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NL The ongoing blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh: "Western governments must set concrete ultimatums to Azerbaijan"
Destroyed military vehicle - On the road from Shushi to Karintak - Nagorno-Karabakh (Source: Flickr) Read the English version of this article here. The International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, has ordered Azerbaijan to ensure the free movement of people and goods to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region with immediate effect. It is a new chapter [...]
"How Putin chipped his teeth": Stories from the front in Ukraine
Of course, life at the front consists of a lot more than successful recaptures and deadly defeats making the news. Some soldiers told me - on the basis of anonymity - their experiences in short stories and anecdotes. These recollections are not glorious or heroic. They are stories about the actual circumstances of men and [...]
One year after the start of the invasion: life of Ukrainians in the Netherlands
Friday, February 24, marks one year since Russian President Putin announced the invasion of Ukraine. Due to the intense and sustained bombing and fighting, many Ukrainians have had to flee the country. About 90,000 Ukrainians have fled to the Netherlands. FMS interviewed Yana (29) - who lives with her family in Leusden - and [...]
Growing drug problem in Jordan and Lebanon
The drug captagon is causing a major problem in the Middle East. The drug emerged in the early 2000s when IS distributed it to its warriors, but soon spread to the rest of the population. It has become the drug of choice for young people in the Middle East and North Africa. The growing demand has led to a booming [...]
"They rightly feel abandoned": One week after earthquake, northwest Syria still awaits international aid
After the devastating earthquake, rebel-controlled areas in northwestern Syria are still struggling to receive aid from the international community. While southeastern Turkey is rightly receiving aid from around the world, NPR journalists have reported that on its border with Syria it is "empty and silent". Meanwhile, the tyrannical [...]
FMS Political Café: Passion and unity on 'revolutionary situation' in Iran
People are still taking to the streets en masse in Iran for the biggest Iranian protests since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The FMS organised a political café about this on 2 February. With a passionate and engaged audience, experts, politicians and representatives of the Iranian diaspora stressed the importance of continued support for the [...]
Interview: Colleague Meriem on her experiences in the Palestinian territories
Colleague Meriem Hammami visited the Palestinian territories in November during a three-day fieldtrip organised by the Palestinian-European Civil Society Forum and the Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium. During the fieldtrip, she experienced poignant moments. FMS interviewed her about the experiences that stuck with her most. What was the background to your trip to [...]
Egypt suffers from skyrocketing inflation
A 1 Egyptian pound note. The social contract between Egyptian President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi and Egyptians is in question. Egypt has a long history of trading political freedoms for socio-economic gains. With the Egyptian economy in a deep slump, the question is whether Egyptians continue to believe in [...]
Harsh repression and economic malaise keep Iranian regime in power
Protests in Amsterdam in October 2022 in solidarity with Iranian protesters In recent months, Iranians have taken to the streets en masse to demonstrate for greater freedom. The protest movement is in dire straits. Partly due to harsh government repression and economic woes, the protests seem to have passed their peak. "Women, life, freedom" The immediate cause [...]
Background to Tunisia's bizarre elections with a nine per cent turnout
Last Saturday, Tunisia went to the polls for the first time since the outbreak of a deep political crisis between President Kais Saied and the Assembly of Representatives (Majlis Nuwwab ash-Sha'b), Tunisia's parliament, a year and a half ago. The outcome of the election was shocking but not entirely surprising. Only just under nine per cent of the electorate [...]
