8 August 2012

Stories from 8 August 2012

Guinea: Massacres Perpetrated by Security Forces in Zoghota

  8 August 2012

On August, 4, the NGO Avocats Sans Frontières (Lawyers without Borders) in Guinea reports that they have observed group killing of civilians in the village of Zoghota [fr] (Warning: graphic photos included).   Villagers testified that security forces came around midnight and fired at unarmed civilians. The village of Zoghota was...

Mauritania: Bribery and String-Pulling, Made in China

  8 August 2012

"The Chinese accused of bribing escaped any legal pursuit. What matters is, as far as I know, that he is the first civil servant to report a bribery case in Mauritania." After three Chinese investors tried to bribe him, Mauritania's General Director of Taxation locked them in his office and called the police.

Egypt: Social Justice for All

  8 August 2012

The Egyptian non-profit media collective Mosireen [en, ar] is “born out of the explosion of citizen journalism and cultural activism in Egypt during the revolution”. The group of filmmakers and citizen journalists collects footage and video testimonies from protests in Egypt. Their YouTube channel was the most viewed non-profit channel...

Hong Kong independent media attacked

  8 August 2012

Four men wearing masks entered Inmedia offices today and smashed all computers. Inmedia is well-known for releasing stories that inconvenience Hong Kong and China authorities.

Georgia: War Photography

  8 August 2012

Just before today's fourth anniversary of the August 2008 Russia-Georgia War, Georgian Photographers features a post accompanied by photos from George Tsagareli on documenting conflict in the Caucasus.

Brazil: Prisoners Get Four Days Off Sentence Per Book Read

  8 August 2012

Recently, the government of Brazil launched a new initiative whereby reading books related to classic national literature, science or philosophy can reduce prisoners' jail sentences. However, according to a 2006 report 8% of the country's inmates were illiterate and 70% hadn't completed primary education.

Madagascar: Second Mediation Effort Stalled Yet Again

  8 August 2012

Midi Madagasikara reports that the second mediation meeting in Seychelles is likely to have stalled yet again as transitional president Rajoelina refused the candidacy of deposed president Ravalomanana [fr] for the upcoming 2013 presidential elections.  The South African Development Community SADC that drives the mediation effort warned that the participants who...

Russia: USA's Hammon Leads Russia to Basketball Semis

RuNet Echo  8 August 2012

Twitter user @zhenya_jane wrote on the U.S. native Becky Hammon‘s contribution to #London2012: “She's 35 years old, 168 cm tall. Becky Hammon is in the starting lineup of the Russian national basketball team. Thought they wouldn't take her.” In 2008, Hammon faced ridicule from Americans when she gained Russian citizenship...