Stories from 1 August 2012
Lebanon: Inflammatory TV Show Leads to Arrests of Gay Men
A recent crackdown on a Beirut cinema frequented by gay men ended up in the arrest of 36 men, who later were subjected to anal examinations to "prove" their homosexuality. The raid prompted outrage, and many accused a certain TV show of inciting it.
Mauritania: Mining Workers Protest ‘New Kind of Slavery’
More than 2,300 laborers are protesting in the Mauritanian northern mining city of Zouerat, which has led to complete paralysis at some ten National Mining and Industrial Company sites, in addition to disrupting work in other locations. The demands centre around a pay dispute.
Mauritania: Torture in Detention Turns to Medical Nightmare
A young man wrongfully arrested on suspicion of theft is experiencing memory loss after being tortured while detained in the Ould Yengé district detention centre in July, 2012. Abderrahmane Demba Diawo, 32 years old, told reporters [fr] that he and the four other suspects were handcuffed, then hung from the ceiling and...
Tajikistan: Legality of Government Military Operation Questioned
On his blog, Tajik journalist Salim Ayubzod questions [tj] the legality of the recent military operation launched by the government in Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan's easternmost province. Ayubzod also argues that the government had failed to think through possible outcomes of the violent intervention.
Kazakhstan: Images from “Post-Apocalyptic” Village
Despite Kazakhstan's oil-fueled economic growth, some parts of the country are doing a lot worse than others. Blogger Iskander Salikhojaev has recently traveled to Akchatau, a small poverty-stricken village in central Kazakhstan where some 1,000 people live without jobs, drinking water, and hope. Vox Populi posts [ru] photos from the blogger's trip....
Chinese-born Weightlifters Win Gold for Kazakhstan
Two female weightlifters have won gold medals for Kazakhstan at the London Olympics. On Registan.net, Matthew Kupfer writes that the two athletes “are actually from China and … this isn't a big secret in Kazakhstan.” The blogger adds: “But it doesn't change what they have accomplished. [The athletes] were not champions in...
Kyrgyz Female Wrestler – Hooligan or Olympic Heroine?
Aisuluu Tynybekova, a young female wrestler from Kyrgyzstan, has been named as the country's "best hope to bring home a medal” from the London Olympics. But back home, she faces a criminal charge of “hooliganism”.
World: Why Rape Jokes Are Not Funny
Hannah maintains the blog Afternoon Snooze Button and publishes a rather detailed post aiming at demonstrating “why rape jokes are uniquely bad”. She writes: “People who enjoy rape jokes commonly want to be told that rape isn’t a big deal, that it’s just sex, and that other people think so,...
