Stories about Human Rights
Activists rally for marriage equality in Thailand
A petition was launched proposing amendments to the Civil and Commercial Code to allow marriage registration between two people of any gender.
In their own words: Latinas with disabilities turn their homes into pandemic battlegrounds
“COVID created barriers for us that we had overcome before the pandemic. Now, we try to be as autonomous as possible, but we’re obligated to ask for help from other people.”
Myanmar journalists face grave risks at every turn
"Many journalists have gone into hiding or fled abroad with no legal or financial support and only pro-military publications can now work openly in the country."
A Uyghur journalist's demand: Bring an end to my family’s decades of suffering
"I urge UN staff to help get information on whether my 11 relatives are alive and, if so, where are they and why and how they were punished?"
Amid drought and climate crisis, the Mexican state Querétaro faces possible privatization of its water
Residents and activists in Querétaro, a Mexican state facing a drought crisis, have raised the alarm over two proposed pieces of legislation that could result in privatizing water services.
Covering the economic crisis in Sri Lanka: The cost of pursuing journalism
Journalists and media houses in Sri Lanka are facing many challenges covering the ongoing economic crisis and growing public protests; some newspapers have suspended publication and many journalists were injured.
Central Asia’s fears of rising militancy in Afghanistan as Moscow invades Ukraine
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the three Central Asian states that border Afghanistan intended to defend their borders through security reinforcement and diplomacy, primarily relying on Russian initiatives.
The most desperate response to the COVID-19 lockdown in China: ‘We are the last generation.’
Some interpreted the “we are the last generation declaration” as the most desperate resistance against tyranny.
India pushes for storage of private data using technology built for anonymity
As VPNs and blockchain-based services are often designed to assure user anonymity and privacy, this direction might force many service providers to shut down operations in India.
In Azerbaijan's capital, calls for an end to impunity against activists
A group of civil society activists held a rally in Baku, demanding an end to impunity against government critics, political activists, and journalists.
Prominent Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh shot dead by Israeli bullet to the head
Despite wearing a press jacket and standing where she is visible to Israeli soldiers firing away, Shireen was killed by a bullet to her ear, right below her helmet.
Pakistan drops 12 points on World Press Freedom Index 2022
A report by Pakistani rights organization Freedom Network reveals that journalists in Pakistan were subjected to violence, legal cases, abductions, detentions and threats last year, mostly from the state actors.
In Sri Lanka, a people’s uprising for system change
Sri Lankan jurist, author, poet, and activist Basil Fernando contemplates what lies ahead of Sri Lanka amidst the intensified anti-government protests and the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Thugs attacked peaceful protesters, Sri Lanka in turmoil
After 30 days of peaceful protests, the Rajapaksa regime unleashed its thugs on the anti-government protesters in Colombo. The resignation of the Prime Minister followed and violence broke out amid curfew.
How accurate is Nepal’s COVID-19 death toll?
Questions regarding what exactly constitutes a COVID-19 death remain elusive. With the lack of comparable data, it's hard to know the true number of COVID-19 deaths in Nepal.
Sri Lankan state of emergency condemned locally and internationally
In the span of five weeks, the government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared another state of emergency amid ongoing anti-government protests highlighting the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
Turkey unveils an initiative that would send one million Syrian refugees back
{lans to send close to one million Syrian refugees living in Turkey back to Syria are at "advanced stage", President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video message on May 3.
Nothing new in the ‘New Kazakhstan’ as attacks on social media freedom continue
As the world marks World Free Press Day, the government of Kazakhstan enacts a law restricting social media freedom in a country where media are under control of state authorities.
In Azerbaijan, the state of media freedom is dismal, experts say
When at least four journalists remain behind bars, independent and opposition websites are blocked, and censorship prevails in Azerbaijan, there is little cause for celebration on this day.
For acclaimed journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, winning a Nobel Peace Prize offers no protection
For Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and Russian editor Dmitry Muratov, winning the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize has not provided protection from their attackers and state threats as they continue their investigations.
World Press Freedom Day in the Caribbean is a mixed bag
'The environment within which journalists in the Caribbean operate is becoming increasingly perilous.'