Sweden summons Iranian ambassador over dual national sentence The Iranian-Swedish national was arrested during Iran’s June war with Israel for allegedly spying on Israel’s behalf. Iran
Analysis Militant merger in Iran’s Baluchistan signals new threat to Tehran The group’s outreach to broader ethnic communities reflects a strategic bid for wider legitimacy and a role in the wider struggle against the Islamic Republic. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
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
Iranian teenage dancer's arrest sparks backlash as tolerance for radicalism drops The backlash in the wake of Iran’s arrest of an Iranian teenage girl for posting dance clips on social media highlights significantly reduced tolerance for hard-liner excesses among the public. Iran
Netanyahu flip-flops on surrogacy rights for gay men The LGBT community is furious with the Israeli prime minister for going back on his promise to support an amendment allowing single men and gay couples to use surrogates in Israel and has called for massive strikes in protest. Israel
Renewal of anti-terror law threatens human rights in Iraqi Kurdistan The Iraqi Kurdistan parliament has extended an austere law put in place to combat the Islamic State, raising serious concerns about human rights abuses and trials behind closed doors. Iraq
Child abuse case brings outrage, but no change in Iran Just a month after a high-profile child molestation case shook Iran, the outrage has died down and very little is being done to prevent future abuse. Iran
Palestinians cheer US exit from UN Human Rights Council The US withdrawal from the UN's Human Rights Council has given some Palestinians hope for a stronger pro-Palestinian European role without the United States to hold it back. Palestine
Congress presses Egypt on injured US citizen Congress wants Cairo to compensate an American citizen who was grievously injured when Egyptian security forces attacked a tourist group with US-made weapons. Egypt
Israeli bill forbids documentation of IDF abuses Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman claims an Israeli bill criminalizing the filming of Israeli soldiers is meant to protect them from harm, but human rights workers point out that it will also shield them from prosecution. Palestine
Abbas agrees to end death penalty, but Hamas objects Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has signed a protocol to abolish the death penalty, but the measure faces opposition in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas continues to support the sentence. Palestine
Turkey's sharp-tongued rapper faces five years in jail Turkish rapper Ezhel may face up to five years in prison for promoting drug use in his songs. Turkey
Iraqi war correspondents form committee to fight for rights A group of Iraqi war correspondents formed their own association to defend their rights, which they said were being neglected. Iraq
Turkish court keeps US pastor behind bars Turkey’s decision to postpone US pastor Andrew Brunson’s hearing until July may be driven by electoral calculations and attempts at so-called hostage diplomacy. Turkey
Congress withholds Egypt aid over injured American Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has asked the Donald Trump administration to hold $300 million in military aid unless Cairo pays reparations for a 2015 attack on tourists and meets a series of human rights conditions. Egypt
