17 Jul 2012 | Asia and Pacific, Index Index, minipost
A shooting attack in the Indian city of Itanagar left Tongam Rina, associate editor of the Arunachal Times newspaper, critically injured on Sunday. It has been reported that, as Rina arrived at the paper’s offices at 6:15pm, unidentified gunmen opened fire on her before fleeing the scene. She was rushed to hospital, where she remains in intensive care and is said to have sustained serious injuries to the spinal cord and intestines. The motive of the attack is unknown, though Rina has reportedly received threats in the past in connection with her campaigning against dam construction on the Siang River.
17 Jul 2012 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
The United Arab Emirates deported an online activist to Thailand yesterday, it has been reported. Ahmed Abdul Khaleq was stripped of his rights to live in the country as a result of his campaigning. His website included appeals for a greater public role in the UAE’s political affairs. Political parties are banned in the Gulf nation. Khaleq was among five other activists who were convicted last year of anti-state crimes for insulting the UAE’s leaders. They were later pardoned, but the charges against them were not officially dropped.
29 Jun 2012 | Middle East and North Africa, News and features
As the battleground of the Syrian conflict rages offline, the internet is playing an important role in allowing its citizens to communicate with the rest of the world. Jillian C. York reports
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24 May 2012 | Asia and Pacific, Index Index, minipost
The brother of blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has fled his family’s captors in a second escape from their Shandong village. Chen Guangfu arrived in Beijing on Thursday morning after escaping the home where his relatives have been living under strict control since his brother escaped house arrest and fled to the US embassy in Beijing in April. Chen Guangfu is said to be seeking help for his son, Chen Kegui, who was arrested on attempted murder charges earlier this month following a clash with intruders who broke into his home to search for his uncle.
