Dissent

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) The horrific murder of the editor, cartoonists and other staff of the irreverent satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, along with two policemen, by terrorists in Paris was in my view a strategic strike, aiming at polarizing the French and European public. The problem for a terrorist group like al-Qaeda is […]

Books

Fearing NSA, Writers in USA and Worldwide Avoiding controversy, keyword Searches

contributors

PEN America | “Global Chilling” PEN America writes: “Global Chilling: The Impact of Mass Surveillance on International Writers is a new report demonstrating the damaging impact of surveillance by the United States and other governments on free expression and creative freedom around the world. The report’s revelations, based on a survey of nearly 800 writers […]

Dissent

Online Freedom of Speech under Siege even in “Democracies”

contributors

By Jillian York | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) In the midst of the global surveillance debate, talk of online censorship has often taken a backseat. Yet, all around the world, the inalienable right to freedom of expression is violated on a regular basis. While in 2014, issues such as terrorism and online harassment generated new discussions […]

censorship

NCIS Egypt-Style: 820 Civilians referred to Military Courts since October

contributors

Human Rights Watch | — (New York) – Egyptian authorities have referred hundreds of civilians to military courts based on an October 2014 decree by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. At least 820 civilians have been referred to military prosecutors in the past six weeks based on the unprecedented extension of military court authority, according to […]

Dissent

Schoolboy arrested for insulting Turkish president released

contributors

Euronews | — “A Turkish teenager who was arrested at his school on Wednesday for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been released from police custody. The 16-year-old was met by his parents. His mother said: “I’m not ashamed of my son.” The boy, who has not been named because of Turkish laws that […]

Dissent

Leftist Jordanians protest expected gas deal with Israel

contributors

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Dozens of protesters marched in the Jordanian capital of Amman on Friday to denounce a gas deal with Israel that is expected to be passed by the end of the year. Protesters held signs against the Israeli diplomatic mission in Jordan and against normalization with Israel during the rally, bearing messages such […]

Apartheid

Israeli sqatters in Palestinian Hebron stab, injure Palestinian 12-year-old

contributors

HEBRON (Ma’an) — A mob of Israeli settlers stabbed a 12-year-old Palestinian boy in the Old City of Hebron Monday night, medical sources told Ma’an. Medics said Muath Nouh al-Rajabi, 12, was moderately injured after being stabbed in the thigh and shoulder. He was taken to Hebron’s public hospital. Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and […]

Dissent

Israeli forces Injure 19 Palestinian Protesters at Funeral of Slain Cabinet Member

contributors

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Some 19 Palestinians were injured on Thursday during clashes with Israeli forces in al-Bireh following the funeral of Palestinian official Ziad Abu Ein, a Ma’an reporter said. Clashes broke out in the Jabal al-Tawil area between Palestinian mourners and Israeli forces who were heavily deployed inside the nearby illegal Israeli settlement of […]

Arab Spring

Cairo Erupts as Mubarak, Adly Declared Innocent in Deaths of Protesters

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | — An Egyptian court on Saturday found found deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak and his former interior minister Habib Adly not guilty (or rather just dropped the charges) the killing of nearly 900 young protesters by police in January-February 2011. Downtown Cairo and some provincial towns erupted in protests. Indeed, these were […]