Stories about Politics from March, 2017
For Many Venezuelans, ‘Self-Inflicted Coup’ Spells the End of Their Country's Democracy
"The #156 sentence of the Supreme Court of Justice sentence is not a coup, it’s a formal declaration of a coup that’s been in progress for four years."
The CIA's Online Museum Offers a Glimpse of US Military Intervention in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is a region where U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War led to the expansion of the CIA’s paramilitary operations in Laos and Cambodia.
Back in the USSR?: Critics Say Draft Legislation Puts State Above Rights in Kazakhstan
"Can we designate people that leave their rubbish bags lying around outside their apartment doors enemies of state interests and remove their citizenships?"
Homeless Filipino Families Occupy 6,000 Vacant Public Housing Units
"Look at those houses, they are idle. The grasses have grown tall, the houses are being invaded by soil. Why don't they let the homeless live there?"
Russian Web Censor Cracks Down Ahead of Next Anti-Corruption Protests
In the wake of the largest opposition protests since 2011-12, Russia's prosecutor general is cracking down on the organizers of demonstrations planned for April 2.
Hong Kongers Say Beijing and Police ‘Incited’ the 2014 Pro-Democracy Movement, Not Protest Leaders
"I am one of the Occupy protesters and I was incited by the police’s decision to fire 87 rounds of tear gas [at demonstrators]."
Russia's Youngster Uprising
Russian youths have invigorated Alexey Navalny's anti-corruption campaign by challenging educators in classrooms and sharing footage of teachers and administrators trying to indoctrinate students against political activism.
RuPaul on the RuNet: ‘Drag Race’ Catches on in Russia
It’s dramatic, it’s campy, it’s gay, and it comes with Russian subtitles: meet the translators bringing RuPaul's Drag Race to the Russian-language Internet.
Georgia Really, Really Wanted a Visa-Free Agreement with the EU, and Now It's Party Time
"From Tuesday, Georgian nationals may visit Europe’s vast borderless Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180 day period."
Thai Junta's Media Regulator Suspends Voice TV for ‘Unreasonable Criticism’ and ‘Biased Content’
"Even though Voice TV may provide different views, we insist that the contents do not harm national security."
Uganda's Assistant Inspector General Is the Third Government Official Murdered in As Many Years
After a high ranking police officer is gunned down, Uganda's president has called for the country's police force to be cleaned up, saying it has been "infiltrated by thugs".
Iranians See Arrests and Intimidation of Telegram Administrators and Journalists Ahead of the Elections
Revolutionary Guards have previously attempted to limit Telegram's free flow of information with arrests for immoral or obscene content. This is the first time crackdowns have focused on political affiliation.
Young Iranian Faces Execution Over ‘Anti-Islamic’ Social Media Posts
"Sina's grandfather was a martyr of the eight-year war. Sina himself served two years. Sina has more rights to this country than most of these authorities."
Beijing's Favorite Carrie Lam Becomes Hong Kong's First Woman Leader With 777 Votes
She promised to "heal the divide" in her victory speech, but her win was met with protests by pro-democracy activists.
In Kyrgyzstan, Media Facing Pressure from a Fearful President
A series of civil suits launched by the state prosecutor have seemingly targeted media for quoting the government's critics.
Searching for Justice, This Catholic Church Worker Documents Drug Killings in the Philippines
"As a photojournalist, always be with the poor, understand their social reality."
A Century Later, Namibia Demands Justice From Germany for Its First Holocaust
In the early twentieth century, the German Empire committed a holocaust against 65,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama. A century later, Namibia is fighting for justice.
Hong Kong Residents Are Trolling China's New ‘Diplomacy’ Page on Facebook
When China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong opened an official Facebook page, it was quickly flooded with angry comments.
Activists Cry Foul as Lebanon Imposes a Tax Hike Right Before Postponing Elections, Again
As the Lebanese protest proposed increase in taxes, Global Voices asks a number of activists to explain what's at stake.
Is Kazakhstan's President a Dictator? You Decide.
In a recent discussion with a hand-picked selection of journalists, Nazarbayev took pains to explain why Asian societies aren't always suited to democracy.
There Are ‘No Borders to Music,’ But the U.S. Consulate Still Rejected These Indonesian Choir Members’ Visas
"Regardless of the “borders” instilled by politics, there are no borders to music, no borders to unity through artistry, no borders from humanity that thrives from singing of the heart."