Urgent questions are being asked about one of Egypt's most high-profile prisoners, the civil rights activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, who has just escalated his months-long hunger strike, so that he is, according to his family, no longer even drinking water. We hear from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani, and a response from ... Show More
Nov 2022
As Egypt hosts COP27, prisoner Alaa Abd el-Fattah risks his life
The world’s eyes are on Egypt this week, with the United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP27 – taking place in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. But while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi positions himself as an environmental leader, one of his country’s leading ac ... Show More
21m 57s
May 2024
Egypt and Gaza: Cairo Talks, Sinai Fears
In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group’s North Africa director Riccardo Fabiani, U.S. director Michael Hanna and Dareen Khalifa, Crisis Group’s senior dialogue adviser, to talk about the Gaza war’s impact on Egypt. They assess the latest round of ce ... Show More
43m 58s
Apr 2023
Sudan’s ceasefire deadline approaches
As Sudan’s 72-hour ceasefire deadline approaches, we speak to Deng Dau Deng, the foreign minister of neighbouring South Sudan which is leading mediation efforts. He told the BBC he hopes General Hamdan Dagalo will respond positively to an extension.
Sierra Leone’s president, Juli ... Show More
32m 31s
May 2021
Journalism and Politics in Egypt
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Khaled Dawoud, who was arrested amidst rising political tensions in Egypt in September 2019 and was released from prison two weeks ago. Upon his release, Khaled returned to his jobs as assistant editor of Al-Ahram Weekly and a professor ... Show More
52m 42s