Freedom of religion

Human rights online at the Human Rights Council 49th session
Human rights online at the Human Rights Council 49th session 06 April 2022 Paula Martins and Veronica Ferrari

The Human Rights Council (HRC) held its 49th session in Geneva from 28 February to 1 April. During a long session that covered five weeks, the Council discussed important country situations and thematic issues on the intersections between human rights and technology. 

Interview with Gayatri Khandhadai: "Tech companies’ solution to hate is really no solution"
Interview with Gayatri Khandhadai: "Tech companies’ solution to hate is really no solution" 22 March 2022 Flavia Fascendini

After six years with APC, Asia policy coordinator Gayatri Khandhadai is closing a cycle. In this interview, she takes stock of the learnings gained while coordinating policy-related initiatives and analyses the evolution of critical digital rights issues and spaces in the region.

HRC 49: Oral statement on online hate speech targeting religious minorities
HRC 49: Oral statement on online hate speech targeting religious minorities 09 March 2022 APC

APC welcomes the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief's focus on the use of hateful rhetoric in digital spaces to incite violence against religious minorities, which is of particular concern in India, where women especially are subjected to hate speech and threats online and offline.

"Hated Speech" and the Costs of Freedom in India
"Hated Speech" and the Costs of Freedom in India 07 March 2022 Preeti Raghunath

This research report seeks to draw out the analytical category of "hated speech" by looking at experiences and observations of what it means to speak truth to power and receive hate as it is manifested through varying degrees of violence, across a variety of instances.

Organisations and individuals on targeting and exclusion of hijab-wearing Muslim women students
Organisations and individuals on targeting and exclusion of hijab-wearing Muslim women students 16 February 2022 Various

The ban on hijabs in classrooms and campuses, which has begun in Karnataka and threatens to spread to other states in India, is a hate crime. We unequivocally stand in solidarity with Muslim women, whether or not they wear hijabs, to be treated with respect and to enjoy the full gamut of rights.

Harmony Laws in Southeast Asia: Majority Dominance, Minority Repression
Harmony Laws in Southeast Asia: Majority Dominance, Minority Repression 26 January 2022 Asia Centre

Governments in Southeast Asia largely rely on laws to quell communal tensions and manage the diverse communities within their countries, but this has resulted in the dominance of ethno-religious majorities. This report examines the implications in Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore.

Online caste-hate speech: Pervasive discrimination and humiliation on social media
Online caste-hate speech: Pervasive discrimination and humiliation on social media 15 December 2021 Damni Kain, Shivangi Narayan, Torsha Sarkar and Gurshabad Grover

This report presents insights into online caste-hate speech, combining qualitative accounts of the targets of such expression on social media platforms with an analysis of these platforms’ speech norms.

Of social discipline and control: The impact of fake news and disinformation on minorities in Indonesia
Of social discipline and control: The impact of fake news and disinformation on minorities in Indonesia 11 November 2021 Ric Neo, Jason DC Yin, Albert Au

This study sets out to analyse the qualitative impact of fake news on racial, ethnic and sexual minority communities in Indonesia. Indonesia presents an interesting case, given how the impact of disinformation in the country has been particularly pronounced.

A proposal for caste-ing out media: Exploring the role that the media plays in ushering in a caste-sensitive society
A proposal for caste-ing out media: Exploring the role that the media plays in ushering in a caste-sensitive society 18 August 2021 APCNews

The second session of the Challenge Lecture Series 2021, “Decolonising media, communications and technology studies: An (anti)caste perspective”, addressed how analysis of the media on caste issues does not take into consideration how embedded and structural caste practices are in this field.

Dewesternising media, communication and technologies research: Session I of the Challenge Lecture Series 2021 unpacks why caste in communications needs better scholarship
Dewesternising media, communication and technologies research: Session I of the Challenge Lecture Series 2021 unpacks why caste in communications needs better scholarship 11 August 2021 APCNews

The Challenge Lecture Series 2021 which began on 6 August 2021, aims to explore how caste is studied and analysed in the current context of media and technology and make recommendations on new approaches to fully understand caste and analyse how it affects societies across the world.

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