Potential Protection for Transgender Canadians The Canadian House of Commons passed a law by a vote of 149-137 that would make discrimination against transgendered persons illegal. The vote included support from the country’s Conservative party, and faced opposition from the prime minister and his supporters. The bill will be sent to the Senate.
Most US Hate Crimes Unreported | Vietnam Selectively Jails
Outspoken Bloggers Vietnam continues to selectively jail outspoken online bloggers. In the last year, 22 bloggers have been jailed for expressing negative opinions about the government. Yet the one-party state’s punishment is selective as some bloggers are severely punished, while others who voice similar opinions go unpunished.
Philippine Court Stalls Free Contraception
Availability The Philippines’ highest court has stalled free access to contraception and family planning for Philippine citizens. The country is divided between those who think the program will reduce poverty and those advocating for pro-life rights. The final decision is pending oral arguments, which will be heard this summer. |
Colombian Town Still Without Water Guatemala Ex-General on Historic Trial Former military General Rios Montt is on trial for the murder of more than 1,700 indigenous Guatemalans and displacing 29,000 others over a 17 month period in the 1980s. General Montt is the first former head of state to be tried for such crimes against humanity. | Fair Trial in Jeopardy in Rwanda
Somalis Abused and Raped Human Rights Watch has reported that internally displaced Somalis fleeing conflict in the home regions have been subject to severe human rights abuses in camps around Somalia’s capital Mogadishu. The victims, mostly women and young girls, have reported being subject to sexual violence at the hands of militias and government forces. |
Disability
Hate Crime in England An official report has revealed an increase in disability hate
crimes and suggested that people with disabilities in England are not
adequately protected by the criminal justice system. While the Criminal
Justice Act authorizes increased sentences for crimes committed against
the disabled, this provision is rarely invoked. Al-Qaeda
Hostage Executed | Saudi Arabia to Ban Skype The National Society for Human Rights has condemned Saudi Arabia’s plans to either entirely ban or monitor Skype, claiming this move will violate the Arab Charter on Human Rights. The government has claimed that the strong encryptions on such programs obstruct their efforts to fight online criminal activity. Blackberry services were banned in 2010 for similar reasons.
Questionable Trial Proceedings in UAE |
Truth and Reconciliation in Nepal Indians Rescued from Labor
Camp One hundred forty-nine people, including 34 children, were rescued from an illegal brick kiln labor camp in India where most worked 18-22 hours per day. Workers were paid in advance and then had to work off this debt. Workers were often not allowed to leave and were not told if, or when, their debt was paid. |
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