Stories about Middle East & North Africa from May, 2015
ISIS Fighters Capture Ramadi in Iraq
Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's Al Anbar province, has been captured by ISIS fighters. Joey Ayoub is putting the story together, tracking citizen journalists reports, news and testimonies, on Global Voices Checkdesk, a partnership project between Global Voices and Meedan's Checkdesk. The city, in central Iraq, is about 110 kilometres...
Global Voices Checkdesk Tracking Reactions to Morsi's Trial
Faten Bushehri tracks reactions to the trial of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, who was sentenced to death on May 16, on Global Voices Checkdesk, a project in partnership with Meedan's Checkdesk to verify news. Morsi is being charged with collaborating with foreign militants to free Islamists during a prison...
Palestine: How Much Have Israeli Settlements Expanded Since 1948?
Beirut-based journalist Adam Rasmi shares an infographic from Visualising Palestine which tracks how much Israeli settlements have expanded since 1948: New @visualizingpal infographic tracks expanding Israeli settlements — 1948 vs Now http://t.co/i6S3fGawdP #NakbaDay pic.twitter.com/4XfjHLjuy7 — Adam Rasmi (@AdamRasmi) May 15, 2015 Check out Visualizing Palestine for more infographics here.
Atena Farghadani Goes on Trial Tomorrow in Iran for Her Cartoon About Access to Contraception
The cartoon that sparked her arrest depicts members of parliament as animals. She is charged with spreading propaganda against the system, insulting members of parliament and insulting the supreme leader.
Iran's Evin Prison to Become a Park
This post first appeared on iranhumanrights.org and is published here in collaboration with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said last week that the Tehran Municipality is prepared to enter negotiations with the Iranian Judiciary to convert the Evin Prison complex in northwestern Tehran into a...
Along Morocco’s Border With a Spanish Enclave, Women Shoulder Twice Their Weight ‘to Earn a Morsel of Bread’
These women carry loads of 100-200 lbs for the chance to earn $5 per day across the border from Spain's Ceuta to Morocco.
Egypt's Former President Mohammed Morsi Sentenced to Death for 2011 Prison Escape
Egypt's first democratically elected president Mohammed Morsi, along with more than 100 other people, were sentenced to death today. Human rights organisations and supporters describe the trial as a "sham."
Afghan Rapper Escaped Teen Marriage by Singing About It
Sonita Alizadeh is now living and going to school in the US, and she’s still making music about social justice in Afghanistan.
Under a Shaky Ceasefire, Yemenis Struggle to Stay Connected to the World
Frequent electricity cuts, bombings and a dire humanitarian situation could exacerbate and completely isolate Yemen should internet and telecommunications services be cut.
Amid “Intelligent” Censorship Discussions, Iran Affirms Facebook Will Remain Blocked
Discussions regarding the implementation of “intelligent” filtering have proliferated Internet policy discussions within Iran. “Intelligent” filtering is a process whereby they filter select content on a social media platform, rather than the entire site. Our recent research covered the extent of this program on Instagram. In response to “intelligent’ filtering...
Turkey's Selfie-Taking Ottoman Prince Statue Is Down but Not Out
An Ottoman prince took a snap of himself looking rather bronzed on the Black Sea coast. Now he is recuperating having been robbed of his sword and phone.
Khamenei's #Letter4U Bots Still Active Four Months After Its Launch
On January 21, during the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in France, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei penned an open letter to the 'youth in Europe and North America' defending Islam, and the Western world's skewed reception of the religion. He also started tweeting the sentiments of the letter on his @khamenei_ir twitter account, starting the hashtag #Letter4U. A closer look of this hashtag indicates it remains active through bots, which are still crawling through Twitter four months after the launch of the campaign.
Bahrain Court Upholds Six Month Sentence Against Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab Over Tweet
A Bahrain court today upheld a six-month sentence for human rights defender Nabeel Rajab over a tweet. Rajab is already in custody under investigation for other tweets.
An Egyptian Official Resigns After Saying Garbage Collectors’ Sons Cannot Become Judges
In Egypt, a janitor's son cannot become a judge, says the country's Minister of Justice Mahfoodh Saber, whose comments spurned a social media storm, forcing him to resign.
Israeli Professor Shows the World: ‘This Is What a Feminist Looks Like’
Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor Dr Sydney Engelberg shot to internet stardom after his photograph comforting a fussy baby while continuing to teach went viral, reports Maya Norton
Gaza Rolls Out Red Carpet For Film Festival in War-Battered Neighborhood
Gazans roll out the Red Carpet throughout the destroyed Shuja'iyya neighborhood for the 2015 edition of the Karama Gaza Film Festival.
Suspended Algerian Satirical TV Show Vows to Make a Comeback Online
''Eldjazairia weekend'' an Algerian satirical TV show, co-hosted by GV contributor Abdou Semmar, was suspended from air on April 24, due to political pressure.
Open Letter to President Obama From a Bahraini Human Rights Defender
AlMahafdah, a former political detainee in Bahrain, asks President Obama to "be the voice of the people of Bahrain" when he meets the crown prince of the kingdom on Wednesday.
Human Rights Defender’s Hunger Strike Protests Torture in Infamous Bahraini Prison
Abulhadi Al-Khawaja has been on hunger strike for more than three weeks to call attention to the continuing violations and torture of inmates in Jaw prison.
Selective Truths Revealed: The Case of Iranian Search Engines
Iranian authorities maintain that local search engines can compete with Google and other Western alternatives. A new study by Iran research group Small Media puts these claims to the test.
How Kelly Golnoush Niknejad’s ‘Tehran Bureau’ Bridges Iran and the West
In the second installment of this series focused on Iranian journalists, Global Voices asks Kelly Golnoush Niknejad about the early days of Tehran Bureau.
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