· March, 2010

Stories about Protest from March, 2010

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

  20 March 2010

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.

Russia: “Battle for Khimki Forest”

RuNet Echo  19 March 2010

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 Khimki Forest Park will destroy a rare eco-system. Dogged local resistance has turned this into a national, even international issue....

Cuba: Peace Prize Nominee

  19 March 2010

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 this year's recipient, it would elevate his status and that of the entire dissident movement on the island. And it...

China: Verdict postponed in Fujian netizen trial

  19 March 2010

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.

Iran: Opposition leader used You Tube for New Year Message

Mir-Hussein Mousavi, one of Iranian opposition leader, and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, used You Tube to deliver his new year,Noruz, message. He called Iranian people will face very difficult economic situation next year and country has been very isolated in international community. He praised “Green Movement” [Iranian opposition movement] and...

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

  18 March 2010

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.

Uganda: Students riot, Kampala burns

  17 March 2010

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.

Thailand: Red Shirt dog

  17 March 2010

Red Shirt anti-government protesters in Thailand also brought along a red shirt dog to the rally site last weekend.

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

  16 March 2010

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.

China and Hong Kong: Police and media

  16 March 2010

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 practice of local media in Hong Kong.

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.

Thailand: “Bloody” Tuesday?

  16 March 2010

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.

Latvia: All March 16 Rallies Banned

  16 March 2010

The Economist's Edward Lucas writes that “for once, the anniversary of a wartime battle in Latvia should pass off peacefully” on March 16. Juris Kaža of Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reports on the ban on “all marches and gatherings at the Freedom Monument on March 16, the day that...