Stories about Human Rights from February, 2009
USA: Activists Incensed after Fatal Shooting by Police
Several people recorded mobile phone videos of a police officer shooting and killing a young man named Oscar Grant on a train platform in Oakland, California, on January 1. Since then, citizen media have been central in the ensuing campaigns for justice.
Armenia: 1 March post-election clash anniversary
As the opposition prepares to mark the 1 March post-election clashes which left at least 10 dead, The Armenian Observer says tensions are increasing in the capital, Yerevan. Meanwhile, writing for the Frontline Club blog, Global Voices Online's Caucasus Editor comments on the release of two damning human rights reports...
Afghanistan: Rights Activist Selected as Young Global Leader
Azar Balkhi reports that Fawzia Koofi, an outstanding human rights activist and the first female deputy speaker of the Afghanistan's parliament, was named “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum.
Guadeloupe: Police “Blunder”?
Amidst the confusion of the month-long social conflict in Guadeloupe, two nights of violence took place on February 17th and 18th. Apart from acts of arson in shops and numerous burning roadblocks, the climax of these violent clashes has been the as-yet unsolved assassination of a man. Trikess, who blogs...
Criminal Minds: The Egyptian Sexual Offender's Profile
Will Facebook groups, anti-harassment T-shirts, posts, articles, bloggers, and activists put an end to sexual harassment in Egypt? Wandering Scarab does not think so!
Arab Bloggers Rally Against the Judaization of Jerusalem
As Israeli authorities evict Arab residents and demolish their houses in Jerusalem, Arab bloggers are set on not letting this pass unnoticed. Another blogger calls for designating a week to blog for Jerusalem.
Singapore: Amended law to allow filming of “factual” political rallies
Individuals who use their mobile phones to film illegal rallies can be arrested under an amended law in Singapore. Live film recordings of political events are allowed but the events being filmed must first be held in accordance with the law.
Malaysia: Operation Valentine
Malaysian police arrested 26 unmarried Muslim couples in hotel rooms during Operation Valentine to curb premarital sex. The crime of “khalwat,” or “close proximity” forbids unmarried Muslims to meet behind closed doors.
Egypt: Philip Rizk's Four Days in Detention
A day after publishing “Egypt: More activists and bloggers arrested” on Global Voices Online, news of Philip Rizk's detention spread like wildfire around the world - and the blogger and activist was finally released. Lasto Adri visits Rizk's blog, where he writes about his ordeal and that of another blogger Diaa Gad, who was arrested on the same day and still remains behind bars today.
China: A hard place to defend
Angry Chinese blogger explains why it is difficult to defend China human rights condition by referring to the visit petition of 62 year old Zhong Ruihua.
Fiji: Samoan PM criticisizes Fiji's government
Bloggers in Fiji and around the Pacific are remarking on recent comments by Samoa’s Prime Minister harshly criticizing Fiji’s military government. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said in an interview that he believes Fiji’s self appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has no intention of relinquishing power. He also called on the people of Fiji to reclaim its government
Egyptians on the verge of insanity
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Egyptians are struggling to maintain their sanity, faith, and stability. Marwa Rakha presents the following selection from Egyptian blogs which discuss dreams, suicide, unemployment and the gruesome murder of a woman and her children - at the hands of her husband.
Cuba: One Year Later
Blog for Cuba says that one year after Cuba signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Personal Rights, “human rights abuses continue to escalate.”
Iran: Students protesting against martyrs re-burial are jailed
Up to 70 students from the Amir Kabir University in Tehran were arrested today, Tuesday 24th of February, while protesting against the re-burial of five anonymous Iran-Iraq War martyrs in the grounds of the university. See videos of the protest and the first reactions on the blogosphere.
Kenya: Police harassment of activists
Kenyan Pundit reacts to reports about police harassment of activists, “The report is disturbing to say the very least, not just because it shows you just how paranoid and oppressive this government is becoming, but also because it gives some insight into how the extra-judicial killings that have been in...
Sudan: Mourning a Great Novelist and Musings on the ICC
After a long absence, a number of fascinating Sudanese bloggers, return to the blogosphere to rant, share their thoughts on recent events and vent. They're included in this roundup along with the usual suspects. After a frustrated rant about Khartoum International Airport's unhygienic condition, Sudanese Optimist mourned the passing of the respected and well-known Sudanese novelist, Al-Tayeb Saleh.
Russia: Alleged Racist Murder in Moscow
Moscow Through Brown Eyes translates LJ user plucer‘s post (RUS) about an alleged racist murder in Moscow.
Blog Plagiarism hits Egyptian Bloggers
Is there such a thing as blog plagiarism? Egyptian bloggers argue both sides of the fence on Facebook and on their blogs after a newspaper started quoting bloggers - without their permission, reports Marwa Rakha.
To females traveling to Egypt … or to the US
Crimes against women from Egypt to the US
Thailand: Australian gets royal pardon
Australian Harry Nicolaides has been granted a royal pardon after spending almost six months in a Thai prison on lese majeste charges. New Mandala posted a statement from Harry's brother. Bangkok Pundit examines the lese majeste law.
Russia: Politkovskaya Murder Trial Acquittals
Oleg Kozlovsky, Irina Filatova, Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog, and Window on Eurasia write about the “not guilty” verdict for the three men charged with being involved in the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
