Media - European Foundation for Democracy

Article 22 February 2011

The third form of totalitarianism

In October 2010, EFD Senior Fellow Wahied Wahdat-Hagh contributed to the Foreign Policy Centre's inaugural Iran Human Rights Review, focusing on the issue of religion. Edited by Tahirih Danesh and Adam Hug, the Review aims to contribute to creating "the main building blocks of a true democracy: a new culture of harmony and trust within Iranian society."...

Article 18 February 2011

For Arabs, the challenge of democracy starts with the family

For the past few weeks, we've been hearing that the "wall of fear" in Egypt has collapsed. Not to rain on anyone's revolutionary parade, but I beg to differ. What's changed in Egypt is the politics of the state. A big deal, to be sure. Yet a culture of democracy will require piercing something more: the politics of the family. That's where fear begins in much of Arab society. Brian Whitaker, former Middle East editor of The Guardian newspaper...

Article 17 February 2011

Iranians call for freedom

Monday's demonstrations in Tehran have been nipped in the bud. The police did not allow the tens of thousands of protesters to gather even once. The demonstration was ended before it had really begun....

Article 12 February 2011

Explosion of beams of light

Iranian News agencies are celebrating the Egyptian revolution, hoping that Iran's Islamic revolution could also be successfully repeated in Egypt. Iranian leaders are citing Khomeini, who called the 1979 revolution "an explosion of beams of light."...

Article 12 February 2011

Iran’s hopes for Egypt

Kamal Al-Halbavi, a high-ranking member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, is harbouring the hope that one day Egypt will have a President who is as good as Ahmadinejad....

Article 04 February 2011

A different way of governing in the Middle East

Have you had enough analysis of Hosni Mubarak's mistakes? Then read on. Because this column is about looking forward and proving that the Middle East really can be governed with a new, freedom-hungry, generation in mind....

Article 04 February 2011

The axis of Islam

The Iranian rulers see in the new mass protests in Arabic states the reawakening of Islam and speak of the "new axis of Islam in the middle East." They think that the Islamic revolution of 1979 was the beginning of the protests against the western and "Zionist" supremacy....

Article 24 January 2011

Iran will not comply

Some of the Iranian clerics like ayatollah Kashani speak the Iranian position out without any diplomatic caution. He said, that the western countries have to learn from their mistakes. Iran would not change its policy, even not under the pressure of sanctions....

Article 18 January 2011

Afghanistan stops economic links with Iran

Several Afghan newspapers reported about the deterioration of the economic relationships between Afghanistan and Iran. There are a lot of demonstrations in different Afghan cities against the political and economic Iranian policies towards Afghanistan. Iran builds barriers for the rapid transport of gasoline to Afghanistan. Notwithstanding that Iran is committed by international law to let the gasoline tankers to cross the border to Afghanistan....

Article 18 January 2011

Kayhan is happy

Iran doesn't care if Israel is concerned about the economic relationships between Iran and Germany. Kayhan is happy, because Germany is increasing its exports to Iran. Kayhan thinks that Israel will suffer from a better Iranian-German relationship....

Article 13 January 2011

Iran undertakes reform

On the 8th January 2011, speaking on Iranian News Agency ISNA, High Ayatollah Makarem Shirasi issued a Fatwa: "The wearing of crosses during the "Namas" (daily prayer) and elsewhere is "haram". And in case wearing of crosses constitutes a problem for prayer."...

Article 13 January 2011

Iranian influence in Afghanistan

For two weeks, Afghans have been protesting in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul. They are demonstrating against the closure of petrol transit routes to Afghanistan. The Afghan centre of commerce has even threatened to cut off trade links with Iran completely....

Article 16 December 2010

Iran removes ban on Nazi website

For Arabs and Jews living in Iran, National Socialism constitutes a particularly threatening body of thought. The Iranian Ministry for Education and Islamic law withdrew a ban on a Iranian National Socialist, anti-Arab and anti-Jewish website....

Article 23 November 2010

The sound of terror

The Interior Minister's dramatic terror alert leaves many questions unanswered. Has the threat level really only recently increased? Heavily armed police officers patrol Hamburg's main station - even shortly after De Maizières' terror alert....

Press Release 10 June 2010

French audiovisual authorities ban broadcasts of Al-Aqsa TV

The European Foundation for Democracy (EFD) and the Coalition Against Terrorist Media (CATM) wholeheartedly applaud the decision by France's High Audiovisual Council (CSA) ordering Eutelsat to desist immediately from broadcasting Al-Aqsa TV's violent and hate-filled television programmes that incite hatred on grounds of race, sex, religion or nationality. This decision comes immediately after the European Commission issued a formal warning to...

Press Release 09 June 2010

EFD Praises European Commission’s Warning to France on Al-Aqsa TV

The European Foundation for Democracy (EFD) and the Coalition Against Terrorist Media (CATM) today praised the European Commission for issuing a formal warning to France requesting its High Audiovisual Council (CSA) to enforce European audiovisual legislation and to cease broadcasting Al-Aqsa TV. The French Foreign Ministry said that the "European Commission has recorded repeated violations of European legislation resulting from the content of...

12 May 2010

Syria Hearing: Human Rights Defenders and Political Prisoners in Syria’s Jails – What can Europe do?

On 12 May 2010, the European Foundation for Democracy, in collaboration with MEP Leonidas Donskis, hosted a public hearing on Syria, entitled "Human Rights Defenders and Political Prisoners in Syria's Jails - What can Europe do?". The guest speakers were Iyas al-Maleh (son of imprisoned HRD Haithem al-Maleh), Malik al-Abdeh (Movement for Justice and Development) and Maureen Thomas (Amnesty International UK)....

Interview 20 April 2010

Islam in Italy: in search of a balance between integration and tradition

EFD’s Valentina Colombo speaks to the Italian intelligence magazine GNOSIS about the risk of “homegrown terrorism” in a period of cultural uncertainties....

Article 16 April 2010

Economic crisis in Iran

In the coming year Iranian workers will continue to have to live below the subsistence level. In addition, hardly any growth is forecast for Iran's economy despite the country's high oil revenues....

05 February 2010

The Status Quo of Civil Liberties and the Struggle against Islamist Extremism in Germany

On 5 February 2010, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation hosted a briefing on "The Status Quo of Civil Liberties and the Struggle against Islamist Extremism in Germany", in Washington DC. EFD Senior Fellow Alexander Ritzmann was invited to be the key speaker, as an expert of terrorism and civil liberties....

Mention 28 December 2009

Dr. Wahied Wahdat-Hagh quoted on protests in Iran

EFD Senior Fellow Dr. Wahied Wahdat-Hagh was quoted in the German daily "Hannoversche Allgemeine" on the wave of protests in Iran....

Broadcast 11 December 2009

Irshad Manji interviewed on detention of U.S. Muslims by Pakistan

EFD's Senior Fellow Irshad Manji addressed Muslim stereotypes by making a distinction between moderate and reformist Muslims....

Article 11 December 2009

Mahdism and the Iranian nuclear programme

During a visit to Isfahan, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad commented on his messianic ideas, his hostility toward the West and the Iranian nuclear program. Meanwhile, the massive oppression of civil society continues....

Interview 29 November 2009

Middle East: 30% of bloggers are women

According to Eleana Gordon, EFD Senior Advisor and founder of the Center for Liberty in the Middle East, presenting its latest initiative, the Institute of Online Activism at the World e-Democracy Forum in Issy-les-Moulineaux (Paris), 30 % of bloggers in the Middle East are women....

Interview 27 November 2009

“Christians are second-class citizens”

EFD Fellow Wahied Wahdat-Hagh is interviewed by ZENIT on the topic of Christians in Iran....

Article 02 October 2009

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards expand control over economy

In response to a recently issued decree the Revolutionary Guards have founded their own bank. For years they have controlled the gas and oil trade, telecommunications, the stock markets, dam construction and hundreds of other projects....

Article 04 September 2009

“Hypocrites” and forced confessions in Iran

Forced confessions are a particularly perfidious method of oppressing dissent. The power monopolists in Iran are now even calling those loyal to Ayatollah Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution "monafeqin" or "hypocrites". The regime's ideologists decide on who is a "true" Moslem and who is not....

Article 28 August 2009

Iran: show trial “confession”

Saeed Hajjarian, a former intelligence officer, Islamic reformer and political strategist, has been taken before an Iranian court and forced to make a confession. He has been accused of being jointly responsible for an attempted "velvet revolution."...

Article 07 August 2009

Iran’s politics of confrontation

Iranian politicians and media blame the United States for the mass protests of recent weeks. The Iranian media doesn't give much of a chance to dialog with Washington. All signs point toward confrontational politics....

08 June 2009

Afghan women in a post-Taliban society: challenges ahead

5-6pm, Monday 8th June 2009 Committee Room 8, House of Commons Torn by decades of civil war and invasion, Afghan society is deeply rooted in traditional tribal and Islamic values. In 2001, the Taliban were driven out of Kabul after years of oppressive rule, but they continue to maintain a strong presence in the provinces. In 2004, President Hamid Karzai became the first democratically elected leader of Afghanistan. The elections were seen by man...

05 December 2008

European Radicalisation Monitor: December 2008

EFD's European Radicalisation Monitor (ERM) provides an overview of ongoing terrorist and radicalisation activities, counter-terrorism measures and broad terrorism-related political debates throughout Europe. With the ERM we aim to provide an objective overview of how terrorist ideologies are spreading in Europe, and of the different forms they are taking. It is imperative that Europeans become aware of the threat of such movements to open societ...

Press Release 24 November 2008

Germany bans Hezbollah’s Al- Manar TV

European Foundation for Democracy (EFD) Applauds Germany's Ban of Hezbollah's Al- Manar TV Ban order says Al-Manar supports, advocates and calls for the use of violence Brussels, 24 November 2008. The European Foundation for Democracy (EFD) applauds the German Federal Ministry of the Interior for issuing a German-wide ban of the operations of Al-Manar TV, the satellite channel of the Iranian-funded terrorist organization, Hezbollah. "...

Mention 22 February 2008

Policy briefing: Empowering Muslim women? Opportunities and challenges

Irshad Manji, Senior Fellow of the European Foundation for Democracy was hosted by the European Policy Centre to discuss the "Empowerment of Muslim Women: Opportunities and Challenges." The status of women in Islam and the role of Muslim women in the world have emerged as key issues of global interest. Irshad Manji, a faithful Muslim, is the best-selling author of The Trouble With Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith, a book wh...

07 January 2008

EFD EVENTS 2007

In 2007, EFD fellows participated in over 20 events throughout Europe....

Interview 31 August 2007

Middle East: Terrorism expert calls for ban on Hizballah in Europe

Alexander Ritzmann, senior fellow at the European Foundation for Democracy in Brussels, discusses the reasons to have Hizballah declared a terrorist organization in Europe. A specialist on the radicalization of Muslims in Germany and Europe, as well as on Hizballah and Hamas, he is a former member of the Berlin State Parliament and a senior member of the Free Democratic Party in Germany....

Article 09 February 2007

Modern Israel is a far cry from old South Africa

In the past year, a stream of thinkers across the West - from Australian writer Antony Loewenstein to US academics John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt - has punctured the usual parameters of debate about Israel. I, for one, welcome any effort to prevent ideas from calcifying into ideologies. As a Muslim refusenik, that's what I do by defying the conventional prejudices of my fellow Muslims. Why would I resent refuseniks of a different kind?...