Global Voices Online

Syrian blogger Ihsan expresses relief that the international pressure on Syria is easing up, but he is worried that the government “will get back to its previous domestic policies of neglecting and ignoring the best interests of the Syrian people. It will resume the continuous effort of bringing Syrian citizens down to misery in exchange of the interest of some individuals.” Ihsan writes: Hurray! Back to misery, people!

Recent Links also in Middle East & North Africa

Iranian students in Paris criticized Iranian government and its repression policy against Iranian students and opposition in a meeting with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian president's advisor in Paris. Here are the films [fa].

Regine, at we make money not art, introduces us to photographs by Bas Princen of Cairo's Mokattam Ridge or Garbage City (Zabbaleen) - where a community of mainly Coptic Christians live and make a living out of collecting, sorting and disposing of Cairo's waste.

Iranian authorities released Mohammad Ali Abtahi,former vice president and blogger on a $700,000 bail one week ago after his lawyer said he had been sentenced to six years in prison. Human rights activists reported [fa] that a few days ago Sasan Aghayi, a blogger and journalist got arrested in Tehran.