Courts and the law

Congress puts heat on Saudis for helping fugitives flee country

Congress is cracking down on Saudi Arabia for allegedly helping its citizens escape the US criminal justice system.

Saudi Arabia

Critics say Turkish government’s judicial reform package falls short

Members of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party introduced the first package of its Judicial Reform Strategy, but critics say the provisions fall short of the government's stated aims.

Turkey

Is Sisi overstepping the judiciary?

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has appointed a new public prosecutor, without referring to the Supreme Judicial Council, as per constitutional amendments recently approved, which raised the anger of the country's judiciary.

Egypt

Brotherhood detainees feel their leaders abandoned them

A group of Muslim Brotherhood detainees have signed a letter from inside prison, asking the authorities to pardon them as they are ready to quit political work after feeling abandoned by the group’s leadership.

Egypt

Will Jordanian prisoners in Israel complete sentences at home?

Questions arise as to whether Israel will send Jordanian prisoners to complete their prison sentences in their country, in an attempt to avoid releasing them in a possible prisoner exchange.

Palestine

Israeli society, ultra-Orthodox torn over gender separation

The issue of gender separation is not only an area of disagreement between the ultra-Orthodox and secular society in Israel, it is also a raging debate within ultra-Orthodox society itself.

Israel

Can Egypt's new marriage e-registry curb child marriage?

Women's rights activists, marriage registrars and information technology experts have mixed reactions about a new electronic marriage registry service in Egypt.

Egypt

Al-Azhar works to end blood feuds in Egypt

Egypt's top religious institution Al-Azhar is stepping up efforts to stop traditionally long-lasting feuds via local councils and reaching out to the new generation to end the practice.

Egypt

Lawyer couple use own wedding to advocate for civil marriage in Lebanon

A high-profile civil marriage between two lawyers is pushing Lebanon's new interior minister to make a choice on civil unions in the country.

Lebanon

Israeli court rules Abbas responsible for terror attacks

An Israeli court ruled that the Palestinian Authority is to be held responsible for terror attacks not carried out by its own people, prompting questions of how the ruling will affect PA security cooperation with Israel.

Palestine

Brotherhood seeks international pressure to prosecute army leaders

The Muslim Brotherhood is redoubling its effort for the prosecution of high-ranking military officers involved in the 2013 deaths of protesters and to abolish a law granting immunity to military leaders.

Egypt

Iran chief justice dismisses 60 judges to uproot internal corruption

An iron-fisted policy against corruption promoted by Iran's new chief justice, Ebrahim Raisi, has seen 60 judges dismissed within a few weeks.

Iran