Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

The ongoing protests in North Africa reveal the extent of the failure of government there. Never before have corrupt elites been so alienated from the social realities of the ordinary people, says Loay MudhoonMore

Last week′s heinous bus attack was just the latest in a wave of brutal terrorist strikes by the Islamic State group on Egypt′s minority community of Coptic Christians. In his essay, the Egyptian writer Shady Lewis Botros looks at why the Copts in particular are bearing the brunt of these vicious assaults More

He covered the demonstrations against Assad, was thrown into prison, yet managed to escape. More than anything, however, Ramy al–Asheq is a writer. In interview with Sarah Hofmann, he explains why the "Weiter Schreiben" initiative is so important to himMore

Rather than acting as a counterweight to the ruling class, the press across the Arab world serves the interests of oligarchs, despots and governments, says Hazem Saghieh. In interview with Kai Schnier, the Lebanese author and journalist explains why he censors himself and why he believes that journalism from Rabat to Riyadh will never be a catalyst for political changeMore

While ex-dictator Hosni Mubarak – who has apparently got off scot-free – will not be called to account for the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators, democracy activists released from detention such as Ahmed Maher continue to suffer harassment at the hands of the legal system. Karim El-Gawhary reports from CairoMore

One year before its mandate expires, Tunisia′s Truth and Dignity Commission is struggling to complete its work within a volatile domestic political climate. With the ruling party opposed to the transitional process and new reports of torture and abuse emerging, the country′s democratic gains are in danger. By Fatim-Zohra El MalkiMore

Defiance in the face of the adversity is the main theme of Hamid Sulaiman′s comic novel ″Freedom Hospital″. In interview with Stefan Dege the author talks about the confounding situation in Syria, about torture, destruction and death – yet also about hopeMore