DE
DE
Gaza
MENAPOL Blog
Thore Schröder

Gaza is Going Nowhere

The weapon of choice is often no more than a condom, filled with helium, or a children’s balloon, and a flaming rag attached to it. Once let go, the device surfs the prevailing wind, blowing in from the Mediterranean Sea, across the fence into Israel where it can set fields or forests on fire.

Thailand protests

The Rise of Thailand’s Youth

Thailand witnesses the rise of a fresh democracy movement powered by social media. The protestors, among them many students and pupils, demand more political participation and civil rights in a country, which many political scholars describe as a flawed democracy. More than that, some of the members of the new movements even call for a debate on the country’s most sacred most powerful institution: the monarchy, which, by law, nobody is allowed to criticize. Who dares to do so, risks long prison sentences.

Covid-19 and Fake News SA
#FREEDOMFIGHTSFAKE

Covid-19 and Fake News Survey in South Africa

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Germany conduct an international survey on the topic "Coronavirus and Disinformation" as part of the global #FreedomFightsFake campaign against disinformation and fake news. Besides Germany, the survey was conducted on 7,300 in the USA, Mexico, South Africa, India, Jordan and the Philippines.

Probe into ex-Seoul mayor's alleged sexual harassment Members from women's organizations call for the National Human Rights Commission to look into allegations that the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon sexually molested his former secretary for years during a news conference in Seoul
South Korea
Choyoung Son Darja Neufeld

How a mayor's death triggered a discussion about sex crimes

The suicide of the popular mayor of Seoul, Park Won-Soon, triggered an intense debate about sexism in South Korea. Before his death, Park Won-Soon's former secretary had accused him of sexual harassment. Choyoung Son and Darja Neufeld on a debate that shakes the self-confidence of South Korean society.

How Europe Works for LGBT* Rights
LGBTIQ+
Nikolina Herceg Kolman

How Europe Works for LGBT* Rights

Social discrimination against sexual minorities is still widespread in many European countries. However, today - unlike in earlier times - it is internationally addressed and denounced.Sexual and gender self-determination is a human right.

App tracker

Temporary measure or a long-term violation?

With the current political situation in Southeast Asia where violation of human rights has become widespread, people are worried about the possibility of government intruding further into their personal digital space. Governments should ensure that people's personal data are collected only in light of the health crisis. The purpose of collecting personal information, and how they are processed should be transparent. Digital rights are human rights.

COVID-19 stranded

Anatomy of a Failed Pandemic Response

Philippine Leila de Lima writes that today “is like witnessing again the dark days of our country with a national health crisis. Undoubtedly, the Philippines’ longest lockdown was in fact a crackdown.”

navigation

Safety and Privacy in the Time of COVID-19: Contract Tracing Applications

As the number of global COVID-19 confirmed cases passed 5 million, public and private actors are continuing to take measures to contain the pandemic. The biggest sanitary crisis of the last century has already claimed 324,000 life.Government actions have varied from one country to another. While some countries have chosen to apply strict lockdowns, others have adopted laissez-faire attitudes.

Seat demonstration in front of the Serbian national parliament
Serbia

Was there something?

When the highest number of coronavirus infections (299) and deaths (13) in Serbia was reported on 7th July, President Vučić addressed the public once again with a half-hour speech, followed by a press conference with mostly servile questions from journalists loyal to the government (exception: TV station N1). The main topic were new countermeasures – including the reintroduction of a curfew over the whole weekend of 10th to 13th July.

Teo Georgiev for Fine Acts

Press Freedom in East and Southeast Europe

The organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has published its ranking of press freedom this year - unfortunately with not too many positive results, neither for the world in general, nor for the region of East and Southeast Europe (ESEE) in particular, where the Foundation is active with 18 projects.

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