Stories about Human Rights from November, 2010
Haiti: Valid Vote?
Dying in Haiti continues to comment on Sunday's election, here and here, saying, even as the OAS announces that the vote should be deemed valid: “The methods that I witnessed on Sunday morning sure wouldn't give robust results choosing new Haitian leaders.”
Cuba: Content of Cables
Along the Maleon says that the “Cablegate” cables that pertain to Cuba appear to be about the country's “political affairs, the country's relations with other countries and human rights.”
Caucasus: Revelations & Confusion over Cablegate
As the media worldwide reveals revelation after revelation with the gradual release of over 251,000 leaked U.S. Embassy cables over the coming weeks, there were also some items of specific interest in the South Caucasus.
Cuba: The Remaining 11
As the Cardinal of Havana declares that the release of the remaining political prisoners is not in his hands, Uncommon Sense says: “The difficulty he faces in understandable. But what is indefensible is that at least publicly, he never comes across as a champion for those Cubans…”
Myanmar's other political prisoners
Despite the recent release from detention of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, human rights advocates remind the public that there are still more than 200 political prisoners inside Myanmar.
Additional Context on the Recent Political Arrests in Madagascar
Blogger Alain Rajaonarivony writes at length about the implications of the recent series of political arrests in Madagascar (fr). A close relative to Raymond Ranjeva and his daughter describes the circumstances of their arrest. Here is a petition to denounce the arbitrary arrests (fr).
Madagascar: Wave of Arrests in the Aftermath of the Failed Coup
In the aftermath of the referendum and simultaneous failed putsch , a veritable waltzes of arrestations and investigations are shedding a sad shadow on the island of Madagascar. Malagasy citizens react to the series of concerning events that have left many of them either incredulous, cynical or just plain blasé.
South Asia: The Morality Of Exposing Others’ Secrets
WikiLeaks, an international non-profit media organization has created waves around the world by publishing 251,287 confidential documents, which detail correspondence between the U.S. State Department and U.S. embassies around the world. Some South Asian bloggers were quick to publish their opinions on this issue.
Morocco: Danish journalist deported for Western Sahara fishing story
A Danish journalist who did a radio story on the European Union paying Morocco for fish from Western Sahara was deported from Morocco two days after arriving. His computer hard drive and SIM card were confiscated.
Haiti: Election Results?
“So the big election day in Haiti happened. However, the whole process seemed horribly dysfunctional to me. How many voters were left out just due to logistics? And what about fraud and intimidation?”: Dying in Haiti is convinced that “the results of the election, whenever they will be determined, will...
Take Back the Tech to Eliminate Violence Against Women
The global campaign Take Back the Tech! started on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This year it is focused on developing actions that defend women's right to freedom and expression and information. Global Voices interviews Erika Smith, the Association of Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Program communications coordinator.
Brazil: Cartoons of slum violence
Conceição Oliveira, at her blog Maria Frô, posts [pt] a series of cartoons by renowned Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, which depict the recent outbreak of violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil: Three proposals to ease Rio chaos
Bruno Cava, writing for the Amálgama blog, analyzes [pt] the current wave of violence in Rio de Janeiro's slums, and proposes three possible solutions: new policies for development and urbanization of poor areas, democratization of the criminal justice system and decriminalization of all illicit drugs.
Pakistan: Aasia and Aafia – The Tale Of Two Pakistani Women
Some Pakistanis find themselves concerned over the case of Aasia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy, the same way as they are distressed over the detention of Aafia Siddiqui, who was sentenced for 86 years imprisonment in America.
Haiti: Election Day
Today, Haiti goes to the polls in an election that has been fraught with controversy and affected by the ongoing cholera epidemic. With the country's most popular political party being barred from contesting, some bloggers can't help but feel that today's process is really more of a “selection” than an election.
Iraq: Connecting the Dots
Iraq, Lebanon and South Africa. What have they all got in common? IraqPundit connects the dots in this post.
China: Time for a new conversation about privacy invasion
With a broader and perhaps global view of more pervasive privacy issues, poet and professor Rui Shen asks: "Some people disagree with airport security measures that display people's bodies, feeling those to be an invasion of their privacy. Watching the debate on the news, though, I wonder: are these people confused or just stupid?"
Lebanon: Remembering the Armenian Genocide
Adon posts (Ar) that the demonstration which took place to protest the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Lebanon last week, should have included all of the Lebanese and not only Armenians. He asserts that the demand to recognize the Armenian Genocide or any other genocide should not be...
Georgia: Gypsies from Azerbaijan
Ulviya's Blog reports on the plight of gypsies begging on the streets of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. The blog notes that most of them come from Azerbaijan and offers a brief glimpse into their lives.
China: Conditions in Tibet Since 2008
In an interview with Asia Pacific Memo, Dr. Robert J. Barnett talks about what life has been like in Tibet since 2008 and the obstacles to talks between exiled Tibetans and China.
Haiti: Cholera & Elections
HAITI, Land of Freedom notes that several human rights groups have expressed concerns about the country's upcoming elections in the midst of the cholera epidemic.
