Syria opens trial of Wassim al-Assad, cousin of ousted president: What we know The trial follows another session in the case against Atef Najib, also a cousin of former President Bashar al-Assad, as Syrian authorities continue prosecuting figures linked to the former regime and its remnants. Syria
Turkey detains 233 ahead of NATO summit, including LGBTQ+ activist Yildiz Tar The operation included alleged militant suspects as well as LGBTQ+ and leftist activists, raising concerns over the scope of the crackdown. Turkey
Culture In Syria, detention of Hassan Akkad raises alarm about free expression under Sharaa Akkad, a British-Syrian filmmaker, was detained Wednesday night after his campaign questioning the whereabouts of funds allegedly pledged for relief, reconstruction and community initiatives across Syria. Syria
Amnesty International accuses Israel of state-led ethnic cleansing in West Bank In a new report, Amnesty International said that the escalating forced displacement and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank is part of a state-led campaign to control the Palestinian territory. Palestine
Interview As Sudan war drags on, US-Iran conflict compounds humanitarian crisis in Darfur Janti Soeripto President and CEO of Save the Children US
UN rights experts call on Iran to release jailed filmmaker The experts said Iran's denial of adequate medical care to Mohammad Nourizad may amount to torture. Iran
Egypt confirms $4.75 bn fighter jet deal with France Human rights groups slammed the deal, which is backed by French government loans. Egypt
Blinken cautions Turkey against future S-400 purchases Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that President Joe Biden's recent recognition of the Armenian genocide should not have come as a surprise. Turkey
CENTCOM chief warns children risk radicalization at Syrian al-Hol camp Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie said radicalization would remain a problem unless countries repatriate and reintegrate the children of suspected Islamic State fighters. Syria
Turkish-Armenian lawmaker threatened over genocide remarks A criminal complaint was filed against Turkish lawmaker Umit Ozdag after he threatened Garo Paylan, an Armenian deputy with the Peoples’ Democratic Party, over remarks regarding the Armenian genocide. Turkey
TikTok girl's detention brings Egyptian human rights into spotlight The continued detention of Haneen Hossam, a TikTok influencer, on a new charge of "human trafficking" has raised concern among rights advocates, bringing Egypt's human rights under scrutiny once again. Egypt
Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of 'apartheid' The leading international human rights watchdog cited Israel's treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza vis-a-vis Jewish Israelis. The Israeli government dismissed the report. News Brief
Iran sentences British-Iranian aid worker to another year in jail Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had just competed her five-year sentence when she was summoned to court on a new propaganda charge. Iran
Biden calls Erdogan ahead of expected Armenian genocide labeling The White House readout of the call between the two leaders did not mention the Armenian genocide. News Brief
Turkish talk of reconciliation angers Armenians on 106th anniversary of genocide Turkey has warned the United States that President Joe Biden's expected characterization of the mass killings of the Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as a genocide will derail Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and further damage US-Turkish ties. Armenians say there is no reconciliation process to speak of. Turkey
Khamenei critic faces 'imminent death' in Iran prison Relentless pleas from international rights groups and members of the Iranian civil society for the release of outspoken journalist Mohammad Nourizad continue to remain unheeded by Iranian authorities. Iran
Iran, Egypt lead Middle East in executions in 2020 Iran, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia accounted for 88% of executions last year outside of world leader China, according to Amnesty International. Iran
