Stories about South Asia from May, 2023
Pakistan invokes draconian Army Act to put protestors on trial
The political situation in Pakistan is escalating after the National Security Council decided to invoke the Army Act and Official Secrets Act to try civilian protestors.
‘Post at your own risk': An interview with Indian journalist Srishti Jaswal
Global Voices conducted a telephonic interview with Srishti Jaswal, an award-winning journalist from India who became the target of online harassment from right-wing trolls, receiving thousands of threats.
Pakistan faces nationwide internet blockage: A digital crisis unfolds
The internet blockade imposed in Pakistan amidst the arrest of Imran Khan raises serious concerns about the state of democracy, freedom of expression, and access to information in the country.
Controversies erupt in India over the film ‘The Kerala Story’
Directed by Sudipto Sen, the Bollywood movie "The Kerala Stories" explores the controversial notion of “love jihad” — a conspiracy theory that Muslim men convert Hindu women to Islam via romantic relationships.
The Supreme Court orders the government to legalise same-sex marriage in Nepal
On May 2, 2023, same-sex marriage was finally legalised by Nepali by order of the Supreme court in Nepal after several years of legal disputes.
A Nepali man’s mission to document all the orchids found in Nepal
Global Voices interviewed Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti to talk about his journey from a Nepalese boy admiring orchids on his way to school, to an internationally renowned orchid expert and researcher.
Pakistan on edge: Protests continue as Imran Khan's arrest sparks outrage
Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan was arrested from a courthouse on Tuesday afternoon. The news of Khan's arrest has sparked heated demonstrations and raised concerns about political instability in Pakistan.
Culture and conservation at Nepal's first bird sanctuary
The Ghodaghodi Lake Area, home to Nepal's first bird sanctuary, is culturally important to the indigenous Tharu people and this may have played a significant role in its preservation.
The Bihu dance of Assam breaks two world records with massive performance in India
On April 13th, a staggering 11,304 Bihu dancers and 2,548 drummers gathered for the largest Bihu performance in Guwahati, the capital of the Indian State of Assam, and broke two world records.
The rise of Bangladeshi online streaming content and the tales of ‘Mohanagar’
Bangladeshi web series "Mohanagar 2", a crime thriller that offers nuanced socio-political commentary, has been creating a buzz in Bangladesh since its release in April 2023 on the OTT platform HoiChoi.