· March, 2013

Stories about Human Rights from March, 2013

Iran: “We Want Our Children to be Free”

The mother of dead blogger, Sattar Beheshti,said in a message in YouTube that she gave her son for Iran and added “we want our children to be free”. Sattar Beheshti died...

31 March 2013

Trying to Get Through: Hungarians Send Video Messages to Prime Minister

Young Hungarians are shocked by the government's stubborn refusal to acknowledge their protests and their demands for a more democratic decision-making. To get their message across, four young people launched a new blog on March 22, asking fellow citizens to send short video messages to the Prime Minister with their thoughts on his governance.

31 March 2013

Religious Extremism Blamed for Myanmar Riots

The Meikhtila riots in central Myanmar which also spread to other towns have killed more than 40 people and raised fears that religious and ethnic clashes would continue to worsen in the country. Many people have analyzed the roots of the violence, in particular, the rise of religious extremism which have caused division and hate in many parts of Myanmar.

31 March 2013

Crash that Killed Cuban Democracy Advocate Still Shrouded in Mystery

The car accident that killed leading democracy advocate Oswaldo Payá has been shrouded in mystery and misinformation since it happened in eastern Cuba last July. Angel Carromero, the Spanish politician who survived the crash, recently told The Washington Post that the car was run off the road by state security agents. But many observers doubt the veracity of his claims.

30 March 2013

Will Brazil Stem New Tide of Immigration?

The global financial crisis, wars and natural disasters have inspired a new wave of immigration to Brazil. The development of successful immigration policies may contribute to Brazil’s reputation as an emerging global power.

29 March 2013

Dear Xenophobic Policeman, Fancy a Drink?

Blogger Mizohican from Mizoram, India has invited a Mumbai police officer who mistook him for a Nepali and used a xenophobic slur at him for drinks to talk things out.

27 March 2013

Despite Bans, China's Uyghurs Wear their Identity with Pride

A viral photo showing Uyghur students being punished for wearing Muslims caps in Xinjiang's Urumqi city has been labelled by the authorities as a "rumor" and a "plot" by "outside forces." But many Uyghurs wonder when the government will show some respect for their culture.

27 March 2013

Russians Can't Agree on Billionaire's Suicide

RuNet Echo

When Alexander Dobrovinsky, lawyer to Russia's rich and famous, announced on his Facebook that Boris Berezovsky, controversial Russian oligarch living as a refugee in London, had committed suicide, RuNet reacted with disbelief.

27 March 2013

Shades of Communism in New Russian Registration Law

RuNet Echo

On the evening of March 18, 2013 group of around 12 people [ru] unveiled a long black-and-white poster in the Red Square, reading “Go f*ck yourself with your registration”. They set off flares and shouted slogans, among which were “Down with the Chekist government!” and “Putin will be executed!”

25 March 2013

String of Killings Leaves Five Guatemalan Activists Dead

Although Guatemala is taking a giant step towards justice by prosecuting former dictator Efraín Rios Montt for genocide, problems with violence and impunity continue unresolved. In less than one month, five indigenous and social leaders have been kidnapped and murdered by gangs of armed men in different regions of rural Guatemala.

25 March 2013

Nine Street Kids Die in Senegal Quran School Fire

A raging fire that broke out in Dakar, Senegal in a crowded Islamic school room where students were sleeping killed at least nine children on the night of Sunday 3 March, 2013. The tragedy has highlighted just how tough living conditions for Quran school students, known as talibs, can be.

25 March 2013