Stories about Politics from January, 2023
President Bukele harasses independent journalists on Twitter in El Salvador
Bukele's presidency has attacked and discredited independent journalists who expose corruption in his government, putting them at risk of harassment and violence.
The Southern Caucasus has a brain drain problem
Young people and professionals from Southern Caucasus are increasingly turning towards opportunities abroad citing local unemployment, lack of feasible opportunities and prospects for future in their home countries.
From 37 to 60,000: China’s official COVID-19 death toll data remains opaque
...there are a total of 35,519 hospitals, the 60,000 figure implies that, on average, there was fewer than two COVID-related death per hospital between December 8 and January 12.
Abuse of children in state care in Jamaica is a problem that won’t go away, but is the system to blame?
A recent report details a questionable relationship between the executive agency and the American founder of a faith-based organisation, who is accused of inappropriate behaviour towards several wards of state.
Saudi Arabia: Call for release of two Saudi Wikipedians
A request for the release of doctors Osama Khalid and Ziad Al-Sufyani, who contributed to Wikipedia Arabic and were jailed in Saudi Arabia for 32 and 8 years, respectively.
Cambodia bans music video of police attacking workers in 2014
"It is LICADHO’s belief that the music video is not incitement, and is protected speech under the Cambodian Constitution. We are saddened by this restriction on freedom of expression."
The present and persistent problem of domestic violence in Georgia
While activists note the country is making progress fighting the problem, a deadly mix of cultural taboos and limited resources complicate the reform.
The unprotected: Police offer scant safety for Azerbaijan’s LGBTQ+ community
Many LGBTQ+ individuals who face discrimination and violence in Azerbaijan see little recourse through the police or any official judicial channels.
Why was the major COVID-19 drug Paxlovid delisted from China's medical insurance scheme?
The Chinese poor will not be able to access the WHO-recommended "life-saving" COVID-19 drug after delisting Paxlovid from China's basic medical insurance scheme. But online patriots are backing the decision.
Thailand’s new ministerial decree could further suppress free speech online
The new decree is “another tool of control for the authorities to silence critical dissent, and a reflection of the digital dictatorship in Thailand.”
The Tanabra have made a comeback after 100 years. A decline in Sudanese taste in music?
Rural Tanabra music, fostered by the military after the military coup, has returned to Khartoum at a time when Sudanese desire for the revival of culture in their daily lives.
Bolsonaro supporters attempt coup, storming Brazil's three powers headquarters
Jan. 8, 2023, is now a date to remember in Brazil: the day when a bolsonarista mob invaded the nation's top state buildings in an attempted coup, one week after Lula's inauguration.
How political gaslighting undermines public policy; a case study of South Africa, Brazil and the United States
The political landscape of 2022 is inextricably linked to the phenomenon of ‘political gaslighting’, the erosion of the general public’s epistemic autonomy and self-trust for the sake of forwarding a particular political agenda.
The borders between Hong Kong and China reopen ahead of Lunar New Year
Official narratives frame the border reopening as a “new start” for businesses. Many Hong Kong residents had suffered from almost three years of separation under the zero-COVID policy.
Undertones in India: Going undercover in Hindu supremacy networks
A group of researchers went undercover in far-right Hindu groups to break their bubble.
Czech presidential elections 2023: The rector, the oligarch and the general
The Czech republic will hold presidential elections on January 13-14 with 3 candidates dominating the polls: Danuše Nerudová, an economist; Andrej Babiš, a populist oligarch; and General Petr Pavel, formerly with NATO.
Rights organization OVD-Info gives an overview of repression in Russia in 2022
In 2022 in Russia, there were more than 21,000 arrests and at least 370 defendants in criminal cases for anti-war statements and speeches. More than 200,000 Internet resources have been blocked including 11 sentences in cases of state treason.
Bolsonaro kept religious element in public appearances, amidst protests and the end of this term
The 2022 Brazilian presidential campaign was marked by the use of churches and religious leaders as political weapons. As Bolsonaro's government reached its end, the outgoing president seemed to hold on to it.
Lula returns to a divided country in historic comeback as Brazil’s president
The defeated Bolsonaro traveled to the US to avoid passing on the sash and fearing inquiries, while Lula took the presidency in an inauguration marked by symbols and promises of rebuilding.
Saudi Arabia: Government agents infiltrate Wikipedia, sentence independent admins to prison
The Saudi government infiltrated Wikipedia by recruiting the organization’s highest-ranking administrators in the country to control information about the country and prosecute those who contributed critical information about political detainees.
Kosovo: Six attacks against journalists in December following escalating tensions
The Kosovo media sphere is endangered by the recent physical assaults and their implications for press freedom and reporting on developments in the northern part of the country