Stories about Human Rights from January, 2010
Cuba: Bloggers’ Risk
“Some years ago I read a study by the UN International Labor Organization in which they reported the profession of journalist as the second riskiest in the entire world…the study was done in the nineties, when there were, as yet, no bloggers”: Generation Y reports from Cuba.
Guinea: ICC Deputy Prosecutor to visit Guinea
“Fatou Bensouda, the Deputy Prosecutor is in Guinea on the 19th of January. The invitation was extended by the Guinean authorities according to a statement by special advisor to the prosecutor Beatrice Le Fraper,” reads a press release at Konakry Express blog.
Sri Lanka: Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam Released On Bail
Groundviews reports that: “Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam was enlarged on bail today pending the appeal of his conviction under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. “
Poland: Discussions of TOR and Internet Filtering
The end of 2009 in Poland was marked with the beginning of a public discussion of on-line privacy, the government's potential attempts to restrict access to websites and a growing awareness of TOR software supporting on-line anonymity. Sylwia Presley reports.
Azerbaijan: Year of the child?
Emotions on Air, Mind Mute visits an orphanage in Azerbaijan and compares the officially stated aim of making 2009 the Year of Children with the reality faced by those seemingly forgotten and destined to remain in residential care.
Iran: Chinese cyberactivists support Iranians
Since the recent mass demonstration in Iran against the Islamic Regime, dozens of Chinese “netizens” have joined the #iranelection Twitter community, even going so far as to create their own web site.
India: Caste Discrimination
Sparsh comments on the still persisting caste discrimination in India: “I always ask elders that society has become more feudal, caste oriented and communal than 60 years ago. No clear cut answers. People still ask with smile surname to map out the caste and ancestry in their minds.”
Russia: Death Penalty Moratorium Extended Indefinitely
Russia has indefinitely extended a moratorium on the death penalty that was due to expire on Jan. 1. Numerous comments were posted on RuNet, and they essentially reflect the returns of opinion polls on the death penalty issue.
Haiti: Free & Fair?
Haitian blogger Wadner Pierre features a letter from a U.S. Congresswoman who expresses concerns that the island's upcoming elections would be “a set back for Haiti's democratic development if these elections will not be fair and credible.”
China: “Avatar” and forced demolition
Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated Chinese reaction of the Hollywood movie “Avatar”, some comments related the struggle to the forced eviction and demolition of people's home in development project.
Jamaica: Police Power
“Just in case we thought that the Jamaican police were unique in their brand of brutality we are reminded that police forces anywhere can be equal opportunity purveyors of brutality and state terror”: Annie Paul republishes a disturbing email from India.
Lebanon: Bloggers Participated in “Kolena Laila”
"Kolena Laila"(We are all Laila) is an online initiative that aims to spread awareness about the Arab women in the Middle East and North Africa. In its fourth year, "Laila" got to be Lebanese. Here are some of the Lebanese bloggers' contributions.
Egypt: “Have a Voice” Campaign
As Egypt gears up for its 2011 presidential elections, a group of bloggers have launched a new campaign to make people believe that they can usher in change and make their voices heard through voting. Eman AbdElRahman rounds up reactions from the Egyptian blogosphere in this post.
South Asia: Looking Back At 2009 (Part 2)
This is the second part of our retrospection of some of the major events, which took place in 2009 in the South Asian countries, seen through the eyes of the citizen journalists.
Philippines: Remembering the Maguindanao Massacre
Bloggers share their thoughts one month after the massacre of more than 60 men and women in Maguindanao, Philippines. The suspects in this gruesome crime belong to a warlord clan formerly allied with the incumbent president.
Killing Kuka: Timorese Youth Gunned Down
Twenty-five year old Kuka Lebre from East Timor was shot and killed by the local police last week. His death generated a strong reaction in the country. GV author Keta Haluha summarizes the reactions of netizens in East Timor
Kazakhstan: Relatives of Political Prisoners Criticize Rights Activists
Andrey of neweurasia.net translates the RFE/RL's oundtable discussion on Kazakh human rights organizations, which are being criticized by relatives of political prisoners.
Myanmar: Shortage of prison doctors
The Irrawaddy reports that there is only one doctor available for every 7,314 prisoners in Myanmar. There are almost 250,000 prisoners in the country.
Azerbaijan: Justice for Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli
As its first post for 2010, Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines remembers the two blogging youth activists sentenced last year to 2 and 2.5 years in prison. Commenting on a new video in support of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, the blog hopes that there will soon be justice.
Russia: Bloggers Cover Opposition Rally
First photographs from a Russian opposition rally in Moscow emerged on the Internet just hours after the event. The pictures are available on the blogs of LJ users drugoj and zyalt.