Obama’s visit to Cuba – civil society speaks
On the occasion of President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Cuba, independent civil society groups issued a rare joint statement: The visit to Cuba of Mr. Barack Obama, President of… Read more »
Category: Dissidents
Cubama: a ‘new day’ or a ‘slap in the face’ for U.S.-Cuba relations
Change is coming to Cuba, President Barack Obama told his Cuban counterpart today, after Raul Castro called on the U.S. to lift longstanding trade and other restrictions as part of… Read more »
Cubama: what President Obama should say about Cuba
Cuba has released four dissidents and put them on a plane to the U.S. just days before President Barack Obama’s historic trip to the island as part of the rapprochement with President… Read more »
Vietnam’s ‘Lady Gaga’ joins dissident gatecrashers running for parliament
Vietnam’s constitution pays lip service to democratic principles, but the country of 93m people is a repressive one-party state. In it, ordinary folk have little say over who their… Read more »
Growing resistance to China’s political controls
The rise of ‘abusively racist clown’ Donald Trump proves democracy doesn’t work, according to China’s ruling Communist Party, citing his success as latest example of how allowing the masses a say in choosing… Read more »
Russian rights defender attacked in Chechnya
A mob of unidentified people attacked a leading Russian human rights defender on March 16, 2016, in Chechnya, Human Rights Watch said today: The attackers hit Igor Kalyapin, head of… Read more »
Aware Girls confront deadly double standard
In this week’s Global Thinkers podcast, “India’s Daughter” director Leslee Udwin joins human rights activist Gulalai Ismail (left, with Malala Yousafzai) to share personal stories of discrimination and discuss the challenges in convincing women… Read more »
Obama in Cuba: 90 Miles To Go and Promises to Keep
The Obama administration says it is making it easier for people to travel to Cuba, lifting limits on money travelers can spend there. The announcement, made Tuesday, came just… Read more »
China’s NGO law remains a work in progress
It has been more than two years since the Chinese government proposed tighter controls on foreign nongovernmental organizations, prompting fears for the future of a wide range of groups active… Read more »
How China shut down the Internet
In 2000, President Bill Clinton gave a speech in which he said that the Chinese government’s efforts to control the Internet would be as successful as efforts to “nail Jello… Read more »