· April, 2013

Stories about Protest from April, 2013

Yemeni General Apologizes for 1994 Civil War on Facebook

Waving flags of a country that once existed, thousands assembled in former cities that used to make up South Yemen on 27 April 2013, to commemorate the day the north declared war on their people and occupied their land, nineteen years ago. The same day, the President's chief military advisor issued an apology on Facebook for all "unjust wars" declared by former President Saleh's regime.

Open Letter to Blogger Yoani Sánchez

  29 April 2013

Journalist and Global Voices author, Leila Nachawati, writes an open letter [es] to Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez, who has been touring the United States, Latin America and Europe talking about Cuban technopolitics. Sánchez has been embraced by some, and criticized by others during her voyage. In her open letter, the Spanish-Syrian...

Brazilian Cartoonist Inspires Kissing Protest

  28 April 2013

Images of people kissing went viral on Facebook, blogs and Twitter in Brazil, under the hashtags #beijaço (protest by kissing) and #Laerte. Strips by Laerte published on Folha de São Paulo newspaper, triggered the ‘protest by kissing’ against the anti-gay preacher Marco Feliciano, recently elected Brazil Human Rights Committee Head.

RSF Addresses the Situation at Ukraine's TVi Channel

  27 April 2013

On April 26, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement [en; fr; uk – .pdf] on the situation at the Ukrainian TV station TVi: Reporters Without Borders condemns the sudden change of management at the opposition TV station TVi, announced three days ago, and is disturbed to learn that ensuing...

Indigenous People Occupy Brazil's Congress Over Land Rights Bill

  26 April 2013

The occupation of a plenary session of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies by around 300 indigenous people, on April 16, have caught congressmen by surprise and have put the spotlight on proposed amendment to the Constitution number 215, which transfers the power to demarcate indigenous land from the Executive to the Legislative power.

Hungarian Students Blog on Freedom of Information Requests

  25 April 2013

Hungarian grassroots student union Hallgatói Hálózat (Student Network) started a blog that curates freedom of information requests related to higher education. The blog, titled Transparent Education [hu], is using the Hungarian public freedom of information request service KiMitTud [hu] to track down the allegations of misuse of funds by university student governments. The blog's author...

Hundreds Killed and Trapped in Bangladesh Garment Factory Collapse

  25 April 2013

Yet another factory disaster in Bangladesh, this time a nine story building collapsed killing more than 142 and injuring close to a thousand people. Many more are still trapped, and rescue operations continue. The tragedy is man-made as the factory management forced labors to work in an unsafe building.

Diaper Ad Hit for ‘Twisting’ Philippine History

  24 April 2013

A popular diaper manufacturer has been ordered to stop airing a TV advertisement that parodies an episode in Philippine history. An online petition was also initiated which criticized the ad for “insulting the Filipino people.”

Documenting Cases Of Discrimination To End Untouchability

  23 April 2013

Video Volunteers, an international media and human rights NGO, launched the ARTICLE 17 campaign last year which involves taking actions on testimonies of different forms of untouchability documented on video by Community Correspondents. So far 30 videos are available which documents untouchability practices across India.

Torture Victims March in Hong Kong

  22 April 2013

Hong Wrong blogs about an upcoming protest on April 27 among refugees, tortured survivors and NGOs against the government’s treatment of torture victims and to call for an urgent review of the screening system for assessing protection claims.

South Korean Spy Agency's Political Meddling

  22 April 2013

The latest police investigation found that at least two agents from the South Korean National Intelligence Service have illegally posted online comments to influence the presidential election. An online petition was posted [ko] on Daum Agora site in support of one police woman who bravely revealed that she has been pressured...

Detained and Desperate – Undocumented Migrants in Greece

  21 April 2013

Stories of despair were transmitted through Twitter, when politicians, journalists and anti-racism activists visited a detention facility within the Drapetsona police station in Piraeus city, where more than 100 unauthorized migrants are living in cramped, dark and deplorable conditions. GV author Maria Sidiropoulou was among the visiting delegation and reports.