Stories from 15 June 2015
Arbitrary Arrests, Cybercrime, and Mass Mobile Adoption: Monitoring Digital Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa

Global Voices speaks to Tom Rhodes, the East Africa representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, about the state of freedom of expression online in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Human Rights Activist Begins Hunger Strike for Migrants in Front of Macedonian Parliament
The growing migration crisis has recently also affected countries in southeastern Europe, with new issues arising almost daily. Reacting to the inhumane treatment of migrants who pass through Republic of...
John Oliver 2, Jack Warner 0: Trinidad & Tobago Is #ROTFL
The comedy keeps on coming as funny man John Oliver challenges beleaguered ex-FIFA Vice President Jack Warner to a game of one-upmanship in "shit-talking videos".
In Turkey, in Search of a More People-Sensitive Gentrification
"They have taken away yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, red, and turned them into brown and white. They have destroyed Sulukule."
Former TV Producer Mostafa Azizi Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison in Iran

Azizi, who had left for Canada, was arrested when he returned to be near his ailing father. He was convicted of “assembly and collusion against national security,” among other charges.
As Violence Rises, Some Venezuelans Pray to Dead Criminals for Help and Protection
In Venezuela, certain cults venerate deceased criminals. Followers visit their graves and build altars in their homes to ask the magical spirits for divine favors.
Hope for a Nuclear-Free Taiwan

Many Taiwanese wish to reduce the risks of nuclear power, but if President Ma's administration represses their voices instead of listening, the problems of nuclear waste could be deadlocked.
Twitter Discourse Around Putin and Poroshenko in Ukraine and Russia

In a new installment of our citizen-media data-analysis project, All The Presidents' Tweets, we use word clouds to visualize the Russian and Ukrainian discourse around Putin and Poroshenko on Twitter.
Yemen's Heritage, a Victim of War
Yemen's age old heritage is being pounded into rubble as Saudi-led airstrikes which have killed more than 2,500 people continue. Will the world now take notice?
Georgian Society Growing Weary of the West
Ex-Soviet Georgia threw its lot in with the West some time ago. But what has it received in return?
Local Chinese Authorities Use Internet Slang ‘Ziganwu’ in Their Propaganda Recruitment

'Ziganwu' are Internet commenters not officially affiliated with authorities but who nevertheless ardently defend the government. China's Sichuan education office has adopted the term as part of recruitment efforts.