Stories about Human Rights from July, 2020
The day Liberia shut down freedom of expression amid a mass protest
Last year, the Liberian government disrupted social media access to prevent live protest coverage and the mobilization of protesters, shutting down freedom of expression and the right to access information.
Congolese journalist forced into exile for documentary on violent evictions
Congolese filmmaker Gaël Mpoyo and his family have been forced to live in exile, given the sensitive subject of his film and a climate of insecurity in South Kivu province.
Black Lives Matter forces an IBM U-turn on facial recognition
In wake of Black Lives Matter protests, the company IBM has announced its withdrawal from the facial recognition software market
Satirical comedy skit lands four Ugandan comedians in jail
The arrest of four comedians in Ugandan for a satirical comedy skit that went viral comes at a time when the government has passed regulations controlling the creative arts industry.
Documentary exposes the threat of facial recognition surveillance in Serbia
Online documentary warns the public about privacy risks emanating from a newly installed video surveillance system equipped with Chinese facial recognition technology.
Journalist's abduction raises concerns about media freedom in Pakistan
On the morning of July 21, renowned Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan was abducted in Islamabad. Though he was released about 12 hours after, fingers are being pointed at state security agencies.
Zimbabwe governance crisis: Arrests over COVID-19 corruption and planned protests
The arrest of two prominent figures in Zimbabwe signal new levels of crisis in governance as the nation heads toward unprecedented economic decline and social unrest amid COVID-19 corruption.
In Liberia, a new mobile phone tariff collides with digital rights
The cost-prohibitive surcharge will make it harder for everyday Liberians to get online, limiting digital access at the height of a pandemic when citizens need reliable information more than ever.
How does Rwanda’s genocide ideology law regulate speech online?
Rwanda’s genocide ideology law seriously limits freedom of speech online and creates a culture of fear and self-censorship among opposition and dissenting voices.
Is Namibia walking a fine line between Chinese and European spy technology?
Namibia denies accusations that it is building an internet war chest to effortlessly check up on its domestic critics.
So-called anti-fascist files in Brazil expose the personal information of hundreds of people
One of the lists, which circulated on WhatsApp, doxxed people's personal information such as names, pictures, and addresses.
Al Jazeera, Malaysiakini, and Code Blue news websites probed for critical reporting in Malaysia
"The government...should be working to earn the confidence and trust of voters, particularly given how it came to power this March."
Tech giants halt data requests as Hong Kong national security law casts long shadow
Local demand for circumvention tools is surging amid fears that a China-style "Great Firewall" is in the offing.
India bans TikTok, 58 other apps amid rising anti-China sentiment, border clashes
The border clashes and the stand-off between India and China reached naught after India decided to ban video-creation platform TikTok and 58 other apps due to “security issues”.
