Stories about Human Rights from August, 2008
Pakistan: Honor and Murder
All Things Pakistan asserts why tradition or religion does not justify or sanction honor killing.
Thailand: People’s coup or putsch?
Since Tuesday, anti-government protesters have invaded Thailand’s Government House demanding the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The rallyists, estimated to be as low as 3,000 to as high as 25,000, are members of the People's Alliance for Democracy
Appeal of Singapore-based Burmese patriots
Jacob's Weblog uploads a petition letter by supporters of the six Burmese activists who were denied of visa extension by Singapore's immigration authorities.
Russia, Georgia: The Balkan Context
LimbicNutrition Weblog writes about the Russian-Georgian conflict in the context of the earlier events in the Balkans.
Saudi Arabia: Independent women
While there are no doubt restrictions for women living in Saudi Arabia, they do not necessarily match the oppressive image that many foreigners have of the country. In this post we have advice for women wanting to visit Jeddah alone, a review of a women-only hotel in Riyadh, and a plea to those foreigners who feel they want to speak on behalf of oppressed Saudi women.
Afghanistan: Child Sexual Abuse
Azar Balkhi says that child sexual abuse is becoming a disturbing widespread reality in Afghanistan, where traditionally the victim is the one to take the punishment, not the rapist.
Kenya: Reproductive Rights Bill Sparks Abortion Debate
A bill proposed by Kenyan women's rights groups, which would make it easier to have an abortion, has re-sparked the debate about legalizing abortion. The procedure is currently illegal in...
South Ossetia, Russia: Photos From Tskhinvali and Vladikavkaz
Photo reports (RUS) by LJ user photomans: from Tskhinvali – here; from a refugee camp in Vladikavkaz – here.
Russia: Anti-War Music
LJ user marchenk posts a collection of links (RUS) to videos of various anti-war songs in Russian, French, English, Italian, German, Hebrew, Serbian, Spanish, Polish, Arabic and other languages.
South Ossetia: Photos From Tskhinvali
Photos from Tskhinvali – by LJ user grend (RUS).
Haiti: Homes Being Destroyed
“Cite Soleil, a shanty town in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is under siege by the UN occupying forces”: The Haitian Blogger publishes a statement by the Haitian Lawyers Leadership “condemning the wholesale...
Venezuela: Yukpa Indians, Chávez and land disputes
Citizen media videos have been uploaded informing of the situation arising in Venezuela between the Yukpa Indians of the Perijá Mountains, landowners and President Chávez. This dispute over land limits is 30 years in the making, when military forces displaced the Indigenous communities of the Yukpa by force and established landowners who have cattle ranches and have been working the lands ever since.
South Korea: Leftwing Economist Arrested for Subversion
Robert Koehler criticizes the South Korean government for arresting a most renowned economist for speaking out against capitalism under the excuse of violation of the National Security Law.
South Korea: Sex Offender Bracelet
Korea Beat translated a local news about the implementation of sex offender bracelets policy: beginning on September 1st the bracelets will be able to report the movements of sex offenders...
Georgia, Russia: Interethnic Relationships
Tbilisi-based LJ user shupaka and Russian war journalist Vadim Rechkalov (LJ user voinodel) share stories about interethnic relationships in Georgia and North Ossetia, Russia, in the time of conflict between the two countries.
Brazil: The rice war on indigenous land
Brazil's Supreme Court decides today about the future of Raposa Serra do Sol's Indigenous land. Observatório da Imprensa [Press Observatory, pt] have published two texts about the media coverage of...
India: Kashmir and Shame
La Dolce Vita on the increasingly delicate and turbulent situation in Kashmir, with India flexing its military powers.
Saudi Arabia: Off the road
Desert Flower, an American Muslim living in Saudi Arabia, is tired of not being permitted to drive: ‘…it gets down right stupid when you have to schedule an appointment to...
Lebanon: Maid is Lebanese for Slave
How are some housemaids or domestic helpers being treated in Lebanon? Nash Suleiman sums up the reactions of Lebanese bloggers to this tragedy, following the release of a report on the situation by Human Rights Watch.
Korea: Can a brassiere be a dangerous product?
On the 15th of August, the 815 Liberation Day led people to gather together and to have a 100th candlelight vigil. While they marched on the street, some of them...
Cuba: Punk Rocker Arrested
As several bloggers voice their outrage at the arrest of Cuban punk rocker Gorki Aguila, Havana-based Generation Y claims: “They took him because nothing destabilizes the intransigents more than a...