Protesters gesture during a demonstration at the Azadi (Freedom) Park in the centre of Sulaymaniyah in Iraq s autonomous Kurdish region on August 22, 2020, [File: AFP/Shwan Mohammed]
On December 2, teachers and public employees peacefully demonstrated in the city of Sulaymaniyah in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), demanding their long-overdue salaries. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has been unable to pay civil servants in full for months due to an ongoing financial crisis.
Instead of heeding their calls, the local authorities sent security forces to disperse the crowd. This angered the people and caused the protest to spill out of Sulaymaniyah into other towns in the region’s southeast. The ensuing crackdown resulted in the death of at least seven people, including a 13-year-old boy, as well as the injury of dozens and the arrest of hundreds.
English By Asim Kashgarian Share on Facebook Print this page WASHINGTON - For nearly three weeks Kazakhstan blogger Aigul Utepova was detained in a psychiatric clinic for “observation” after she wrote critical posts of the government on social media.
Utepova, who has over 8,000 followers on both her Facebook page and YouTube channel, had already been under house arrest since September when a court in Kazakhstan’s capital, Nur-Sultan, ordered that she be moved to the clinic, according to rights groups and her daughter.
The 50-year-old journalist, who until 2018 worked for the NewTimes.kz news agency, is accused of “participating in an extremist organization.”
Police detain Ugandan human rights lawyer ahead of vote Reuters 12/23/2020
By Elias Biryabarema
KAMPALA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Police said they had detained a prominent Ugandan human rights lawyer and government critic over money laundering allegations, in what his organisation said was part of a crackdown on dissent ahead of elections next month.
Nicholas Opiyo heads Chapter Four Uganda, a civil liberties watchdog that has often helped defend leaders and supporters of opposition parties detained on politically related charges. We would like to confirm the arrest of Lawyer Nicholas Opiyo . on allegations of money laundering and related malicious acts, the police force said on its Facebook page late on Tuesday.
Thai actress backing protests charged with insulting monarchy - Newspaper dawn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dawn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.