Stories about Human Rights from December, 2015
2015 Was A Breakthrough Year For Sexual Diversity
Marriage equality scored major triumphs this year in Ireland, Chile, Colombia and the US, though for many on the sexual diversity spectrum the fight continues.
Ecuador Government Seizes TV Channel's Equipment, Leaving It Off the Air
The owner of a popular Ecuadorian TV station that went off the air after the seizure of equipment by the police says the action was motivated by the station's reporting.
The Tragic Rise of Child Abduction as a Business in Madagascar in 2015
"I would not wish such a nightmare on my worst enemy. The Malagasy population feels completely helpless in the face of this wave of children kidnapping."
Strangest Twitter Moment of 2015? Elijah Wood Wades into the Gollum-Erdogan Spat
"You shut up. I skip all the scenes you are in anyway. You can't walk properly. You can't even throw the ring properly... indecent."
Ethiopia Censors Satellite TV Channels as Student Protests Draw Global Media Attention
"If the regime thinks it can cut our audience off from receiving OMN news and programs, they are too dumb to understand what we are made of."
Activists Seek to Dispel Abortion Stigma Fueled by the Macedonian Government's Policies
"Because it's about me, the decision whether to abort or not must remain my and only my right."
The Gambia Turns Talk Into Action, Passes Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Bill
After President Jammeh announced an executive ban on the practice hardly a month ago, lawmakers made good on the sentiment.
The Francophone World's Uplifting Stories in 2015
We collect collects a few of the happy events you might have missed while distracted by so much of the gloom in 2015.
2015 Was a Year of the Absurd in Ex-Soviet Tajikistan
Could things get any stranger in 2016?
For Land-locked Nepal, a Year of Natural and Man-Made Disasters
“I have negative thoughts. But if everyone gets positive, I will get the energy to stay positive.”
Advox by the Numbers: 2015 in Digital Rights
In 2015, Turkey blocked 166 websites for publishing one controversial image, Thai activists knocked 5 government websites offline in a virtual "sit-in", and Mexico spent $6.3 million on surveillance software.
Award-Winning Citizen Journalist Ahmad Almossa Killed in Idlib, Syria
Ahmad Mohamed Almossa, a member of Syrian citizen journalism collective Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), was assassinated by masked men in northern Syria, the group announced on Twitter.
What Will it Take to End Police Brutality in Armenia?
A complacent executive and uncaring judiciary have given a free hand to the Caucasus country's unloved police force.
The Syrian Conflict Won't Steal My Christmas
In a country in the throes of war, celebrating Christmas can be an act of both profound naïvete and staunch resistance.
Meet the People Who Want to Repeal Russia's Draconian Laws
A group of Russian intellectuals has created a public council to determine which Russian laws limit human rights and freedoms, and to recommend that such laws be repealed.
Bangladesh Will Demand Biometric Data From All SIM Card Users
The scheme will create a massive database of citizens' communications data that could give the government unprecedented access to the mobile communications of Bangladeshi citizens.
Saudi Women Vote in Historic Elections; Now They Want More Rights
Twenty-one Saudi women won seats in municipal elections for the first time ever. Now Saudi women, banned from driving their own cars in the conservative kingdom, demand more.
Giving Hope to the Homeless by Changing Perceptions in Trinidad and Tobago
"People [...] look at me a certain way and whisper as they pass by. Some say hello, some just watch me and laugh. I know they judge me..."
How Did You Remember Refugees and Migrants on International Migrants’ Day?
Throughout human history, migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life.
Does ‘Free Entry’ Always Come at a Cost?: Trinidad & Tobago Talks Gender Discrimination After Nightclub Row
"Not all discrimination is created equal, and not all unequal treatment is necessarily discriminatory."
As Japan Refuses to Accept More Refugees, a Hateful Meme Goes Viral
Though Internet users only recently debunked a false English-language meme about Japan's alleged restrictions on Muslims, it's far from true that Japan necessarily welcomes immigrants and refugees with open arms.
