Stories about Human Rights from March, 2012
Jamaica: The Tivoli 73
Active Voice blogs about an art exhibit that references the 73 Jamaican citizens killed during the 2010 Tivoli Gardens occupation: “The 73 flags were suspended with clothespins from a simulated clothesline. You couldn’t help think…were the 73 hung out to dry by the Jamaican government?”
Russia: “Anatomy of a Protest” Film Causes “NTV Lies” Scandal
On Sunday, March 18, there were old TV sets, a mock coffin, and plenty of flowers and cookies outside the Ostankino TV tower in Moscow, where a few hundred protesters gathered for a mock funeral of the "truthful television."
Iran: A poem dedicated to a blogger who died in prison
Leila Farjami has dedicated a poem to Omid Reza Mirsayafi,a blogger who died in prison three years ago.Read more here.
Turkey: Police Attack Kurds Celebrating Newroz
Thousands of Kurds took to the streets in celebration of Newroz across Turkey today but were dispersed with water cannons and tear gas. The celebration marks the first day of Spring. Kurds in the past were not allowed to exert their Kurdish identity in public, but since the 1980s, Newroz has become a symbolic event in highlighting Kurdish culture, and identity.
Yemen: Remembering the Friday of Dignity
A year ago, around 52 protesters were killed and close to 100 were reportedly injured in Sanaa. Netizens remember the day, March 18 - a turning point in Yemen's revolution, which made many people, statesmen, diplomats, and soldiers defect and join the ranks of the protesters.
Brazil: Solidarity March for Syrian Revolution
Syrian revolution support reached Sao Paulo, Brazil, on March 18. Hundreds of activists in Sao Paulo rallied to show their solidarity with the Syrian struggle on its first anniversary.
Belarus: The 2011 Minsk Metro Explosion – A ‘Hall of Mirrors’
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Vladislav Kovalev and Dmitry Konovalov - the men convicted and sentenced to death for their actions surrounding the April 2011 explosion in a Minsk subway station - have been executed despite international appeals to Belarusian President for clemency.
Bangladesh: A Journey in Photos with Featured Blogger GMB Akash
In this feature we introduce to you photographer GMB Akash whose photoblog contains stories of pain, sufferings, joy and hope of the ordinary people of Bangladesh. He has made quite an impression in the international arena in portraying different sides of Bangladesh.
Cuba: Bloggers Respond to Archbishop's Action
Bloggers are reaching boiling point over the political/religious acts of repression that have been taking place in Cuba - and the Pope hasn't even arrived yet. The latest controversy involves the request to remove protesters from a church, which reportedly came from the Archbishop of Havana.
Cuba: Aggression Against Women
Pedazos de la Isla blogs about the wives of two dissidents who maintain that they suffered miscarriages as a result of “violent operations carried out against them by the Cuban political police.”
Ethiopia/Lebanon: Online Outrage Over Death of Domestic Worker Turns into Activism
Alem Dechasa, the woman seen in a mobile phone video footage circulating online being beaten and dragged by force into a car outside the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut, has committed suicide. The video sparked anger amongst Ethiopians netizens. Following her death, netizens are organizing online to call for justice and draw attention to abuse of Ethiopian domestic workers in the Middle East.
Macedonia: Peace March – Enthusiasm, Controversy
The upcoming March for Peace in Skopje has overwhelming support, evident through the positive uproar in social media. Lone voices, however, warn the initiative is used as a PR opportunity by celebrities, and even as a hypocritical alibi for known hatemongers.
South Korea: Twitter Photos of One-Person Relay Protest against Jeju Naval Base Construction
South Korean Tweeters have joined rallies against the Jeju naval base construction that has been blamed for disrupting residents’ livelihood and destroying a rare ecosystem. Each Twitter user has volunteered to take turns to one-person protest against the construction and to tweet the photos, such as user @okeeffe00, @sirdy10 and @yds5921 did in...
Morocco: A Protest to End Forced Marriage After Rape
Moroccans are taking a stand tomorrow (March 17) in protest against the plight of 16-year-old Amina Filali, who committed suicide after being forced to marry the man who raped her. Amina's marriage to her rapist was approved by a judge. Her suicide has raised a storm of reactions both on social networks and on the ground.
DR of Congo: Videos Helped Convict Thomas Lubanga of War Crimes
On March 14, 2012 the International Criminal Court found Thomas Lubanga, a former rebel leader in the eastern Congo, guilty of using children in armed conflict. The judge said video interviews with child soldiers formed part of the evidence that helped persuade the court.
Saudi Arabia: Tweets for Jailed Saudi Activist Draw Global Attention
Saudi Twitter users have joined forces to highlight the plight of a political prisoner Shaikh Yusuf Al-Ahmad on the micro-blogging site. Their effort has made the Islamic scholar's name become a worldwide trend, raising awareness about his imprisonment without charges and access to a fair trial.
Cameroon: UN Drinking Water Data under Question
Oriane Alix in Cameroon reacts to the joint press release from UNICEF and WHO that states that 89% of the world has access to drinking water today. She writes [fr] the following on the collaborative blog of the West Africa WASH Journalists Network: “To announce having reached these United Nations Millennium Development...
Guinea: Journalist Assaulted by Police Officers
Following an assault on a journalist by overzealous security guards at the Central Bank of Guinea on February 27, there was intense indignation among journalists and Guinean and African bloggers.
Cuba: Antúnez Released
Uncommon Sense reports that “Cuban human rights activist Jorge Luis García Pérez Antúnez was released from jail Wednesday, three days after he was arrested.” Pedazos de la Isla supplies more details.
Azerbaijan: Investigative Journalist Defiant After Blackmail Threat
According to Freedom House, Azerbaijan continues “to imprison journalists and bloggers who express dissenting opinions.” However, as one journalist discovered last week, there are other ways to silence critical voices in the oil-rich former Soviet republic.
Brazil: Ministry Silences Report on Human Rights in Belo Monte
Brazilian journalist Leonardo Sakamoto comments [pt] on a news [pt] about a report he wrote for the government that denounces human rights abuses [pt] in the region affected by the Belo Monte Dam. The news points that almost one year after the visit, the report hasn't been formally discussed by...
