Category: dissent

Egypt’s civil society crackdown: rights defenders at risk of prosecution

     

Fourteen global human rights groups today urged Egypt to halt a renewed crackdown on civil society and rights defenders. The demand came as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced a cabinet… Read more »

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 »

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 »

US ‘deeply troubled’ by Russian moves to ban democracy group

     

  Russian authorities have launched investigations against an activist of Russia’s Parnas opposition party, Natalya Pelevina, RFE/RL reports. Russia’s Investigative Committee said the opposition leader being checked for her role in… 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 »