The Russian law criminalizing “Propaganda of homosexuality” isn’t just targeting minorities. The law, and homophobia in general, tends to make real problems invisible, as well as covering the real...

At the PEN International congress in Kyrgyzstan in October this year, many of the discussions concerned the new wave of anti-LGBTQI legislation around the world. PEN found that such laws represent one...

The civil society was crucial for achieving the political changes wrought in Tunisia in 2011, but what role do those changes play today? Journalist Fatima Badri unravels this issue and discusses the...

The Syrian uprising against the al-Assad regime is now entering its fourth year with seemingly no end in sight. In fact, the conflict is now spreading to neighbouring countries such as Iraq. Writer...

Two steps forwards and one step back. That is how Tunisian journalist and freedom-of-speech activist Afef Abrougui describes the situation in Tunisia after the uprising in 2011. The country has...

“Since the uprising, Yemen has become a place where you cannot live if you want to be free. This is particularly true for women but also for all who have dreams of another life.” The picture that...

What is known as the “Arab Spring” was allegedly the result of social media and its power to organise and mobilise demonstrations in 2011. But, how accurate is this picture? Poet and blogger Evronia...

Saudi Arabia remains one of the countries untouched by the wave of democratic uproar which swept through many other Arab-speaking countries. The reason is the monopoly the ruling royal family holds...

What does “democratisation” actually mean? How long does it take for the new values in legislation and public debates to sink into the general public's consciousness? An anonymous Tunisian writer...

The Russian president Vladimir Putin recently stated that internet was actually created by the CIA and that Russia needed to build its own internet. It is obvious that the battle for freedom of speech...