Stories about Human Rights from December, 2020
Argentina closes 2020 with historic Senate vote legalizing abortion
"I’ve woken up to see Argentina more free and feminist. No one will ever be forced to give birth again. Argentina is safer for all women."
2020 round-up: COVID-19 in South Asia
The COVID-19 pandemic swamped our coverage in the past 12 months as we highlighted the challenges people faced and the fight against the coronavirus across the region.
COVID Christmas: Was it truly like no other?
For our world and the faiths we have, hasn't this Christmas been like all others—painful, often sordid, sometimes deadly?
UN Security Council ends reporting on Burundi, but human rights monitors remain concerned
UN Security Council ended specific reporting on Burundi after several months of a new government, but human rights monitors remain concerned.
Saudi court slams internationally criticized jail term for iconic female activist
Hathloul, a symbol of Saudi political prisoners, was sentenced after a three-year pre-trial detention and a rushed trial that overlooked her claim of being tortured, drawing global outcry against Riyadh.
Rwandan governance during the pandemic: A time for introspection
Months after the implementation of the lockdown order, the Rwandan government has been mute over citizens' demand for food relief support. Is it time to reconsider its governance model?
Shooting of mother and son highlights institutionalized police violence in the Philippines
"This is what happens when we have leaders who consent and encourage such behavior from policemen."
2020 round-up: How the tragedy of COVID-19 became a success story for the China model
The year 2020 began with the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan. Throughout the year, COVID-19 was the most discussed topic on the Chinese social media.
Crackdown against journalist and activists mars Human Rights Day in the Philippines
"We were forced to turn our backs for one hour while evidence was being planted."
Combating misinformation in under-resourced languages: Lessons from around the world
A recent webinar explored how underresourced language communities may be at a disadvantage to tackle misinformation and access media literacy resources.
In Belarus, a new civic culture is born out of recycled historical symbols in urban yards
As Belarusans continue to fill the streets in protests against Alyaksandr Lukashenka, a hyper-local movement is forming a new civic culture.
‘Stop silencing MENA critical voices,’ say activists in open letter to Twitter and Facebook
A decade after uprisings heavily relied on social media to topple dictators across the region, human rights defenders denounce these platforms' discrimination against voices of dissent still fight for freedoms.
Ecuador's transgender communities organize first-ever National Trans March
"We are fed up, we are tired of the social debt, of the State debt, of the commodification of the struggle of trans people."
WATCH: Belarus 2020: Still uploading?
In this edition of our Global Voices Insights series, media analyst Maryia Sadouvskaya-Komlach, artist Rufina Bezlova and scholar Gregory Asmolov revisit the events in Belarus following the August 2020 presidential elections.
Citing tweets and op-eds, Hong Kong police charges media tycoon Jimmy Lai with foreign collusion
Documents supporting Lai's collusion charge include social media posts, interviews with foreign media outlets, and meetings with foreign politicians and alleged donations to them.
What the international press did not understand about the demonstrations in Peru
The demonstrations in Peru were historic: 13 per cent of the nation actively participated, and 73 per cent supported the demonstrators. Why did the international press give it relatively little importance?
North Macedonia court rejects lawsuit by journalists over 2017 Parliament attack
Journalists sued the Macedonian state for the violence they faced on that fateful April 27, 2017, when a mob stormed the Parliament. A court ruled they failed to prove the attack happened.
The fight against fake news: A restrictive policy for online freedom of expression in Senegal
In Senegal, the government’s attempts to control fake news raises questions about how to fight against it without infringing on rights and freedoms — particularly online freedom of expression.
How will the war in Nagorno-Karabakh change Azerbaijan?
After Azerbaijan's victory in Nagorno-Karabakh, strongman President Ilham Aliyev enjoys huge popular support. But the new presence of Russian peacekeepers is causing unease, say researchers Sergey Rumyantsev and Sevil Huseynova.
Kuwait's stateless Bidoon population angered by another death
Denied the Kuwaiti nationality and dubbed "illegal residents" by the state, thousands of Bidoon are stranded in a legal limbo and are unable to access basic civil and human rights.
Seven African governments employ surveillance spyware, says new study
Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have employed surveillance technology from Circles, a firm affiliated with Israel's NSO Group, according to the report by Citizen Lab.
