Last week a 2008 court decision became real for one older Russian woman who practices Falun Gong. Olga Chernova saw her home ransacked and the Falun Gong literature and materials she owned confiscated on the pretext that the materials contained “extremist” content.
This week Ukraine plays host to the European soccer championship, an event many had hoped would bring much needed political and social reforms, but increasingly, locals say it looks like a lost opportunity.
A day after Vladimir Putin took a 64 percent win in presidential elections, putting him right back in the spot of president that he left four years ago.
Ever since Igor Zaprudskiy, 50, owner of a small lamp store in Eastern Ukraine, decided to take up the fight against the corruption, which has battered him and other small business owners, the authorities have come down hard on him.
European Union leaders refused to ink a landmark trade and political agreement with Kyiv on Monday over accusations of politically motivated justice in Ukraine.
Chernobyl pensioners whose payments have been reduced as part of the government’s cuts to social welfare are choosing to starve themselves near the government building in Kyiv rather than accept their conditions.