· February, 2009

Stories about Human Rights from February, 2009

Thailand: Scholar charged with Lese Majeste

Accused of violating Thailand's lese-majeste law, Bangkok-based professor Giles Ji Ungpakorn fled to the United Kingdom to avoid prosecution. FACT writes that “Thailand seems intent on sending its best and...

16 February 2009

Zimbabwe: Why Arrest Roy Bennett?

“Why arrest Roy Bennett?,” reads the headline at My Heart's in Accra about the MDC Treasurer General and Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, Roy Bennett, who was arrested Friday in Harare. He was charged with treason before these charges were dropped and replaced with attempt to commit terrorism, banditry and sabotage. Zimbabwean bloggers and others have not been silent about his arrest. Many bloggers consider the charges against Bennett to be false. One bloggers links his arrest to Mugabe's hatred for white farmers.

16 February 2009

Cuba: Revolution.com

Generation Y is “more alarmed than comforted” by “hopes for broad access to the internet” in Cuba, but notes: “A true revolution.com takes place parallel and contrary to the rationing...

16 February 2009

Zimbabwe: Why Arrest Bennett?

“Why arrest Bennett?,” asks Ethan Zuckerman. Roy Bennet is a controversial Zimbabwean politicial and a vocal critic of President Robert Mugabe.

16 February 2009

Taiwan: Sovereignty on trial

A recent case heard in the US Court of Appeals is based on the claim the US is the legal occupying power of Taiwan. Michael Turton dismissed the case as...

16 February 2009

Zimbabwe: Take Action For Roy Bennet

Sokwanele's call for action to support Roy Bennet: Please call (or sms the cell) these numbers to let the police holding Roy Bennett know that the world is watching very...

15 February 2009

Lebanon: A Civil Marriage Valentine

Renewed calls for Lebanon to allow civil marriages were made in a Valentine ceremony at a Beirut bar over the weekend. Several inter-religious couples staged mock weddings at a bar in Beirut's trendy Gemmayze district to protest the country's stiff marriage laws. Antoun Issa has more in this post.

15 February 2009

Indonesia: Divorce and polygamy

I feel guilty writing about divorce and polygamy on Valentine’s Day. But these two unmentionable topics are also realities of love and relationships. In Indonesia, more women are divorcing their husbands because of polygamy.

14 February 2009

Egypt: Bloggers Rally Against Sexual Predators

Sexual harassment makes the headlines of Egyptian blogs once again after a blogger was harassed on the street by a group of young men, high on hash. Marwa Rakha reviews reactions from the blogs, who are urging the blogger not to drop charges and fight for the rights of women and children attacked by sexual predators.

13 February 2009

Iran: A letter to the Baha’i community

ZaneIrani writes that a group of academics, writers, artists, journalists and Iranian activists throughout the world wrote a letter to the Baha’i community to say that they are ashamed of...

13 February 2009

Sudan: Video Declarations on Darfur Genocide by the Perpetrators

A video recently released by Aegis Trust shows the testimony of four men who state they actively participated in the violence and massacres on Darfur, and who are not afraid to call it genocide. The video was uploaded on The Hub and it is hoped that people will see it and then pass it on to others in order to spread this information.

12 February 2009

Qatar and Bahrain: Disappearing the Internet

It would seem that another crackdown on Internet freedoms is occurring in the Middle East. Once thought to be the last bastion of free speech, the Internet has recently been subjected to a spate of blockings; and while censorship is no new thing to the region, the willingness of countries such as Bahrain and Qatar to adopt strict Internet policies akin to those in neighboring Saudi Arabia has created a sense of alarm amongst the online community.

11 February 2009