Wahhabism
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Saudi authorities crack down on bloggers
Assault on the freedom of expression
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes by a Saudi court. His crime: using the freedom afforded by the Internet to express his opinion on the religious authorities in his country. He is not the only one in Saudi Arabia to fall foul of the authorities. In general, the crackdown on freedom of expression has been in full swing for quite some time. By Kersten Knipp
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Islam and the modern age
Moving beyond dogmatic doctrine
Whoever equates Islam with Islamists has allowed themselves to be taken in by the radicals and ignores the fact that there are many liberal Muslims who have adapted their faith to the requirements of the modern world. By Rainer Hermann
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Interview with the French Islam expert Gilles Kepel
Passion and suffering
For three decades now, the renowned French sociologist and political scientist Gilles Kepel has been monitoring the development of Muslim societies. He sees a close connection between the developments in the French suburbs and the events in the Arab world. Beat Stauffer spoke to him in Paris
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Saudi Arabia's foreign policy
Pilgrimage to Pakistan
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has become increasingly estranged from the US, the world power that has held its protective hand over the kingdom for many years. The royal family has now changed the course of its foreign policy and sees Pakistan as a suitable strategic partner and a counterbalance to the influence of Turkey and Iran in the region. By Mai Yamani
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The Saudi blogger Raif Badawi
600 lashes for expressing opinions
On 9 January 2014, a group of protesters organised a sit-in in front of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Rome, calling for the immediate release of blogger Raif Badawi. According to Elham Manea, he was imprisoned in 2012 on trumped up charges rooted in the ruling dynasty's fear of dissent and rebellion. He now faces the death penalty
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Wahhabism and Salafism
Shared foundation – different methods
Wahhabis and Salafists are often named in the same breath. Yet these two ultra-orthodox faith movements do differ in a number of aspects, writes the doctor of Islam Studies Mohammad Gharaibeh
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Saudi Arabia
Facing a Plethora of Fundamental Challenges
The deterioration of Saudi Arabia's political influence has contributed to a growing sense of national decline. King Abdullah's reform efforts have lost steam. An essay by Tarek Osman
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Women in Saudi Arabia
Caught in a System of Gender Apartheid
No professional or vocational training, no visits to the doctor, no lawsuits without male approval. The Yemeni-Swiss political scientist Elham Manea describes the plight of women in Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabia's First Feature Film "Wadjda"
"It's Not Just about Suppression"
"Wadjda" is the first feature film ever made in Saudi Arabia. One of its German producers tells Bernd Sobolla about the daring women involved, and how his own perception of Saudi Arabia changed in the process
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Interview with the Saudi Filmmaker Ahd Kamel
''We Live in a Modern World Governed by Ancient Rules''
The film Sanctity tells the story of Areej, a young, pregnant Saudi widow, who will do anything to protect her unborn child. Kamel not only wrote and directed the film, she also played the leading role. It was shot on location in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and is her second film. Igal Avidan met her in Berlin and asked her about women's rights and film-making in a country that has no cinemas.
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The Saudi Arabian Film ''Wadjda''
A Children's Story in a Grown-Up World
Wadjda is the first feature film from Saudi Arabia to be directed by a woman. Despite receiving support from the royal family, filming was very difficult for the German-Saudi film team. Nevertheless, the resulting film both tells a touching story and is a delicately nuanced critique of Saudi society. Jannis Hagmann watched the film
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Interview with Amel Grami
Political Stagnation in the Cradle of the Arab Spring
Tunisia's process of democratic transition has been stagnating since late 2012. The Tunisian people are still waiting for their new constitution. The situation has been exacerbated by the recent murder of opposition politician Chokri Belaid. Ute Schaeffer and Loay Mudhoon spoke to the renowned academic Amel Grami about Tunisia's political crisis