Stories about Human Rights from May, 2009
Pakistan: Healing The Wounds Of The Past
Action For A Progressive Pakistan apologizes to Bangladeshis for the atrocities committed by Pakistan army in 1971 and criticizes the Pakistan government: “We find it unconscionable that the Pakistani state has steadfastly refused to acknowledge these atrocities for the past 38 years, leave alone hold those responsible for them accountable...
Cuba: “Cubans Can Connect”
“I’m coming to believe that the influence of the Internet on our reality is bigger than I thought”: When it comes to limitations imposed on Cubans having online access, Generation Y says: “We need to make the most of the situation, now they are saying ‘Cubans can connect’, and take...
Fiji: Reaction to detention of alleged bloggers
Global Voices previously reported that Fiji police detained and seized the laptops of three people who had been named as bloggers behind the anti-government site Raw Fiji News. The three lawyers had recently been named by the pro-government site Real Fiji News. While police confirmed the detentions and laptop seizures, a spokesman would not say why the three men were hauled in. All three have been released, but no word as yet on their laptops.
Pakistan: Don't Wear Western Clothes In Peshawar!
Chowrangi informs that “the men of Peshawar have been told to stop wearing the shirt and trousers and wear the shalwar kurta (Pakistan national dress) instead. This is to prevent any crazy Taliban type from attacking those who wear Western clothes (this has happened a few times in the past).”
Ukraine: Russian Ads; PM's Hairdo; Crimea
Russian ads in Ukraine; Yulia Tymoshenko's hairdo; labor minister's text message interaction with her daughter regarding a government job offer for her father; the Crimean Tatars’ situation and the mess in the Crimean capital's city council – at Ukrainiana.
Russia: Eurovision Roundup
In Moscow, Eurovision coincided with this year's Night of Museums (IZO) – and with an attempt to hold a gay pride parade, which was interrupted by riot police (Robert Amsterdam's Blog). Some more thoughts on this year's contest – at Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog.
Zambia: Final thoughts on HIV discrimination case
The postponement of HIV discrimination case in Zambia is surprising: So the only reason for the postponement was that the lawyer assigned to the case from the Attorney-General’s office was unable to come to Livingstone from Lusaka for the trial today. A few reasons why I find this surprising. First,...
Sri Lanka: Abuse, Disbelief And Bitterness Persist
The Sri Lankan government's civil war for over 25 years against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended a few days ago when the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed. The question remains that "has the dream of many Tamils of having a separate state free from discrimination died with him?". The polarized Sri Lankan Blogosphere is buzzing with a lot of analysis and counter analysis on the stories of celebrating the end of war, human rights abuse, distrust and communal hatred.
Iran: Blogging against homophobia
A few Iranian bloggers wrote comments on ‘International day against homophobia' on May 17 and shared their concerns about existing discrimination against homosexuals in Iran.
Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago:
Barbados-based B.C. Pires publishes a column by the journalist who exposed alleged plagiarism by the former Chairperson of Trinidad and Tobago's now-defunct Integrity Commission.
Iran: Behrouz Javid Tehrani,prison and hunger strike
Several Iranian bloggers including Zarebin informed [fa] that Behrouz Javid Tehrani, a political prisoner and student activist, is in his 16th day of hunger strike and his life is in danger.
Kazakhstan: Tortures Continued
KZBlog writes about the visit of Manfred Nowak, the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on Torture, to Kazakhstan, during which he noted that prison conditions have improved, yet urged officials to stop beatings, asphyxiation and other “techniques” used to get confessions from suspects.
Afghanistan: Rights Abusers Among Nominations
Sanjar reports that there are persons, who have committed and continue to commit heinous violations of human rights, to run for the provincial council elections in Afghanistan, and lists thier crimes.
India: Bowing Down Before Your Wife
Sumanth at Desicritics reports of a verdict of the Indian Supreme Court on a divorce case, which asked the plaintiff to “bow down before his wife's ‘diktat'”. The post containing Sumanth's reaction to the verdict sparks a heated debate in the comments section.
Pakistan: A Humanitarian Crisis
Pakistan has been hit by a severe humanitarian crisis as a result of the military onslaught against the Taliban insurgency in the Swat Valley. Over one million people have fled their homes from various areas in the Malakand division and FATA including Buner, Dir and Swat. A massive relief effort has been launched by many organizations and individuals and the Pakistani Blogosphere is also taking a leading role to seek help for the IDPs.
Jamaica: Discussing Human Rights
“Traditionally, the discussion of human rights in Jamaica has been conducted in what may be considered ‘the privileged voice'”: Raw Politics…Jamaica Style! questions the value of this norm.
Bermuda, Cayman Islands: Referendum
Bermudian bloggers Vexed Bermoothes and Catch a fire are paying attention to the Cayman Islands’ recently-concluded elections and citizens’ participation in a referendum vote on the country's new constitution.
Madagascar: Protester Freed, Journalists Demonstrate Against Censorship
The Malagasy online community was relieved to hear the news that Razily, a protester who was arrested in late March, was seen in public and he seems well and about. While much is still unknown about the circumstances of Razily's release, many bloggers hope that this event signifies the beginning of a return to normalcy with respect to the conduct of the country's security forces.
Cuba: Blossoming Blogosphere
“A lot has changed in the ‘Made in Cuba’ blogosphere,” reports Generation Y, for whom there is “no greater happiness than to see the rise of so many plural, different and free spaces.”
Cuba, U.S.A.: In Solidarity
Blog for Cuba and El Cafe Cubano support Cuba Solidarity Day.
Zambia: HIV discrimination trial postponed
The HIV discrimination case that was going to be live-blogged from the High Court in Zambia has been postponed: “So the judge has spoken and postponed the trial until 15 July 2009. She says that she doesn’t have any dates available until then. This is unfortunate given that both of...
