the world."
22 August 2016
Breaking the Siege of Aleppo
"The perception is that the US is collaborating with the attackers. If democratic anti-regime forces are crushed by foreign powers and Shia militias, violent extremism will grow in its place."
20 August 2016
‘I Want to Appeal to the Doctor Within Assad': One Syrian Medic's Message After Visiting Aleppo
Dr. Sahloul tries to appeal to his former medical school classmate, Bashar Al Assad, to stop the massacres.
The Week That Was at Global Voices Podcast: The Status Quo Has Got to Go
This week we tell you tales of protest, tragedy, and discrimination from Ethiopia, Egypt, Pakistan, Trinidad and Australia.
Nine Years on, Turkey Blames Gulenists for Murder of Ethnic Armenian Journalist
Supporters of Hrant Dink are quietly hopeful that some of those responsible for his death, if not all, are about to face punishment.
19 August 2016
‘When They Took Me Inside’ Syria's Saydnaya Prison, ‘I Could Smell the Torture’
A new report reveals the depth of the horrors happening inside Syria's most notorious torture prison, which one well-known Syrian dissident called "the most horrible place on earth".
About our Middle East & North Africa coverage
Afef Abrougui is Advox Editor for the Middle East and North Africa. Email her story ideas related to freedom of expression online.
Lova Rakotomalala is the French editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
