Stories about Human Rights from May, 2010
China: Hebei’s “Great Leap Forward”
More than 1000 residents of Hebei Province will be subject to forced evictions before June 5, in a government development project online opinion has dubbed a “Great Leap Forward.” Guangping County, an impoverished area in southern Hebei, will see 2 billion yuan ($293 million) invested in new building and development...
Russia: “Circassian Nationalism and the Internet”
At OpenDemocracy.net, Zeynel Abidin Besleney writes about “the role played by the internet as a lifeline linking otherwise isolated activists and communities and reinforcing the Circassian nationalist cause.”
Russia: Coalmine Disaster Victims’ Families vs Thugs?
Vadim Nikitin comments on “this week’s unprecedented measure to provide each widow of the [May 9] mine explosion victims with police protection to ward off attacks from organised criminals after their compensation payouts.”
Uganda: Freedom of press under attack
Freedom of press in under attack in Uganda as Richard Kavuma of Katine Chronicles reports.
Bloggers React to Gunfights and Change in Government in Madagascar
Gunfights in Antananarivo and yet another change in the government shook Madagascar the past week. Bloggers react:
Pakistan: Netizens Protest The Blanket Ban Of Facebook And Other Sites
After the ban of Facebook, Youtube and several other sites in Pakistan, many netizens of the country are outraged by the decision.
Latvia: Neo-Nazi Cleared of Hate Speech Charges
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reports that the Latvian Supreme Court has cleared a neo-Nazi of hate speech charges.
Ukraine: Medvedev in Kyiv; Yanukovych & the Wreath
Reactions to the Russian president's visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, last week (which included the Ukrainian president being hit by a wreath during a commemoration ceremony at the Unknown Soldier Monument) – at Kyiv Scoop, Ukrainiana (here and here), and Leopolis.
Egypt: On Street Activists and Citizen Journalists
Between online activists, citizen journalists, and street demonstrators, it seems that the cause lost it's purpose and the Internet turned into a soundproof room for cursing and cussing. Marwa Rakha takes a closer look at online activism and its relationship to events on the ground.
Zimbabwe: Employees of Gay and Lesbian of Zimbabwe detained
Sokari writes about the arrest of two employees of Gay and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) by officers from the Central Intelligent Department.
Egypt: Parliament Votes to Extend Emergency Law
The Egyptian Parliament decision to extend state-sanctioned emergency rule for another two years garnered international criticism and domestic backlash, as the law gives exclusive right to the Ministry of the Interior to detain suspects without charge, monitor communications and wiretap contact networks, restrict newspaper content and impede political assembly and demonstration. Bloggers react to the development.
Armenia: LGBT rights abroad, homophobia at home
Posting news of a Armenian LGBT conference in the U.S., Unzipped: Gay Armenia also posts a photograph and comments on homophobic leaflets and posters from an ultra-nationalist group appearing in Yerevan, the Armenian capital.
Egypt: Crackdown on the Egyptian Da Vinci Code
Dr Youssef Zidane's 2008 Azazeel created a stir, followed by resentment, when it was first published. Today, Dr Zidane is being accused of blasphemy and defaming Christianity and as insulting any of the 'heavenly faiths' is illegal in Egypt, he could face up to five years behind bars. Bloggers react to the development.
Iran: Student activist started hunger strike
Majid Tavakoli, Iranian student actvist, started his hunegr strike in prison in Tehran. Sight writes [fa] “Tavakoli is not only a name. He is a legned. He started his hunger strike but the world does not pay attention.”
Taiwan: Heavy metal and death penalty
One of the top public issues in Taiwan blogosphere recently is whether Taiwan should abolish death penalty or not. Thus, The Ball Music sorts out and introduces several heavy metal songs that are about death penalty(zht). “…You don't have to support the abolishment of death penalty just because you are...
Lebanon: Nationality problem
Farfahinne Kob expressed [Ar] her anger from a contradicting piece of news – where a Lebanese man married to an Israeli woman was able to transfer his nationality to his children, while Lebanese women can not do the same – no matter what the nationality of their husband.
Egypt: The State Versus the People on Minimum Wages
The current minimum laborer wage, set in the mid-1980s, is LE35. Tabula Gaza reviews the workers strife since the late 90s until today.
Egypt: Workers on Protest Face Security Crackdown
Amonsito textile factory owner Syrian-American Adel Agha fled Egypt in 2007 and responsibility for the factory was assumed by Manpower and Immigration Ministry and Bank Misr. Amonisto workers went on strike and Tabula Gaza blogged how they were kicked out of a parliament session, with six workers “kidnapped” and taken...
Uruguay: Silent March Remembering Disappeared Detainees
This year marked the 15th silent march that takes place every May 20 in remembrance of those detained and disappeared during the military dictatorship of Uruguay.
Kazakhstan: OSCE Visits Jailed Rights Activist
KZBlog reports that an OSCE representative went to see Yevgeniy Zhovtis, a human rights leader in Kazakhstan who was imprisoned for vehicular manslaughter. The chair of the OSCE ordered the press office not to publish the report on the visit on the OSCE website.
India: Outsourcing The Womb
AmreekanDesi says that India has taken outsourcing to a new level. The country is now outsourcing the womb to produce little babies for the childless parents across the world.
