· February, 2013

Stories about Human Rights from February, 2013

Burundi: Violent Suppression of Demonstration Support for Imprisoned Journalist

The Court of Burundi revised the life sentence for journalist and Radio France International correspondent Hassan Ruvakuki on appeal, reducing his sentence to three years imprisonment. Media professionals demonstrated in sympathy weekly outside the Bujumbura Court building since the sentence was handed down until violent suppression of a march by the authorities.

28 February 2013

Women Protesters Call for the Fall of the Saudi Interior Minister

A group of women and children who are relatives of uncharged prisoners managed to organize a small sit-in in Saudi Arabian city of Buraida, challenging the strict ban on demonstrations in the absolute monarchy. This week's sit-in had an unprecedented, explicit demand: the fall of the Interior Minister.

27 February 2013

Turkish Women Speak Up: My Body, My Decision

Turkish women protested, and protected their rights by saying 'my body, my decision.' But it seems like they still have a long way to go and fight until it is 100% their decision what to do on their body or their life. Baran Mavzer tells us why Turkish women, though in a better position than many across the Muslim world, have a long struggle ahead of them to obtain and maintain their legal and human rights.

27 February 2013

Jailed Iranian Blogger Up for Award

Reporters Without Borders and Google announced the name of the nominees for the 2013 Netizen Prize. Shiva Nazar Ahari, Iranian female human rights activist and blogger is among the nominees. Read more...

27 February 2013

Open Letter to China on Human Rights

Just prior to China's annual “two meetings” of the NPC and CPPCC, which are scheduled to convene on March 5, more than 100 prominent individuals — including academics, journalists, lawyers and economists signed an open letter...

26 February 2013

VIDEO: In Bolivia, Indigenous Women Draw Society's Short Straw

Marisol, an indigenous Bolivian woman, says that in her country "being an indigenous woman is the worst thing that can happen to you." Her testimony is part of a news report by Mario Munera which explores the lives of Bolivian women in the contexts of education, politics and sexist violence. The report "Women in Bolivia" was published in Periodismo Humano.

26 February 2013

Defending Capital Punishment in Japan

Would you still be against it if someone you loved was killed by a psychotic murderer? Human rights organization Amnesty International called for the death penalty to be abolished in Japan...

25 February 2013

Sexual, Holy and Disruptive: One Billion Rising in the Caribbean

The "One Billion Rising" campaign, created in response to statistics which suggest that one in three women will be assaulted or raped in their lifetime, called on women across the world to dance together in protest of gender violence on February 14th. Various groups throughout the Caribbean participated...

25 February 2013

Nationwide Strike Delivers Blow to Malawi's President

Malawi's President Joyce Banda is beating back calls for her to resign after hundreds of thousands of civil servants demanding a wage increase went on a two-week long strike, shuttering the country's international airport and paralyzing hospitals and schools

25 February 2013

Police Torture Continues in Egypt

On Egyptian Chronicles, blogger Zeinobia talks about how the police continue to torture people. She shares the story of Ayman Mehana, who was attacked, arrested and allegedly sexually abused at...

24 February 2013

Macedonian Anti-Fascists Protest Against Harassment

On Feb. 16, World War II veterans and their supporters protested against the forced neglect of the Allied Forces' achievements (which include the founding of the Macedonian state), and the continuous harassment of the veterans' organization by the current government at all levels. Filip Stojanovski reports.

24 February 2013

Evacuate the Children of Fukushima

Parents, residents and lawyers are taking to the streets demanding that their children by evacuated from Japan's Fukushima region, where they claim radiation levels continue to be high.

22 February 2013

A First for Africa: Ex-Dictator to be Judged on the Continent

A new court system, the Extraordinary African Chambers has recently been set up to allow the first ever trial of one of its own dictators on the continent. The tribunal to judge Hissène Habré, former president of Chad, opened in Senegal on February 8, 2013. Human Rights Watch has been working since 1999 with victims of the ex-dictator, currently in exile in Senegal, in order to bring him to justice.

22 February 2013