Stories from July, 2020
Documentary exposes the threat of facial recognition surveillance in Serbia
Online documentary warns the public about privacy risks emanating from a newly installed video surveillance system equipped with Chinese facial recognition technology.
Journalist's abduction raises concerns about media freedom in Pakistan
On July 21, renowned Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan was abducted in Islamabad. Though he was released about 12 hours after, fingers are being pointed at state security agencies.
The long and winding road to Guyana's 2020 election results
After many false starts, there was finally a recount, but legal challenges that question the interpretation of key sections of Guyana's constitution have dragged out the process even further.
Zimbabwe governance crisis: Arrests over COVID-19 corruption and planned protests
The arrest of two prominent figures in Zimbabwe signal new levels of crisis in governance as the nation heads toward unprecedented economic decline and social unrest amid COVID-19 corruption.
Sri Lankan wildlife threatened by poaching during the pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, rising unemployment has been linked to the surge in illegal wildlife poaching.
Serbia protests point to crisis of legitimacy for Vučić government
Serbian authorities unleashed a wave of violence at recent protests in the capital, causing some to wonder whether the government is finally starting to lose its control over the narrative.
Yanomami mothers fight for the right to bury their children during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
Amazônia Real's report located the bodies of Yanomami babies who died with COVID-19. They had been buried without their families' knowledge. One baby remained for two months in a cold storage facility.
Georgians approve of government's COVID-19 response but fear economic downturn, survey finds
A new survey reveals that Georgians approve of their leaders and institutions' response to COVID-19. Can the goodwill last until October's parliamentary elections?
A never-ending cycle of doctors’ strikes and funding debacles leaves Nigerians at the mercy of the pandemic
Events such as doctors’ strikes and funding debacles are bound to recur until the root cause of the problem is exorcised from Nigeria's public health system.
Marielle Franco case remains under state police without federal interference, rules Brazil High Court
Marielle's family members and advocates have feared that moving the case to federal level would make it vulnerable to interference by President Jair Bolsonaro, whose family has links with the suspects in the crime.
Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in Colombia denounce the assassination of human rights defenders
"The answer should not be force. The militarization of the territory generates more panic and anxiety."
COVID-19 in Europe: The price of being rich
“ … higher incomes mean fewer children and more elderly people, and this age distribution runs smack into the face of an overwhelming force of nature.”
Rooftop cultural events allow Venezuelan residents to momentarily escape COVID-19 through art
"We want to dream. We are the generation that fights and loves its community, despite the social conflicts and inequalities, we live in a constant learning process."
Liberian fishing communities stand up to Chinese supertrawlers
Liberian fishing communities are threatened by Chinese supertrawlers capable of catching about twice the nation’s sustainable catch — potentially decimating vital fish stocks in just a few years.
Out of work, out of options: Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand scrape by during COVID-19
"Since my workplace was closed, I don’t have much money left, I don’t know where to find work. I live in a construction camp with my 4-year-old son."
Chinese netizens rebrand Xi Jinping’s international relations strategy as ‘wolf warrior’ style diplomacy
"The Chinese Foreign Affair Ministry has turned into a branch of the propaganda department... and is now known as the Ministry of Making Foreign Enemies."
In Liberia, a new mobile phone tariff collides with digital rights
The cost-prohibitive surcharge will make it harder for everyday Liberians to get online, limiting digital access at the height of a pandemic when citizens need reliable information more than ever.
Students lead mass protest against dictatorship at Thailand's Democracy Monument
Protesters issued three demands related to democratic reforms and human rights protetion, and gave the government two weeks to respond.
The 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre: Remembrance amid genocide denial
“... the glorification of war criminals inflict[s] tremendous suffering on the survivors and their families. Leaders in the region have publicly denied the genocide, even calling Srebrenica a hoax..."
Ecuador's transgender community decries lack of government aid during pandemic
"We aren't inherently vulnerable; it's the State that makes these populations vulnerable."
Female genital mutilation likely to rise in the Middle East amid COVID-19 pandemic
The pandemic disrupted FGM prevention measures in the Middle East, where the practice is widely underreported.