· December, 2007

Stories about Human Rights from December, 2007

Caucasus: 2007 Blog Review

  31 December 2007

With 2008 less than a day away at time of writing, it seems only appropriate to take a look back at the blogging highlights in the Caucasus for 2007. Certainly, although blogging is still largely underdeveloped, the year has seen some major highlights, especially with regards to stories that also...

Egypt: Murad and the Freedom of Speech

  31 December 2007

Judge Murad lost his case and the court ruled in favour of freedom of speech. The Administrative Judicial Court issued a sentence in Case No. 15575 / 61, which was brought by Judge Abdul Fattah Murad calling for banning the 51 websites on the Internet in Egypt. You can read...

Russia: Holiday Charity (via Egoism)

  29 December 2007

Russia is embarking on a 10-day national vacation: from Dec. 30 to Jan. 8, the country will be celebrating the New Year's and Orthodox Christmas - and should also have enough time to rest, relax and sober up in between. Charity isn't among the most popular subjects in the Russian blogosphere during the festive season, although some bloggers do discuss ways of helping the poor and needy this year. Below is one blogger's musings on charity and selfishness, as well as a perfectly explicit call to action.

Nari Jibon: Women bloggers and the dowry problem in Bangladesh

  28 December 2007

This week we look at some brilliant articles from Nari Jibon’s women bloggers. They discuss the menace of wedding dowries, which make the lives of poor families difficult by forcing parents to consider female children as burdens. Also, one NJ participant dreams of becoming president and changing the present society to an enlightened, educated and dowry-free society.

Nigeria: Oil's Dirty Business

  27 December 2007

Timbuktu Chronicles writes about the documentary, Delta, Oil's Dirty Business: “Directed by Yorgos Avgeropoulos, “DELTA – Oil's Dirty Business” “…portrays the image of “development”, the way giant multinational petroleum companies would define it.”

Cuba: Freedom and Environment

  27 December 2007

Babalu Blog disagrees with a New York Times article that suggests the ending of the US embargo could mean the end of environmental preservation in Cuba.

Armenia: Corrupt Politics

  26 December 2007

Martuni or Bust reminds it readers that the former judge now turned radical opposition activist as the February 2008 presidential election in Armenia draws closer has a few skeletons in his own closet. In particular, the blog quotes an interview conducted with this author on concerns that the judge in...

Saudi Arabia: Free Fouad Update

  26 December 2007

The leading Saudi blogger, Fouad Alfarhan, who has been arrested in Jeddah on December 10, 2007 for exercising his freedom of speech on his popular blog alfarhan.org has sent a letter few days before his arrest to his friends. According to his wife with whom we talked, Fouad's arrest was directly linked to his blogging activities. He may remain in custody for a one-month investigation period.

Poland: Simon Mol

  26 December 2007

The beatroot writes again about Simon Mol, a “Cameroonian ‘refugee’, poet and human rights activist” charged with infecting 12 Polish women with HIV. (Many of the 213 comments to this post do not seem to have much to do with the subject.)

Latvia, Estonia: Valka and Valga

  25 December 2007

Valka is in Latvia, Valga – in Estonia. Until 1920, they used to be one town, Walk. “The Latvian side faces a back door of an Estonian supermarket.” But, as All About Latvia reports, “town officials from both sides plan to take [the metal fence] down altogether to allow pedestrians...

China: Scrap the death penalty?

  25 December 2007

Was it New Jersey's undoing of the 1976 reinstatement of capital punishment earlier this month, or the United Nations General Assembly's call for a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty a few days later that launched prominent Chinese bloggers into their own debate on the subject? NetEase has gotten nearly...

Taiwan: An Ironic Human Rights Day

  24 December 2007

In this article, I will carry on the subject from my last article in bringing you information on human rights in Taiwan. Top Ten News on Human Rights The Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) released their picks for “Top Ten News on Human Rights in 2007″ just before the...

Saudi Blogger Fouad Al Farhan Arrested in Jeddah

  23 December 2007

Saudi Arabia added yet another accolade to its freedom of speech record by arresting its first blogger. Fuad Al Farhan, considered by many as being the dean of Saudi bloggers for being among the first to blog in his country using his real name, has been arrested in Jeddah. No further news is available for the reasons for his detention. This is how some of his fellow bloggers reacted to his arrest.