Stories about Religion
State suspected of gas attacks on schoolgirls in Iran
Women and girls' resistance traps the regime in a catch-22 situation; They are unable to compromise on gender apartheid while facing persistent demands for women's rights.
Kyrgyzstan's highest court sides with a female activist and allows the use of the matronymic
People in Kyrgyzstan can now add an appendage to their first names that derive from their mothers’ names.
Central Asian states lead the way in the repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters’ families from Syria and Iraq
The cases of Central Asian countries can serve as a study model, and have many good practices to share with the international community.
Bloggers in Kazakhstan receive prison sentences for advertising pyramid schemes
Their cases are meant to be a lesson for other bloggers who influence public opinion.
Chinese citizens find ways to dissent despite the risks
While Xi Jinping has imposed extreme censorship over Chinese society, dissent continues to happen despite immense risks for Chinese individuals, as a new database mapping protests across China shows.
Palestinians battle for their homes in East Jerusalem
Israeli settler organizations, supported by the state, exploit discriminatory laws to unjustly seize Palestinian homes, employing a pseudo-legal process to forcefully displace families from their residences.
A leaked report exposes government's cover-up of repressions against Uyghurs in China
The leaked document sheds light on the Chinese authorities’ comprehensive and intense efforts to cover up these violations and restrict access to information by international media.
A Trinidad & Tobago bookstore carrying a LGBTQ+ themed children's book causes both outrage and inspiration online
A book about identity and acceptance has found itself at the core of a discussion that some believe is about the need to protect the country's children.
The controversial role of Islam in protestors’ executions in Iran
Despite the harsh interpretation of religion by Iranian authorities, there are those who contend that politicians within the religious institution manipulate religion to justify their actions or further their objectives.
A gay Iranian photographer's journey of survival
Despite the challenges, Ashkan Shabani remains determined to fight for LGBTQ+ freedom and equality in Iran and worldwide. He longs for a future where he can return home without fear.
The Corpus Christi procession in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in photos
Trinidad and Tobago is just one of 18 countries that grants the Roman Catholic feast of Corpus Christi as a national holiday.
Uganda enacts repressive law putting LGBTQ+ communities at serious risk
Uganda's LGBTQ+ community is now under threat of imprisonment and capital punishment following the enactment of this discriminatory "anti-homosexuality" law.
Reporting from ‘the roof of the world': How Pamir Daily News works in Tajikistan
"I am sure that through such channels the decision centers receive a lot of things that they would never have been told through their official channels."
Comedian and YouTube content creator arrested in Sri Lanka over satire on Buddhism
The recent arrests of stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya and social media activist Bruno Divakara have sparked new public debate about the issue of free expressions and the boundaries of comedy.
Persecuted Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light minority denied asylum in Europe amidst escalating violence
Since its inception in 1999, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light minority has been subjected to systematic oppression based on a belief that they are heretics.
‘Post at your own risk': An interview with Indian journalist Srishti Jaswal
Global Voices conducted a telephonic interview with Srishti Jaswal, an award-winning journalist from India who became the target of online harassment from right-wing trolls, receiving thousands of threats.
Controversies erupt in India over the film ‘The Kerala Story’
Directed by Sudipto Sen, the Bollywood movie "The Kerala Stories" explores the controversial notion of “love jihad” — a conspiracy theory that Muslim men convert Hindu women to Islam via romantic relationships.
Building the homo militaris: Russia’s long game of militarized patriotism
The Kremlin’s promotion of militaristic patriotism has had a strong effect on Russian society. But the Soviet legacy of cynicism and “double-think” is actually working to mitigate it.
Russia arrests anti-war poet, claims terrorism charges for a theatre play
This is the first case of detention for a play in today's Russia. Prison sentences on charges for "publicly justifying terrorism" involve five to seven years in prison.
Fertile ground for con artists in Ukraine and Russia: 30 years of scams
Spartak Subbota promoted himself in Ukraine as a scientist, doctor, and psychology guru with an average 500,000 YouTube audience. A journalistic investigation suggested that the celebrity faked his biography and credentials.
Culture and conservation at Nepal's first bird sanctuary
The Ghodaghodi Lake Area, home to Nepal's first bird sanctuary, is culturally important to the indigenous Tharu people and this may have played a significant role in its preservation.