Efforts by Hong Kong authorities to crack down on political freedoms continue, with Hong Kong’s largest non-state affiliated union announcing that it was in the process of dissolving, and a journalists’ organization facing pressure from authorities to reveal information on members...
A wave of arrests and sentencings has taken place in Hong Kong in the past few days. Many of these arrests have been related to commemorations of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Hong Kong...
In 2017, the student press founded by Thai student activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal published เวลาอยู่ข้างเรา: หนังสือวันเกิดโจชัว หว่อง (Time is on our side: A book for Joshua Wong’s 21st birthday), which included translations of Liu Xiaobo’s ‘The June second hunger strike declaration’ and Martin Luther King, Jr’s ‘Letter from Birmingham city jail.’ I talked with Netiwit at the beginning of July about his translation of King’s ‘Letter,’ the influence of Black political thought on his activism, and the politics of civil disobedience in Thailand...
Tong Ying-kit was sentenced to nine years in jail today by Hong Kong courts. Tong was sentenced on charges of secession and terrorism for riding into the police with a flag reading “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” on his motorcycle, resulting in his arrest last year on July 1st, 2020...
Imagine sitting at the front line of an anti-coup protest, facing riot police with nothing but the clothes on your back and the words that you shout. Imagine not knowing whether your state was heading into civil war or massacre. For a decade you thought democratic reform was the answer to your country’s flawed political system but now realize that insurrections and coups have easily dismantled and impoverished your home and its values. You are fighting for something that is hard to believe yet still hold onto hope and each other. It takes courage in the face of terror and fear...
The Chulalongkorn University administration in Thailand is expected to target student activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, after a pro-democracy student orientation organized by Chotiphatphaisal. The student orientation took place on July 20th...
Controversy has broken out regarding the Tokyo Olympics, primarily revolving around the accommodations for Taiwan’s athletes competing in the Olympics. Indeed, much of the controversy hinges around matters of national pride about athletes who represent Taiwan on the international stage. At the same time, the deeper roots of the controversy are rooted in the legacy of authoritarianism in Taiwan, particularly regarding kickbacks for government officials with ties to the KMT party-state and a deeply-rooted culture of abuse in Taiwanese sports...
21 pro-democracy legislative candidates in Macau were disqualified from running for office earlier this week. This took place on the basis of new requirements stipulating that electoral candidates must pledge allegiance to Macau and the Macau Basic Law, as well as uphold the Chinese constitution and decisions made by China’s National People’s Congress...
An online for the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre was held today by livestream. The event began at 7 PM and lasted until 9:15 PM, while livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube....
New Bloom is re-launching our podcast, Radio New Bloom! This marks episode 13 and will be the first episode of the new season. Episode 13 of Radio New Bloom features an interview conducted by Nick Haggerty of the News Lens International with Singaporean political activist Roy Ngerng...