Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
The reignition of the burka debate in France reflects the political class’s fears for the state’s treasured “laïcité”, writes Agnès Poirier
(more…)
Category Comment | Tags: Tags: Agnes Poirier, Burka, France, Nicolas Sarkozy,
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Following user protests, Facebook has decided to shut down gaming application “Bounce The Illegal Immigrant Back”. The game was posted by Renzo Bossi, the son of Umberto Bossi, party leader of the Northern League and part of Berlusconi’s fourth cabinet. The game sees players pushing back the “boats of hope” and kicking the immigrants back into the sea. Last week there were reports of the deaths of several Africans whose ship ran out of fuel whilst migrating from Libya to Italy. Read more here
Category Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost | Tags: Tags: Facebook, Italy, Libya, Northern League, Renzo Bossi, Silvio Berlusconi, Umberto Bossi,
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Two cases of voters having fingers amputated have been reported in Afghanistan following last weeks elections. Prior to voting, Taliban forces in the region had threatened to remove any fingers stained with the ink used to provide proof of having cast a ballot. Investigations are currently ongoing regarding a third case. The news comes amidst reports that security forces obstructed, assaulted, and detained Afghan and foreign journalists enforcing an official gag order on news of violent incidents during the presidential election. Read more here
Category Index Index, minipost | Tags: Tags: Afghanistan, censorship, elections, Taliban,
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Chinese authorities have released legal activist Xu Zhiyong and two other activists. Xu Zhiyong, founder of the Beijing-based Open Constitution Initiative, was unexpectedly freed on bail, along with co-worker Zhuang Lu, after more than three weeks in prison on charges of tax evasion. In a separate case, Ilham Tohti, an economics professor who had written about economic discrimination against the Uighur minority, was released after about six weeks in custody. Read more here
Category Index Index, minipost | Tags: Tags: censorship, China, human rights, Ilham Tohti, Open Constitution Initiative, Uighur, Xu Zhiyong, Zhuang Lu,
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Unidentified gunmen have shot dead an Afghan journalist in north-west Pakistan. Janullah Hashimzada was bureau chief in Peshawar for Afghanistan’s Shamshad television channel. The attackers in a Toyota Corolla car intercepted the bus, then they went inside and shot him dead then left. Hashimzada was an outspoken critic of the militants. Read more here
Category Index Index, minipost | Tags:
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Leading Chinese human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong has been released from his three-week detainment on charges of “tax evasion”. Zhiyong’s arrest was viewed as part of a wider crackdown on Chinese activists in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of Communist rule. Xu Zhiyong’s colleague Zhuang Lu and Uighur Internet activist Ilham Tohti were also released.
Read more here
Category Index Index, minipost | Tags: Tags: China, Ilham Tohti, Xu Zhiyong,
Friday, August 21st, 2009
Zuhra Bahman assesses media coverage of the election in Afghanistan and reports on how many dared defy government censorship (more…)
Category Comment, News and Analysis | Tags:
Friday, August 21st, 2009
Hanevey Ould Dehah, editor of the website Taqadoumy has been convicted on a charge of “offending public decency” and given a six month prison sentence after he questioned politician, Ibrahima Moctar Sarr’s financial dealings. Dehah was also fined 30 000 ouguiyas and ordered to pay 21 000 ouguiyas in legal costs. He is set to appeal the verdict. Read more here
Category Index Index, minipost | Tags:
