· June, 2012

Stories about Human Rights from June, 2012

Armenia: Intolerant Society

Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts a video animation produced by the Civilitas organization illustrating how intolerant society in the virtually mono-ethnic Republic of Armenia can be. The blog also notes that...

29 June 2012

China:Famous School Teacher Harassed Boys

FMN reported that a deputy principal of high school affiliated with East China Normal University has been accused of having harassing his male students at school. Several victims decided to...

29 June 2012

Pakistan: Who Killed Pashto Singer Ghazala Javed?

Ghazala Jawad, a charismatic Pashto singer was gunned down in the city of Peshwar. Mystery shrouds the identity of her real killers. Was this an honor killing by her ex-husband, who disapproved of her singing? Or was this an act by the Taliban, who she defied throughout her career?

28 June 2012

Egypt: Assault on Women in Tahrir Square

Journalist Natasha Smith narrates her ordeal of suffering mass sexual assault while heading to Tahrir Square to join the celebrations in a post titled “Please God. Please make it stop,” triggering more than 1000 comments.

28 June 2012

Yemen: Electricity Woes in Yemen

Electricity, food and water are basic human rights and have been the main demands of the majority of Yemenis long before the revolution started and still continue to be so. Nothing seems to have changed with the overthrow of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and living conditions only seem to get worse under the new National Consensus Government.

28 June 2012

Korean ‘Comfort Women’ Photo Exhibit Sabotaged in Japan

A South Korean photographer explains his ordeal in holding an exhibition in Japan that documents aging 'Comfort Women', the term used for Koreans drafted as sex slaves by the Japanese during World War II. Many South Koreans and fans of the photographer online, accused Japanese extremist right-wing groups of refusing to admit their war crimes and attempting to sabotage the art exhibition.

27 June 2012

Saudi Arabia: Will Arwa Baghdadi Have Her Baby in Prison?

Pregnant Saudi prisoner Arwa Baghdadi is about to give birth behind bars. Arwa's brother was killed in violent clashes with Saudi security forces in 2011. Following his death, Arwa was arrested. During her detainment, she has been on hunger strike and has accused Saudi guards of sexually harassing her.

27 June 2012

Puerto Rico: Francheska Duarte's Case Causes Outrage

The young mother Francheska Duarte was run over and later abandoned in an emergency medical centre by her ex-boyfriend. The judge presiding over the case found Francheska's former boyfriend Jorge Ramos guilty only of the less serious misdemeanor. The decision has caused an outrage in the island.

27 June 2012

Saudi Arabia: Tweeps to Remember Detained Protester

Following the overthrow of Tunisian and Egyptian presidents, an anonymous call for a "Day of Rage" in Saudi Arabia on March 11, 2011, was spread. In response, the government deployed heavy police forces in all major cities to ensure that any protest remains virtual. One man, Khaled Al-Johani, turned out to protest and was arrested on that same day. Netizens rally to draw attention to his plight.

27 June 2012

Arab World: People With Disabilities Raise Their Voices!

An online campaign was launched to shed light on the struggle of people with disabilities and their neglected rights. Campaign founder Abdallah AlShalaqi, an activist from Saudi Arabia said it aims at raising community’s awareness of the rights of people with disabilities; breaking media silence about it; and giving a message to government officials to take action towards this issue.

27 June 2012

China: An Account of Citizen Disappearance

Cao Yaxue from Seeing Red in China has translated civil rights activist Xu Zhiyong's account of his recent disappearance – a more than 24 hours interrogation and illegal detention.

25 June 2012

Puerto Rico: Impunity Island

Blogger Ed Morales comments on recently released American Civil Liberty Union's (ACLU) report (PDF) on police brutality in Puerto Rico: “The report echoes a previous, scathing one on police brutality and abuse...

24 June 2012

Armenia: A Slow Descent Into Fascism?

Following the 8 May firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan and the disruption by ultra-nationalists of a march for diversity two weeks later, the Huffington Posts asks if Armenia...

24 June 2012