Stories from 12 May 2012
Lithuania: Alleged Child Abuse Case
At OpenDemocracy.net, Violeta Davoliūtė draws attention to “some of the more sober realities of life in today’s Lithuania,” highlighting a highly publicised case of alleged child abuse that is “being played out against a background of mob rule, support from politicians and complicity on the part of the police.”
Serbia: May 6 Elections Results
Eric Gordy of East Ethnia sums up the results of the first round of the elections in Serbia and predicts what is to come after the May 20 runoff: “Assuming that Tadić defeats Nikolić by his usual narrow margin in two weeks, a government that looks a lot like the...
Bhutan: The King's Birthday Celebration
Sabrina from USA is visiting Bhutan and she is in love with the country. She blogs about her adventures and here is one post in which she describes how the birthday of the King of Bhutan is celebrated.
Greece: HIV-Positive Sex Workers Brutally Exposed Online
A multitude of reactions came after the Greek police uploaded photos and personal data of HIV-positive sex workers to a website. NGOs and hundreds of netizens, condemned through social media, those responsible for this campaign, as well as mainstream media for their biased coverage.
Algeria: Low Turnout in Legislative Elections
On May 10, Algeria's first legislative elections since the start of the Arab uprisings were held. Many people expressed their disillusionment with the current political system by not voting.
Ethiopia: Muslims Take Campaign Online for Religious Independence
Signs of Ethiopian Muslims digital activism are mounting as they protest against government’s meddling in their religious affairs. They have turned to Facebook and Twitter to make their voices heard.
South Korea: Continuing Mad Cow Controversy Over US Beef Imports
Since last week, South Korea has seen continuing protests against importing beef from the United States after mad cow disease broke out in California. Korean government dispatched its inspection team to the US to quell the public anger incited by the government's unkept promise to halt the beef import immediately when the disease was detected. However, the inspection team's lack of control over the investigation process and the biased member selection process further deepened South Korean's distrust of the government.
Indonesia: Soldier Loses His Temper in the Street
Early this month, a two-minute video clip of an armed soldier angrily confronting a civilian in Indonesia circulated on YouTube and became a trending topic on Twitter. Netizens continue to react
Greece: Police Violence Against Immigrants on the Rise
Greek social media has been in uproar over a video posted on Facebook and Twitter, showing police officers overtly abusing a detained immigrant in downtown Athens. Racist and police violence in Greece has been on a worrying rise in recent years, while the promised administrative police reform is still pending.
Mozambique: President Rejects Social Networks
A rejection of online communication tools by Mozambique's President Armando Guebuza to an audience of young voters made waves on social networks. Netizens respond to the leader's comments.
Egypt: Disappointment at First Presidential Debate
On May 10 people around the region and beyond were pinned to their screens following Egypt's first ever presidential debate, which was between the top two presidential candidates, Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh.
Thailand: Grandfather Serving Lese Majeste Sentence Dies in Prison
Akong, a 61-year-old grandfather in Thailand sentenced to 20 years in prison for sending text messages deemed offensive to the Royal Family died in prison a few days ago. Human rights groups criticized the government for refusing to grant bail to Akong who was diagnosed with cancer.
Spain: Many Reasons to Take to the Streets on 12M
On 15 May in Spain the first anniversary of the 15M will be commemorated. The events begin on 12 May (12M) in cities and neighborhoods. Spanish netizens have been anticipating the commemoration for days. The hashtags #YoVoy12M (I'm Going 12M) and #ALaPlaza (To The Square) have been TTs in Spain and throughout the world.
Argentina: Lawmakers Approve Gender Identity Law
Argentina approved a gender identity law, which allows changes of sex and name without going to court. Once word spread of the law's passage, users across the social networking spectrum echoed the reactions of the citizenry.
