Stories about Human Rights from July, 2019
Queer as quantum joy
"You deserve to be proud of yourself, you rare, riotous beauty. Go on, give yourself a huge, rafter-rattling cheer."
New book presents rarely researched aspects of Myanmar's political and media transition
"But as many of the contributors noted, while the space for expression did open up, the threats against journalists and activists did not reduce."
A brief history of Taiwan's indigenous Seediq tribe
The Seediq tribe, one of the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan, has a history of fighting for their rights against the Japanese colonial power.
Lack of diverse media ownership leads to censorship in Pakistan says new report
In Pakistan, a small number of companies dominate the country's media landscape in terms of both ownership and audience share.
Thai folk singer and activist Tom Dundee released after five years in prison for insulting monarchy
"Democracy must be created from the people, mustn’t it? Democracy cannot come from only one person."
Nigerian schoolgirl abducted by Boko Haram allegedly dies in captivity
"The president assured me that Leah would come back and that the government was working hard on it...After that, it was silence because we haven’t seen Leah."
Acute water shortage hits Chennai in India
The lives of 9 million people are affected in southern India, as Chennai, one of the six fastest-growing cities in the world, faces the worst water crisis in its history.
How US arms supplies to Saudi Arabia threatens Sudan's hard-won peace
The Saudis supply Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces with money and arms. When the US does arms deals with Saudi Arabia they’re essentially supporting RSF.
It's not just President Jair Bolsonaro who defends child labor—wealthy Brazilians think it's fine too
"If you think the struggle against child labor is meant to stop you from selling chocolate at school to pay for your tennis lessons, you didn’t understand anything."
Philippine vice president and other Duterte critics charged with sedition
"The charges are meant to silence and persecute human rights lawyers, opposition leaders, and the church, and to send a message to anyone who dares to criticize this administration."
Vietnamese-American musician's song in support of Hong Kong anti-extradition protesters goes viral
"As a Hong Konger, I am touched....Thank you for giving us strength to carry on."
Fake news about “human sacrifices” for the Padma Bridge leads to violence in Bangladesh
Eight people have been detained across Bangladesh for spreading ‘Human heads and blood will be sacrificed for Padma Bridge pillars’ rumors on Facebook.
What do Zimbabwe’s internet disruptions say about the state of digital rights in the country?
Government officials have repeatedly described access to social media as a potential threat, hinting that more disruptions would not be ruled out in the future.
Brazil's top court criminalizes homophobia and transphobia
"We believe that punitivism should not be the way for regulation, but since we live in a society tha only reorganizes itself with laws, it is an important decision."
Could polygraph testing for Trinidad & Tobago police help create more public trust?
With an increasing crime rate, the idea is to help make officers more accountable and rekindle public faith in the police service.
How Nigeria uses the law to repress free speech: The case of journalist Jones Abiri
Draconian legislation often used to arbitrarily detain journalists and dissenting voices exemplifies the precarious state of press freedom and free speech in Nigeria.
In Bangladesh, a rickshaw ban for major Dhaka city roads spurs protests and debate
A rickshaw ban on three major roads in Dhaka city saw a huge protest from the rickshaw-pullers and some netizens who use this convenient mean of transport.
Cambodian activists arrested for commemorating the anniversary of political analyst Kem Ley's death
"The accusation that a peaceful gathering merits a prison sentence is a serious and systematic threat to the little remaining space left for freedom of expression in the country."
‘No VAT on Pad’ protests prompt Bangladesh government to remove proposed tax
Amidst protests, the Bangladesh government decided to scrap the proposed increase of VAT and supplementary duty on the manufacturing materials for locally made sanitary pads.
Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun still detained by Beijing after six months
There have been concerns that he has not received adequate support from the Australian government.
Why are people debating the proposed car-free day in Colombo?
A car-free-day in Colombo sounds like a good idea from an environmental point of view, but there are other concerns -- and exposure to street harassment tops the list.
