Stories about Politics from February, 2021
Myanmar illustrators unite to distribute protest art for free
"Like all other Myanmar citizens, artists want to contribute to the national struggle... artists can assist other protesters with our artworks..."
Bloggers, journalists and creatives in the crosshairs of the Belarusian state
As the space for free expression in Belarus narrows, many journalists and artists who covered the protests are awaiting trial.
Myanmar’s ‘civil disobedience movement’ has produced many inventive ways of protesting
Only three weeks have passed since the coup but protesters have already used various creative methods to express dissent.
Transgender people in El Salvador are defending their right to vote
A team of 14 people from the LGBTQI community are training those in charge of El Salvador's electoral process in order to combat discrimination, ahead of the February 28 elections.
Beijing official signals changes to Hong Kong's electoral system
Xia said the power to govern the semi-autonomous region must "lie in the hands of patriots."
Trinidad & Tobago's problem with gender-based violence
Since the murder of Andrea Bharatt, parliament has passed the Evidence Bill and approved the use of pepper spray for self-defence, but are these measures really addressing the core issue?
Are Istanbul's Boğaziçi University protests an expression of exceptionalism?
“What would make Erdoğan's life increasingly difficult would be for academia as a whole in Turkey to unify around a single platform and pursue vociferously a rigorous set of demands …”
Greece #metoo: Rape accusations against prominent actor and National Theater director finally lead to arrest
Amidst a #metoo whirlwind in Greece, prominent Greek actor and director Dimitris Lignadis is finally arrested on rape charges.
Despite claims of authoritarianism, President Bukele's popularity continues to be strong in El Salvador
Polls favor Bukele's party to win over the Legislative Assembly in the next elections—good news for those who approve of Bukele, bad news for those who see him as authoritarian.
Algeria releases dozens of pro-democracy prisoners ahead of Hirak anniversary
Rachid Nekkaz and Khalid Drareni are among Hirak-linked prisoners pardoned by the president, who also ordered a cabinet reshuffle and dissolved parliament as protests resumed over unmet demands of 2019 upheaval.
Myanmar citizens continue strong opposition to military junta with ‘22222’ general strike
"If we oppose the dictatorship, they might shoot us. But we have to oppose dictatorship. It’s our duty. That’s why so many people are coming out today against them."
Facebook draws furious response for blocking news stories in Australia
"You know Facebook... Our little thumb has the ultimate power... It’s pretty easy to just #DeleteFacebook."
Algerian activist Rachid Nekkaz's failing health raises calls for his release
Two years after Algeria's Hirak Movement, calls are being made to free from prison a man who is associated with it, and who has been in jail without trial since 2019.
Research firm uncovers a pro-Huawei influence campaign
While Graphika's research findings are insufficient to suggest that Huawei was behind the operation, its employees were key amplifiers of the comments produced by the fake clusters.
Flights carrying ‘seafood’ between China and Myanmar fuel speculation about Beijing's support for the military coup
There's also speculation that the recurring power outages in Myanmar in the past few days are related to the testing and setup of Myanmar's version of The Great Firewall.
Angolans furious after protesters killed in rally by self-determination movement
Movement demanding autonomy for the eastern half of Angola claims police fired indiscriminately at protesters attending a rally in the mining village of Cafunfo on January 30.
Capturing the mood on both sides of the Ukraine-Russia conflict in Donbas
A new survey finds that Donbas citizens hold little trust in state institutions and are divided on the future of the region, but strive for economic stability.
Arrest of Indian climate activist Disha Ravi over protest ‘toolkit’ draws backlash
'Editing a Google Doc in support of farmers is an act of sedition in this country now,' a writer said.
Galindo: COVID-19 unearths ghosts of Spain’s ‘dirty war’
'Some of the reactions to Rodríguez Galindo’s death are proof that segments of Spanish society have a lot of work to do to face their demons.'
President Jovenel Moïse always seems to land on his feet, but what about Haiti?
While political opponents and protesters pressure Jovenel Moïse to vacate office, who holds the key to solve Haiti's uninterrupted crisis?
Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouthi's death mourned by many
Mourid wrote: "It’s fine to die, once, our hands crossed on our chests, empty and pale, with no scratches, no chains, no banners, and no petitions."
