‘Zero Corruption’: feasible or fantasy?
A court in Bishkek has ruled to freeze the bank accounts of RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service, locally known as Azattyk, its correspondent, and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop following their joint… Read more »
Author Archives: DemDigest
Taiwan model proves democracy is a universal idea
Prosecutors in Taiwan say they have detained 10 people, including a former staff member of the China-friendly opposition party, and are investigating them on suspicion of falsifying documents to… Read more »
A Season of Caesarism?
In 1978, the UC Berkeley political scientist Jyotirindra Das Gupta gave the term “A Season of Caesars” to the wave of authoritarian emergency regimes that were sprouting up in Asia… Read more »
The False Romance of Russia: Competing in the Gray Zone
Russia has been aiming to destabilize both its “near abroad” — the former Soviet states except for the Baltics — and wider Europe through the use of ambiguous “gray zone”… Read more »
Cybersecurity for civil society vs the ‘democratization of misinformation’
China and Russia are increasingly collaborating and engage in mutual learning when it comes to disinformation strategies, says analyst Jane Li. But the sentiment among China’s internet users is that… Read more »
How populism went mainstream
There is a specter haunting not just Europe, but the whole globe, quaking the boots of established political parties, legacy media outlets, and transnational institutions of government and civil society…. Read more »
Taiwan’s Destiny: Election at ‘center of a clash between two forces’
Taiwan’s top diplomat said that his government stands with Hong Kong citizens pushing for “freedom and democracy,” and would help those displaced from the semi-autonomous Chinese city if Beijing intervenes… Read more »
Georgia’s status as post-Soviet democratic leader challenged
Georgia’s status as a post-Soviet democratic leader is under challenge, according to analysts Denis Corboy, William Courtney, Kenneth Yalowitz. A flawed presidential election, use of force against protesters, and political manipulations… Read more »
People Power Under Attack: World becoming more oppressive, report says
Only 3% of the world’s population now live in countries where their fundamental rights are protected and respected, according to the latest CIVICUS Monitor, which rates and tracks respect for… Read more »
International Human Rights Day, 2019 — a wake-up and a warning
European Union Foreign Ministers have reportedly used the occasion of International Human Rights Day to approve an EU Magnitsky Act after Hungary dropped its objections. The EU has been considering… Read more »