Stories about Digital Activism from April, 2017
The Last Time This Many People Went on Strike in Brazil It Was 1996
Protesters are taking a stand against a series of austerity reforms hastily pushed by Brazilian President Temer, who enjoys a substantial legislative majority and support from businesses, despite sinking popularity.
Rafael Braga Vieira: Symbol of Institutionalized Racism and Criminalized Poverty in Brazilian Justice
Braga was homeless and collecting recyclables to survive when he arrested the first time. But that was just the beginning of a darker saga.
Kashmiri Man Who Was Tied to an Indian Military Jeep as a Human Shield Says He Now Lives in Fear
"...I am afraid of going to a hospital. I’m afraid they will find me and kill me…I haven’t stepped outside my house in the last eight days."
Indian Government Bans 22 Social Media Platforms in Kashmir including Facebook, WhatsApp
"By presenting the other side to the Kashmir storyline, the locals once again were able to own....the highly complex and conflicted Kashmir narrative."
Netizen Report: Censorship Spikes in India, Subsides in Cameroon
The Internet is back on in English-speaking Cameroon, while social media has been shut down in Kashmir. Journalists in Maldives mourn the stabbing death of a blogger.
Three Ways the Russian Government Is Trying to Control the Internet
“The Internet was created as a special project by the CIA,” Vladimir Putin announced three years ago. Since then, Russian authorities’ faith in the Internet has declined even further.
Port of Spain Explores Spaces for Public Art After Controversial Crackdown
Might online support for a small Trinidadian artist be the spark that finally creates sustainable display spaces for public art in the capital city?
Maldives Blogger and Activist Yameen Rasheed Stabbed to Death
“So-called 'Paradise on Earth' has no public safety for it's citizens. Tomorrow, it could be me, you, or any of us," wrote a Facebook user.
A São Paulo City Councilor Surprised Schools With an Inspection for ‘Leftist Indoctrination’
Fernando Holiday was inspired by the Escola Sem Partido (School Without Party) campaign, which divides opinion in Brazil.
Netizen Report: Mexican Journalists Were Threatened Online, Then Killed
Kashmiris see more cuts to basic communications services, a Japanese artist gets fined for her 3D vagina art, and Thailand tells Facebookers to "unfollow" state critics.
Critics Say Albanian Parliament Is Trying to Amnesty Crooked Politicians, Under Pretext of Judicial Reform
Following protests, Albania's president has rejected legislation that could have spared the hides of many corrupt politicians. But it could still become law, regardless.
For Venezuela's Government, Protesting Is “Terrorism”
"The money is never enough, there are no medicines, and the streets are full of criminals, and you won't let me protests on top of it all?"
Ugandan Academic and Sanitary Pad Campaign Leader Faces Criminal Charges For ‘Computer Misuse’
Nyanzi's story has become a rallying opportunity for Ugandans who oppose the Musveni government.
Meet the Activist Trying to Bring Ukraine's Villages Online
“I don’t really like Europe. In Europe, 99 percent of things are finished; here, there is work to be done."
Netizen Report: Censorship Spikes After Venezuela’s ‘Self-Inflicted Coup’
Venezuelan journalists face rising threats amid protests, Russia blocks Zello, and Southeast Asian lawmakers use ‘fake news’ fears to justify censorship.
Two Mozambican Universities Want to Ban Short Skirts and Dreadlocks
"If the students follow these rules, it is because they don’t have the balls to assert their human rights, and they deserve the university where they study".
Are Trinidad & Tobago Police Actively Investigating the President's Housing Allowance Like They Said They Would?
One netizen asks if there's a link between the country's top cop and the president, whether the police began their promised investigation and if so, can its findings be trusted?
Vietnamese Continue to Demand Justice a Year After Toxic Waste Spill That Caused Massive Fish Kill
"Formosa must accept full responsibility and make efforts in returning the clean environment to our country, our people and central Vietnam before leaving Vietnam."
Fed Up With Local Government, Siberian Environmentalists Beg Leonardo DiCaprio for Help
In Krasnoyarsk, the third largest city in Siberia, local environmentalists have found their savior: Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.
As Protests Escalate, Web TV and News Sites Are Censored in Venezuela
Multiple web TV channels that had been broadcasting protests in Caracas have been inaccessible since the morning of April 7.
In Venezuela, Activists Document Protests and Share Protection Tactics
"Human rights violations don't have a time limit...Record for the future, when there will be democracy."
