Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

Since the 2011 uprisings, authoritarian rulers in the Arab world have worked out how to manipulate and instrumentalise the media to their own ends, nipping any new democratic quake in the bud. By Lydia KhalilMore

Mullahs, dictatorship, nuclear conflict – Iran could be reduced to these keywords if one were to rely only on the articles in the daily press. But to really understand a country better, you have to study its literature. And Iranian literature is just as diverse as the country itself. By Gerrit WustmannMore

With prominent film makers cancelling their attendance, the organisers of Iran's flagship cultural event are under pressure. The Fajr film festival in Tehran shows how culture can be used to make a political point. By Philipp JedickeMore

Turkish art patron and businessman Osman Kavala has been in jail for more than two years, accused of wanting to overthrow the government. Beril Eski spoke to him about his life in prison and his civil society projectsMore

Imprisoned Uighur human rights activist Ilham Tohti has been awarded the Sakharov prize 2019 for human rights by the EU Parliament. His daughter Jewher Ilham, who lives in the U.S., will receive the prize on his behalf and spoke to Max Sander ahead of the ceremonyMore

One of the most relevant Malaysian artists of her generation, Yogyakarta-based Nadiah Bamadhaj uses sculpture, drawing, collage and video to challenge the restrictive societal norms in Southeast Asian countries and explore body politics. Interview by Naima MorelliMore

Unable to travel to Munich to attend the presentation ceremony for his Geschwister-Scholl Prize, writer Ahmet Altan penned a message against hatred and nationalism from his prison cell in Turkey. Read out by his close friend Yasemin Congar, it formed his acceptance speechMore