Freedom House - Freedom At Issue Blog
05/22/2018
The Death of Press Freedom in Cambodia
The state has steadily purged critical voices from the information landscape ahead of national elections in July.
Atitya Chhor
Freelancer
United States
United States
The state has steadily purged critical voices from the information landscape ahead of national elections in July.
After his election in 2015, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and his government agreed to a United Nations resolution to create an office of missing persons, launch a truth commission, award reparations to victims, and create a special court to try those accused of war crimes committed during its brutal civil war-all within an 18-month period.
From strategic regional outposts in Pokhara and Surkhet to the capital of Kathmandu, ICTJ held local and national launch events in June for the new report " We Cannot Forget": Truth and Memory in Post-Conflict Nepal.
The impact of Tunisia's transitional justice process is rooted in its ability to give voice to diverse segments of the population, including historically marginalized communities. A workshop hosted by ICTJ brought generations of women together to explore truth-telling techniques and create space for all voices.
You know that phone you're texting on? Do you know how its microchips are made? Thanks to work by Amnesty International and partner organizations, companies that rely on certain minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo or neighboring countries now have to investigate and report on whether those minerals fund armed groups.
Since May 31, more than 4,000 protesters have been injured as Turkish police continue to use excessive force in an attempt to disperse them. Amnesty International has seen a growing body of evidence of police brutality, including extensive use of teargas and water cannons against nonviolent protesters.
The U.N. Security Council slapped Eritrea with an arms embargo and further sanctions Wednesday for its role in aiding rebels in Somalia and refusing to withdraw from a border dispute with Djibouti. The council approved the resolution with veto-holder China abstaining and Libya, the current chair of the African Union, as the sole vote against the measure.
The U.N. chief phoned Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged with crimes against humanity, for the "sole purpose of an urgent humanitarian matter," the international body said Monday.
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor reported Friday to the U.N. Security Council that violence continues in Darfur and that the Sudanese president and his government are not cooperating with investigators. Luis Moreno-Ocampo noted positive developments in judicial proceedings and "fruitful" cooperation with international bodies, but said there still remain many setbacks.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to deploy 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. In a written statement, Ban praised Obama's aim to "balance military and civilian efforts" and focus on strengthening institutions and security forces in Afghanistan, noting that it would be a long-term but essential process.