Stories about Human Rights from September, 2014
Trinidadian Diaspora Blogger Appeals to Domestic Violence Victims After Seeing Rice Viral Video
Once the video of Ray Rice (the American football player for the Baltimore Ravens) hitting his wife went viral, Trinidadian diaspora blogger Afrobella couldn't get the incident out of her mind. “The video where he spits and hits the woman who would go on to be his wife, where he...
The Internet Helps Double Russia's Number of Extremism Cases
The number of criminal cases opened on extremism charges in Russia doubled during 2014, and the Internet is responsible for the growth, as more political activity and activism happen online.
How Entrepreneurship Helped a Bangladeshi Girl Avoid Child Marriage
Bangladeshi blogger Raad Rahman tells the story of a girl in rural Bangladesh who avoided a forced child marriage after she started a grocery shop using a small grant from a local non-government organisation. She was going to be married off to her neighbour's son because her family could no...
Criticizing the Government Could Get You Arrested in Malaysia. Is it Time to Repeal the Sedition Act?
The law was passed in 1948 and it has been used ever since to harass the opposition
Why One Trinidadian Father Will Never Hit His Kids
Corporal punishment has, for a long time, been ingrained into the fabric of Caribbean societies, with some making the connection between the region's harsh colonial history and its modern day bent towards violence. In many cases, the recipients of such beatings are the most defenseless members of society – children....
Global Voices’ Alexander Sodiqov Is Safe With His Family in Toronto, Canada
The wait is over. Alexander Sodiqov and family are back in Toronto after the Tajik government assented to a formal request to allow him to continue his academic work there.
Lebanon Blocks Six Porn Sites, Sparks Fears of Further Censorship
Internet users worry that the decision, made by the Ministry of Justice, could lead the government down a slippery slope to greater censorship.
Lebanon Is Deporting Locally Born Children of Migrant Workers, Human Rights Groups Say
Children of certain categories of migrant workers born in Lebanon will no longer be allowed to reside in the country. NGOs speak out against the decision.
The Iranian Government Is Blocking Unregistered News Sites
Iranian news sites that do comply with registration requirements will receive a government subsidy.
How a Group of Squatters Convinced Brazilian Authorities to Seize a Vacant Building for Public Housing
Over the years, the building changed owners but remained empty. The National Movement to Fight for Housing has organized various occupations of the building over the years.
Debating the Nature of Macedonia's Failing Political System
Political analysts, but also bloggers and social media users, have been debating Macedonia's backslide from democracy.
‘You Will Do Anything for Ratings': More Outrage over the Wife Killer ‘Star’ of Turkish Daytime TV
With homicides against women increasing in Turkey, a female chat show host is taking heat for giving more air time to an overnight wife killer celebrity.
Pussy Riot's Dynamic Duo Launches a New Media Portal
"A view from behind bars gives the best view of how the government process works,” says a new website from Pussy Riot's best known members, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova.
Men Convicted in Afghanistan's #Paghman Gang Rape Case Receive Death Sentences
In a powerful display of civic solidarity, Afghan society has finally spoken out against rape crimes. But could it not have done so without demanding the death penalty?
The European Court Confirms : The CIA's ‘Black Sites’ Operated in Poland
Human rights groups have welcomed the ECHR's ruling confirming the existence of CIA "black sites" in Poland, but officials in the Polish government have been less enthusiastic.
Vigils in Australia for an Iranian Asylum Seeker Who Died After Getting Sick in a Detention Centre
An Iranian asylum seeker Hamid Kehazaei has been declared brain dead after suffering septicaemia from an infection contracted while in offshore detention. Many Australians have responded with compassion or anger.
Student in Kerala, India Arrested for Insulting National Anthem
Salman Zalman, a philosophy student and an activist from Kerala, was charged with sedition for allegedly disrespecting and insulting the Indian national anthem and also for a Facebook post.
Israel Moves to Make its Biggest Land Grab in 30 Years, in Palestine's West Bank
The Israeli government said it will annex 990 acres of Palestinian Territory near the Jewish settlement of Gva'ot, west of Bethlehem, leaving way for more settlements considered illegal under international law.
EXCLUSIVE: German Companies Are Selling Unlicensed Surveillance Technologies to Human Rights Violators – and Making Millions
Data analyzed by two leading researchers on surveillance and digital security technology suggests the majority of surveillance technologies produced by German companies have been bought and sold under the table.
Domestic Violence Victims in Bermuda No Longer Have a Shelter to Turn to for Help
The safe house shut its doors because it didn't have enough funding to continue. The closure comes at a time when data suggests domestic violence is increasing.
The ‘Nuh Guh Deh’ Campaign Wants to Make Jamaica a Place Where Sexual Abuse of Girls Is Never Okay
Some Jamaicans, especially men, think it's acceptable for girls to be sexually initiated at a young age. The campaign will coincide with the International Day of the Girl Child.
