By Michael Allen on March 12, 2010
“As a human rights defender, I am hoping that the Zimbabwean Government will learn …., that it is not proper for a citizen to be abducted, tortured, and kept incommunicado for weeks on end without being tried,” said Jestina Mukoko yesterday. The executive director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, a grantee of the National Endowment [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Human rights, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Zimbabwe, accountability, democracy support, dissidents |
By Michael Allen on February 16, 2010
Do you know of any outstanding activists or groups whose work deserves recognition?
Canada’s International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development – Rights & Democracy – is inviting nominations for its annual John Humphrey Award.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement in the promotion of human rights and democratic development on the part of organizations or individuals [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Iraq, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Zimbabwe, democracy support, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on January 26, 2010
Zimbabwe’s faltering recovery confirms that democratization is a sine qua non for genuine economic development, the country’s finance minister said today.
South African premier Jakob Zuma should convene a summit of the Southern African Development Community to end the current impasse, Tendai Biti told a Washington meeting sponsored by Freedom House and the National Democratic Institute.
The [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Democracy assistance, Elections, Featured, NGOs/Civil society, National Democratic Institute, Zimbabwe, backsliding, corruption, democracy support |
By Katherine Bannor on January 25, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010- 12 noon. Ukraine After the First Round of Elections. Discussion with David Kramer, senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. The Woodrow Wilson Center: One Wilson Plaza; Reagan Building; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Full details at 202-691-4000, or http://www.wilsoncenter.org.
Monday, January 25, 2010- 6p.m. The Obama Administration’s [read full story]
Posted in Analysis, Backlash, Democracy assistance, Elections, Events, Human rights, Islam and democracy, Islam/politics, NGOs/Civil society, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Zimbabwe, authoritarianism, autocrats, backsliding, color revolutions, communist regimes, corruption, democracy, democracy and development, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratization, dictatorships, dissidents, emerging democracies, foreign policy, governance, promoting democracy, protests | Tagged Concertacion, democratic consolidation, Participatory Institutions, State Capacity, tibet |
By Michael Allen on December 10, 2009
“We will bear witness…to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran,” said President Obama in his acceptance speech at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony today.
Referring also to “the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi” and “the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face [read full story]
Posted in Burma, Iran, Zimbabwe, autocrats, democracy support, dictatorships, dissidents, protests |
By Michael Allen on November 11, 2009
The arrest and detention of Lovemore Matombo, president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, and three union colleagues highlights the resilience of hard-line security service forces within President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF.
The arrests are the latest in a series of attacks on labor, student and other civil society groups which could threaten the fragile power-sharing [read full story]
Posted in Backlash, Featured, Labour/labor unions, NGOs/Civil society, Zimbabwe, authoritarianism, corruption |
By Michael Allen on November 6, 2009
Rights & Democracy’s International conference on Sharia and family law reform
Rights & Democracy, the Canadian democracy assistance group, is searching for two speakers to present papers at an international conference on Sharia and family law reform in Muslim countries that we are hosting next February in Kabul, Afghanistan. We are looking for speakers with [read full story]
Posted in Afghanistan, Africa, Asia, Center for International Private Enterprise, Democracy assistance, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Elections, Human rights, International Republican Institute, Islam/politics, Kyrgyzstan, NGOs/Civil society, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Publications, Zimbabwe, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratization, foreign policy, media, promoting democracy | Tagged Bosnia, Electoral Systems, International Foundation for Electoral Systems |
By Michael Allen on September 28, 2009
Amid jubilant scenes outside the Supreme Court in Harare, democracy and human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, was today released after being granted a permanent stay of criminal proceedings.
Mukoko, director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, was one of 16 democracy and human rights activists charged with plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe.
The judgment “can be read [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Human rights, Labour/labor unions, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Zimbabwe, dissidents, promoting democracy, rule of law | Tagged National Endowment for Democracy, Solidarity Center, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights |
By Michael Allen on August 7, 2009
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has received the prestigious American Bar Association 2009 Rule of Law Award, the first African group to receive the honor.
Lawyers in Zimbabwe “don’t worry much about such things as recessions, competing for business or the future of the billable hour,” the ABA notes. “Their focus is more likely on staying [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Democracy assistance, Human rights, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Zimbabwe, democracy promotion, dissidents, promoting democracy | Tagged 2009 Rule of Law Award, American Bar Association, American Bar Association 2009 Rule of Law Award, freedom of expression, Movement for Democratic Change, National Endowment for Democracy, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights |
By Michael Allen on August 6, 2009
Democracy activists and human rights groups have condemned the arrest of leading student activists at the University of Zimbabwe. Clever Bere, president of the Zimbabwe National Student Union, and thirteen other activists were detained after addressing a demonstration against high tuition fees and poor conditions.
ZINASU has expressed concern that Bere has been handed over to [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Human rights, National Endowment for Democracy, Zimbabwe | Tagged Endowment for Democracy, Jestina Mukoko, NAYMOTE-Partners for Democratic Development, Reagan-Fascell, World Movement for Democracy, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights |
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