Stories about Middle East & North Africa from February, 2016
Unbelievable: Saudi Arabia's Vice Police Arrests a “Female” Mascot
Saudi Arabia's religious police arrested a "female" mascot.
Will Egyptian Doctors Vote in Favor of a Nationwide Strike Next Friday?
Egyptian doctors are threatening a nationwide strike if an investigation is not launched after colleagues in a teaching hospital were assaulted by policemen. Netizens back doctors in their demands.
Netizen Report: From Egypt to Kenya to Venezuela, Online Political Speech Feels Riskier Than Ever
Social media activists face legal threats in Africa and Latin America, Malaysia blocks Medium over corruption coverage, and Saudi pulls back death sentence for Palestinian artist Ashraf Fayadh.
Saudi Arabia Reduces Ashraf Fayadh's Death Sentence to Eight Years in Prison and 800 Lashes
Saudi Arabia overturned the death sentence of Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh, accused of apostasy and other blasphemy-related offenses which he denies, to eight years imprisonment and 800 lashes.
Following Prisoner Deal, Iranian Nobel Laureate Calls on Tehran to ‘Make Peace With Its Own People’
While expressing joy at Iran’s recent release of four imprisoned Iranian-Americans, Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi has called on the Iranian government to “make peace with its own people.”
Russia and Chile Join the Global Campaign to Save a Saudi Poet From Execution
Poets and activists in Moscow and St Petersburg expressed their solidarity with Ashraf Fayadh, who's been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. Similar events were held in Chile and Mexico.
A Syrian Man Takes Refuge in a Korean Honeymoon Resort Island
Ahmed Lababidi, 22, left the war-ravaged city of Aleppo back in 2012, fleeing across the Turkish border. He followed his younger brother on a journey to South Korea.