· March, 2010

Stories about Protest from March, 2010

“Damas de Blanco:” A Week of Protest in Cuba

Cuba's Damas de Blanco protests come on the heels of a flutter of international condemnation incited by the hunger striker Orlando Zapata Tamayo's death last month. Wednesday's crackdown by Cuban police was the first in two years on the political group, which is made up of the daughters, wives and mothers of imprisoned political dissidents.

20 March 2010

Russia: “Battle for Khimki Forest”

RuNet Echo

A detailed account of the ongoing “battle for Khimki Forest” – by Yevgeniya Chirikova at OpenDemocracy.net: “The plan to construct a section of the new Moscow-St.Petersburg motorway through the legally-protected...

19 March 2010

Russia: Andrei Loshak's Text on Corruption

RuNet Echo

Andrei Loshak's much-discussed text about corruption and “the normal functioning of an irrational system” in Russia has been translated into English by OpenDemocracy.net (the Russian-language original is at OpenSpace.ru).

19 March 2010

Cuba: Peace Prize Nominee

Uncommon Sense confirms that Cuban dissident leader Oswaldo Payá has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, saying, “There should be little doubt that if he were to be named...

19 March 2010

China: Verdict postponed in Fujian netizen trial

A verdict expected this morning in a case which has seen three netizens in Fujian province held in custody for nine months was quickly postponed pending yet further investigation. Following the decision, locals gathered outside the courthouse had minor scuffles with police while netizens having traveled there from around the country reported.

19 March 2010

Nigeria: “Enough is Enough!” youth march on the capital

On Tuesday, March 16, thousands of Nigerians marched on the capital, Abuja, to show their frustration with the woes that continue to besiege the country. This sort of protest has not been a common feature of the Nigerian political scene, at least not in this decade, though the demonstration is one of several that have taken place this year.

18 March 2010

Egypt: And the IslamOnline strike continues

The IslamOnline employees sit-in continues in Cairo, Egypt, after 250 employees were given their notice. The disgruntled employees are livestreaming, blogging and using Twitter to broadcast their plight. Mohamed El Gohary brings us the latest update.

18 March 2010

Uganda: Students riot, Kampala burns

Two separate tragedies struck Kampala, the capital of Uganda, on Tuesday: students at Makerere University rioted after the shooting death of two of their peers. And the Kasubi Tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the burial location of the king of one of Uganda's largest ethnic groups, burned to the ground.

17 March 2010

South Africa: Julius Malema and the future of freedom of speech

The ANC Youth League President Julius Malema has been found guilty of hate speech because of comments he made about a woman who accused President Jacob Zuma for rape. South African bloggers and legal experts have reacted quickly to the judgement. Opinions about the judgement and the future of freedom of speech in South Africa are deeply divided.

16 March 2010

China and Hong Kong: Police and media

ESWN translated mainland blogger Yang Hengjun's eye witness report on the protest outside the China liaison office in March 13, 2010. Yang criticized the excessive police force and the self-censored...

16 March 2010

Egypt: IslamOnline Employees Strike

Hundreds of employees, editors, and journalists started an angry sit-in in the widely read Cairo-based IslamOnline news website after 250 employees were sacked. For the first time, strikers are using new media efficiently and effectively to draw all the attention needed to support their cause, from continuous Twitter updates to live streaming.

16 March 2010

Thailand: “Bloody” Tuesday?

The Prime Minister of Thailand has refused to step down despite the big protest rally of the anti-government Red Shirts last weekend. Now the protesters are ready to stage a "bloody" form of protest action. Bloggers and twitters continue to document the ongoing political crisis in Bangkok.

16 March 2010