For the 11th consecutive year, the United States has remained the only country in the Americas to carry out executions. The use of capital punishment by developed countries has fallen significantly in recent times with no member of the Council of Europe carrying out an execution since 1997. Therefore, the question must remain, why do many US states maintain retentionist attitudes with regard to their use of capital punishment? The … Read more →
Sofia Svensson
Belarus one month after the election: “It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again”
One month has passed since the election in Belarus on 9 August, which was followed by mass protests and unprecedented levels of repression and intimidation of Belarusian citizens. As protests continue, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus for 26 years, seems to stop at nothing to hold on to power. The regime’s pressure on political activists and bloggers started long before the electoral campaign launch: At least … Read more →
Hong Kong: What does the new security law mean for press freedom?
Hong Kong’s recently enacted National Security Law on Monday claimed its first major target, with the arrest of media boss Jimmy Lai and six others associated with his company Next Media, on charges of colluding with foreign powers. Lai, a long-time critic of Beijing and pro-democracy activist, is well used to the constabulary’s knock on the door – he has previously been charged twice this year with illegal assembly and … Read more →
Ballots and bots: the threats to democratic elections
2020 is one phenomenal election year across the world. There have been, or there will be 20 elections across Europe, 15 across Africa, 14 across Asia, nine in North America, seven in South America, five in the Middle East, and eight in Oceania. Elections are the bedrock of any democratic society. They are the most formal expression of the public’s political will. The integrity of them and their outcomes are … Read more →
Combatting disinformation: Why trust matters
The coronavirus crisis has substantially increased news consumption for mainstream media yet trust in the media and news remains low, especially in the UK. Trust in news and media matters, particularly during a time of crisis. As trust decreases people turn to alternative sources that exploit the weaknesses of traditional media outlets, often peddling conspiracy theories, promoting misinformation and, at worst, spreading false information deliberately intended to mislead. … Read more →
Disinformation kills: The Covid-19 infodemic
The right to access information is incredibly important, now more than ever. Yet amidst a barrage of coronavirus disinformation aimed at sowing further chaos, many governments’ reactions to the pandemic have been to crack down hard on media outlets and journalists who are trying to provide the accurate information and facts that so … Read more →