Turkey: Civil Society on Trial
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has marked the anniversary of a failed coup against him every passing year — this week was the third — with a national holiday that has… Read more »
Search Results for: protests democracy
Understanding the roots of democratic backsliding
Since the time of Plato, political thinkers have argued that a pro-democratic public is necessary for a stable and vital democracy. But others have countered that opinions are just cheap talk that… Read more »
Iran’s reformist movement – threatened or already dead?
Veterans of Iran’s reformist movement – Mohsen Aminzadeh, Mohammadreza Khatami, Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, and Mostafa Tajzadeh – are concerned about the “mortal blow that even a limited military conflict with the United States of… Read more »
Dictatorships always a step away from legitimacy crisis
A ”third wave” of autocratization which first gained momentum in the mid 1990’s has developed across the world, says the annual report of the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project…. Read more »
Morsi’s ‘mixed legacy’ puts Muslim Brotherhood back in focus
Mohamed Morsi did a poor job as Egypt’s president before being ousted in a bloody military coup by the country’s current dictator, Abdel Fatah al-Sissi. But the gross mistreatment Mr…. Read more »
China blinks: what Beijing’s Hong Kong retreat says about Taiwan’s future
Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers aren’t satisfied with leader Carrie Lam’s public apology for how the government handled a highly unpopular extradition bill. Legislator Claudia Mo said Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s apology… Read more »
‘Democratic Spring’ stirring in Eurasia?
Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov’s release from house arrest does not imply a softening of the Kremlin’s stance toward civil society or a strengthening of its fight against corruption, Russia analysts… Read more »
Two democracies in Beijing’s shadow. Today’s Hong Kong, tomorrow’s Taiwan?
Only a fool would predict a happy ending to the Hong Kong story, but it is also foolish to assume that history will follow a predictable course, notes Jeffrey… Read more »
Impose sanctions to end Nicaragua’s year-long civil unrest, restore fundamental freedoms
Nicaragua’s government said more than one hundred prisoners arrested during recent anti-government protests were freed (Reuters: HT-CFR) this week under a new amnesty law. Human rights groups and members of… Read more »
Why Sudan is shutting down its Internet
Sudan’s military authorities are shutting down the Internet in an effort to suffocate the current pro-democracy protest movement. Internet shutdowns are not new, but they have become increasingly popular instrument… Read more »