Stories about Human Rights from October, 2016
Timbuktu, Where There's ‘Justice for Monuments, but Not for Victims of Rape’
"In Mali, rape is a taboo subject. The victims’ lips are sealed by society’s gaze."
Protests Erupt in Morocco Following Fish Vendor's Brutal Death in Garbage Compactor
The brutal death of a fish vendor in a garbage compactor has sparked large national protests across Morocco.
‘Stand with Standing Rock': Demonstrators in the US Rail Against the Dakota Access Pipeline
"Sometimes, you wake in 2016, but it feels like 1875 because Natives are still fighting for our land." --Sherman Alexie
After Rejecting the Peace Agreement, Colombia Seeks a New Path
"Who is going to go to the regions that voted for YES to explain to them what's the route to follow after the NO won in the national referendum?"
Hello Vodafone: What Does It Mean When a Global Telco Giant Enters Iran?
Vodafone's partnership with an Iranian telco is a welcome improvement to the local telecommunications market. But the potential for complicity between Vodafone and Iran's surveillance infrastructure is hard to ignore.
Rural Women in Northern India Are Challenging Patriarchy by Removing Their Veils
"If women want to wear veil let them. If they do not want to wear veil let them. It is [as] simple as that."
After a Well-Known Artist's Tragic Death, Taiwan's LGBT Community Demands Marriage Equality
"Don't just pay lip service to "equal rights for the LGBT community". Words are empty! As long as same-sex marriage is not legalized, it means nothing!"
Locals Want a Disruptive Dam Project in Northern Myanmar Terminated Once and for All
Ethnic Kachin oppose the dam not only because it puts lives at risk, but also because it endangers the historically valuable Irrawaddy River
Morocco Unblocks VoIP Applications Ahead of UN Climate Conference
"To avoid being seen as a police state during the #COP22, Morocco temporarily unblocks VoIP services," tweeted one user.
Farewell to Renen Raz, Beloved Anti-Colonial, Queer Israeli Activist
Renen Raz, an Israeli anti-colonial and queer activist, died this week. He's now being remembered for his passion for social justice in Israel-Palestine.
Yet Another Socio-Environmentalist Is Murdered in Amazonia
Earlier this month, on October 13, two assassins on a motorcycle murdered Luís Alberto Araújo, the environmental secretary of the Brazilian town of Altamira, Pará State.
Sri Lankan Tourism: Booming Again, But Mostly for the Military
The Sri Lankan military is investing heavily in the tourism business. The armed forces have several hotels and resorts, many restaurants and cafes, and other tourist facilities.
Saudi Mobile Data Quality Provokes National Protest Against Bad Service
Saudi social media users are protesting against the nation's mobile network operators' bad service and the continued blocking of VoIP apps that are supposed to be available for free.
Just How Welcome Are ‘Foreigners’ on Japanese Trains?
A private railway company in western Japan recently came under fire after a conductor apologized for the presence of “foreigners” on a train. And that was just the beginning.
Netizen Report: As Protests Rage in Ethiopia, Zone9 Bloggers Return to Court
The Advox Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
Peace Activist Khurram Parvez's Illegal Detention in Kashmir Valley May Be Proof He's “Doing Something Right”
After his arrest on September 15, Parvez was charged under the Public Safety Act and sent to a prison facility nearly 300 kilometers from his family and legal counsel.
A Lack of Open Space Forces Kids in One Mumbai Suburb to Play in a Dirty Field
“We don’t tell our parents that we play here. They think we go to a proper ground to play. If they know...they will not let us out to play."
A Philippine Police Van Brutally Runs Over Indigenous and Minority Protesters Calling for Their Rights
"In our ancestral communities, the attacks are far worse...Everywhere we turn, we Lumads and other national minorities are brutalized."
Chinese Netizens See Human Rights Violations in Child Protection Bill
The new regulations attempt to protect children by requiring hardware companies to install surveillance software on their devices, and by promoting treatments for "Internet addiction."
Myanmar’s Laws and Societal Attitudes Make Girls Vulnerable to Abuse
An 'International Day of the Girl' celebration in an internally displaced person camp in Kachin State, Myanmar highlights the lack of government protection of victims of gender-based violence in Myanmar.
How High Homicide Rates Affects Women from Low-Income Communities in Brazil
Homicide victims in Brazil are mostly men, young, black and part-black people from low-income families. How does this impact the future of black and low-income women?
