Although Loujain al-Hathloul has been released several other women’s rights defenders remain arbitrarily detained by the Saudi government.
Middle East articles on Democracy Chronicles
View news about the struggle for democracy in the troubled Middle East where vast cultural change and persistent political violence cry out for democracy. Also see our World Democracy section and our articles on the ongoing Arab Spring.
Bahrain: 10 years on, pro-democracy movement crushed
10 years on, the demo-optimism that drove the February 2011 movement for democracy in Bahrain as been crushed as the world looks on.
UAE jails Jordanian for 10 years for criticising Jordan’s gov’t
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged in the UAE to immediately release Ahmed Etoum jailed for criticising the government of Jordan.
A Decade After the Arab Spring, Autocrats Still Rule the Mideast
Although the Arab Spring of early 2011 onwards largely failed, it gave the people of the Maghreb and Middle East an appetite for change.
Saudi Women’s Rights Defenders Released, But Not Free
Saudi women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul was released from jail a week ago after 1001 days in detention but risks returning to prison.
1000th Day in Prison For Saudi Rights Activist al-Hathloul
Loujain and other activists were imprisoned in 2018 after defying the Saudi government’s ban on women driving.
Student Protests Grow as Turkey’s Youth Turn Against Erdoğan
Turkey’s disillusioned and underemployed youth to vent their frustrations at President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government.
Enforced Disappearance of Egyptian Political Cartoonist
Egyptian Ashraf Hamdi is a popular, well-known and highly successful satirical voice, all too rare in the MENA region.
Inhumane Persecution of UAE Rights Defender Mansoor
New details regarding United Arab Emirates authorities’ persecution of the high-profile human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor.
Debate Rages Around 10-Year Anniversary of Arab Spring
The chaotic, unpredictable and uneven fashion in which regimes collapsed shows that authoritarianism is highly fragile