Human Rights in the News: May 2020
/Curated by Nikki Bambauer and Nina Grotch
Welcome to the May 2020 edition of Human Rights in the News, Woven Teaching’s monthly collection of important stories from around the world.
An older bearded man wearing a mask washes his hands under a jug of water (Credit: UNDP/Fahad Kaizer)
‘Rights and dignity’ of older people must be respected during COVID-19 and beyond
UN News | May 1, 2020
According to the United Nations, the fatality rate of COVID-19 for people over the age of 80 is five times the global average. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges state governments to pass legislation protecting its elderly population and hopes to move forward on an international convention on the human rights of older people. Learn more >
A Dalit woman and her children (Credit: Bikash Khadge/CAFOD via Caritas)
Serious human rights violations against Dalits reported during lockdown
Tika R Pradhan | The Kathmandu Post | May 26, 2020
Caste-based discrimination against Dalits in Nepal has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dalits are part of the so-called “lower” castes in the Hindu caste system. Learn more >
Marching soldiers dressed in Chinese military uniforms. One is holding a large Chinese flag (Credit: Reuters)
Xi Jinping urges China's army to prepare for armed combat as Hong Kong protests restart over a new bill that would strip away the city's freedoms
Rosie Perper | Business Insider | May 27, 2020
China is moving forward with a set of controversial laws that will crackdown on anti-Beijing sentiment in Hong Kong. At the same time, President Xi Jinping has called for the military to prepare for “armed combat.” Although they temporarily slowed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, protests against Chinese control have rocked Hong Kong for over a year. Learn more >
Protestors in Minneapolis stand in a line with hands up amidst clouds of tear gas
Hundreds gathered in Minneapolis streets after George Floyd dies following police encounter
Omar Jimenez and Christina Maxouris | CNN | May 27 , 2020
On May 25, four officers of the Minneapolis Police Department killed George Floyd, a Black man. In the past 24 hours, protestors have taken to the streets to demand justice for George Floyd. The officers have been fired, but it remains unclear whether the District Attorney will charge them with murder. Learn more >
A court illustration of Félicien Kabuga seated, wearing blue clothes and a white surgical mask (Credit: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Peyrucq via DW)
Rwanda's Most-Wanted Fugitive, Félicien Kabuga, Arrested For War Crimes
Colin Dwyer | NPR | May 16, 2020
French authorities recently arrested Félicien Kabuga for his alleged involvement in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. During the time of the genocide, Kabuga sat as both the president of a Rwandan radio station that broadcasted hate speech and the head of a fund that financed Hutu militias. Learn more >
Black and white photo of Larry Kramer speaking passionately at a podium (Credit: Catherine McGann/Getty Images)
Larry Kramer, Playwright and Outspoken AIDS Activist, Dies at 84
Daniel Lewis | The New York Times | May 27, 2020
Acclaimed writer and tireless activist, Larry Kramer has died at 84. Kramer changed the face of activism in his relentless fight against HIV and AIDS and what he saw as an inadequate response from those in power. Learn more >
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