Stories about Human Rights from December, 2007
Russia: Robert Amsterdam's Alternative Person of the Year
Robert Amsterdam insists that “TIME’s choice is a great thing for Russia and her people, as we can all take a much closer look now at what is going on (and what’s going wrong) in this great nation.” He also picks his blog's own Person of the Year: The Russian...
Ukraine, Russia: On Tymoshenko, Yanukovych and Putin
Foreign Notes writes about Yulia Tymoshenko's TV address and Viktor Yanukovych's “shadow opposition government” – as well as Vladimir Putin's misrepresentation of Ukraine's Russophone population in his Time Magazine interview and a subsequent reaction of the head of Donetsk region, who “emphasized that the Russian-speaking population of his oblast, which...
Ukraine, France: Prank Protest at Charles de Gaulle
Orange Ukraine writes about the brief arrest of two Ukrainian journalists at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris – for what seems like an exhausted transit passengers’ prank.
Colombia: Comparing Rates of Kidnapping
Nicolás París of Machete [es] compares the rates of kidnapping in Colombia and Venezuela.
Russia: “Nashi” and Feminism
Natalia Antonova writes about Nashi pro-Putin youth movement – and about feminism in the former Soviet Union: “So is there feminism in Russia today? Yes. Only in many instances, it doesn’t go by that name. And perhaps never will. Is there feminism among Nashi members? I don’t believe the members...
Serbia: Kosovo Roma
TOL's Romantic writes about about Kosovo's Roma and a new blog about this minority group.
Bahrain: Celebrations, commemorations, and demonstrations
Bahrain is approaching the end of a ten-day holiday to celebrate both its National Day and Eid Al Adha, which has seen tragedy as well as joy. December 16 is Bahrain’s National Day, and the following day celebrates the King’s accession to the throne (عيد الجلوس), but it is also a day on which the opposition mark ‘Martyrs’ Day’, commemorating the people who died during the 1990s while fighting for political reform. During demonstrations this year one man died, creating another 'martyr', and increasing tension on the streets of the kingdom.
South Korea: Sexual Minorities Neglected
Cho Eunseok from newcham translated an article about sexual minorities’ previous encounter with the newly elected president Lee Myung-Bak.
Soviet History: The Red Terror
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about the history of Cheka and the Red Terror.
Serbia: 50 Cent in Kosovo
Prishtine: Independence and Kanun hosts a discussion of 50 Cent's recent concert in Kosovo.
The Balkans: Fighting Genocide Deniers
Srebrenica Genocide Blog has two new posts up: on the atrocities of 1943, and on Darko Trifunovic, a “Srebrenica genocide denier” employed by the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Security Studies. In a comment, Alan Jakšić of Serbian Anarchist recommends that Daniel of Srebrenica Genocide Blog file a “formal complaint”...
The Balkans: A Blogroll, Sort Of
Balkan Anarchist posts a blogroll of sorts, listing all blogs (mostly Balkan, but not exclusively so) he has left comments at in 2007. Of special notice are Genocide in Bosnia, a blog by an exile from Srebrenica, and this discussion at Srebrenica Genocide Blog.
Iran:UN Sees Iranian Rights Abuses
Omid Memarian,journalist and blogger,informs us that the “U.N. General Assembly approved a draft resolution Tuesday expressing “deep concern” at the systematic human rights violations in Iran, including torture, flogging, amputations, stoning and public executions.
Cuba: Show Me Your Friends…
Child of the Revolution describes the United Nations resolution expressing concern at reports of human rights violations in North Korea “surprising” – and notes that “the usual suspects” (including Cuba) abstained from the vote.
Japan: The battle of HCV victims
Stories about tainted blood products are nothing new in Japan. In the 1980s, patients with hemophilia contracted HIV from tainted blood products, the result negligence on the part of the government and pharmaceutical companies about an earlier FDA decision to withdraw its approval of the products.
Russia, Moldova: Interview With Natalia Morar
An interview with journalist Natalia Morar by Grigory Pasko – at Robert Amsterdam's blog.
Iran:A Court Considered Three Jailed Students Innocent
According to Daneshjoo blog[Fa],an Iranian court considered three jailed university students,Tavakoli,Ghasaban and Mansouri, innocent.These students have been in prison for 9 months and were forced to confess about publishing anti regime articles.Now an Iranian court says they never published such articles.
China: Youth Died in Police Station
A eleven years old boy was found dead in a police station in Kaifeng City. He was detained by the police for 8 days for stealing 13 bicycles. His parent found bruises and cigarette burning marks on the dead body. Liu Xiaoyuan pointed out that, whenever criminal suspects were found...
Russia: Attacks on Ingushetia.ru
Window on Eurasia reports on the attacks on Ingushetia.ru, a site that “often reports news about conditions [in Ingushetia] that the authorities do not want covered.”
Russia, Moldova: Natalia Morar's Expulsion
Perspectives on the New Russia and Robert Amsterdam write about journalist Natalia Morar's work and the possible reasons for her expulsion from Russia.
Russia: North Korean Laborers
Moscow Through Brown Eyes writes about North Korean laborers in Russia and examines other cases of coerced labor, elsewhere.
