Monthly Archives: January 2011

Wan Yanhai, one of China’s leading activists and health advocates, explains the tragic irony of mental health in China today in a fascinating story for Foreign Policy. Trained in medicine in the 1980s, Mr. Yanhai worked for a government health institute and … Continue reading →

According to the human rights organization Front Line, Vietnamese democracy advocate Vi Duc Hoi was ”sentenced to eight years of imprisonment followed by a further five years of house arrest by a court in northern Lang Son province”. His trial … Continue reading →

 ”Too many governments are accepting the rationalizations and subterfuges of repressive governments, replacing pressure to respect human rights with softer approaches such as private “dialogue” and “cooperation,”’ said Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch’s Executive Director, in Brussels today. He gave … Continue reading →

There’s been a lot of talk about China this week. Obviously. As discussions about what would be said at the public and private meetings between President Obama and President Hu were carried out amongst journalists, human rights activists, government officials, students and … Continue reading →

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke these words during his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in 1964. He is the youngest person to receive the prize and was awarded it for his struggle to end racial segregation and discrimination through civil … Continue reading →

 Vietnam’s 11th National Congress began this week in Hanoi amidst international criticism over recent rights violations. Held every five years, the Congress is a highly secretive eight-day meeting where Communist Party leaders pick their leaders and decide the path of … Continue reading →

In a statement released today, Human Rights Watch says that the Chinese government has failed to deliver on commitments in its first-ever National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010) to protect key civil and political rights over the past two years.  The 67-page report details how … Continue reading →

Happy New Year! 2009′s Nobel Peace Prize winner is the freely-elected President of a democratic, open society. 2010′s winner is serving an eleven year prison sentence for advocating for greater human rights and democratic freedoms in the world’s most populated country. Quite a contrast. So, … Continue reading →