The New Arab Voice The New Arab

It's been a year since Mahsa Amini was killed. 
She was taken from the streets by Iran's morality police in September 2022. They beat her mercilessly, resulting in the young women falling into a coma, and later dying. 
The protests against her killing, the morality police, and Iran's mandatory hijab law were instant and persisted for several months. 
However the violent response by the Iranian state eventually forced people off the streets. They killed over 500 people and arrested tens of thousands in the process. 
In the 12 months that have passed since Mahsa's killing, the state has reasserted itself. The morality police are back. New laws have been established that punish hijab offenders with new lengthy sentences. 
This week on The New Arab Voice, we examine how the state has responded over the past 12 months, why they have returned the morality police, why they have upped the sentence and fines. Additionally, we explore the thinking of the state and why they feel it necessary to ignore the protesters. Why they respond with violence, and what the moves to be the successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mean. 
To help us understand the past 12 months in Iran, we speak with Sussan Tahmasebi (@sussantweets). Sussan is an Iranian feminist, activists, and he director of FEMENA (@FemenaNet), an organisation that supports women human rights defenders their organisations, and feminist movements in the MENA and Asia regions.
Also, we speak with Dr. Sanam Vakil (@SanamVakil). Dr. Vakil is the Director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House (@CH_MENAP) and the author of Action and Reaction: Women and Politics in Iran.
This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge. 
Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 
To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice.

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Protests are back in Syria. 
Twelve years since the start of the uprisings against the Assad regime, Syrians are still protesting. 
In the southern province of Suweida huge protests have erupted, in part, fuelled by the continuing fall in living standards across the country, but also for the same reasons that brought people out to the streets in 2011. 
They have now entered their fourth week, and so far, look set to continue. 
This week on The New Arab Voice, we look at the protests in Suweida. What do they want? What are their demands? Who is protesting, and are they the same people from 2011, or new people? And why have the protests seemingly been permitted to continue with their defiance?
Also, we look at the August 10th Movement. 
The August 10th Movement announced their formation just before the protests in Suweida, and declared themselves to be peaceful and non-sectarian. 
We ask, who they are? What do they want? And what prospects do they have to challenge the regime?
Joining us to talk about the protests, we have Jospeh Daher, (@JosephDaher19). Joseph works at the University of Lausanne and is a co-director is the Syrian Trajectory Project.
And, Wafa Ali Mustafa (@WafaMustafa9). Wafa is a Syrian journalist and activist, who now lives in Berlin. For a decade now, Wafa has campaigned tirelessly for Syria’s disappeared.
This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge. 
Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 
To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've been off for a few week, but now we're back!
While we were on holiday, Jordan took the opportunity to implement a new cybercrime law that has set alarm bells ringing among human rights defenders. 
The cybercrime law contains some incredibly vague language, which critics say will allow the government to target free speech, and effect the basic rights of Jordanians. 
It will also limit the ability of Jordanians to call out corruption or human rights abuses in the country. 
This week on The New Arab Voice, what’s in Jordan’s new cybercrime bill? How will it impact Jordanians? Why are the cracking down in this way and what does King Abdullah have to gain from this? And what does it mean for democratic hopes in the country. 
To help guide us through Jordan's cybercrime bill, we're joined by Marwa Fatafta (@marwasf) a digital rights advocate and works as the MENA policy and advocacy manager at Access Now (@accessnow), a global digital rights organisation.
We also speak with Jamal Al Tahat (@JamalAlTahat1) to guide us through the thinking of the Jordanian state. Jamal is  is a senior consultant at Democracy for the Arab World Now or DAWN (@DAWNmenaorg). He has spent decades advocating for democratisation in Jordan.
And finally, we speak with Issam Ureiqat (@IsamUraiqat). issam is the Director of Al-Hudood (@AlHudoodNet), an online satire publication that was recently blocked in Jordan because of jokes the website made about the royal family.
This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge. 
Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 
To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice.


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Iraq is known for its high temperatures. 
But with the impacts of climate change becoming ever more pronounced, the summer heat in Iraq has become unbearable for many, and also threatens to make large areas of the country uninhabitable. 
As Iraq inches towards this unbearably hot future, its ability to adapt is decreasing year after year. The Iraqi population has been growing while the water supply is dwindling and in most cities, public electricity is already too unreliable to guarantee access to air conditioning for all.
This week on The New Arab Voice, we ask how are Iraqi cities being impacted by climate change? Who is most affected by it? What resources do Iraqis have to deal with increasing heat? And beyond climate change, what factors are fuelling climate injustice in the country?
To help us understand these issues, we speak with Dr Biyar Zaza, a resident doctor working the largest public hospitals in Erbil, the Rojhalat hospital. Zeinab Shuker (@zfshuker), a sociologist and visiting climate fellow at Century International (@TCFdotorg). Nabil Musa, the founder of Waterkeepers Iraq (@WaterkeepersIQ) - a global network of activists advocating on behalf of the world’s rivers. And Khaled Suleiman (@ksulaiman), a Kurdish Iraqi environmental journalist.
This podcast is written by Lyse Mauvais (@lyse_mauvais) and produced by Hugo Goodridge. 
Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 
Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. 
To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Riad Salameh spent 30 years at the top of Lebanon’s Central Bank. 
Some called him a magician. But in recent years, his tricks have been revealed to devastating effects.
In 2019 the Lebanese economy dramatically collapsed and many inside and outside the country pointed the finger of blame at Riad Salameh. 
Despite the economic problems, he stayed on. 
But on the last day of July, Riad Salameh walked out of Lebanon’s Central Bank for the last time. 
This week on The New Arab Voice, we sat down with Karim Bitar (@karimbitar) to discuss the departure of Riad Salameh, his time at the Central Bank, the accusation that have been levelled at him by people in Lebanon, and abroad, and what the future holds for the Lebanese Central Bank. 
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This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge. 
Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 
Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. 
To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The release of Patrick Zaki was some rare good human rights news from Egypt. 
After being sentenced to three years in jail, he was then pardoned the next day by President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, and was able to return to Italy. 
Patrick had been hanging in legal limbo since 2020, when he was first arrested, and subsequently charged with “disseminating false news” and “inciting to protest”.
His release was warmly welcomed by human rights defenders and lead to questions as to whether we could see more releases and presidential pardons, particularly as the work of the National Dialogue builds up. 
The National Dialogue was first announced by the president last year, but was then delayed, only starting work this year. 
It has been tasked with discussing political, economic, and social issues in Egypt. Some opposition members in Egypt are hoping that it could serve as platform to steer the country back to democracy. Others are more skeptical.
This week on The New Arab Voice, we look at the case of Patrick Zaki and why he was arrested, the state of human rights in Egypt, and the National Dialogue and whether it will be able to make an impact. 
Joining us to discuss human rights in Egypt is Dr. Aida Seif el-Dawla, a retired professor of psychiatry, and one of four founders of the El Nadim Center for the Psychological Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture, an Egyptian independent NGO, founded in 1993.
And to help us understand the National Dialogue, we speak with Mirette Mabrouk, a senior fellow and the Director of the Egypt and Horn of Africa programme at the Middle East Institute. 
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This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge. 
Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 
Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. 
To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.