Mar 5, 2026 | 25 Stories 25 Years
In 2007, Mauritania became the final country in the world to ban slavery. However, despite this law the government generally did not enforce the ban and was hostile to civil society groups who demand abolition. One organization that was often a target of the...
Mar 5, 2026 | 25 Stories 25 Years
Labor rights in Vietnam are basically non-existent. Independent labor unions are not allowed, rather only government-controlled unions can exist. The government-led Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is controlled by government appointees and all unions under the...
Mar 5, 2026 | 25 Stories 25 Years
Nasrin Sotoudeh began her career with the Iranian government before joining the legal team of a state-owned bank. In 1995, she took the bar exam but was prevented from practicing law until 2003 because of opposition from the Ministry of Intelligence. In the meantime,...
Mar 5, 2026 | 25 Stories 25 Years
Since Azerbaijan declared independence in 1991, a tightly-knit group centered around the late President Heydar Aliyev—and now his son, Ilham Aliyev—have ruled the country. Although the country’s constitution establishes separate branches of government, Aliyev and his...
Mar 4, 2026 | 25 Stories 25 Years
Rwanda has undergone a miraculous transformation since the end of the civil war and subsequent genocide more than 30 years ago and much of the credit goes to President Paul Kagame. Yet, what often goes unnoticed is the extent to which President Kagame has stamped out...
