Westerners’ interpretations of events and Arabs’ perceptions of themselves are still muddled a decade after the Arab Spring.
Yemen articles on Democracy Chronicles
News about the struggle for better democracy in Yemen. Yemen is not a functioning democracy. According to Freedom House, the last elections were "marred by flaws of vote buying, partisan officials and military and exploitation of state control over media". Also check out our section on World Democracy and our Middle East archive.
How Yemen’s Old Order Snuffed Out the Country’s Arab Spring
Ten years ago, Yemenis called for change but the old guard and foreign power’s backlash crushed those hopes giving Yemen war instead.
Will Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton Stand for Saudi Rights?
Lewis Hamilton asked to reconsider participation in the upcoming race being hosted in Saudi Arabia in 2021.
Growing Concerns Over Saudi Arabia’s Rights Abuses
The recent mass execution of dozens of Saudi citizens has drawn wide criticism from rights groups and governments around the world.
Yemeni Artist’s Murals Depict Costs of War
A Yemeni graffiti artist is taking her art to the streets of Sanaa to draw images of war and hunger in the conflict-torn country.
Activists Demand Mariah Carey Cancel Performance in Saudi Arabia
Since 2015 Saudi Arabia has been waging a war on Yemen so brutal that the country is now experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis on earth.
Bahraini Rights Defender’s Conviction Upheld in Court
The Bahrain Court of Cassation, the country’s court of last resort, on December 31, 2018 upheld a five-year sentence for Rajab, a human rights defender.
Court Upholds 10-Year Jail Sentence for Emirati Activist
A high court in the UAE upheld a 10-year prison sentence of Emirati rights activist Ahmed Mansoor for criticizing the government in social media posts.
Rival Parties Agree to Hand UN Control of Yemen Port City
Yemen’s two opposing sides outside Swedish capital, Stockholm, both agreed to hand control of key Red Sea port of Hodeida to the United Nations.
A Great Nation That Does Not So Great Things
So why do we think of ourselves as a great nation? Is it because of our great economy? Is it because we call ourselves a Christian Nation? Should we, who call ourselves great, actually be great?