Stories about Governance from June, 2023
Undertones: If on welfare, better learn Dutch and be a man
Low education about AI tech leads to ill-informed narratives about algorithmic bias
Chişinău hosted the largest LGBTQ+ march in the history of Moldova
The march this year focused on advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in Moldova to have their marriages legally recognized.
In Azerbaijan, feminist activists say not the time to celebrate
At least ten political activists left the embassy premises following the extraction of feminist activists and Hasanli.
Post-pandemic, lockdown on rights persists in the Philippines
The restrictions and repressive measures imposed during the pandemic have continued to have a chilling effect on the local population.
Over 100 arrests following Pride march in Istanbul
The emphasis on family values and the portrayal of LGBTQ+ people as a threat to these values has been part of a narrative often weaponized by local politicians including President Erdoğan.
Pride marches challenge endemic homophobia in the Balkans
Pride marches in all Balkan capitals all came with similar demands: stopping hate speech and hate crimes fueled by widespread homophobia and transphobia.
‘Are you rejoicing at the prospect of a decrepit and impotent maniac being swept away by a pack of brutal bloody cannibals?’ Twitter users are divided about the armed coup in Russia
Mercenary troops have reportedly seized control of military infrastructure in both Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh, the two largest cities in the south of Russia.
A leaked report exposes government's cover-up of repressions against Uyghurs in China
The leaked document sheds light on the Chinese authorities’ comprehensive and intense efforts to cover up these violations and restrict access to information by international media.
#StandWithBach: Support for detained environment lawyer who is on hunger strike in Vietnam
Vietnamese lawyer Dang Dinh Bach has been in detention since June 2021 and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for tax evasion after criticizing the government for its environmental policies.
How to silence an environmental protest Azerbaijan style
Residents say the existing artificial lake, built in 2012, is used to dump toxic waste from the mine poisoning the drinking water with severe consequences on residents' health.
The controversial role of Islam in protestors’ executions in Iran
Despite the harsh interpretation of religion by Iranian authorities, there are those who contend that politicians within the religious institution manipulate religion to justify their actions or further their objectives.
Ashes on their foreheads: Forest fires in Kazakhstan expose pervasive corruption and government’s fake promises
Over the past three years alone, four large forest fires have occurred in the north and east of Kazakhstan, causing the destruction of more than 100,000 hectares of forests.
Istanbul marks Trans Pride March with police violence and detentions
Local authorities have banned all PRIDE related events for the month including film screenings and tea drinking events.
President Erdoğan's obsession with childbirth expands past Turkey's borders
Independent economists say under existing economic conditions and salaries, it is nearly impossible to support five children in Azerbaijan.
Tajikistan's government adds another colossal building to its tally
Tajikistan building all these buildings is all the more striking given the fact that it is the poorest country in Central Asia.
Central Asian leaders sigh with relief as Erdoğan wins presidential elections in Turkey
After a cooling off in the relations in the 1990s and early 2000s, the blossoming of cooperation between Turkey and Central Asia has come under Erdoğan’s rule.
Rumors blame Ukrainian saboteurs for setting wildfires in Russia
Alexandra Arkhipova, an anthropologist and folklorist, argues that the belief in "Ukrainian saboteurs" is a classic example of a social phenomenon known as "moral panic."
Residents of Ukrainian town occupied by Russia recount stories from a flooded Oleshky
People on the occupied by Russia left bank of the river Dnipro were abandoned by occupational authorities during the flood. These are their stories.
Kyrgyzstan's YouTube sensation, D Billions, kicks off its global concert tour
D Billions, which stands for billion smiles, has already reached its ambitious goals of putting a smile on billion people's faces through their YouTube videos.
Unfreedom Monitor Report: Kyrgyzstan
Advox research into digital authoritarianism in Kyrgyzstan is now in a report. Read an excerpt and download the full pdf.
After a decade of constrictions, how are NGOs operating in Azerbaijan?
Amid the Azerbaijani government's strict rules on NGO funding and leadership, most NGOs have been forced to cut down on services and develop self-sustaining mechanisms to continue operating.
