Stories about Human Rights from July, 2020
Black Lives Matter forces an IBM U-turn on facial recognition
Under pressure from Black Lives Matter movement activists, the company IBM has announced its withdrawal from the facial recognition software market
Tears and rage after Congress rejects franchise renewal of the Philippines’ biggest media network
"Our dreams and future, these are the things they took away from us. I’ve worked so hard for this. But it’s gone in an instant. You are inhumane!”
How does Rwanda’s genocide ideology law regulate speech online?
Rwanda’s genocide ideology law seriously limits freedom of speech online and creates a culture of fear and self-censorship among opposition and dissenting voices.
Is Namibia walking a fine line between Chinese and European spy technology?
Namibia denies accusations that it is building an internet war chest to effortlessly check up on its domestic critics.
Since George Floyd's murder, black Barbadians are becoming more vocal about racism
Through their support of the Black Lives Matter movement, young activists are challenging the status quo.
Hong Kong protest supporters’ international lobby to ‘burn’ China for hurting the city
“Laam chau”, a term derived from a username on the Reddit-like forum LIHKG, means "mutually-assured destruction", and it has captured the imagination of Hongkongers — even those in the pro-establishment camp.
Solo protest in the Netherlands for the Uyghur cause: One man takes on the Chinese state
In the Netherlands, the solo protest of an Uyghur exile puts a spotlight on China's actions against Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang.
The long journey to Uyghur visibility: An interview with French author Sylvie Lasserre
The issue of China's treatment of the Uyghurs is slowly getting noticed in France, according to the author of the first book in French about Uyghur identity.
Mauritania: A racial pyramid seemingly resistant to change
"This is not the Africa of Lumumba, Nyobe, Cabral and Sankara."
Serbia's first #MeToo trial ends with three-month prison sentence for high-profile predator
Some other women with complaints about the former mayor's behaviour were effectively forced out of the small community.
‘Where is my family?': A question left unanswered for too many Uyghurs living abroad
After years of silence about the fate of his family, an Uyghur refugee decides to go public about the persecution of Uyghurs in China, despite the trauma he experiences.
In Assad-controlled Syria, the official narrative is ‘no COVID-19 cases’
In order to maintain a facade of control, the Assad regime does whatever it takes to deny the presence of COVID-19 in the territories it controls.
Freedom of expression in Kazakhstan still a distant prospect, says prosecuted activist
Aynur Ilyashev was prosecuted in connection with his criticism of Kazakhstan's ruling party. The country may have a new president, but thirst for real change is growing, says the activist.
Could reform be on the cards for Jamaica's prison system?
Prime Minister Holness called the death of an inmate who had spent decades behind bars without trial "among the most dreadful inheritances of a system in urgent need of reform."
Jamaica wakes up to the plight of prisoners with mental illness
Noel Chambers, 81, had been in Jamaica's prison system for 40 years without a trial when he died in horrible conditions. Now, his case is being used to help other prisoners.
Cambodia continues to block memorial activities honoring murdered political analyst Kem Ley
Four years on, the government is still ignoring calls to set up an independent commission to investigate the murder.
Construction of first Hindu temple in Islamabad faces opposition
The construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad was stopped after protests from different quarters, but rights activists and minority politicians are hopeful that the temple will be built.
Sudan uprising: Sweeping reforms usher in justice and freedom
These laws show the identity of a new Sudan that recognizes rights, diversity, freedom of belief and expression.
So-called anti-fascist files in Brazil expose the personal information of hundreds of people
One of the lists, which circulated on WhatsApp, doxxed people's personal information such as names, pictures, and addresses.
#BlackLivesMatter resonates in South Asia as Unilever drops ‘Fair’ from ‘Fair & Lovely’ cosmetic line
In the wake of the Black Lives Matters movement, Unilever announced that they would rebrand their leading skin care product ‘Fair & Lovely’ to 'Glow and Lovely'.
Manila Pride protester fights back and narrates ordeal inside police detention
"We persist against all odds. Our existence is resistance. We're here to dismantle oppressive systems, to change the things we cannot accept.", says Filipino LGBTQ+ activist Carla Nicoyco.
