Stories about Human Rights from January, 2008
Palestine: Gaza Under Seige
Bloggers around the region are adding their voices to an international outcry as the Gaza Strip falls into darkness. A four-day Israeli blockade on the strip has led to the closure of the territory's only power station because of the lack of fuel.
Turkey: Crocodile Tears?
Erkan's Field Diary posts an account of attending Saturday's memorial to slain Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor Hrant Dink in Istanbul on the first anniversary of his murder by an ultra-nationalist youth. The blogger says that while he is pleased to see some consensus in Turkish society about the tragedy of Dink's...
Turkey: Remembering Hrant Dink
Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the murder of ethnic Armenian newspaper editor and journalist Hrant Dink in Istanbul, Turkey. Dink was shot outside the office of the Agos newspaper on 19 January 2007. A prolific advocate for civil, human and minority rights in Turkey, Dink was killed by 17-year-old Ogun Samast.
Armenia/Turkey: Remembering Hrant Dink
Today marks the first anniversary of the murder of ethnic Armenian newspaper editor and journalist Hrant Dink in Istanbul, Turkey. Marilisa Lorusso's blog remembers Dink by dedicating an albeit short post to him.
China: The Vagrants behind the Wall
Beijing, the host of 2008 Summer Olympics, is trying to show every bright aspect of its stable and harmonious to the whole world, however, when you are almost convinced by the prosperous night scenes around the Forbidden City, you may never think behind some traditional Chinese-style walls, there is another totally different world.
China: A melee in and out of the college
A physical brawl between a college profeesor and his girl student in class incurred unusually opposite voices. The situation was even more complicated due to the resignation of another professor and was ending in a political debate between the liberal and the left wing.
Libya: Gitmo Prisoner Infected with Aids
A Libyan detainee at Guantanamo Bay could have been infected with the deadly Aids virus after a blood transfusion, says his Chicago-based lawyer H Candace Gorman.
Russia: Vasily Alexanyan
Robert Amsterdam writes on the plight of Vasily Alexanyan, an imprisoned and gravely-ill former Yukos executive.
Egypt: Parliament Threats on Cut Ties with European Parliament
Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt, reports that the Egyptian parliament is threatening to cut ties with the European Parliament and the Euro-Mediterranean Council if the European Parliament passes a resolution criticizing Egypt’s record on human rights.
Iran:Open letter to Chavez from Iranian labour activists
Militant has published an open letter to President Hugo Chavez from Iranian labour and student activists. Chavez was asked to use his close relation with Iranian president,Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,to help more than 40 jailed students and labour activists,to be released from prison.
Russia: “Not Free”
Sean's Russia Blog writes about the Freedom House's recent verdict on Russia: “not free.”
Iran:A student died under torture
Kargareemrouz informs[Fa] that Ibrahim Lotfolahi, a university student,was killed under torture in prison in Kurdistan province,in Iran. He had been arrested about ten days ago.
Armenia: Reparatations
The Armenian Observer posts a video of an Armenian official arguing that Turkey must return territory once inhabited Armenians before the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. While the blogger says that territorial reparations are unlikely, he says that Armenians should demand maximum compensation from Turkey before gradually compromising from a...
China: No Human Dignity, No Olympic
Clairewy reposted in her blog an article by Teng Biao (a Chinese Lawyer) about Hu Jia's arrest, which re-instated that “without human right and dignity, there is no genuine Olympic; for the sake of China, for the sake of Olympic, we have to defend human right.” (zh)
Russia, UK: More on the British Council Row
Robert Amsterdam posts an update on the British Council scandal.
Russia, EU: Asylum Seekers
IVAN vs JAAN writes about the EU stance towards Chechen asylum seekers – and about the ongoing row between the U.K. and Russia over the British Council.
Free Fouad: Arab Bloggers Speak Up!
The dean of Saudi bloggers Fouad Al Farhan (Ar) is still being detained - a month after he was handcuffed from his office in Jeddah and taken to an undisclosed location. Bloggers from Saudi Arabia to Tunisia are rallying behind Al Farhan and calling for his immediate release.
Burkina Faso: foreign, local and international incidents
Just a few weeks into the New Year and normally placid Ouagadougou observed its first sensational crime of 2008. A Lebanese man allegedly killed a local Burkinabé money changer during a business deal gone wrong.
China: Baby Needs Milk
Civic rights activist Hujia was arrested and his wife Zhen Jinyan was detained. Cathay is worried about their new born baby and she sent some milk powder to the baby via door to door delivery (zh). The blogger wants the couple to know that they are not alone.
Russia, UK: British Council
Robert Amsterdam writes on the UK-Russia conflict over the British Council.
Poland: Public Health Underfunded
Our Man in Gdansk writes about the lack of state funding for such crucial areas as health care and education in Poland.
