Culture World Cup: Iran fumes over LGBTQ+ themes as Jordan qualifies for first time Morocco is hoping to build on its historic run in 2022, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others in the region similarly vying to build on recent successes. Iran
Feature A year since Assad’s fall, Aleppo trial tests Syria’s transitional justice Syria recently launched its first open trial on the deadly sectarian violence in March, but questions about judicial independence and political influence make the upcoming hearings a major test of accountability in post-Assad Syria as the first anniversary of Assad’s fall approaches. By Alessandra Bajec
Turkey sentences journalist over 4 years in jail for threatening Erdogan Prominent Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli was sentenced to over four years in prison in a trial government critics say aimed at silencing one of Turkey's most influential journalists and intended to intimidate journalists nationwide. Turkey
Saudi Arabia lifts travel ban on US citizen Saad Almadi Almadi's release comes during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Washington. Saudi Arabia
US, Egypt conclude first 'strategic dialogue' under Biden In a joint statement, the two countries pledged to continue their dialogue on the US-Egypt strategic partnership, regional cooperation and human rights. Egypt
Report documents Syrian regime detaining, killing health workers A new report from Physicians for Human Rights found that health care workers who provided care to injured protesters in the early days of the Syrian civil war were at increased risk of abuse by the government. Syria
Palestinian rights defenders hacked with NSO's Pegasus, report finds The investigation found one of the hacked devices belonged to an American citizen. Israel
Egypt hopes new massive prison complex will improve country's image Cairo has opened a rehabilitation center for prisoners designed according to American standards and big enough to serve a quarter of the country’s inmates. While some citizens have hailed the move, other say it's meant to distract from the country's human rights record. Egypt
US blacklists Israel's NSO Group for 'malicious' cyberactivities The Biden administration placed to two Israeli cyberfirms, NSO Group and Candiru, on the US Commerce Department’s blacklist. Israel
Ankara faces new calls to release philanthropist Osman Kavala On the fourth year of his imprisonment, Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala issued a statement from prison, expressing hope that others will face a fairer trial. Turkey
Erdogan slams Western envoys who urged philanthropist's release Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned a joint statement issued by the United States and nine other countries that called on Ankara to end its four-year detention of Osman Kavala. Turkey
Refugees returning to Syria face reprisals from government The rights organization documented arrest, arbitrary detention, torture and other forms of abuse among Syrian refugees who returned to their home country from Lebanon and Jordan. Syria
Ankara summons 10 ambassadors over call to free Turkish philanthropist Turkey’s Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of the United States, Germany and France, among others, after they called for the release of Osman Kavala, a Turkish philanthropist jailed over four years without conviction. Turkey
Jailing of terminally ill Gulen disciple stirs hearts across Turkey's ideological divide Ayse Ozdogan, an imprisoned end-stage cancer patient, has been denied release, despite a recommendation by a government-run hospital. Turkey
UN vote shuts down Yemen war crimes investigations Twenty-one member states voted against renewing the UN Human Rights Council's mandate to investigate war crimes in Yemen. Yemen
Syrian opposition chief: US sanctions a deterrent for Turkish proxy fighters During an interview with Al-Monitor, Syrian National Coalition President Salem al-Meslet discussed recent US sanctions on Ahrar al-Sharqiya, the human rights situation in northern Syria and the US military presence in the war-torn country. Syria
