Category: Human Rights and Human Rights Violations

Iran Turns to Digital Surveillance Tools to Track Down Protesters

The New York Times – Business:
As Iranian authorities restore some online services after crushing antigovernment demonstrations, they are using a technological dragnet to target attendees of the protests.
How Activists in Iran Are Using Starlink to Stay Online

Activists spent years preparing for a communications blackout in Iran, smuggling in Starlink satellite internet systems and making digital shutdowns harder for the authorities to enforce.
The Met Opera Turns to Saudi Arabia to Help Solve Its Financial Woes

The Met, which has withdrawn $120 million from its endowment since the pandemic, reached a lucrative deal to perform in Saudi Arabia for three weeks each winter.
Cambodia Agrees to a Reduced Tariff and Breathes a Sigh of Relief

Initially 49%, it was lowered to 19%, easing worries of a damaging hit to the country’s garment and footwear production industries.
‘Natasha,’ a Film About a Murdered Russian Activist, Takes Its Own Risks

The widely condemned killing of Natalya Estemirova is the subject of a documentary that those involved say needed to take heed of the dangers of speaking out.
China Labor Bulletin, a Rights Group in Hong Kong, Shuts Down

The China Labor Bulletin, which tracks factory closures and worker protests in China, cited financial difficulties for its dissolution.
Disney to Build a Magic Kingdom Theme Park in Abu Dhabi

Disneyland Abu Dhabi could become a growth engine for the company in the region. It could also expose Disney and its vaunted brand to criticism.
Richard Bernstein Dies at 80; Times Correspondent, Critic and Author

He wrote from Europe and Asia, served as a book critic and produced a raft of books, on subjects ranging from the French condition to multiculturalism.
Trump Could Hand China a ‘Strategic Victory’ by Silencing Voice of America

Generations of Chinese, including our columnist, turned to U.S. government-run outlets for an education in democracy, rights and the English language.
Volkswagen Says It Is Exiting China’s Xinjiang Region After 12 Years

VW and its joint venture partner, SAIC Motor, are transferring an assembly plant and test tracks after years of criticism from human rights activists.
How Trump Divides Chinese Who Aspire for Democracy

A new HBO documentary about opposition to autocrats says a lot about the complex politics the president-elect inspires for people fleeing countries.
Han Dongfang, Once China’s ‘Worst Nightmare,’ Refuses to Back Down

Neither jail nor exile to Hong Kong have stopped Han Dongfang, a former Tiananmen Square protest leader, from championing workers’ rights. “If you’re born stubborn, you go everywhere stubborn.”