Stories about Politics from November, 2019
Exclusion in access to public information for marginalized groups in India
Subhashish Panigrahi highlights the challenges and opportunities relating to access to public information for marginalized groups in India.
Inside Kashmir's internet blockade: Video report with Kashmiri students affected by the crisis
48,000 High school students in Kashmir appear for public examination amidst complete internet blockage in the region.
Melanesian journalists decry growing threats against media freedom
"Melanesian governments cannot pay lip service to international conventions and commitments to democratic freedoms and in the same breath issue orders to clamp down on journalists' right to expression."
Chinese defector's spying allegations rock Australian politics
'What an utterly insane suggestion that Chinese Australians should “publicly show” their stance on anything related to China to prove their “loyalty”. '
Croatian president criticized for saying Yugoslavia was behind the Iron Curtain (it wasn't)
While most people from countries behind the Iron Courtain couldn't travel to the West, the Croatian president went to high school in the United States in the mid-80s.
The Gambia confronts the nightmare of witch hunts under former regime
In The Gambia, alleged witches were held for up to five days in secret locations and made to drink ‘Kubehjaro’, a hallucinogenic substance, and then forced to confess to witchcraft.
Tanzanian rapper scolded for lyrics about nation's cashew crisis
Roma Mkatoliki's hit song criticizes the government's 2018 decision to deploy the military to purchase cashew nuts from farmers in an attempt to force an increase in market price.
MP of populist right-wing political party from North Macedonia confirms existence of party’s troll army
MP Daniela Rangelova is not the first high party official to reveal details about the existence of VMRO-DPMNE's “troll army”.
Varakashi: Zimbabwe’s online brigade targets activists and dissidents
The overarching aim of the Varakashi is to push the narrative that anyone who disagrees with the Zimbabwean government is an agent of foreign powers, and therefore unpatriotic.
In Hong Kong, landslide victory for Pro-democracy camp in local elections means Beijing is out of touch
It is true that people want to restore order. However, they also know that the disorder is created by the government and the pro-establishment in the first place.
An interview with ‘Siamese Intellectual’ Sulak Sivaraksa on the future of Thailand's democracy and monarchy
"The monarchy must introduce some transparency into its workings if it wants to remain. It must be open to criticism."
After a hot summer of protests, Germans debate their country's role in climate change
These decisions send a clear signal on where vital parts of the German government seem to be standing in the crucial battle against climate change.
Who is Eva Copa, the little-known figure who helped pave the way for new Bolivian elections?
Not many know who Eva Copa is, but she is the new president of the Bolivian Senate. She has been a key figure in moving the country forward following protests.
Will Uganda shut down the internet as opposition heats up for 2021 elections?
As the 2021 election approaches, Uganda authorities are very likely to continue to crack down on political dissent, including through social media shutdowns.
As 3 million people vote in local elections, Hong Kong breaks record for civic participation
The election result is considered an important indicator of citizens’ take on the ongoing political crisis as millions of voters choose between pro-establishment and pro-democracy candidates.
Explainer: How a U.S. Act on human rights and democracy can protect freedom in Hong Kong
The US Senate has unanimously voted for a Hong Kong Act which aims at protecting the city’s autonomous status and its residents’ civic rights.
Insights into Kashmir's crisis from a Kashmiri born in Nepal
Aquib, a graduate from Kashmir University, lives in Nepal for business. Global Voices Nepali Lingua talked with Aquib to learn why India repealed Article 370 which gave special rights to Kashmiris.
In Ethiopia’s disinformation epidemic, the crumbling ruling coalition is the elephant in the room
As acts of communal violence that took place in Oromia in October subsided, a new battle began online over interpretations of the violence — and who was to blame.
Turbulence in Moldova after ‘anti-oligarchic’ government falls
Moldova's ruling alliance was temporary and uneasy, widely considered to be unnatural but necessary. The biggest question was not whether but for how long it would last.
Disinformation and hate speech hide behind freedom of speech, says Slovenian journalist
"If you say 'I would put migrants up against the wall and shoot them,' a court will not prosecute you."
Victory for transgender students at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University
Prior to this development, Chulalongkorn University had no official protocol for transgender students wishing to dress according to their gender identity.
