Stories about Human Rights from September, 2007
Moldova: Transnistria
Douglas Muir of A Fistful of Euros writes about Transnistria, “a sort of post-Communist gangster state”: “Travellers unanimously agree that Transnistria is weirdly fascinating for the first hour or two, then just depressing and boring.”
Ukraine: Prostitution and Feminism
Natalia Antonova writes about Ukrainian prostitutes and Ukrainian feminism.
China: Netizen Juries Fighting For Justice
Wenbin in V360 posts a report about an injustice prosecution (zh): a young person (Pan Yue) helped bringing an old lady who fell down in the bus stop to a hospital in Nov 2006 in Nanjing. It turned out that the hospital fee was huge (RMB40,000) and the old lady's...
France: DNA Testing for Immigrants
Vous reprendrez bien un peu d'humanisme? critiques a UMP-proposed amendment (Fr) to require legal immigrants in France who want their immediate family members to immigrate under a family reunification scheme to submit to DNA tests so prove they are related. Humanisme thinks the plan unconstitutional, hypocritical and an affront to...
Russia: President Lugovoi?
The Accidental Russophile writes about presidential ambitions of Russia's “polonium man” Andrei Lugovoi.
Bahrain: Human Trafficking in the Gulf
“Human trafficking remains to be one of our biggest crimes in the Gulf, with little to no awareness campaigns or activism revolving around it,” writes Bahraini blogger Esra'a , who links to an alarming video and chilling stories in this post.
Korea: Scandalous Photo and Media Freedom
In an earlier post (Bogus-degree and Success, July 14th) I reported on debates about a woman, Shin Jung-ah, who became infamous for holding a bogus degree and eventually ran away when she was exposed. While police and media have been busy figuring how she could attain such a high position,...
Russia: FSB Officer's Letter
A Step At A Time links to Ingushetia.ru‘s translation of a document “said to be a declaration by an officer of the FSB directorate for Stavropol province, confessing to his involvement in the organized abduction and killing of ethnic Chechens and Ingushes by the security forces.” A Russian-language discussion of...
Lebanon: Maids Abused
Sursock and UrShalim posted excerpts and links to reports of cases of abuse as well as dire working conditions that some maids from Africa experience while working in Lebanon.
Europe: Islamisation
The beatroot writes about the “non-issue” of Islamisation of Europe.
Russia: Sakhalin Muslims
Window on Eurasia writes about Sakhalin Muslim “traditionalists” and “radicals.”
Ukraine: Anniversary of Gongadze's Disappearance
IIU guestblogs at Orange Ukraine about the seventh anniversary of Georgy Gongadze's disappearance.
China: A Censored Lung Cancer Story
Minjian released an exclusive investigative story (as it has been censored by the Propaganda Department) about 4 mysterious deaths from lung cancer (zh). The 4 victims were workers in a pharmacy factory in Chongqin. One of the victims, Zheng, suspected that the cancer was related to chemical leaking as all...
Russia: “The Chechen Card”
Window on Eurasia writes that there is more than one way in which “the Chechen card” could be played in the 2008 presidential election.
Russia: International Terrorism?
The Accidental Russophile writes about the difference between the Russian and American views of international terrorism: “Putin's most recent tour of southeast Asia was little more than an arms dealer visiting his new customers.”
Iran:A Web Movie about Women's Campaign
Iranian women’s rights activists initiated a wide campaign,last year, demanding an end to discriminatory laws against women in the Iranian law.You can watch a web movie about this campaign.
Russia: Ingushetia.ru Blog
A Step At A Time links to an English-language blog featuring news from Ingushetia.
Ugandan bloggers reminisce
For the blogren, this has been the week to remember their childhoods. Their posts — touching, witty, inspiring — give insight into the diversity of Ugandan youth.
Russia: Violence in Ingushetia
Attacks on civilians in Ingushetia have increased in the past few months. The most recent victims of violence include the family of an ethnic Russian teacher from the town of Karabulak, two ethnic Koreans in Stanitsa Ordzhonikidzevskaya, and a 66-year-old ethnic Russian doctor at a blood transfusion center in Nazran. Attacks on law enforcement officials are also reported to be on the rise. To help local security forces manage the situation, some 2,500 interior ministry troops were sent to Ingushetia earlier this month. Russian bloggers discuss the situation.
Brazil: Light on the dark dictatorship days
Several South American countries were ruled by military dictatorships in the 20th century, such as Paraguay (1954-1989), Uruguay (1973-1985), Chile (1973-1990) and Argentina (1966-1973 and 1976-83), but unlike the others, Brazil (1964-1985) has never prosecuted those responsible for the crimes of these years. An amnesty law was passed in 1979...
Oman: Too Religious
Omani blogger Suburban is shocked by the indecent attitude of foreigners in Oman.
