Stories about Human Rights from May, 2011
Ukraine: No Bail For Ex-Interior Minister Lutsenko
Foreign Notes writes that Ukraine's ex-minister of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lutsenko has lost an appeal to be released on bail and is “back behind bars.”
Russia: Medvedev and Press Freedom
Vadim Nikitin of Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog writes that while the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev “had no problems embracing iPad and Twitter,” he “seems to be a late adopter when it comes to good old fashioned press freedom.”
Greece: A Proposal to Reform the Police
Greek blogger Leonidas Irakliotis proposes several measures [el] to reform the police and restore public trust, in light of recent police violence and failure to deal with a wave of anti-immigrant attacks in Athens. “As long as we tolerate this incompetence, we will suffer from an under-performing police force; resulting...
Cuba: More on “The Student”
More details on the death of Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia, from Without Evasion.
Cuba: Cultural Center Closed
Generation Y blogs about “the shock of the correctives” in the form of “the closure of the cultural center run by the painter Pedro Pablo Oliva”.
Uruguay: Congress Upholds Amnesty Law for Military
The Latin America News Dispatch writes about the Uruguayan Congress’ decision to uphold a 1986 amnesty law that “prevents the prosecution of military officials from the 1973-1985 dictatorship for crimes against humanity.” Hours after the Congressional vote, 8,000 Uruguayans marched in Montevideo in a “March of Silence,” an annual walk to...
Bulgaria: People Bring Flowers to Sofia's Mosque
Ruslan Trad (@ruslantrad) writes that people were bringing flowers on Saturday to the mosque in Sofia where clashes between a right-wing group and local Muslims took place the day before.
Bulgaria: Right-Wing Group and Muslims Clash in Sofia
Ruslan Trad reports on the violent clashes that erupted in Sofia during today's nationalist rally against a mosque's loudspeakers, between sympathizers of the nationalist Ataka party and local Muslims.
Cuba: Musings on the Sixth Congress
Laritza's Laws blogs about “the trap of socialist democracy”, while Octavo Cerco says that “after the close of the Sixth Congress of the Communist Party…the only point on the official agenda that seems to be right on the mark is the repression of the alternative groups that have been growing...
Cuba: Pastor Speaks Out
Dissident Juan Wilfredo Soto García‘s pastor has a blog and is using it to “raise [his] voice for Juan Wilfredo.”
Russia: “Work and Shelter in Migrant Moscow”
Madeleine Reeves writes at OpenDemocracy.net about migrant workers in Moscow and their “daily struggle […] to stay ‘legal’, and survive.”
Russia: “Violence, Death and Cover-Up in the Russian Army”
At OpenDemocracy.net, six tragic cases of hazing of new Russian army recruits: the Russian NGO Mother’s Right Foundation “used the highly popular Russian social network http://www.odnoklassniki.ru to publish selected profiles of young men who died while serving in the army. They were no longer alive, so couldn't write anything themselves,...
FSU: Deportations of Crimean Tatars and Soviet Colonialism
J. Otto Pohl of Otto's Random Thoughts writes about the Soviet colonialism (here and here), and about the 67th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars (here and here), linking to his earlier posts and articles on the subject.
Cuba: Effects of a Beating
Crossing the Barbed Wire blogs about his efforts to make a film about “Alberto Lairo Castro, a young Holguin native who in 2007 was a victim of a ‘Double Nelson’ lock applied onto him by the National Revolutionary Police” and was left disabled as a result.
Iran: “We are Everywhere” Campaign Against Homophobia
This year, on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, several Iranians raised their voices by launching a “We are everywhere” campaign, on YouTube, Facebook and blogs against homophobia worldwide. In Iran, homosexuality is punishable by death.
Brazil: Poisoning Homeless People
Luana dos Santos denounces [pt] several attempts of killing homeless people in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, with poisoned food and drinks.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Eurovision Diplomacy?
Global Voices’ Caucasus Editor rounds up opinion to the possibility that winning this year's Eurovision Song Contest could contribute to change in Azerbaijan. The post looks at the situation in terms of LGBT and political rights, in addition to the ongoing conflict with Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno...
Bermuda: Gay Rights = Human Rights
Wishful Thinking says that “discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation” is a human rights issue and asks compatriots to “send a message that we've waited long enough and leave no doubt in the minds of our parliamentarians that we expect action now.”
Panama: Remembering Raúl Leis
On April 30, sociologist, writer and committed member of Panamanian civil society Raúl Leis passed away. His death has left a void and also a place full of fond memories and learning, shared both by traditional media and by the Panamanian blogosphere.
Russia: Navalny Called In For Questioning On Rospil Logo
Kevin Rothrock (@agoodtreaty) reports that anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny (LJ user navalny) has been called in for questioning about the logo of his Rospil [ru] anti-corruption project: “[…] Does it desecrate Russia's state emblem?” Navalny's post [ru] about the investigation, launched at a United Russia MP's request, has so far...
Cuba: Uncertain Internet Future
“Cuban civil society is looking forward to what will happen in July when the network structure of the island is connected to to the fiber optic cable that came in early February to Cuba from Venezuela”: Still, Laritza Diversent says that “the future of the Internet in Cuba has a...