Stories from 30 May 2011
Azerbaijan: Interview with released video blogging activist Emin Milli
TekVibes posts a video interview with Emin Milli, one of two video blogging youth activists conditionally released last year in Azerbaijan.
Vietnam: Ben Tre activists convicted
Seven land rights and non-violent democracy activists were found guilty of attempting to overthrow the government of Vietnam. The closed-door trial was held in Ben Tre, Vietnam. Supporters of the...
Russia: “My Perestroika”
Dina Fainberg of The Dustbin of History writes about My Perestroika – “a lovely documentary by an American film-maker [Robin Hessman] about how four classmates were affected by the changes...
Russia: State Duma Whistleblower Intern's Case
Sublime Oblivion writes about the case of Evgeny Starshov, who was tweeting and blogging about his internship at the Russian State Duma until he got fired for it.
Australia: SlutWalks Spread the Word
Following Toronto’s lead, Australians have started a series of SlutWalks with Melbourne’s first march on 28 May. The catchphrase: Make it known that those who experience sexual assault are never the ones at fault.
Abkhazia: Sergei Bagapsh Dies
In Moscow's Shadows and Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog write about the implications of the death of Sergei Bagapsh, the president of the Republic of Abkhazia, on May 29.
Africa, France: Who is Nafissatou Diallo? Victim or Conspirator?
In the debate over the alleged sexual assault by French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn of a Guinean hotel chambermaid in New York, attentions from France to Africa have now shifted to the identity of the alleged victim, Nafisatou Diallo.
Poland: The Year of Anniversaries
Polandian posts a list of companies celebrating anniversaries of their presence in Poland in 2011.
Serbia: Mladic Arrest Update
Bill Kralovec of Bill's Blog and Kirk Johnson of Americans for Bosnia share thoughts on the arrest of Ratko Mladic; YakimaGulagLiteraryGazett is posting links to English-language media stories on the...
Mexico: ‘Información Cívica’ Summarizes Week in Civil Society
David Sasaki in Información Cívica explains they will “begin publishing weekly summaries of what Open Society Foundation partners in various countries around Latin America are sharing via their websites, blogs,...
Uruguay Implements Argentinean Initiative ‘I read this book’
In Pires Mios [es], Macarena announces that the initiative ‘I read this book’ (in Spanish: “yo leí este libro”) that began in Argentina is now being implemented in Uruguay. On...
Kenya: Catholic Church Should Cleanse Its House
The Catholic Church in Kenya should cleanse its house, argues Sue at Jamii Ya Kenya blog: “The recent accusation of a priest Renato Kizito of sexually abusing his secretary is...
Mexico: Blood Fountains
During the last weekend of May 2011, activists from the movement "Let's stop the bullets, let's paint the fountains" stained the water of a famous statue in Mexico City blood red. Participants walked around the monument shouting slogans like "Not one more dead!" and "Out Calderón!"
China: Detained Rights Lawyer Interrogated About Sex Life
After three months in detention, Chinese lawyer Li Tiantian described on Twitter how her interrogators used intimate details of her personal life to harass her. In the past months, more than a hundred human right lawyers, activists, writers and artists have been arrested or prosecuted in China as a result of the crackdown on the Jasmine protests.
Russia: OBEY Giant Poster Wonders ‘Who Set Up Strauss-Kahn?’
LJ-user groupper posts [ru] pictures of an illegal poster with OBEY Giant and a question in French and Russian: “Who set up Strauss-Kahn?” The poster hanging in front of the...
Gambia: On Gambia's First President
Mathew K. Jallow discuses the legacy of Sir Dawda K Jawara, Gambia's first president: “As president, Sir Dawda Jawara was unlike most African leaders and politicians of his generation; leaders...
Zimbabwe: On Journalism and Sexual Harassment
Beven Takunda blogs about journalism and sexual harassment in Zimbabwe: “A number of young female journalists coming from college have raised complaints that they are being asked to go out...
Nigeria: Memories of attending a boarding school
Watch this YouTube video of Nigerians remembering their experience of attending a boarding secondary school.
Zimbabwe: Fined US$400 for killing a woman
A man is fined US$400 for killing a woman in Zimbabwe: “Fungai Tichawangana is widely admired and respected in Zimbabwe. Fungai’s wife was killed by a drunk driver. A man...
Togo: 8 digits phone numbers coming soon
“Starting August 7, 2011, at 00.00 GMT, a new 8 digits telephone dialing system will be implemented in Togo.” Louis Bararmna on African News details what this will change for...
France: #frenchrevolution in photos and videos
The Bundlr site presents a compilation [dead link] of photos, videos, links and tweets about the raising of the Place de la Bastille in Paris, to echo the protests in...