Stories about Human Rights from June, 2010
Cuba: Ferrer Released
Several Cuban bloggers report that prisoner of conscience, Dr. Desi Ferrer, has been released, but must serve the remaining four months of his prison term under house arrest.
Iran: Derakhshan's trial started
According to [fa] several sites including Fars News, Hossein Derakhshan‘s trial started today. The Iranian blogger has been in jail for 21 months and he was accused of “collaborating with ennemi states, doing propaganda against Islamic regime, insulting religious sanctities and doing propaganda for anti-revolutionary groups.”
Zimbabwe: Dear Farai Maguwu
Chris Kabwato writes to Mr. Farai Maguwu, Executive Director of Centre for Research and Development (CRD) who was arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police two weeks ago.
Cuba: Letter for Ferrer
“Just know I will be watching. And as I have done for almost 5 years on my blog, I will be holding you and your government to account what it does on Tuesday…and so will many others around the world”: Uncommon Sense publishes his letter to the Cuban government on...
World: Protecting Human Rights on Citizen Video
Making a video to protect human rights might backfire and end up threatening the rights of those who appear or participate in the video. WITNESS' The Hub shares with us how we can make a human rights video that gets the message across while minimizing the risk to those involved.
Ecuador: Bloggers Analyze Truth Comission Report
On May 2007, a Truth Commission (TC) was created by presidential decree; its purpose is to investigate and collect information on human rights violations attributed to the security forces in the last 25 years. This past May 7, after three years, the Truth Commission handed out its report to President Rafael Correa, which included 831 human rights violations affecting 456 victims between 1984 and 2008. Bloggers have analyzed the report from different points of view.
Eritrea: Eritrean journalists in diaspora
An analysis of experiences and activities on Eritrean journalists in the diaspora by Adal Voices Of Eritreans.
Hungary: Sinning with Impunity
Twenty years after the transition to democracy, Hungary is discussing whether those who had committed crimes against citizens during the communist era should be called to account.
Sri Lanka: Reflections On The Problems In Gaza
Sri Lankan MP and blogger Rajiva Wijesinha reflects on the adjournment of resolution on the problems in Gaza: “the world is desperately in need of consensus based on universally accepted principles of justice, rather than continuing indulgence to old victims by old victimizers.”
Russia: Novaya Gazeta, An Opposition Newspaper Under Internet Attack
Novaya Gazeta is a liberal opposition newspaper in Russia that is famous beyond Russia's borders. Several of its journalists have been killed, and it continues to attract both online and offline threats. Sergey Sokolov, the deputy executive editor, shares with GV his perspectives on information security and the ongoing investigations into the journalists' murders.
Cuba: Cameras & Memory
Generation Y says that the “dozens, hundreds of cameras scattered throughout the city” are creating content that “will be stored in the visual memory of this country.”
Barbados: Trafficking Rating
Keltruth Corp says: “It seems that the human trafficking situation in Barbados is getting worse, and that the Government of Barbados is doing little to remedy the situation”, while Barbados Free Press adds: “This is the worst abuse because it makes powerless and vulnerable people victims…”
Cape Verde: “Blog Joint” on Prostitution
In a Blog Joint Project, netcitizens from Cape Verde are reflecting about prostitution in the country: Emilio gives law background and quotes statements from public figures; Edy, who defends it should be legalized, points it as one of the main social problems in the country; Wilson agrees with him and...
Macedonia: Law on Electronic Communications Invades Citizens’ Privacy
On June 16, 2010, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted changes to the Law of Electronic Communications, which now violates the privacy of the citizens. With these changes, the Ministry of Interior Affairs will have constant and direct access to the electronic communications networks.
Argentina: Children of the Dictatorship speak out in Interactive French Documentary
The Blogtrotters are a collaborative video blog from France who in their 9th project are travelling to Argentina to make Hijos, a collective documentary on the missing children of the dictatorship, trying to trace back their origins to their disappeared parents.
Bangladesh: The Toll Of Eve teasing
Pinky wrote this note before taking her own life: “when [my tormentor] pulled my scarf and harassed me physically in front of the house, onlookers at the scene laughed. Nobody protested.” Blank Noise blog highlights the eve teasing menace prevailing in Bangladesh.
Cuba: Ferrer's Trial Date
Uncommon Sense highlights the case of Cuban prisoner of conscience Darsi Ferrer, who is set to stand trial later this month.
Jamaica: Waiting for ‘Dudus’
As ‘Dudus’ remains at large, bloggers comment on the upset the search for him has caused…Chez Hsia: “Someone needs to step in and provide the social services that Dudus was providing, or else the cycle will just begin anew…”; Active Voice: “The problem is that even in times of uneasy...
Egypt: My Name Was Khaled and I Was Not a Terrorist
Demonstrations and rage continued in Egypt following the death of a young Egyptian, allegedly at the hands of police. The anger on the street is evident online, where citizen journalists speak out.
Haiti: Profiting from Disaster?
The Haitian Blogger suggests that “Haiti's calamity is a windfall for everyone, except Haitians living in Haiti in the camps.”
Bahrain: Spying on Citizens Using New Number Plates
Bahrain is introducing new car number plates with technology which allows police to monitor the movement of every vehicle. Blogger Mahmood Al Yousif remarks: “Must we be followed, spied on and harassed by the state in every single facet of our miserable lives to end it now with a completely...
