With the 14 June presidential election approaching, Iran’s leaders are moving to prevent the outburst of protest that followed the disputed 2009 poll, by tightening access to the web and silencing “negative” news. Raha Zahedpour reports
A campaign called ‘Tamarod’ has already gathered millions of signatures calling for the ousting of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi. Shahira Amin reports on the growing discontent with the country’s first post-revolution president
The Jordanian government began blocking over 200 websites on Sunday for failing to obtain licenses under a strict set of new guidelines, Ruth Michaelson reports.
An Egyptian Christian primary school teacher has gone into hiding after pupils accused her of blasphemy. Shahira Amin reports.
Tunisian member of radical feminist group FEMEN was arrested Sunday after allegedly attempting to stage a topless protest. Sara Yasin reports
Members of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression are currently facing terror charges for their work fighting censorship. Sara Yasin reports
Once the Islamic republic’s biggest cultural event, the Tehran International Book Fair has wilted under President Mahmood Ahmadinejad’s hardline government. Maral Mehryari reports on the recession in Iran’s publishing industry.
In the last week, Bahrain’s treatment of its citizens and their right to free expression has been repeatedly in the news. Sara Yasin reports on a spate of developments that raise questions about the Bahraini government’s commitment to free speech.
Since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak two years ago, artists have been active in breaking Egypt’s age-old taboos around sexual violence, especially since sexual harassment has been on the rise.
Melody Patry reports.
This week an order was for the release of imprisoned Yemeni journalist Abdul-Elah Haidar Shaye. But the last time this happened, Barack Obama stepped in and Shaye remained in jail. Will the reporter now walk free? Iona Craig reports