Activism

Can a Dictator Be Defeated Without Violence? There’s Evidence They Can.

George Lakey / Waging Nonviolence Jan 9, 2025 The Global Nonviolent Action Database details cases of mass movements overcoming tyrants through strategic nonviolent campaigns. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Understanding Hong Kong’s Mass Movement

Sonali Kolhatkar / Truthdig Sep 5, 2019 The resolve of Hong Kong's protesters against Chinese overreach is impressive. But the American left may have misunderstood the movement. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Polish Dissidents Cry Out for Snowden

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Sep 30, 2013 Four members of Poland's Solidarity movement, which toppled the country's totalitarian regime in the 1980s, recently issued an open letter calling for their government to grant NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden sanctuary from the United States. “The fact that only dictatorial governments agreed to give him shelter shames the democratic states,” they wrote. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Terror Rules at Bahrain’s Hospitals

Staff / Truthdig May 22, 2012 Bahrain’s hospitals are becoming centers of terror and distrust as government officials use them to identify, torture and arrest protesters, doctors and nurses for their involvement in the ongoing uprising against the ruling Al Khalifa family. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

China Jails Dissident for Poem Sent Over Internet

Staff / Truthdig Feb 11, 2012 Chinese authorities demonstrated their continued disregard for free speech and human rights as they sentenced a democratic dissident to seven years in jail for sending a poem he had written and other messages over the Internet, the man’s son told reporters. The verdict cited Zhu Yufu's online calls for a democratic political movement, the son said. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Wife Is Allowed to See Jailed Chinese Activist

Staff / Truthdig May 16, 2011 According to his wife, who was granted a visit with the dissident artist for the first time in the six weeks since he was detained at an airport and accused of tax evasion, Chinese authorities seem to be looking after the physical welfare of Ai Weiwei. The news dispels earlier rumors that he was being physically tortured, though he appeared mentally distressed, his wife said. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

China on U.S. Human Rights Scolding: Look Who’s Talking

Staff / Truthdig Apr 11, 2011 The US and China are bickering again over human rights after the U condemned the arrest of Chinese dissidents Beijing dismissed Washington's latest criticism and said the U is beset by violence, racism and torture and thus has no authority to condemn the actions of other governments Above, Ai Weiwei, a jailed activist . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

China Cracking Down on ‘Black Jails’

Staff / Truthdig Sep 28, 2010 Chinese authorities are investigating a private company that is accused of taking payments from local officials to imprison and abuse disgruntled constituents. China has a long tradition of oppressed provincials making pilgrimages to seek redress in the capital. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

ElBaradei Joins Sit-In, Egyptian Politics

Staff / Truthdig Jun 25, 2010 Former U.N. nuclear watchdog head, Nobel laureate and likely candidate for his country's presidency, Mohamed ElBaradei has continued to position himself as a leading political figure in Egypt by taking part in a large-scale protest Friday over the death of a man at the hands of plainclothes policemen. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Dissidents Are Held Back as Clinton Holds Forth in China

Staff / Truthdig Feb 22, 2009 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this weekend made her first visit to China in her new role, but Amnesty International and other activist groups didn't like her position when it came to addressing China's treatment of dissidents -- more specifically, she didn't take a firm stand on the issue during her meetings with Chinese officials. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

China to Allow ‘Protest Lite’

Staff / Truthdig Jul 23, 2008 Taking cues from past Olympic protests and the U.S.'s notoriously ironic "free speech zones," the Chinese government has declared its openness to dissidents criticizing the state -- so long as dissent is contained in one of three areas, does not threaten vague notions of national unity, and is submitted five days beforehand to the local security bureau. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Fan of Failure

Staff / Truthdig Oct 25, 2007 Ever a fan of failed policy, President Bush has reiterated his support of the embargo against Cuba, which, one might recall, was enacted more than four decades ago to force Fidel Castro from power. Bush also praised the patient (and sometimes violent) Cuban dissidents, who, he said, one day "will be the nation's leaders." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )