Stories about Politics from April, 2015
Malaysian Cartoonist Vows to Continue Fighting Government Abuses Despite Sedition Charges
"I will not keep quiet. How can I be neutral, even my pen has a stand!"
Tanzania's Cyber Crime Bill Gives More Power to Police, Less to People
Leading opponents of the legislation from civil society say they will take the government to court if the president signs the bill into law.
China Jails Prominent Journalist Gao Yu for Leaking ‘State Secrets’
She was sentenced to seven years in prison. Observers believe the "state secrets" refer to a Chinese Communist Party directive that lists "seven speak-nots" for university professors, including press freedom.
New Internet Rules in China Target Usernames, Avatars as Subversive Tools
More than 67,000 user accounts have been deleted due to a new rule that prohibits screen names and profile pictures that threaten national security, destroy ethnic unity, or defame others.
Battle-Weary Colombians Demand Peace on Day for Armed Conflict Victims
On National Day of Memory and Solidarity with Victims of the Armed Conflict, Colombians turn out in droves to march for peace, a goal that overcomes traditional differences.
Liberland, the Balkans’ Newest Micronation, Is Looking for Citizens
To apply for citizenship, just send an email with a photo ID and cover letter. But will Liberland, set between Croatia and Serbia, really become Europe's third smallest microstate?
Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Silence Anti-War Voices on Yemen
Gulf Arab countries are stepping up the war on anti-war activists in the region. Both Kuwait and Bahrain have jailed activists for speaking up against the Saudi-led war on Yemen.
Cuba at the Summit of the Americas: The Struggle for Voice and Representation
The Summit of the Americas shined a spotlight on the political divisions that characterize Cuban civil society inside the country and abroad.
What Is Really Wrong With Policing in Maldives?
Blogger Kureege Fuluheh is a Maldivian ex-police officer, who writes about issues in policing and the police service in Maldives. The blogger analyses how the Maldives Police Service (MPS) is perceived by people over the last seven years and discusses what is the way forward: Worrying is police’ behaviour towards members...
President Obama's Visit to Jamaica Wasn't All ‘Irie’
Some Jamaicans weren't so keen to see authorities falling over themselves to make Jamaica Obama-ready.
China Finally Releases Five Detained Feminist Activists
But they are not free yet. The five will be under police surveillance for a year.
The Cherán Indigenous Community's Remarkable Road to Self-Rule in Mexico
This is the first in a series of posts about the Cherán community, which took on organized crime, established self-government and uses citizen media to strengthen and preserve its traditions.
Mocking Ecuador’s President Can Cost You Online Anonymity
After sending a threatening gift of flowers and exposing the individuals behind Crudo Ecuador, however, the Internet satirists surrendered, using the hashtag #UstedGanó (#YouWon).
Boy’s T-Shirt Pokes Fun at Ecuadorian President
When Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa agreed to take a photo with a boy, he probably didn't imagine it would go viral — and he would end up being the butt of the joke. The boy was wearing a T-shirt printed with the phrase “I’m with stupid” and an arrow that...
Malaysia’s New Law Targets Online Sedition
"This latest curtailment of freedom of expression further restricts public discourse and will create a void in Malaysian social media and a deafening silence in news forums."
Bloggers Get Bad Rap in Trinidad & Tobago as Paid Political Trolls Do Online Damage
As political groups allegedly pay internet trolls to spew racial slurs and cyber-bully, netizens express their disgust over the depths to which politics in Trinidad and Tobago have plunged.
Not Everyone Criticizing the Protests in Brazil Defends the Brazilian Government
While those from the right and left squabbled online, a third group of leftist Brazilians criticized the protests as well as Brazil's current left-wing government.
Defending Internet Free Speech and Anonymity in Ecuador
Facing criticism from officials in the Ecuadorian government, several national and international organizations have signed the Manifesto for the Freedom of Expression, Anonymity, and Online Privacy in Ecuador.
Could #IranTalks Signal a New Deal for Iran and the US?
A perspective on the Iranian nuclear agreement and what it means for Iranian people, human rights, and peace.
‘This Is Not Our War': Pakistanis Want Nothing to Do With Saudi Arabia in Yemen
"We are a much informed and politically engaged nation now and we will not let our government fight other's wars."
Are Ugandans as Satisfied With Their Government as This Opinion Poll Shows?
"History tells us that people DO NOT grow to love and cherish dictatorships but rather the opposite."
