6 September 2023

The Trailblazer: Hosna Jalil on being a woman in Afghan politics

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The EU Matters Podcast
The Trailblazer: Hosna Jalil on being a woman in Afghan politics
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The Taliban came back into power after the fall of Kabul in August 2021, twenty years after a U.S.-led intervention ousted the group from power. Hosna Jalil was born in Ghazni province in 1992. She was the first woman to reach a ministerial position in Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior Affairs, at the age of 26.

We spoke with Hosna about growing up under the Taliban regime and on her path into politics. Hosna also shared her views on what the European Union should do vis-à-vis the Taliban regime and how can it help Afghans on the ground in the current circumstances.

3 July 2023

Don’t negotiate with the Islamic regime in Iran, pleads Iranian human rights activist Arash Hampay

38151068 1688375330035 1d564e9c2d7cc
The EU Matters Podcast
Don't negotiate with the Islamic regime in Iran, pleads Iranian human rights activist Arash Hampay
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According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, more than 500 Iranians were executed by the Islamic regime in 2022. Since January 2023, over 200 individuals have been executed, averaging 10 per week. The European Union has urged Iran to cease this gruesome practice and has imposed sanctions due to the excessive use of force against protesters who have taken to the streets following the death of Mahsa Jina Amini while in the custody of Iran's 'morality police'.

We spoke with Arash Hampay, an Iranian human rights activist who endured a tough upbringing in Iran. When he was 12 years old, his father was killed by the forces of the Islamic regime. His older brother was executed. Arash himself has been jailed multiple times for his activism and has experienced the harsh conditions of Tehran's notorious Evin prison, where political prisoners are detained. During his time there, he was subjected to both physical and psychological torture. We asked Arash about his assessment of the nature of the Iranian regime and wanted to know from him what steps he thinks the EU should take to support the Iranian people.

3 July 2023

Don’t negotiate with the Islamic regime in Iran, pleads Iranian human rights activist Arash Hampay

38151068 1688375330035 1d564e9c2d7cc
The EU Matters Podcast
Don't negotiate with the Islamic regime in Iran, pleads Iranian human rights activist Arash Hampay
Loading
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According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, more than 500 Iranians were executed by the Islamic regime in 2022. Since January 2023, over 200 individuals have been executed, averaging 10 per week. The European Union has urged Iran to cease this gruesome practice and has imposed sanctions due to the excessive use of force against protesters who have taken to the streets following the death of Mahsa Jina Amini while in the custody of Iran's 'morality police'.

We spoke with Arash Hampay, an Iranian human rights activist who endured a tough upbringing in Iran. When he was 12 years old, his father was killed by the forces of the Islamic regime. His older brother was executed. Arash himself has been jailed multiple times for his activism and has experienced the harsh conditions of Tehran's notorious Evin prison, where political prisoners are detained. During his time there, he was subjected to both physical and psychological torture. We asked Arash about his assessment of the nature of the Iranian regime and wanted to know from him what steps he thinks the EU should take to support the Iranian people.

19 June 2023

EU-Turkey relations after Erdogan’s re-election – Dimitar Bechev

38151068 1687166514079 7eeae342dbafd
The EU Matters Podcast
EU-Turkey relations after Erdogan's re-election - Dimitar Bechev
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In May 2023, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won the Turkish presidential elections for the third time since 2014 and has been the most powerful Turkish politician in a generation. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the opposition candidate, had pledged to restore trust with Brussels and Washington and seemed eager to unfreeze the country's EU accession process. However, Kılıçdaroğlu lost to Erdogan by more than 2 million votes.

We wanted to find out if and how will this election impact Turkey's relations with the European Union. In this episode, the executive director of EU Watch, Michael Thaidigsmann is hosting Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at the School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford. Bechev is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, focusing on Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. He is the author of the books "Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West" and "Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe".

19 June 2023

EU-Turkey relations after Erdogan’s re-election – Dimitar Bechev

38151068 1687166514079 7eeae342dbafd
The EU Matters Podcast
EU-Turkey relations after Erdogan's re-election - Dimitar Bechev
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In May 2023, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won the Turkish presidential elections for the third time since 2014 and has been the most powerful Turkish politician in a generation. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the opposition candidate, had pledged to restore trust with Brussels and Washington and seemed eager to unfreeze the country's EU accession process. However, Kılıçdaroğlu lost to Erdogan by more than 2 million votes.

We wanted to find out if and how will this election impact Turkey's relations with the European Union. In this episode, the executive director of EU Watch, Michael Thaidigsmann is hosting Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at the School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford. Bechev is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, focusing on Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. He is the author of the books "Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West" and "Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe".