Featured stories about South Asia
Stories about South Asia
19 September 2018
Riverbank erosion disaster in Bangladesh leaves thousands homeless
"The devastating erosion of the Padma River is ongoing for the last couple of years, no initiative to build a dam or embankment was taken by the local administration."
12 September 2018
Pakistan government's pro-minority stance questioned as Ahmadi economist's appointment is revoked
The appointment of Ahmadi Muslim economist Dr. Atif Mian to a government Council sparked a social media smear campaign, and right-wing religious parties threatened nationwide protests.
7 September 2018
It is now legal to be gay in India
"For 29 years, I have lived in the shadow of this law, and now, just like that, it’s gone."
South Asian governments keep ordering internet shutdowns — and leaving users in the dark
“Operators owe complete transparency to their users, as consumers who are paying them money and also in the interest of accountability.”
3 September 2018
Kashmiri journalist arrested after reporting on slain rebel, Burhan Wani
“By reporting on militant activity, Sultan is performing an important public service, not committing a crime.”
2 September 2018
For most Sri Lankans, bribery is just a fact of life
The establishment of a new Special High Court dedicated exclusively to hear cases of corruption spurs debate about the phenomenon's ubiquity in all sectors of society.
31 August 2018
Netizen Report: It’s not just Myanmar — ethnic hate speech runs rampant on social media in Cameroon, India
The Advox Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
29 August 2018
The ‘Khan Meter’ will assess the new Pakistani prime minister's performance
"It’s time to start monitoring our government, discuss where they went wrong as well as appreciate what they did right. It helps us think logically about the new government’s performance..."
21 August 2018
Netizens flood the internet with support for monsoon victims in Kerala, India
"Kerala is striving together...to overcome the catastrophic flood. However...some are trying to malign this great effort with misinformation in the form of fake messages on social media."
17 August 2018
Kerala floods: Tech-savvy Indian citizens mobilize to minimize the damage
"The spirit of unity, willpower, compassion, and dedication of thousands of volunteers belonging to state and non-state agencies in Kerala are indescribable."
Fearing reprimand, student protesters in Bangladesh go silent
The government has blamed social media users and activists for trying to create unrest by sharing provocative posts and content on Facebook.
13 August 2018
In Pakistan's elections, animals were tortured for the sake of political stunts
"A donkey beaten to pulp, punched in the face and abdomen several times, nose broken, kicked all over his body until he collapsed."
9 August 2018
Netizen Report: Bangladesh protests trigger mobile network cuts, journalist arrest
Venezuela goes after journalists' cameras after drone attack, Iran re-routes Telegram (to government servers) and Google tries to go back to China.
8 August 2018
India's biometric ID system takes more heat, after Google admits it coded helpline numbers into Android phones
With a growing list of incidents of system malfunctions and personal data leaks, Aadhaar has failed to gain public trust.
“What followed horrified us beyond our wildest imaginations”: an eyewitness account of the Bangladesh student protests
"Young Bangladeshis like me are tired of fearing for our lives on the roads—fearing being run over simply because the driver values making money more than human lives."
6 August 2018
Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam detained over student protest coverage
"...there were people with machetes in their hands chasing unarmed students. And the police are standing by watching it happen."
3 August 2018
Students occupy Dhaka streets demanding road safety in Bangladesh
"The students have turned around a car of a minister who was traveling on the wrong side of the road ... What an unimaginable event!"
2 August 2018
Officials blame WhatsApp for spike in mob killings, but Indians say vicious party politics are at fault
"Mob lynching is a political tool being used to polarise society....The idea is to create a fear psychosis by unleashing the mobs on a certain community."
27 July 2018
In India, police protects cows while lynching victim accused of cow smuggling is delayed care
"It’s sad to know that cow protection is more sacred than saving a human life...Are minorities in the country really being marginalized and treated as second-grade citizens?"
25 July 2018
Social media users are trying to combat harassment in Pakistan — but will state institutions do their part?
Aimal Khan's arrest following public outcry on social media is a good sign. But will justice prevail?
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