1.) Gambian woman forced into exile for posting video of police brutality
Minah Manneh, a Gambian women’s rights activist, filmed disturbing footage of a policeman caning a schoolgirl and then posted it on her Facebook page. This courageous act has forced the 23-year-old to flee her own country as Gambian law expressly forbids its citizens from uploading videos that could “tarnish the state’s image”.
2.) Oman: 3-Year Sentence for Rights Activist
An Oman court on March 8, 2015, sentenced a human rights activist to three years in prison for his writings. Said Jaddad, 48, a prominent pro-reform blogger, is being held at the detention facility in the southern city of Salalah.
(Human Rights Watch 3/24/2015)
3.) Secular Blogger Murdered in Bangladesh
Secular blogger, Washiqur Rahman, was hacked to death in Bangladesh after accusing fundamentalists of ‘choking free thought’.
4.) Myanmar Students Protest Free Speech Crackdown
Students and activists staged protests at 11 major cities throughout Myanmar on Friday (March 27th), calling on authorities to free their jailed colleagues who have been detained for more than two weeks following a brutal police crackdown on peaceful demonstrators in Letpadan.
5.) Afghan men wear burqas to campaign for women’s rights
Ahead of International Women’s Day, a group of men in Afghanistan marched through the streets in veils to protest against female oppression.