July, 2020

• 14 July

  Iran-backed militia says PM’s actions could bring escalation

  A powerful Iran-backed militia said Wednesday there would be “escalation” if Iraq’s prime minister continues to clamp down on armed groups, as tensions spiked following the killing of a prominent analyst, pitting the state against rogue elements.

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• 14 July

  Kata’ib Hezbollah Escalates Pressure On Iraqi Government

  On June 25, Iraqi forces arrested 14 militants belonging to the Iran-backed Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) in an anti-terrorism raid ordered by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. The KH members were allegedly planning an attack on Baghdad’s Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and other diplomatic compounds. Shortly after the arrest, …

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• 14 July

  Rewarding Bad Behavior? Saudi Arabia and the G-20 Summit in Riyadh

  UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab recently announced sanctions against individuals and organizations tied to human rights abuses, including twenty Saudi nationals linked to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

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• 14 July

  Conspiratorial Corona: Hoaxes and Conspiracy Theories in the Balkans

  With the spread of conspiracy theories and hoaxes, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to further undermine democracy in the Western Balkans.

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• 14 July

  China Has Overtaken Russia as Serbia’s Great Ally

  If Serbia now praises China to the heavens, it may be because Belgrade has judged that the West now takes China much more seriously than Russia.

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• 14 July

  Democracy Digest: Polish Presidential Elections Make Waves Across Region

  Results of the first round of the Polish presidential race and preparations for the second are drawing attention all across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in the EU’s most powerful party.

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• 14 July

  Balkan States Find Prosecuting Terrorism a Challenge

  Evidence in terrorism cases is proving difficult to find, while experts warn that the reintegration and rehabilitation of foreign fighters is an even greater challenge.

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• 14 July

  Bulgarians Protest Against Over-Construction on Black Sea

  Bulgarians took to the streets of towns and cities on Tuesday to express their frustration with the damage that seemingly unrestricted construction is doing to the Black Sea coastline.

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• 14 July

  Mock election in Poland highlights rights denied to migrants

  A Ukrainian artist is using Poland’s presidential election to draw attention to the plight of migrants, including hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, who have no political voice.

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• 14 July

  Explosions damage site at Iranian missile complex and nuclear facility

  Over the last two weeks, explosions have taken place at the Khojir missile production complex in Tehran and the Natanz nuclear complex. While Iranian officials have downplayed the events, it is likely that both blasts at the facilities were acts of sabotage.

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