In the third series of "El-Ekhteyar", actor Yasser Galal delivers a remarkable performance in the role of Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, attracting admiration and ridicule in equal measure. By Shady Lewis BotrosMore

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's National Human Rights Strategy smacks of the containment and sabotage tactics adopted by counter-revolutionaries during Egypt's 2011 revolution and its aftermath. Taqadum al-Khatib assesses the situation for Qantara.deMore

One prominent narrative relating to the defeat of the western-led military intervention in Afghanistan is that it was a mistake to try to build a modern democracy in a society steeped in "mediaeval traditions" and "tribal attitudes". Hans Dembowski condemns this self-serving and condescending standpoint, which persists in ignoring the serious flaws in the West's engagement, while blaming the victims for its failureMore

Attracting little attention from the world at large, Egypt's military regime has been mercilessly going after dissidents. Now, the first executions of prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood loom. All the while, the true extent of the crackdown remains unknown. By Jannis HagmannMore

Televised Turkish dramas are all the rage in the Middle East. A young Ottoman TV Empire has been expanding its soft power by harnessing regional dialects, Arabic names and viewers' desire for racy-yet-traditional plots. By Jennifer HolleisMore

Ten years ago, Egyptians dreamt of change, they took to the streets against President Mubarak. But their hopes were dashed. A look back and forward with writer Alaa Al AswanyMore

The CCBE – European Council of Bars and Law Societies – recently honoured seven Egyptian lawyers with its prestigious Human Rights Award to draw attention to the Egyptian regime's ongoing repression of civil society. By Sofian Philip NaceurMore