; Rahaf al-Qunun has been granted asylum in Australia, Thai official says
"Her online campaign was so successful
that Saudi charge d'affaires Abdalelah Mohammed A. al-Shuaibi told Thai
officials through a translator: "We wish they had confiscated her phone
instead of her passport."
Qunun
later tweeted the video of that meeting and wrote that her "Twitter
account has changed the game against what he wished for me.""
Showing posts with label human rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label human rights. Show all posts
Friday, January 11, 2019
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Think Riyadh’s Netflix ban was bad? Imagine if Hasan Minhaj was a Saudi citizen; The Guardian, January 4, 2019
, The Guardian; Think Riyadh’s Netflix ban was bad? Imagine if Hasan Minhaj was a Saudi citizen
"The government of Saudi Arabia makes it very clear that resistance to its regime is futile. It will not tolerate dissent; it is untouchable.
The kingdom has never claimed to be a democracy – or that it believed in free speech, the right to protest, or the right to collectively bargain for rights. There is no independent press."
"The government of Saudi Arabia makes it very clear that resistance to its regime is futile. It will not tolerate dissent; it is untouchable.
The kingdom has never claimed to be a democracy – or that it believed in free speech, the right to protest, or the right to collectively bargain for rights. There is no independent press."
China thinks it can arbitrarily detain anyone. It is time for change: The lack of global outcry over the detention of two Canadians virtually guarantees the next such case; The Guardian, January 3, 2019
Michael Caster, The Guardian;
"Despite this – and although China has detained hundreds of Chinese human rights defenders and numerous foreign nationals under this and similar provisions, not to mention the arbitrary imprisonment or disappearance of some one million Uyghurs and Kazakhs across Xinjiang – it has generated shockingly limited international blowback.
In each case where China has not been held accountable, it virtually guarantees the next.
Any country that systematically denies the rights of its own citizens, and flaunts international norms, should worry us all because such abuses, as we are increasingly seeing, don’t stop at the colour of one’s passport."
The lack of global outcry over the detention of two Canadians virtually guarantees the next such case
"Despite this – and although China has detained hundreds of Chinese human rights defenders and numerous foreign nationals under this and similar provisions, not to mention the arbitrary imprisonment or disappearance of some one million Uyghurs and Kazakhs across Xinjiang – it has generated shockingly limited international blowback.
In each case where China has not been held accountable, it virtually guarantees the next.
Any country that systematically denies the rights of its own citizens, and flaunts international norms, should worry us all because such abuses, as we are increasingly seeing, don’t stop at the colour of one’s passport."
Monday, December 10, 2018
Get into the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA);
In particular, the Declaration sets out clearly a number of the key principles supporting the work of libraries. From freedom of access to information, expression and opinion, to privacy, education, and the right to participate in cultural life, it is a key reference for our institutions.
As part of the global celebrations for the anniversary, IFLA has produced a briefing - Get into the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This explains the importance of the Declaration, offers ways of finding out more, and makes suggestions for how libraries can get involved."
Get into the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
"In 10 December, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will turn 70. This is a major opportunity both to celebrate this key document and raise awareness of its messages.
In particular, the Declaration sets out clearly a number of the key principles supporting the work of libraries. From freedom of access to information, expression and opinion, to privacy, education, and the right to participate in cultural life, it is a key reference for our institutions.
As part of the global celebrations for the anniversary, IFLA has produced a briefing - Get into the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This explains the importance of the Declaration, offers ways of finding out more, and makes suggestions for how libraries can get involved."
Boundlessly Idealistic, Universal Declaration Of Human Rights Is Still Resisted; NPR, December 10, 2018
Tom Gjelten, NPR; Boundlessly Idealistic, Universal Declaration Of Human Rights Is Still Resisted
"Given the rivalries and violence that divide the global community today, it is hard to imagine that on December 10, 1948, the nations of the world approved, almost unanimously, a detailed list of fundamental rights that every human on the planet should enjoy.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the most sweeping such statement ever endorsed on a worldwide basis, opened by asserting, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." It proceeded with 30 articles summarizing the things to which everyone would be entitled in a world of genuine peace and justice.
In the immediate aftermath of two horrifying world wars, not a single member state of the newly created United Nations dared oppose the Declaration, though several abstained on the final vote. That so many of the rights remain unachieved on its 70th anniversary testifies to the boundless idealism of the document's drafters."
"Given the rivalries and violence that divide the global community today, it is hard to imagine that on December 10, 1948, the nations of the world approved, almost unanimously, a detailed list of fundamental rights that every human on the planet should enjoy.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the most sweeping such statement ever endorsed on a worldwide basis, opened by asserting, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." It proceeded with 30 articles summarizing the things to which everyone would be entitled in a world of genuine peace and justice.
In the immediate aftermath of two horrifying world wars, not a single member state of the newly created United Nations dared oppose the Declaration, though several abstained on the final vote. That so many of the rights remain unachieved on its 70th anniversary testifies to the boundless idealism of the document's drafters."
Why We Should Care About Human Rights: The Unversal Declaration Of Human Rights At 70; Forbes, December 9, 2018
Michael Posner, Forbes; Why We Should Care About Human Rights: The Unversal Declaration Of Human Rights At 70
"On December 10, the United Nations will mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In an era of spreading nationalism and gross violations in places like Yemen, Myanmar, South Sudan and Venezuela, it is fair to ask whether the Universal Declaration and the global human rights movement have improved the human condition. And given these contemporary challenges, there’s the further question of where we go from here."
"On December 10, the United Nations will mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In an era of spreading nationalism and gross violations in places like Yemen, Myanmar, South Sudan and Venezuela, it is fair to ask whether the Universal Declaration and the global human rights movement have improved the human condition. And given these contemporary challenges, there’s the further question of where we go from here."
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Interview: Ai Weiwei: 'The mood in Germany is like the 1930s'; The Guardian, December 9, 2018
Kate Connolly, The Guardian; Interview: Ai Weiwei: 'The mood in Germany is like the 1930s'
"Ai took his nine-year-old son with him on a recent trip to Bangladesh – about which he is making a film – just as he has to other investigations, such as to Mexico, to investigate the 43 students who disappeared in a single day in 2014.
“He’s been with me to visit most refugee camps I’ve been to, as well as the poorest ghettos in Mexico, and cartel areas, the island of Lesbos in Greece. I don’t want to teach him anything, but by being exposed to this kind of information he has developed a basic sensitivity of what’s right or wrong. And he sees me arguing a lot with people.”"
"Ai took his nine-year-old son with him on a recent trip to Bangladesh – about which he is making a film – just as he has to other investigations, such as to Mexico, to investigate the 43 students who disappeared in a single day in 2014.
“He’s been with me to visit most refugee camps I’ve been to, as well as the poorest ghettos in Mexico, and cartel areas, the island of Lesbos in Greece. I don’t want to teach him anything, but by being exposed to this kind of information he has developed a basic sensitivity of what’s right or wrong. And he sees me arguing a lot with people.”"
Sunday, December 2, 2018
I’m a journalist in a Turkish jail. Why is Erdogan afraid of people like me?; The Washington Post, November 30, 2018
Max Zirngast, The Washington Post; I’m a journalist in a Turkish jail. Why is Erdogan afraid of people like me?
"My case, and others like it, belies the notion that
Erdogan is any kind of believer in press freedom or human rights — an
image he’s tried to cultivate
in the wake of Saudi Arabia’s killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in
Istanbul. My arrest was a perverse confirmation of the authoritarianism
I’ve spent the past several years chronicling and opposing...
Journalists have been caught up in the web of anti-terrorism pretexts, too. Last December, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that “every journalist CPJ found jailed for their work in Turkey is under investigation for, or charged with, anti-state crimes, as was true of last year’s census.”"
Journalists have been caught up in the web of anti-terrorism pretexts, too. Last December, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that “every journalist CPJ found jailed for their work in Turkey is under investigation for, or charged with, anti-state crimes, as was true of last year’s census.”"
Friday, November 23, 2018
Trump is not a champion of human rights. He is a clueless clown.; The Washington Post, November 22, 2018
Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post; Trump is not a champion of human rights. He is a clueless clown.
"There is no mention in his statement of human rights, no mention of freedom of the press. There is no notion of the United States as an advocate for liberty or a foe of despotism. There is only the amoral pursuit of what Trump sees — not very clearly — as U.S. national interests."
"There is no mention in his statement of human rights, no mention of freedom of the press. There is no notion of the United States as an advocate for liberty or a foe of despotism. There is only the amoral pursuit of what Trump sees — not very clearly — as U.S. national interests."
Saturday, October 20, 2018
The world has a question for the White House: When do murders matter?; The Washington Post, October 19, 2018
Emily Rauhala, and Anton Troianovski, The Washington Post; The world has a question for the White House: When do murders matter?
[Kip Currier: The price of
freedom of speech and a free press can be incredibly high. This was indelibly
illuminated these past few weeks via the brutal murder of Saudi journalist
Jamal Khashoggi, whose last piece What
the Arab world needs most is free expression was published this week in The
Washington Post, as well as via subsequent ham-handed and obfuscatory cover-up
tactics by the responsible "masterminds", perpetrators, accomplices, and apologists, both domestic and global.
It's equally important that we remember other fact-seekers who have suffered and continue to suffer injustice and death for seeking and reporting information: Panama Papers investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia who was killed last year in a bomb blast while investigating corruption in Malta; Viktoria Marinova who was reporting on corruption and was raped and killed this month in Bulgaria; Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo who were shedding light on the plight of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims and were recently sentenced to 7 years in prison for collecting and obtaining "confidential documents"; and myriad others.
Every day, and especially at times like these when the world is watching the aftermath of efforts to silence reporter and free expression advocate Jamal Khashoggi, while, unintentionally and paradoxically, elevating him to a worldwide audience, what our leaders say--and don't say--is of profound importance in communicating our most cherished values, and where our "lines in the sand" are on free speech, free and independent presses, truth, accountability, and the value of human life.
Leaders must remember that we and all of the world are watching to see what is done and is not done in matters of human rights and the rule of law. We must continue to hold them responsible for their action and inaction. History and future generations will as well.]
“In effect,” he added, “The U.S. is setting a new standard for itself” — and in so doing, may be setting a new standard for the world."
It's equally important that we remember other fact-seekers who have suffered and continue to suffer injustice and death for seeking and reporting information: Panama Papers investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia who was killed last year in a bomb blast while investigating corruption in Malta; Viktoria Marinova who was reporting on corruption and was raped and killed this month in Bulgaria; Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo who were shedding light on the plight of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims and were recently sentenced to 7 years in prison for collecting and obtaining "confidential documents"; and myriad others.
Every day, and especially at times like these when the world is watching the aftermath of efforts to silence reporter and free expression advocate Jamal Khashoggi, while, unintentionally and paradoxically, elevating him to a worldwide audience, what our leaders say--and don't say--is of profound importance in communicating our most cherished values, and where our "lines in the sand" are on free speech, free and independent presses, truth, accountability, and the value of human life.
Leaders must remember that we and all of the world are watching to see what is done and is not done in matters of human rights and the rule of law. We must continue to hold them responsible for their action and inaction. History and future generations will as well.]
"For nearly three weeks, the world has watched
President Trump downplay the disappearance and apparent slaying of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and waited for the most powerful man in the
world to act. They are waiting still.
Trump’s
inconsistent and cautious remarks about the case have renewed questions
about U.S. credibility and complicated the global response, emboldening
adversaries such as Russia and China and discouraging robust action by
traditional allies, according to analysts and former U.S. officials.
“This
is a drastic break from American practice,” said Vali R. Nasr, dean of
the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. “It signals a
very different foreign policy that does not hold governments
accountable for things that are outside normal legal or ethical
parameters.”
“In effect,” he added, “The U.S. is setting a new standard for itself” — and in so doing, may be setting a new standard for the world."
Monday, October 8, 2018
Jamal Khashoggi chose to tell the truth. It’s part of the reason he’s beloved.; The Washington Post, October 7, 2018
David Ignatius, The Washington Post; Jamal Khashoggi chose to tell the truth. It’s part of the reason he’s beloved.
Khashoggi’s fate is unknown as I write, but his colleagues at The Post and friends around the world fear that he was murdered after he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last Tuesday...
Khashoggi wrote a column for the Post last year in which he described seeing some of his friends arrested and struggling with his conscience. “I said nothing. I didn’t want to lose my job or my freedom. I worried about my family. I have made a different choice now,” he wrote. He had made a decisive break with Mohammed bin Salman , choosing exile and honesty in his writings. His simple four-word explanation: “We Saudis deserve better.”"
[Kip Currier: As I've mentioned to a few people lately--including my book editor, as I finish up a chapter on truth for my ethics textbook--this is a particularly challenging time to tackle the topics of truth, facts, news, and information assessment. The example of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi--"disappeared" and presumed killed--painfully demonstrates both the importance of and potentially deadly stakes for those committed to promoting freedom of expression and truth telling, in the furtherance of human rights, equality, and democratic values.]
"George Orwell titled a regular column he wrote for a British newspaper in the mid-1940s “As I Please.”
Meaning that he would write exactly what he believed. My Saudi
colleague Jamal Khashoggi has always had that same insistent passion for
telling the truth about his country, no matter what.
Khashoggi’s fate is unknown as I write, but his colleagues at The Post and friends around the world fear that he was murdered after he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last Tuesday...
Khashogggi [sic] understood that he could keep his mouth
shut and stay safe, because he had so many friends in the royal family.
But it simply wasn’t in him.
Khashoggi wrote a column for the Post last year in which he described seeing some of his friends arrested and struggling with his conscience. “I said nothing. I didn’t want to lose my job or my freedom. I worried about my family. I have made a different choice now,” he wrote. He had made a decisive break with Mohammed bin Salman , choosing exile and honesty in his writings. His simple four-word explanation: “We Saudis deserve better.”"
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Why you’re getting so many emails about privacy policies; Vox, May 24, 2018
Emily Stewart, Vox; Why you’re getting so many emails about privacy policies
“People are concerned about privacy, hate speech, disinformation, and we aren’t leading on solutions to these concerns that would at the same time preserve the free flow of information,” Kornbluh said. “You don’t want some governments saying, ‘We’re combating fake news,’ and compromising human rights.”"
"The United States hasn’t given up its seat on the table,
but it could certainly take a bigger role than it has in order to ensure
that other countries, when they do implement regulations on tech and
information, aren’t going too far.
“People are concerned about privacy, hate speech, disinformation, and we aren’t leading on solutions to these concerns that would at the same time preserve the free flow of information,” Kornbluh said. “You don’t want some governments saying, ‘We’re combating fake news,’ and compromising human rights.”"
Friday, August 4, 2017
Human Gene Editing Is Leaving Ethics Dangerously Far Behind; Huff Post, August 3, 2017
Craig Calhoun, HuffPost; Human Gene Editing Is Leaving Ethics Dangerously Far Behind
"What does this mean for the notion that all human beings are members of a single species and thus members of a common “community of fate”? This idea is basic to the notion of human rights. It is basic to the way citizenship is understood in most countries. Is it possible that genetic engineering could create such marked differences about human beings that they couldn’t all be considered citizens even if they all descended from people who are citizens today?
Gene editing is one of the most promising medical technologies in years. But unless there is much more attention to the ethical and social choices before us, we risk seeing that promise mired in controversy — or turned into a disaster."
"What does this mean for the notion that all human beings are members of a single species and thus members of a common “community of fate”? This idea is basic to the notion of human rights. It is basic to the way citizenship is understood in most countries. Is it possible that genetic engineering could create such marked differences about human beings that they couldn’t all be considered citizens even if they all descended from people who are citizens today?
Gene editing is one of the most promising medical technologies in years. But unless there is much more attention to the ethical and social choices before us, we risk seeing that promise mired in controversy — or turned into a disaster."
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Fox’s Gifted Stars Discuss the X-Men Show’s Social Relevancy; Comic Book Resources, August 1, 2017
Lauren Gallaway, Comic Book Resources; Fox’s Gifted Stars Discuss the X-Men Show’s Social Relevancy
"Speaking with the press, Teale, who plays Marco Ramirez (aka Eclipse), was asked about how the show will follow in its comic book inspiration’s footsteps and reflect modern society’s issues. “People keep asking why X-Men is still relevant and why it deals with social issues. I think the reason why is because of its conception. Magneto and Charles Xavier were made, that was Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. If that’s the way that this concept was conceived, then that’s going to emanate throughout the mythology later on.
“In this show, we have that same thing,” Teale continued. “These civil rights issues and these people who aren’t superheroes, who don’t don super suits or magic jets or save the world. They are human beings that are persecuted for doing nothing other than being themselves. They’ve been bestowed this X-gene that they did not ask for. We’re dealing with issues that exist on the planet already. That persecution of age, weight, gender, sexuality or disability is relevant on our show because they don’t have a choice. It’s human beings being persecuted for being nothing other than themselves and coming together and trying to fight for their rights as people. I think that’s quite relevant.”"
"Speaking with the press, Teale, who plays Marco Ramirez (aka Eclipse), was asked about how the show will follow in its comic book inspiration’s footsteps and reflect modern society’s issues. “People keep asking why X-Men is still relevant and why it deals with social issues. I think the reason why is because of its conception. Magneto and Charles Xavier were made, that was Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. If that’s the way that this concept was conceived, then that’s going to emanate throughout the mythology later on.
“In this show, we have that same thing,” Teale continued. “These civil rights issues and these people who aren’t superheroes, who don’t don super suits or magic jets or save the world. They are human beings that are persecuted for doing nothing other than being themselves. They’ve been bestowed this X-gene that they did not ask for. We’re dealing with issues that exist on the planet already. That persecution of age, weight, gender, sexuality or disability is relevant on our show because they don’t have a choice. It’s human beings being persecuted for being nothing other than themselves and coming together and trying to fight for their rights as people. I think that’s quite relevant.”"
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Ramzan Kadyrov says there are no gay men in Chechnya — and if there are any, they should move to Canada; Washington Post, July 15, 2017
Adam Taylor, Washington Post; Ramzan Kadyrov says there are no gay men in Chechnya — and if there are any, they should move to Canada
[Kip Currier: Kudos to brave and principled journalists around the world for raising awareness of untold examples of barbarism and ignorance, giving voice to those who suffer and are often silenced and unrecognized. Humankind is indebted to you for your important work.]
"“This is nonsense,” Kadyrov said when asked about the allegations. “We don't have those kinds of people here. We don't have any gays. If there are any, take them to Canada.”
“Praise be to god,” the Chechen leader adds. “Take them far from us so we don't have them at home. To purify our blood, if there are any here, take them.”
Kadyrov's comments came during an interview with HBO reporter David Scott for the show “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.” The interview is just one part of a broader package that will air at 10 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday about how Kadyrov is using mixed martial arts (MMA) to spread a political message overseas...
In his interview with Scott, Kadyrov initially laughs dismissively at questions about the allegations. “Why did he come here?” he says to someone off camera. “What's the point of these questions?” But as Scott presses him, Kadyrov talks angrily about the reporters and activists who write about LGBT rights in Chechnya.
“They are devils. They are for sale. They are not people,” he says. “God damn them for what they are accusing us of. They will have to answer to the almighty for this.”
Elena Milashina, one of the two Novaya Gazeta reporters who broke the story, told WorldViews in April that she had gone into hiding after threats against her newspaper's staff from religious leaders in Chechnya. “It reminds us of the situation with Charlie Hebdo,” Milashina said, referring to the satirical French newspaper that was attacked by Islamist militant gunmen in 2015, resulting in the deaths of 12."
[Kip Currier: Kudos to brave and principled journalists around the world for raising awareness of untold examples of barbarism and ignorance, giving voice to those who suffer and are often silenced and unrecognized. Humankind is indebted to you for your important work.]
"“This is nonsense,” Kadyrov said when asked about the allegations. “We don't have those kinds of people here. We don't have any gays. If there are any, take them to Canada.”
“Praise be to god,” the Chechen leader adds. “Take them far from us so we don't have them at home. To purify our blood, if there are any here, take them.”
Kadyrov's comments came during an interview with HBO reporter David Scott for the show “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.” The interview is just one part of a broader package that will air at 10 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday about how Kadyrov is using mixed martial arts (MMA) to spread a political message overseas...
In his interview with Scott, Kadyrov initially laughs dismissively at questions about the allegations. “Why did he come here?” he says to someone off camera. “What's the point of these questions?” But as Scott presses him, Kadyrov talks angrily about the reporters and activists who write about LGBT rights in Chechnya.
“They are devils. They are for sale. They are not people,” he says. “God damn them for what they are accusing us of. They will have to answer to the almighty for this.”
Elena Milashina, one of the two Novaya Gazeta reporters who broke the story, told WorldViews in April that she had gone into hiding after threats against her newspaper's staff from religious leaders in Chechnya. “It reminds us of the situation with Charlie Hebdo,” Milashina said, referring to the satirical French newspaper that was attacked by Islamist militant gunmen in 2015, resulting in the deaths of 12."
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