Stories from 14 December 2015
Ethiopian Netizens Defend Themselves in Court After 525 Days of Detention
Left to defend themselves in court, Ethiopian netizens reject charges of anti-government activity and describe torture and ethnic discrimination in prison.
Bangladesh Unblocks All Social Media Services (For Now)
Contradictory statements from authorities have left many Bangladeshis wondering what was behind the ban on Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and other major communications platforms.
Activists Take to the Top of Lviv City Hall to Highlight Human Rights in Ukraine
Ukrainian civic activists climbed to the very top of Lviv City Hall to read aloud the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and raise awareness of International Human Rights Day.
Chhaupadi, the Dwindling Nepalese Tradition That Turns Women Into Outcasts During Their Periods
Even though it's banned, the practice still exists in remote hill villages. Women are forced to sleep outside in huts, exposed to the elements, without warm clothes or blankets.
2015 Was Boom Times for Corruption in the Caribbean, But Can It Last?
Judging from the alleged corruption that happened in the Caribbean this year, certain regional territories may not improve their ranking in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index -- or will they?
Thai Worker Arrested for Mocking the King’s Dog on Facebook
Authorities will also file sedition charges against the Facebook user for 'liking' and 'sharing' an infographic which explains a corruption scandal involving the military.
Nigerian Lawmakers May Criminalize ‘Abusive’ and Anti-Government Messages Online
Nigeria's social media landscape is poised for dramatic changes, if lawmakers get their way with a new bill that would make it possible to sentence Internet bullies to prison time.
Low Bandwidth, High Hopes: Digital Participation in Venezuelan Elections
Despite low bandwidth and a series of localized Internet outages, the Web proved critical to public discourse and circulation of information about candidates, especially those running with the opposition.
Latinos Care About the Environment. So Why Aren’t Green Groups Engaging Them More?
Efforts by US politicians and groups concerned about the environment to engage Latino communities seem to be lagging.
Viral Outrage Over the Appropriation of Traditional Mexican Embroidery Is Full of Inaccuracies
Media reported that Santa María Tlahuitoltepec residents would be forced to pay royalties on their traditional embroidery because of a French company's copyright claim. Disturbing—if it were true. It's not.
A Tajik Singer Calls on the World Not to Forget Aylan Kurdi
'Whose knife is in my heart and my sight? What country is my lonely body buried in?'
The Wonderful World of Japan's ‘Okonomiyaki’
Which is better: Osaka-style or Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki? One Twitter account is hoping to help you make up your mind.
