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Uighur activist Ilham Tohti awarded EU Sakharov prize 2019
"His goal was always to promote dialogue"
Imprisoned Uighur human rights activist Ilham Tohti has been awarded the Sakharov prize 2019 for human rights by the EU Parliament. His daughter Jewher Ilham, who lives in the U.S., will receive the prize on his behalf and spoke to Max Sander ahead of the ceremony
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Kashmir, Xinjiang and Arab land in the Middle East
Victims of the civilizational agenda
India's decision to deprive Kashmir of its autonomy, alongside a clampdown in the troubled north-western Chinese province of Xinjiang and US-backed Israeli annexation of Arab land, is the latest indication of what a new world order led by civilizational leaders may look like. By James M. Dorsey
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Chinaʹs oppression of the Uighurs
Save our Turkic brothers, Mr. President!
Following a long silence, the Turkish government yielded to pressure from its nationalist voter base in February – arguably in a bid to garner local election votes – and criticised the persecution of the Uighur people by China. Yet how to strike a balance between Turkic solidarity and pressing economic interests? By Ulrich von Schwerin
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Countering U.S. sanctions with INSTEX
Europe throws Iran a line
In an attempt to salvage the Iran nuclear deal, Germany, France and Britain recently set up a new vehicle of non-dollar trade with the Islamic Republic. The policy is diplomatically valid, but in economic terms it may well prove too little, too late. By Maysam Behravesh
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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 70
The red herring of 'Islamic human rights'
Muslims who grant themselves the right to adopt a human rights declaration based on their own religion need to allow followers of other religions to do the same, argues Iranian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi in her essay
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Middle East economies
Treading the trade war tightrope
Trumpʹs latest campaign to put pressure on China, with the option of raising existing trade tariffs of 10% to 25% by year-end, is just part of an escalating trade war between two super economic powers that could have disastrous effects – with the fragile Middle East destined to feel the pinch. By Stasa Salacanin
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Chinaʹs Muslim minority
"Re-educating" the Uighurs
Beijing long denied that Muslims in the Xinjiang region were being interned in re-education camps. Now, however, the government has admitted that thousands of Uighurs are being held there, offering a preposterous justification. By Friederike Boge
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Rescuing the nuclear deal with Iran
Europe should negotiate without the U.S.
After Donald Trumpʹs breach of the nuclear agreement with Iran, Germany, France and Great Britain should negotiate a comprehensive security framework with Iran based on the existing agreement, says Volker Perthes
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U.S. de-certifies Iran nuclear deal
Tread softly, President Trump
Notwithstanding the dreadful mistake of de-certification, Trump can keep the deal on life support if he does not immediately re-impose sanctions. This would give the other five powers the time needed to work collectively with Iran and reach a new agreement. Commentary by Alon Ben-Meir
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Islamic debate about human rights
The erroneous 'cultural distinction'
Syrian writer Morris Ayek is critical of those who claim that when it comes to human rights, Islamic countries are "culturally distinct" from the rest of the world. In his opinion, this discourse directly contradicts the universality of Islamic values
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Annulling the Iran deal
When amateurs rule
Abandoning the nuclear deal with Iran will leave the U.S. completely isolated, undermine global security and strain relations with its allies, which are already under mounting stress thanks to Trump′s unseemly and erratic behaviour. Commentary by Alon Ben-Meir
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The Silk Road Ensemble
"The Music of Strangers": A quest for perfect harmony
The Silk Road Ensemble has been a leading force on the cross-cultural world music scene for almost twenty years. A new documentary – ″The Music of Strangers″ – tells the story of the project. By Marian Brehmer