Stories about Protest from April, 2017
Sri Lanka's Tragic and Totally Avoidable Disaster
Years ago, officials planned to decommission the Meethotamulla garbage dump and convert it into a “beautiful place.” But it never happened and now locals find themselves confronting their worst fears.
Pick Your Poison? Russian Orthodoxy or Banishment From Social Media
Critics of Vitaly Milonov, perhaps the most reactionary social conservative in the Russian parliament, have vowed to get him banned from Vkontakte, where his “online status” features an “illegal expression.”
#SaveDinaAli: Activists Call for Release of Saudi Woman Forcibly Sent Back to the Kingdom
"If I go back to Saudi Arabia, I will be dead. Please help me, I am recording this video to help me and know that I am real and here."
Who Removed Thailand’s 1932 Revolution Plaque?
"Removal of the 1932 plaque is an ironic reminder that Thais may have ended absolute monarchy in 1932 but absolute dictatorship exists today," wrote a Twitter user.
Chinese-French Millennials Protest Police Shooting—and the ‘Model Minority’ Myth
After the lethal shooting of Liu Shaoyo, a Chinese man in Paris, an overlooked community in France finds its voice.
Protests in Italy Save Hundreds of Ancient Trees on the Chopping Block for Gas Pipeline Construction
The olive trees are not only essential to many people's livelihoods, but also beloved by local residents.
Netizen Report: Censorship Spikes After Venezuela’s ‘Self-Inflicted Coup’
Venezuelan journalists face rising threats amid protests, Russia blocks Zello, and Southeast Asian lawmakers use ‘fake news’ fears to justify censorship.
Russian Political Astroturf Is Back
Before Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was released from jail on Monday, a staged “student demonstration” was making headlines to spoil his public return.
Russia Blocks Walkie-Talkie App Zello As Truckers Strike
Russia's media regulator has announced plans to block Zello, a mobile push-to-talk app that Russia's long-haul truckers are using to organize protests—including to coordinate an ongoing three-week strike.
The Thaw Is Over: The Next Wave of Repression in Belarus
The regime in Belarus hasn't changed; it’s just pretending to be democratic to get what it wants.
How a Teenager's Mysterious Death in China Is Eroding Public Trust in Authorities
"To prove netizens' version of the story wrong is not difficult. Authorities just need to release more information and the rumors would fall apart"
As Protests Escalate, Web TV and News Sites Are Censored in Venezuela
Multiple web TV channels that had been broadcasting protests in Caracas have been inaccessible since the morning of April 7.
News Website Cameraman Arrested While Broadcasting Protests in Venezuela
"Almost 30,000 people were watching the VPITV broadcast on YouTube when the Bolivarian National Police took the cameraman."
In Venezuela, Activists Document Protests and Share Protection Tactics
"Human rights violations don't have a time limit...Record for the future, when there will be democracy."
‘Security Without War’ Campaign Opposes Militarization in Mexico Because ‘Bullets Are Killing Us, Not Drugs’
"The army and the police are not interchangeable. The military forces are trained to use force against an armed enemy and defeat it."
With a Wary Eye on the Recent Past, Paraguayans Continue to Protest
"...the official versions have only raised more questions and [have deepened] doubt surrounding already untrustworthy state security agencies."
Hungary Fast Tracks Legislation to Boot Out Central European University
On April 4, the Hungarian government adopted an amendment to new legislation on higher education that might bring an end to the Central European University.
Criminal Case Against Indian Poet Provokes Controversy Over Speech Rights
The poem was posted on Facebook on World Poetry Day — but its verses were not welcomed by everyone.
Missing Taiwan NGO Worker's Wife Travels to Beijing to Rescue Him
"The [Chinese] government can assign the label "harmful to state interests" to anyone that it does not like."