As rallies are held world wide to show support for Julian Assange, who recently lost his fight against extradition to Sweden and will possibly appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, Samaya Chanthaphavong spoke to David Campbell, president of the Pirate Party Australia on Wikileaks, Julian Assange and internet freedom as a human right. […]
Samaya Chanthaphavong spoke to Antony Loewenstein, author of The Blogging Revolution about the use of the internet, in particular blogging, as a communicative tool to promote self-representation, democracy and human rights in areas where excessive regimes impose strict censorship over most forms of communication. RN: We know that as part of your book The Blogging Revolution […]
A cacophony of excited murmurs and joyful laughter erupted throughout obscured sections of theatres, diminutive rooms nestled in covert bars and auditoriums packed to the rafters on 22 April as 2012’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival drew to a close. While audiences were left satiated with the broad spectrum of comedy the festival had put on […]
Right Now’s Editor-in-Chief, André Dao, recently spoke to Professor Stephen Zunes, a Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco. He is one of the world’s leading experts on non-violent resistance and has won recognition from the Peace and Justice Studies Association as their first Peace Scholar of the Year. We spoke to […]
Between 4–16 February, Amnesty International, headed by Amnesty’s Refugee Spokesperson, Dr Graham Thom, visited Curtin, Perth, Christmas Island, Northern and Wickham Point detention facilities. Alex Pagliaro was a member of the delegation who spoke directly with asylum seekers, immigration officials and detention centre staff during the visits. RN: Hello, thanks for giving us the opportunity to […]
Right Now’s Adelaide Rief spoke with Georgia Davis, Amy Sinclair and Stefanie Schweiger, students at ANU College of Law who have been a part of the Prison Issues Project, an initiative of the College’s Law Reform and Social Justice program. Right Now: It would be great if you could start by explaining a little bit […]
Anniversary is a strange word to apply to Guantanamo Bay. Once used to mark the death of saints, we now use it to celebrate the birth of nations, people and (usually) cheerful relationships and events. There is nothing remotely celebratory, however, about the anniversary of Guantanamo Bay; and its having remained open now for 10 […]
R-Coo Tran is a Melbourne based student and photographer. She kindly agreed to volunteer her time to produce a “housing” themed photographic series exclusively for Right Now. Her work examines how a small area of space within a person’s home can reveal a great deal about their character and socio-economic circumstances. Tran writes about her […]
In 2010 Melbournian artist Sarah Catherine Firth commenced a year long artist in residency program with the Face to Face Project. She went to local primary schools were she ran cartoon workshops for children between the ages of 5-12. During these workshops she would discuss basic human rights issues with the children and they would […]
In Australia, we rarely hear about Bangladesh. Even when we do we are told that half the population lives on less than $1 a day and the low-lying land makes it susceptible to rising sea levels. Extreme poverty and disaster distance it from our daily lives. Desai’s photos attempt to remind his Australian viewers of […]
Last month the Gillard government appointed Helen Szoke as Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner. She replaces Graeme Innes who will continue to work as Disability Discrimination Commissioner. Helen Szoke was previously the Commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. Right Now’s Vince Chadwick spoke to her about her new role. RN: The Race […]
On Friday 22 July 2011, Monash University’s Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Annual Conference was held in Melbourne. Dr Alex Wodak AM, President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation and Director of the Alcohol and Drug Service at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney addressed the topic “A Human Rights Approach to Drugs”. Following […]