· December, 2012

Stories about Protest from December, 2012

Brazilian Journalist Assaulted by Police while Covering Demonstration

  14 December 2012

Brazilian journalist Mariana Alvanesi (@morrodovidigal) was assaulted by the police while covering a demonstration by dwellers of the Vidigal neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, on December 13, 2012. The dwellers were trying to impede the demolition of a sports court. Dulcilene Guiri recorded the moment in video.

Most Corrupt Country Award Goes to Afghanistan

  14 December 2012

Afghanistan ranks as the world's most corrupt country in the latest survey by a global corruption watchdog. The release of the survey triggered a wave of anti-corruption rallies across the war-torn country. In Bamyan, civil society activists awarded an effigy of Afghan president with the 'Most Corrupt Country Cup'.

Hashtag Criticising Mass Media Trending in Tokyo

  14 December 2012

Former Sankei Newspaper journalist Sumio Yamagiwa, organized an online campaign to tweet #マスコミ断罪 [ja], a hashtag criticising Japanese mass media for its biased reporting. The hashtag was a trending topic amongst Japanese twitter users, roughly around 9 PM to 11 PM on December 12, 2012

Thailand: Why Pitak Siam Protest Failed

  14 December 2012

The anti-government group Pitak Siam (Protect Thailand) vowed to mobilize one million people in the streets of Bangkok last November 24 but managed to gather only 20,000. Bloggers, journalists and academics have written about the failure of Pitak Siam and the political impact of the protest.

Egypt: Graffiti Over Presidential Palace Walls

  13 December 2012

It seems like the revolutionary spirit is galvanized in Egypt, thanks to President Mohammed Morsy's power grab. Photographer Jonathan Rashad, who has been actively using his camera to document major events since the beginning of the Egyptian revolution, shares photographs of graffiti which tell the story

Trinidad & Tobago: Hunger Strike was Never a Lost Cause

  12 December 2012

Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh's hunger strike against the construction of a section of highway in Trinidad ended a week ago - and became much greater than that singular issue. Regional bloggers discuss what the legacy of Dr. Kublalsingh's action will be and the impact it will have on citizens' rights to transparency and good governance.

Kuku's Case Reignites Racism Debate in Portugal

  12 December 2012

The recent acquittal of a police agent who shot and killed a 14-year-old boy named Kuku in a neighborhood of the outskirts of Lisbon in 2009 reignited the debate about racism and marginalized communities in Portugal, as well as multiplied the number of social media commentary repudiating the Portuguese judicial system.

Reporters Stand By as Biswajit Das is Brutally Murdered in Bangladesh

  12 December 2012

On 9th December, 2012, during an 8-hour road blockade programme called by the opposition, 24yr old Biswajit Das was brutally murdered in the open before the eyes of the public and a large number of media personnel who were busy taking photographs and video footage of the incident and did nothing to try and save the young man from his horrific end. Shock and outrage poured in via social media.

Movement to “Respect The Constitution” in Ethiopia

  11 December 2012

A group of young Ethiopian bloggers and activists based in Addis Ababa teamed up with Ethiopian netizens to demand their government to start respecting the Ethiopian Constitution. The #RespectTheConstitution campaign features both on Facebook and Twitter and it gives information about how the Ethiopian government is violating its own constitution.

Tibet Scholars Appeal to China's President Xi Jinping

  11 December 2012

A group of international Tibetan studies scholars launched a petition addressed to China's Xi Jinping, asking the new leader to adjust its language, culture and religion policy in the Tibetan region: As specialists in the areas of Tibetan language, culture and religion, we would like to share with you, through this...

Iran's Diplomatic Missions Under Attack

  10 December 2012

Iran's diplomatic missions have been under attack around the world in recent weeks by Iranians and Afghans, for different reasons. The actions sparked a hot debate within the Iranian blogosphere, with ideas ranging from praise to condemnation and denouncements.

‘Public Hunger Strike’ in Saudi Arabia for Imprisoned Activist Al-Bajady

  10 December 2012

Saudi human rights activist Mohammad al-Bajady has been getting much attention in the Saudi Twittershare in the last few weeks. Al-Bajady is one of the co-founders of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) and he has been detained since March 21, 2011. Yesterday, December 9, @freealbjadi announced a public hunger strike to support al-Bajady on December 10, which marks the international Human Rights Day.

Bahrain: Mahazza Village Still Under Siege

  10 December 2012

For almost a month in Bahrain, the village of Mahazza in Sitra has been under a security siege by the country's Interior Ministry. With the absence of free media in the country, citizen journalism, once again, was the only means of getting reports on what was happening on the ground. Through Facebook and Twitter, Bahrainis have posted their rallies in support of Mahazza and shared information about raids on houses and many arrests.