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Stories about West Asia & North Africa from February, 2017
Palestinian Journalist Describes Days of Torture, Mysterious Injections by Palestinian Intelligence
“Open a funeral house for me, you will hear about my death soon.”
Iran's Ahmadinejad, Whose 2009 Reelection Was Mired in Fraud Allegations, Gives Trump Advice
"We need to seek equality and brotherhood among nations and respect nations’ rights, as well as avoid arrogance and efforts toward domineering others."
As Border Wall Looms Over Mexico, a Closer Look at Israel’s Internationally Condemned Wall
"Netanyahu's support for Trump and the wall shows in all its meanness how low the Israeli prime minister has reached. Shameful."
Why Benjamin Netanyahu Can't Fly Over Indonesia
Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-dominated nation, doesn't have a formal diplomatic relationship with Israel. That's bad news for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's flight crew.
Benjamin Netanyahu's Historic Visit to Australia Gets Mixed Reactions
"Mr Netanyahu’s policies consistently aim to provoke, intimidate and oppress the Palestinian population which increase that imbalance, thus taking Israel irretrievably further from peace..."
Erdogan's Purges Arrive in Angola
Critics say Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has engineered a police crackdown in Angola on an international private school.
Visit by France's Marine Le Pen Leaves Many Lebanese Unimpressed
Marine Le Pen was granted the honor of a State Visit in Lebanon. Here's how she spent it.
Privacy Is Hard to Protect in Tunisia, Thanks to Politics
Almost six years after the regime's ousting, and despite having a constitution that grants all citizens the right to privacy, Tunisia's privacy law still do not meet international standards.
Unsurprisingly, Saudi Arabia's Politicians and Media Love Trump's Tough Talk on Iran
Some, however, warned that escalating tensions could end badly: "We live in the same region with Iran, any war on Iran means we all going to be devastated".
Hackers Target Iranian Activists’ Mac Devices With Revamped Malware
State-sponsored Iranian hackers targetting civil human rights users have a new virus targeting Apple computers.
Uproar After a Syrian Judge Says Taking a Second Wife Could Fix ‘Spinsterhood’
"[The decreasing number of men] exacerbates the problem and negatively affects young women and families, given the social norms that stigmatize unmarried women, divorcees, or even widows."
Divisions and Danger Loom Ahead of Turkey's Upcoming Referendum
On social media, hundreds of "No" Facebook pages have popped up, with humour deployed in the face of strident state propaganda.
Her Syrian Resistance: Into the Deep Podcast
When we want to truly understand what’s going on in Syria, we, at Global Voices, always turn to Marcell Shehwaro.
Egypt's Religious Reforms Bring Women Preachers to the Pulpit
The Egyptian government is looking to women preachers as part of its campaign to reform religious discourse, but many are unhappy with the move.
Palestinian Authority Bans Novel for ‘Threatening Morality and Public Decency’
The Palestinian Authority's decision to ban a novel is being met with a lot of resistance.
This Syrian Refugee Family Was Split Apart by New US Travel Rules
Gasem al-Hamad and his family live in California, safe from the war, but now Hamad's brother is stuck in Jordan. It's unknown when the family may be reunited.
Netizen Report: Internet Shutdowns Return to Iraq, Persist in Cameroon
Cameroon's Internet regional shutdown enters its third week, Ukraine prosecutes two men for "separatist" speech on Vkontakte and Algerian lawyers are told to stop using social media.
Travel Blogger Faces Eight Years in Azerbaijan Prison Over Nagorno-Karabakh Visits and Posts
One blogger, three passports and the intricate international relations of the Caucasus region. This gets pretty complicated.
Is Tunisia Rolling Back Freedom of Information?
In 2016, Tunisia introduced a law on access to information, but its implementation by the government remains limited.
Iranians Make ‘Love’ Between Iran and America Go Viral with #LoveBeyondFlags
In order to counter the hateful rhetoric between their governments, Iranians make #LoveBeyondFlag, in gratitude towards American protesters who stood against Trump's travel ban go viral.
Fighting the Good Fight: Immigration Advocates Challenge Trump's Executive Order
In airports and law offices around the United States, legal advocates and grassroots activists have found common ground in the fight against President Trump's Executive Order on Immigration.
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