Sudan: Digital war and violence against women on the rise 

Image: Sudan Media Forum

By Malak Bala of the Women’s Media Network for Sudan Media Forum
20/07/2025 


Since the outbreak of war in Sudan on April 15, 2023, women of all backgrounds have faced increasing challenges and multiple violations, most notably the spread of systematic hate speech, which has become a dangerous tool used to distort the image of women and marginalise their role in public and digital spaces.

Amid the conflict, online campaigns have become a lethal weapon, spearheaded by organised groups operating behind closed doors dedicated to spreading misinformation and incitement, particularly against women activists and actors in politics, media, and civil society. These women are subjected to systematic smear campaigns and denied full citizenship rights simply because they expressed anti-war positions or attempted to contribute to peace-making.

Defamation

Nujoud, a human rights defender, says that hate speech directed against women has significantly contributed to the complexity of the Sudanese landscape. She explains that many female politicians, feminists, and journalists have been subjected to defamation on social media in campaigns targeting their personal and professional reputations, prompting many to withdraw from the public sphere under extreme psychological pressure.

Discrimination and exclusion

Mai Abdel Qader, a journalist and human rights defender, asserts that female activists and party activists are increasingly vulnerable to abuse. She adds, “Some women have been subjected to discrimination and exclusion simply because of their political affiliation or media activity. Some have even been prevented from renewing their passports, despite this being a legal right guaranteed to everyone.”

Activist Mahasin Atim says that the intense polarisation and mobilisation against political opponents, especially women, has increased the spread of hate speech, which in turn has marginalised women politically and socially, weakened their sense of security, and negatively impacted their mental health and personal safety.

In the face of this reality, Mahasen calls for increasing community awareness of the dangers of hate speech, providing legal support to affected women, and emphasising the need for community solidarity and activating the media’s role in spreading a culture of tolerance, respect, and equality.

As for Nujood, she believes the solution lies in building a positive counter-narrative that reaffirms the role of women in building peace and society, in addition to establishing community support networks and adopting strict legislation against hate speech and digital violence.

War fuels hate speech

Mai Abdel Qader defines hate speech as “any type of communication that uses derogatory or discriminatory language toward an individual or group based on identity, gender, race, or political affiliation, and includes incitement to violence and social stigma.”

Mai concludes, “War fuels hate speech, and the state itself sometimes supports it through unfair laws. We must stand together, women and men, to combat this speech before it turns into a weapon that threatens our common existence.”

Activists and advocates, Reem Mohammed Hussein and Tayseer Saleh, agreed that hate speech has been prevalent in Sudan for a long time, and during the April 15th war, it increased significantly and frighteningly, reaching the point of criminalising women and depriving them of practicing political and public work. It created a rift in the women’s community and caused some of them to split and join both sides of the conflict, and placed some of them in a position of neutrality, which could pose a major threat. They emphasised that the solution lies in limiting hate speech through the messages of art, theatre, and drama in general, and that the media also plays an important role in limiting hate speech against women.

Mahasin Atim concludes her talk by saying that the war has greatly affected women, both physically and psychologically. Women are vulnerable to physical and sexual violence, rape, and psychological abuse. This affects their physical and mental health, leaving them vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and fear.

The war has also affected the role of women in society. Some women have become responsible for their families after losing their husbands or fathers, which increases the burden on them and makes their lives more difficult.

After the war, women are in dire need of psychological and health support to help them overcome the trauma they have experienced. This support can include psychotherapy, healthcare, and social support.

Mahasin added, “We must rebuild society and rehabilitate women so they can return and participate effectively in social and economic life.”

This article, prepared by Malak Bala of the Women’s Media Network, is published via the platforms of Sudan Media Forum and its member institutions, to warn against the spread of hate speech and discrimination against women. The article’s respondents alert us to the need to curb the digital violence that accompanies war and how its repercussions threaten the future of society

 

Russia bookstore fined for LGBTQA+ ‘propaganda’ by selling books

Darina Boykova | U. Ottawa Faculty of Law, CA

JULY 20, 2025 

A Moscow court fined the bookstore Falalster 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,000) and its founder, Boris Kupriyanov, 100,000 rubles (approximately $1,300) on the charges of LGBTQA+ “propaganda,” according to local media.

Charges were reportedly based on the bookstore selling books like More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, Satanic Feminism by Per Faxneld, Fruit of Knowledge by Liv Strömquist, The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, and Fence: Volume Two by C.S. Pacat. The court found that the removed literature “propagandizes non-traditional relationships and sex change.”

Kupriyanov plead not guilty, elaborating that the books are not banned, are not found on prohibited or extremist lists, and were not deemed “problematic” until the trial. He also questioned the expertise of the expert used to determine the “problematic” nature of the books, stating that he is unaware of their level of education and that, in some cases, the “problematic” parts of the books were taken out of context.

The founder of the bookstore also criticized the trial process, sharing that he was not aware of the expertise analysis taking place or of the rights that he is entitled to. Kupriyanov concluded with a challenge, rationalizing that the expert needs to read all 38,000 books sold in the bookstore to make sure that there are no other complaints.

Falalster was fined 80,000 rubles (approximately $1,000) and Kupriyanov 40,000 rubles (approximately $500) earlier this year for selling “On the Way to Magadan” by Belarusian anarchist Ihar Alinevich. The book was registered as “undesirable” in 2024. Kupriyanov pled not guilty then as well, noting that the publication of the book was incorrectly identified on the Ministry of Justice’s “undesirable” booklist. 

Bookstores in Russia have been facing intensified prosecution for the sale of “undesirable” books, with books accused of “LGBTQA+ propaganda” currently taking the spotlight. Earlier this month, a Saint Petersburg Court announced a case against bookstore Подписные издания (Subscription Editions) on the aforementioned charges. The bookstore was previously fined 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,000) on the same charges. In May of this year, employees of publishing houses Eksmo and Popcorn Books were arrested amidst a LGBTQA+ “propaganda” investigation.

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

WEF probe findings reportedly show Schwab manipulate competitiveness report to serve political interests

Schwab stepped down from the World Economic Forum after a whistleblower made allegations against him.

The accusations reportedly prompted Klaus Schwab to step down from his role as chairman at the WEF. | Michael Buholzer/EPA

July 20, 2025 5:18 pm CET

By Victor Goury-Laffont

Preliminary findings from a probe into World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab reveal that he allegedly manipulated the landmark Global Competitiveness Report to serve political interests and sent lewd emails to younger employees, Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung reported on Sunday.

The probe also showed that his wife allegedly billed trips to the WEF despite holding no official position with the organization, according to the report.

These findings appear to corroborate allegations contained in a whistleblower letter, which accused Schwab of financial misconduct — including misuse of WEF funds and inappropriate treatment of employees.

The accusations reportedly prompted Schwab to step down from his role as chairman at the WEF — a non-profit best known for its annual gathering of global elites in Davos, Switzerland — after more than half a century at its helm.

In April, the WEF confirmed the existence of the whistleblower letter — first reported by the Wall Street Journal — and said it had launched an internal investigation, while stressing that the misconduct allegations “remain unproven.”

Schwab has denied the accusations and filed a criminal complaint against the whistleblowers. The WEF did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment.

SonntagsZeitung reported that the probe's preliminary findings indicate that Schwab's alleged wrongdoing could include meddling with the Global Competitiveness Report — a now-defunct yearly publication that assessed and ranked countries based on their economic competitiveness. The competitiveness report was discontinued during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Official documents cited by SonntagsZeitung allege that Schwab intervened multiple times to alter or suppress unfavorable rankings for certain countries, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa and in India, allegedly to preserve diplomatic relations or avoid political fallout. In one instance, Schwab reportedly recommended shelving a negative report after discussing it with a government official, according to the newspaper.

The investigation also reportedly concerns up to 900,000 Swiss francs in expenses filed by Schwab and his wife, Hilde.

Pakistan's fighter jets win top awards at Royal Air Show in Britain

Last updated: July 20, 2025 | GULF TIMES

A stunning Pakistan Air Force C-130 Hercules at RAF Fairford, UK, for the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo Show. Photo / X

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

Fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) won top awards in two categories at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025 in Britain, state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) reported.

RIAT, which runs from July 18 to 20, is one of the world’s largest military airshows, has been running for over 50 years and powers the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, according to its website.

On Thursday, a PAF contingent comprising "state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter aircraft and the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, landed at the Royal Air Force Base Fairford in the UK to participate in the prestigious” RIAT 2025, a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The JF-17 Block-III was awarded the "Spirit of the Meet Trophy” for its striking livery and the incredible journey from Pakistan with non-stop air-to-air refuelling, PTV said.






The ISPR had said that the JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighters executed successful Air-to-Air Refueling operations en route to the UK with the support of a PAF IL-78 aerial refueling tanker.


Meanwhile, the C-130H Hercules was awarded the "Concours d’Elegance Trophy”. These awards were given in recognition of the aircrafts’ excellent flying and technical skills. The JF-17C Block III represents Pakistan’s "advanced defence technology”. This success honoured Pakistan’s aviation sector on an international level, the state broadcaster said.


The PYB called the success at RIAT a "testament to the recognition of the capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force.”


In May, when Pakistan downed Indian jets as retaliation for late-night strikes during the Pakistan-India conflict, the PAF formally acknowledged a month later that it was the Kamra-based 15 Squadron that led the charge in shooting them down.

 

US escalates Brazil tensions as Rubio revokes visas of judges involved in Bolsonaro case

Kareem Assaf | Nottingham Law School, GB

JULY 20, 2025 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday announced the revocation of US visas for eight of Brazil’s 11 Supreme Court justices, in what officials described as part of a broader effort to support former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently fighting prosecution for his alleged attempt to overturn the 2022 election.

The announcement follows escalating diplomatic actions by the Trump administration, including a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports scheduled to take effect August 1. Rubio stated that the visa revocations were implemented in response to what he called a “political witch hunt” against Bolsonaro, who is on trial in Brazil’s Supreme Court and faces up to 43 years in prison.

In March, Brazil’s Supreme Court unanimously voted to initiate a trial against Bolsonaro on charges of conspiring to overthrow the government. Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet Branco charged Bolsonaro and 34 others with crimes including attempted violent abolition of democratic rule, coup d’état, and participation in a criminal organization. The charges stem from the violent January 8, 2023, storming of government buildings in the nation’s capital by Bolsonaro supporters, and include allegations of voter intimidation and an assassination plot against incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The trial against Bolsonaro is expected to begin later this year, with potential prison time of several decades if convicted.

The visa revocations affect judges including Alexandre de Moraes, who is leading the investigation, along with Luís Roberto Barroso, José Antonio Dias Toffoli, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino, Cármen Lúcia Antunes Rocha, Luiz Edson Fachin, and Gilmar Ferreira Mendes. Three justices—André Mendonça, Kassio Nunes Marques and Luiz Fux—were not included.

President Lula condemned the US actions on Saturday, calling them “arbitrary and completely baseless.” Lula said, “Brazil will not tolerate foreign interference in our judicial process, and our democracy will not be intimidated by external pressures.”

The measures have triggered backlash across Brazil, including criticism from conservative outlets like Estado de São Paulo, which called them “unacceptable external interference in Brazil’s domestic matters.” Supporters of Bolsonaro, including his son Eduardo, praised the move, while some analysts have warned of potential economic blowback, especially in Bolsonaro-supporting regions that rely heavily on exports to the US.

Angola police accused of using excessive force against peaceful protesters

Kareem Assaf | Nottingham Law School, GB

JULY 20, 2025 

Angolan police used excessive force and carried out arbitrary arrests during a peaceful protest in Luanda on July 12, Human Rights Watch alleged Friday. According to reports, officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets without justification, assaulted demonstrators, and detained 17 protesters, some of whom were released only after legal intervention.

The demonstration, organized by youth groups and civil society organizations, was a response to the Angolan government’s decision to raise fuel prices and eliminate public transport subsidies without public consultation. Hundreds of people marched from Luanda’s São Paulo neighborhood toward Largo 1º de Maio before being violently dispersed by security forces.

“Angolans should be able to peacefully protest government policies without being met with excessive force and other violations of their basic rights,” said Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The government needs to open an impartial investigation into these abuses and hold those responsible accountable.”

Despite receiving official authorization for the protest route, demonstrators were attacked upon nearing their destination. “Without any prior warning, the crackdown began brutally,” said activist and protest spokesperson Aidilson Manuel. He confirmed that four people suffered serious injuries, including one individual who “was hit directly in the face by a tear gas canister, causing a deep cut that required surgery.”

The Angolan Police General Command defended the operation, stating it was meant “to maintain public order and tranquility, since the protesters did not follow the route.” However, Manuel stated that the correct legal procedures had been followed and official approval for the demonstration had been granted the day before.

These concerns echo long-standing warnings from Amnesty International, which in a November 2024 report, urged Angolan authorities to hold police accountable for killing or injuring demonstrators between November 2020 and June 2023. According to Amnesty, at least 17 people were killed across eleven protests during that period, and no officers have been prosecuted to date.

In the November 2024 report, Amnesty has accused Angolan police of using live bullets, batons, and tear gas against peaceful demonstrators and has criticized repeated delays in justice. Amnesty also called on the attorney general’s office and the ombudsman to investigate police violence, stating that Angola must uphold its human rights obligations under the ICCPR and ACHPR.

Russian Far East Not Some African ‘Colony’ as Some Moscow Officials Appear to Believe, Kamchatka Residents Say

Paul Goble

Sunday, July 20, 2025

            Staunton, – The Moscow official responsible for preventing the spread of disease in animals and plants suggested in language that was both incautious and revelatory that the center should block individuals from carrying caviar to the Far East in their luggage just as one would expect any government to do about antelope meat in luggage going to Africa.

            Not surprisingly, the words of Sergey Dankvert, the head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Monitoring, struck a nerve and prompted both the regional media and the population to denounce his analogy (vostok.today/53561-dalnij-vostok-ne-kolonija-on-chast-rossii-s-kamchatki-otvetili-glave-rosselhoznadzora.html).

            In an open letter to Dankvert that Vostok.Today has published and that the Tallinn-based regionalist portal Region.Expert has picked up to highlight, the people of Kamchatka made it clear how angry they are not just about his words but about the habit of mind of many in Moscow that lies behind them:

Respected Sergey Alekseyevich!

Your comparison of the Far East with Africa and red caviar with dried antelope meat has become a clear example of how bureaucrats in the capital talk about the regions which feed them. Allow us to explain something to you.

You speak about our products as if they were contraband from the third world. But Kamchatka, the Primorye, and Sakhalin are also Russia just like Moscow. The difference is only that we harvest the fish, oil, gas and forest and you use them.

If one fears parasites, then one should be looking not in caviar but in the corrupt schemes which for decades you have taken our resources in exchange of misery payments.

You praise Europe for its control over products. But somehow European officials don’t compare their regions with Africa – perhaps because their regions don’t feed the capital but instead live in a worthy fashion themselves?

You prohibit carrying caviar in baggage but you take no notice of the fact that tons of seafood products are going to China via various ‘gray’ schemes … In this way, you are struggling not with parasites but with ordinary people who want to bring caviar as a present.

You talk about ‘government spending’ on cures but for some reason don’t remember that the Far East gives Moscow enormous sums through taxes and in return gets impassable roads, dying villages and the outflow of the population. Our salaries are low and our prices are high. You ban people bringing in caviar but don’t provide normal air tickets or other necessities of development.

If you want to find parasites, then perhaps you should begin with those who sit for 20 years in government offices and give back to the country only reports full of pretty words.

You demand that we not carry caviar to Moscow, but when we ask for normal roads, pay and air tickets, you act as if the Far East is somewhere in a parallel universe.

If you want to struggle with something dangerous, then you should look at your salaries which are ten times those of fishmen, at your reports, and at your logic which compares Kamchatka with Africa and Moscow apparently with Switzerland.

If you are so afraid of parasites, then invest in labs in the regions … and give the regions more rights so that we ourselves can decide how to develop fishing and stop exporting our natural resources for next to nothing.

And if you aren’t prepared to do that, well, then, the next timeyou want to compare the Far East with Africa, look in the mirror. Immediately, you’ll see that very “exotic guest.”

            The authors of this letter don’t say but they clearly feel as have many people east of the Urals have for two centuries of more that the central government really does view their regions as colonies and themselves as natives. At a time when many are talking about decolonization, statements like Dankvert’s risk provoking more people about taking more steps in that direction.

 

Prominent human rights group leaves El Salvador under government pressure and repression

Ellie Cho | U. Ottawa Faculty of Law, CA

JULY 19, 2025 

El Salvador’s most prominent human rights organization officially ceased operations in the country Thursday due to increasing repression against civil society groups. The organization, Cristosal, cited the “criminalization of human rights defenders, the imposition of [a] Russian-style Foreign Agents Law (LAEX), and the weakening of institutional independence” as key reasons for its decision. While operations in El Salvador are suspended, Cristosal confirmed it will continue its mission in Guatemala and Honduras.

According to Cristosal, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s administration has sharply curtailed basic rights, including the rights to free expression, peaceful protest, and civic engagement. The May arrest of Ruth López, Cristosal’s head anti-corruption lawyer and human rights defender, marked a turning point. López was detained after advocating for transparency and speaking out against corruption. During her detention by the National Civil Police, López was allegedly denied access to her lawyers, which is an act Cristosal condemned as a serious breach of due process and international legal standards. In response to the short-term enforced disappearance, Cristosal called on National authorities to comply with their constitutional and international obligations. Cristosal argued that López’s case is part of a broader strategy of exemplary punishment meant to intimidate.

Cristosal also reported ongoing government intimidation, including legal harassment, surveillance of both its activities and the private homes of staff, and various administrative obstacles. In May, a Foreign Agents Law was approved in El Salvador, requiring organizations receiving funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents” and imposing a 30 percent tax on donations received by non-governmental organizations whose activities are financed internationally. Cristosal called El Salvador’s Foreign Agents Law an authoritarian measure designed to punish independent civil society groups through excessive regulation, punitive taxes, and state monitoring.

Despite the decision, Cristosal reaffirmed its dedication to defending human rights throughout the region.

Not a fun day: Delta pilot's 'aggressive manoeuvre' evades B-52 bomber collision

The flight, operated by SkyWest as Delta Connection Flight 3788, was heading to its destination when the military jet suddenly appeared on a converging path. The pilot of the commercial Embraer 175 aircraft immediately took action to avoid the US bomber.



Minot is home to a US Air Force base, which operates B-52 bombers.

India Today World Desk
 Jul 21, 2025 
Written By: Satyam Singh

In Short

Pilot made sharp turn to prevent crash during flight to Minot

No prior warning given despite radar at Minot Air Force Base

Passengers informed and shaken but landed safely

A Delta regional jet flying from Minneapolis to Minot, North Dakota, had a terrifying moment in the sky on July 18 when the pilot had to make a sudden and sharp turn to avoid a possible crash with a US Air Force B-52 bomber.

The flight, operated by SkyWest as Delta Connection Flight 3788, was heading to its destination when the military jet suddenly appeared on a converging path. The pilot of the commercial Embraer 175 aircraft immediately took action to avoid the bomber.

Once safely on the ground in Minot, the pilot explained what happened to passengers.

"Given his speed ... I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us, I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it," the pilot said, according to an audio recording of the cabin announcement. "So sorry about the aggressive manoeuvre. It caught me by surprise. This is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads-up, because the Air Force base does have radar ... long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologise for it and thank you for understanding. Not a fun day at work."
PASSENGERS SHAKEN BUT SAFE

The regional jet managed to land safely after circling around to try the landing again. It's not known how close the two aircraft came or whether the cockpit systems gave any warning before the pilot took manual control to steer away from danger.

Minot is home to a US Air Force base, which operates B-52 bombers. However, the Air Force has not yet released any details about the near-collision.

SkyWest Airlines confirmed the incident and said it is under investigation.

"SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota, landed safely in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path. We are investigating the incident," a SkyWest spokesperson told ABC News.

The pilot’s comments suggest that the Delta crew was not informed in advance that a military aircraft might be nearby, even though Minot Air Force Base uses radar systems that should detect nearby flights. Passengers were terrified by the sudden motion of the plane.

- Ends

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blames immigration crackdown for decimating car wash industry

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts have sent chills through the community, hurting the city’s car washes. 

File photo credit: Wirestock Creators via Shutterstock. 

By Seth McLaughlin - The Washington Times - Sunday, July 20, 2025

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts have sent chills through the community, hurting the city’s car washes.

Ms. Bass, a critic of President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in response to immigration protests in Los Angeles, said the scenes of migrants getting detained by armed, masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in unmarked cars have pushed some immigrants into the shadows.

“For the average citizen, it looks like it’s a violent kidnapping,” Ms. Bass, a Democrat, said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “They don’t identify themselves, and furthermore … how on earth do they know that they’re a threat when they’re just chasing random people through parking lots at Home Depots, going to car washes and rounding up people.”

“It’s difficult to get your car washed in Los Angeles now, because most of the car washes, the employees won’t come to work out of fear that a raid will take place,” she said.

Mr. Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration has sparked fierce blowback from Ms. Bass and other Democrats across the country, who have focused some of their criticism on the nonviolent migrants swept up in the enforcement efforts.

Ms. Bass also pushed back against immigration officials who say ICE agents are wearing masks because they are afraid of retaliation.

“The masked men are not from Los Angeles, and so how their families could be retaliated against?” she said. “And then what is that to say to local law enforcement, the Los Angeles Police Department, none of whom are ever masked, who always identify themselves and even hand someone a business card.

“So that makes absolutely no sense at all,” Ms. Bass said.