Stories about Politics from November, 2015
Armed Police Provide Intimidating Backdrop for Serbian Interior Minister's Press Conference
"This is a way of openly calling for persecution and lynching of individual journalists and directly puts their safety at risk"
Death in Diyarbakır: Shooting of Human Rights Lawyer Deepens Turkey's Political Strife
"We have lost a very important lawyer who gave all his life to peace and the human rights struggle. Please get to know him better and do not forget him."
Russia Considers Tougher Restrictions on Mobile SIM-Card Sales
You already need a passport to buy a prepaid SIM-card in Russia, but regulators want to further restrict SIM-card sales, citing security reasons and the increasing "terrorist threat."
To the World, He's Malaysia's Most Famous Political Prisoner. To His Daughter, He's Simply ‘My Dear Papa’
Nurul Hana Anwar channeled her sadness into a recently published book, "My Dear Papa". The collages inside offer a deeply personal picture of her father Anwar Ibrahim.
Will Indonesia’s Police Circular on Hate Speech Suppress Freedom of Expression?
"This hands the police a powerful weapon, allowing it to decide what can and cannot be categorized as hate speech, and is absolutely problematic and dangerous."
When in Doubt, Ask Yourself ‘What Would the Tanzanian President Do?’
Tanzania's President John Magufuli's radical measures to save money have led to a humorous trending hashtag, #WhatWouldMagufuliDo.
In Malaysia, One Daughter's Long Wait for Her Father’s Return
When the Malaysian government imprisoned Anwar Ibrahim, they did not just take away his political career. They also took away a grandfather, a father and a husband.
The Big Laughs of Mexico's ISIS Threat
Far from showing fear, Mexicans have flooded the Internet with sarcastic jokes and dark comedy about the apparent threat from ISIS.
President Duda's Controversial Pardon Has Not Put Poles in a Forgiving Mood
Earlier this month, just a day after the new Polish government was sworn in, President Duda made the controversial decision to pardon Mariusz Kamiński, a member of Duda's former party.
Gambia's President Bans Female Genital Mutilation, but There's Still Much Work to Be Done
"Lost in all the celebrations...is the fact that FGM is not banned in The Gambia, at least not yet. There is no enforceable law on the books"
Iran's Supreme Leader Tweets Commentary on Global Conflicts, Blaming the US
"[Supreme] Leader in meeting with Russian president: America always try to put rivals in status of passiveness but you neutralized this policy."
Singaporeans Can Now Legally Own and Read ‘Fanny Hill’, but Playboy Is Still Banned
The government lifted the ban for 240 publications but 17 titles remain prohibited for being obscene or contrary to public interest.
Ahmadi Muslims Once Again Become a Target for Violence in Pakistan
"We bleat about the West callously turning back refugees while we sit in abject silence at continued Ahmadi persecution in Pakistan."
‘If There Is One Thing the Angolan Government Is Scared of, It Is People’
Read part two of an interview with Laurinda Gouveia, who is accused of inciting rebellion against the Angolan government for participating in a book group.
With Messaging Apps Still Banned, Bangladeshis Turn to Tor (and Twitter)
It is not clear whether the government has blocked the Facebook portal or banned the use of Facebook altogether.
An Interview With Laurinda Gouveia, a Young Woman Charged With Conspiring Against the Angolan Government
"Even today, physically, I bear physical evidence of this beating. And, obviously, my way of looking at these men is not the same as it was before..."
How the Ruling Oligarchy Imperils Japanese Democracy
How committed is Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo to Japan's national defense, and what does that mean for the country's Constitution?
If You Want to Know What #1in5Muslims Thinks, Don't Ask UK Newspaper The Sun
The British tabloid inspired the hilarious hashtag after twisting the results of an already dubious telephone poll into the Islamaphobic headline: "1 in 5 Brit Muslims' sympathy for jihadis".
How Manila Became a ‘Walking Dead’ City During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit
Leaders from 21 nations arrived in Manila to attend an economic summit. As part of security measure, major roads were closed and flights were cancelled, which inconvenienced thousands of residents.
Molenbeek, the Complex Reality of a Community Vilified by the Media
In the heart of the Belgian capital lies Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, a low-income community with a connection to those suspected of carrying out the attacks on Paris and other acts of violence.
The Struggle of More Than One Thousand Cuban Immigrants Stranded in Central America
Some 1,500 Cubans are stranded at the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua after Nicaragua denies them entry, and violently turns them away alleging "violation of sovereignty."