Stories about Human Rights from November, 2009
Qatar: Cartoon of maid abusing child raises ire
A cartoon published in a local paper in Qatar depicting a crazed maid abusing a child has raised the ire of Doha bloggers, many of whom are condemning the possible satire for being racist and in poor taste. Shabina S. Khatri has more on the debate.
China and Japan: Feng Zhenghu at Narita airport
Shanghai human rights activist Feng Zhenhu has been living and waiting in the hall of Japan's Narita airport since November 4 when he was barred from entering his own country...
Poland: Catholics Propose Adding Cross to National Emblem
Sylwia Presley reviews the reactions of Polish bloggers to a recent proposal by a Polish Catholic group to include the symbol of the cross in the national coat of arms.
Barbados, Guyana: Doctor Complicit?
Barbados Underground suggests that the doctor who examined the minor brutalised by Guyana police “was complicit in the torture…the concealment of a crime against humanity and…he possibly committed obstruction of...
Poland: Online Campaigning for the Rights of Employees
Sylwia Presley writes about the plight of and online campaigning by a group Polish citizens who work for IKEA via another, smaller, company called Solid Security: they claim to be earning amounts below the national minimal wage, being assigned to work up to 16 hours daily and lacking the basic benefits.
Russia: Local Authorities Slow Broadband Development
On November 10, activists held a rally calling for broadband Internet and protesting against Internet provider monopoly in the township of Kraskovo (Moscow region, 10 km from the Moscow beltroad). This is the first known case of a protest dedicated to the defense of the Internet rights in Russia. The event also raised the issue of the overregulatedness of the process of Internet providing in the country.
Maldives: Tolerance
Jadulla Jameel at Madulu Blog comments: “In Maldivian society, as in rest of the world we need more tolerance and respect towards each other. Then and only then, we will...
Puerto Rico: Hate Crime Against Gay Teenager Causes Outrage
A horrendous murder has been committed against a gay teenager in Puerto Rico. The LGBT community has demanded that the crime be prosecuted under the Hate Crime Law. Bloggers react to this terrible crime.
Brazil: Do banks have metal or melanin detector doors?
Most banks in Brazil use revolving doors with metal detectors. But are they being used as an excuse to discriminate against people? A citizen media video reveals at least one case.
Cuba, U.S.A.: Questions for Obama
Cuba's Generation Y sends a questionnaire to U.S. President Obama “with some of the issues that keep [her] from sleeping” and publishes his responses.
Palestine: Twitter Reports Say Israel Bombing Rafah & Khan Yunis
During Israel's attacks on Gaza in January 2009, bloggers and Twitter users took the place of the media, which had been banned from entering, reporting on each event well before mainstream publications. Today, a user raises the alarm saying Israel has just bombed Rafah and Khan Younis.
Western Sahara: Aminatou Haidar Deported
Aminatou Haidar is a leading activist for independence of the Western Sahara (from Morocco). On Friday, November 13 when, upon returning to Laayoune (a city in the Western Sahara region), she was arrested and subsequently deported. Jillian C. York rounds up the reactions of bloggers.
Cuba: Courting Change
“There are a good number of ministers still under sixty, but the largest share of power is concentrated in the hands of septuagenarians and octogenarians”: Cuba's Generation Y suggests these...
China: Release Zhao Lianhai, the Father of the Kidney Stone Babies
C.A Yeung translated a petition signed by more than a hundred Chinese netizen demanding the Beijing police to release Zhao Lianhai, a famous rights activist and the founder of an...
Cameroon: Southern Cameroon vs. La Republique du Cameroun
Cameroonian blogger Dibussi Tande discusses the ruling of the African Commission on Human Rights in Southern Cameroons vs. La Republique du Cameroun.
Cameroon: On Catholicism, abortion and homosexuality
Rosemary Ekosso discusses the politics of abortion and homosexuality in Cameroon: “As a woman, I have learnt by trial and error (mostly error) not to believe automatically what large groups...
Barbados, Jamaica: The Politics of Homosexuality
“In Barbados we have a long way to go regarding how as a country we want to deal with the issue of homosexuality”: Barbados Underground says “it would be unfortunate...
Namibia: Justice wanted in forced sterilisation case
Namibia Planned Parenthood Association (NAPPA) wants justice for women whose rights have been violated as a result of forced sterilisation.
Czech Republic, Slovakia: Velvet Revolution, 20 Years On
On Nov. 17, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, and The Czech Daily Word lists “most frequent stupid arguments and errors” of...
Russia: Medvedev's Speech and IT; Twitter and the Police
Profy writes about the IT dimension of president Medvedev's annual address: “The draft speech was initially published online as a lengthy article by the president and he invited all the...
Azerbaijan: Prison Diary
AdnanEmin's Blog, Prison Diary, a new blog from Azerbaijan, has been set up to republish letters sent from prison in the oil-rich former Soviet republic by Adnan Hajizade and Emin...
