Stories about Governance from December, 2021
North Macedonia's Zoran Zaev, the prime minister who ‘has done the most to serve his country’
Zaev resigned as prime minister on December 22. His goals were to restore democracy and freedom, bring North Macedonia into NATO and the EU, and improve the quality of life.
Azerbaijan's controversial media law has grave consequences for media freedom and independence
Hailed by its proponents as the reform bill, its impact on the media freedom and independence in Azerbaijan is going to be extensive, critics of the law say.
Turkish finance minister wrecks economy ‘with a twinkle in his eye’
The Minister of Treasure and Finance was interviewed about the new rescue package introduced by the ruling Justice and Development Party that will protect lira deposits from further depreciation.
Barbados prime minister calls a snap election, the first poll for the island as a republic
The announcement was met with approval by many Caribbean commentators, who saw the calling of early elections as a bold move and smart political strategy by incumbent prime minister, Mia Mottley.
Ukraine to get support from Apple with conducting national census in 2023
Commenting on the collaboration with Apple for the 2023 national census, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy said digitisation was "an unconditional priority for our state".
Twitter ignores Malaysian government's request to censor Tweets about flood response
Tweets that criticized the Malaysian government's flooding response were flagged for deletion yet Twitter informed its users about the request, and decided to leave them uncensored.
Portraits of a pandemic: Films on the unequal impact of COVID-19 in the Asia-Pacific
“Portraits of a Pandemic” holds space for stories that portray with care and nuance the effects of the COVID-19 crisis in the Asia-Pacific.
Serbian authorities accused of spying on visiting Russian citizens at behest of Kremlin
Russia and Serbia have formed a joint working group to combat protest movements against autocratic and populist governments by suppressing grassroots initiatives, independent media, the opposition and civil society organizations.
Turkish pop star angers the public with tone-deaf comments on current economic crisis
As people form long bread lines outside subsidized bread kiosks, an interview with a Turkish pop start sparks criticism online.
Turkey announces new steps to normalize ties with Armenia
During his address at the national parliament on December 13, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu said Turkey was ready to normalize ties with Armenia.
The Turkish Lira continues to lose value at a breakneck pace
Turkey's largest business group urged President Erdoğan's government to "return to rules of economic science."
The International Court of Justice orders Armenia and Azerbaijan to prevent racial hatred
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), ordered Armenia and Azerbaijan to “prevent the incitement and promotion of racial hatred” following last year's 44-day war.
Georgian authorities fail to produce autopsy five months after journalist’s death
The authorities in Georgia have failed to produce the results of an autopsy into the death of TV Pirveli camera operator Aleksandre (Lekso) Lashkarava.
In Nigeria, the government weaponises the law against online expression
The Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 (NCA) has been employed by the government in justifying various violations of online freedom of expression in Africa's most populous nation.
Despite updates in legislation, organisations in Uganda struggle with data protection and privacy compliance
While Ugandan legislation was recently updated to include more provisions aimed at protecting digital privacy, reality on the ground shows the majority of Ugandans are not guaranteed those rights.
2021 in retrospective: Authoritarian practices threatened journalists and restricted media freedom in South Asia
In this retrospective, we will review issues of online and press freedom, censorship, the safety of journalists and digital rights in South Asia that we covered during the year.
Tunisia: New prosecutions resurrect shadow of dictatorship
The use of military law by Kais Said's government to prosecute journalists and restrict freedom of expression foreshadows a return to the nightmare governments of before the Arab Spring.
How did Vietnam do on human rights in 2021?
"As 2021 draws to a close, we ask that the international human rights community remain vigilant and continue working with their respective governments to demand that Vietnam respect its international obligations."
Arrest of activist Khurram Parvez shows ‘a new hostility towards civil society in Kashmir’
Arrested and charged under the much-criticized Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for “terror-funding” and “conspiracy,” Khurram’ Parvez's internationally acclaimed body of work is being tarnished by allegations of terrorism.
Zagreb protests: Croatians divided around COVID-19 certificates
A series of protests erupted in Croatia after its government mandated certificates to show public sector employees are vaccinated, have recovered from COVID-19 or have tested negative.
The Uranw of Nepal seek official recognition of their Karma Festival
The Indigenous Uranw of Nepal have been lobbying for the Karma Puja to be recognized nationally so that community members can attend a festival of social cohesion and community bonding.
