Learn more about Global Voices switch away from “Middle East & North Africa”.
Stories about West Asia & North Africa from January, 2013
Free and Open Source Software
We received an email from Richard M. Stallman (RMS), after publishing the article about the Egyptian demonstration calling for the government to adopt Free Software. Tarek Amr digs deeper into open source software and arguments in its favour in this first post of a two-part series
Apostasy Case against Saudi Activist Dismissed
‘The apostasy case against Saudi activist Raif Badawi has been dismissed, his lawyer Waleed Abu Alkhair said on Twitter today. “It was not proven to the judges that the accused...
Jordanians Elect New Parliament
Jordanians went to the polls today [Jan 23, 2013] to elect a new Parliament. 7iber provides updates in this live blog post.
Iran: A Crime on YouTube, an Execution in Public
Two young men, Alireza Mafiha and Mohammad Ali Sarvari, were executed by hanging in Tehran, Iran in the early hours of January 20, before the eyes of public spectators who had gathered to watch.
Kuwait: Stateless Activist Goes on Hunger Strike
On January 16, stateless activist Abdulhakim AlFadhli entered hunger strike in prison right after getting a two-year jail sentence. The court charged the activist with attacking a policeman in a protest last March. The activist stated that this charge, among others, is fabricated against him because of his political activism in demanding the rights of Kuwait's stateless community.
An “OMG Law” for Lebanon During Election Year?
This year a parliamentary election year in Lebanon and this means that once again, electoral law debates make headlines in a country marked by institutionalized sectarianism.
On Inauguration Day, US Drones Strike Yemen
Barack Obama was sworn in for a second term as President of the United States yesterday [Jan 21, 2013]. Ironically while the crowd was cheering his inauguration line “A decade of war is now ending”, more than three drone strikes hit Yemen. Monday was also Martin Luther King's Day. Many tweeps said that while King had a dream, Obama has a drone.
Blame Jihadis Financial Incentives, not Gaddafi's Fall, for Troubles in Mali
Jihadis venture capitalism extended to an even more lucrative business: kidnapping western hostages all over the Sahara yielded over 90 Million Euros over a decade [..] The modus operandi was...
Bahrain Police Attack on Woman Stirs Anger
As Bahrain was pretending to be secure enough to hold a regional sports event, its security men were attacking a woman protester in the middle of Manama, the capital. Last July, Zahra Al-Shaikh was released from prison after being detained and tortured. On January 18, as Bahrain was hosting the Gulf Football finale, Zahra was once again arrested for protesting. Photographs and videos of her arrest went viral, stirring anger.
Gabon to Mali: History of French Military Interventions in Africa
The French military intervention in Mali, known as Operation Serval started on January 11 following the advance of terrorists groups towards Bamako. Lauded by a substantial part of the Malian population and many outside observers, the military intervention diverts, however, from the non-interventionist line professed by French President Hollande in Africa.
More than 80 Killed at Aleppo University in Syria
War in Syria reached the heart of Aleppo University when two blasts killed over 80 people and injured over 160 on January 15, 2013.
Tehran's Deadly Air Pollution Illustrated
Air pollution has been a public enemy to millions of Iranians for years. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health declared that last year more than 4,400 people lost their lives because of air pollution in Tehran, Iran's capital.
Iran: ‘Tehran Has More Than 1 million Facebook Users’
The deputy parliament speaker says Tehran has ‘more than 1 million Facebook users’ and there are more than 200,000 in other big cities of Iran like Shiraz and Rasht. Hasan...
Reconciliation Day in Southern Yemen
Thousands of people from all six southern provinces in southern Yemen flocked to the city of Aden over the past few days in order to participate in the carnival of "reconciliation and forgiveness". The carnival commemorates the civil war in former South Yemen which took place in 1986.
Graffiti War on Syrian Walls
Graffiti is an art that can be labelled under civil disobedience and peaceful expression. Although the Syrian Revolution has intrinsic humanitarian values; it is a revolution with artistic aspects. Painting is one of the most important methods a human being uses to express ideas; it is the fastest way to illustrate an idea or to make people interact with this idea. See how Syrians are using their creativeness on Syria's walls
Saudi Activists’ Verdict Postponed
The verdict on the two prominent Saudi human rights activists Mohammad Al-Qahtani and Abdullah Al-Hamid, which was supposed to be delivered this Wednesday, January 15th, was postponed indefinitely.
New Palestinian Village Bab Al Shams Established in East Jerusalem
As part of the popular resistance movement in the Palestine, a group of about 250 Palestinian activists established the new village of Bab Al Shams or “The Gate of the Sun”, on a piece of confiscated land in Eastern Jerusalem, referred by Israeli authorities as “Area E1“. Despite an eviction notice from the Israeli army, the activists plan to spend the night in the tents they have set up there.
Mourning 13 Expatriates Online in Bahrain
Thirteen expatriate workers were killed in a fire that broke out in a house in Manama. Netizens react to the incident, questioning the status and treatment of foreign workers in Bahrain.
Two Kurdish Activists Face Death Penalty in Iran
Two young Iranian Kurd activists, Zaniar and Loghman Moradi are about to be sent to the gallows according to multiple Iranian news websites and human rights organisations.
Conversations: The Mayor of a Christian Syrian Village
As part of our effort to highlight civilian stories, below is a conversation between Syria Deeply and Abu Skandar, the mayor of Al Ghassanieh, a predominantly Christian village just past Jebel Akrad in Latakia province.
Zonguldak Accident Draws Attention to Turkish Miners’ Plight
Eight miners were killed due to a gas leak on January 7, 2013. Zonguldak, the main mining city of Turkey, hits the headlines once again with this fatal mine accident. Bloggers, across the political spectrum, were united in condemning the accident and the working conditions of miners in the country.
About our West Asia & North Africa coverage
