Stories about Human Rights from February, 2023
Beyond Jordan’s TikTok Ban
Jordan's recent ban of TikTok has sparked concerns over freedom of expression and access to information. Concerns raised as part of a broader trend of governments restricting social media platforms.
Reflections from the Iranian diaspora: Rage against the ‘Iran Lobby’
Iran's protest movement has fueled criticism of the "Iran Lobby," a term used to describe those who support the Islamic Republic and its policies.
Undertones: Zimbabwe's cyberpunk cities fueled by China
Zimbabwe is set to become Africa’s first country with a “smart” capital city built from scratch. But many are wary of Zimbabwe becoming a surveillance state.
Bangladesh reassesses its Belt and Road Initiative strategy with China as the US offers a new alternative
After big promises made in 2015, China's belt and Road Initiative is taking a much slower pace in Bangladesh as a result of pushback from communities and the Bangladeshi government.
Separatist armed groups’ fusion risks sharpening the political and security crisis in Mali
Mali's hopes of a lasting peace fading as the three main Northern rebel groups announce an alliance and pull out of negotiations with Bamako.
Members of the Russian diaspora join global protests marking the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
As the world marks the first anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, exiled Russians opposing Putin organize and join public demonstrations around the world, including in Berlin and Prague.
Two Ugandan opposition lawmakers freed after 17 months of detention
The two lawmakers join a growing list of opposition leaders and dissidents targeted in a country where the current president Yoweri Museveni has been in power for the last 37 years.
‘You'd better not wake up!': How Twitter users remember the day of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Global Voices translated some of the responses about the memories of the day of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 24th 2022
Belarusian Westernizers: Their debacle and perpetual bewilderment
Grigory Ioffe writes about the growing rupture between the new Belarusian diaspora and those who remain in the country, as well as the hopeless plight of Belarusian political prisoners.
Lachin Corridor standoff between Azerbaijan and Armenia enters third month
Reports of food and energy shortages are continuing to grow in Nagorno-Karabakh as the region enters its third month under blockade.
Those who are in these coffins will no longer hear Putin's chatter about ‘everything is going according to plan’
Global Voices gathered some of the social media commentary in Russian with reactions to Putin's speech.
India's war against a BBC documentary on Modi
The recent raid on the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai shows a pattern of using state agencies to target think tanks, NGOs, and media outlets that criticize the government.
Malian government expels UN Representatives in targeted move
Malian authorities expel UN representatives, underlining their refusal to accept any national and international criticism of their human rights record
Togolese citizens take their activism online to inspire action and responses
Youths in Togo are using online activism to ensure their voices are heard not only by the people, but also the government.
Undertones in Turkey: Earthquakes fan the flames of election season
Erdoğan’s leadership may be on the line, with compounding accusations of corruption, economic mismanagement, and the slow and inadequate response to the earthquake.
Lawsuit against Meta in Kenya paves the way for African countries to sue tech companies
The ruling that the Facebook parent firm Meta can be sued in Kenya could open the floodgates not just for Meta but for other technology companies, including OpenAI.
Man accused of setting fire to military draft office in Transnistria faces 30 years in jail
Unlike many other similar human rights violations in Transnistria, the incident with the arrest of Alexander Dimov and his alleged record prison term did not cause a wide public reaction
Former refugee Behrouz Boochani's ‘surreal’ experience in Australia's parliament
"It was very surreal for me to be in a place that for years I criticised from the offshore prisons."
In Turkey, the state resorts to censorship majeure
Rocked by a devastating earthquake, citizens in Turkey now have to also deal with censorship measures imposed by the state amid an outcry of public criticism.
Myanmar media two years after the 2021 coup: ‘Resistance, resilience, restoration’
"The international community must renew its commitment to Myanmar and protect and defend the courageous journalists who are risking their lives to report on the regime’s ongoing human rights abuses.”
Uganda's army court defies ruling to stop trying civilians
Bobi Young's trial in the court-martial comes after the constitutional court in December 2022 ruled that it is illegal for the court-martial to try civilians.
