Today a protest was held outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office calling for the UK government to condemn the regime in Bahrain and support the release of human rights campaigner Maryam Alkhawaja and her father, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, who has been in prison in the country since 2011.
Being a hip-hop artist in a country where the genre is banned comes with many challenges Iranian rapper Hichkas explains. Mari Shibata reports
While previous moves toward more openness in Iran have faltered, President Rouhani’s call for faster connection speeds for internet users has carved out common ground with the country’s supreme leader. Azadeh Moaveni writes
Prominent regime critic Maryam Alkhawaja was detained at Bahrain International Airport on Friday as she tried to enter the country
Egyptian NGOs have to register under a repressive law or risk prosecution. Being convicted as an NGO worker in Egypt has consequences far beyond that country’s borders, writes Michelle Betz
Graffiti played a big part in Egypt’s 2011 revolution. Today the artists face threats of violence, and the potential of jail time and fines under a proposed draft law. Shahira Amin reports
News coverage of the ongoing Gaza conflict would be infinitely poorer without local journalists, but it’s clear that international media needs to show their commitment by providing Palestinian reporters and fixers with extra support. Ruth Michaelson reports
Some believe the stage for Egypt’s 2011 mass uprising was already being set years earlier — with popular culture helping fuel the people’s anger and frustration. Shahira Amin reports
In an Open Letter to the Moroccan Minister of Justice and Liberties El Mustapha Ramid, 11 organisations committed to the defence of the rights to freedom of expression, culture and the arts have condemned the four-month sentence served against Mouad Belghouate.
On Monday, three Al Jazeera journalists were sentenced in Egypt to 7 years imprisonment each, to the shock of media outlets and NGOs worldwide. Cartoonist Ben Jennings shares his take on journalism in the country.