Best of Dispatches: Top News Posts This Week

In the wake of the Paris attacks, some are letting fear make up their minds on refugees; a new UN report targets bullying of LGBT students in Asia; and recent killings in Afghanistan have brought protests - these were among the most popular posts to Dispatches, our daily forum for breaking human rights news and commentary.

Facts, Not Fear, Should Guide US Response to Syrian Refugees

Stephanie K. Gee
In the wake of the horrific attacks in Paris, many people are reeling and, understandably, afraid. That fear has apparently driven more than two dozen United States governors to a race to the bottom as they scramble to block Syrian refugees from being resettled in their states...

Dispatches: UN Takes On LGBT Bullying in Asia

Kyle Knight
“It was common knowledge that I was being bullied,” she told me. “It was also common knowledge that my teachers would never help me.” The story – shared with me this week by a 20-year-old bisexual woman in Japan – is sadly familiar in this part of the world...

Dispatches: Afghan Killings Highlight Risks to Ethnic Hazaras

Ahmad Shuja
In a year of alarming civilian casualties, it takes a lot to bring protesters out in sufficient numbers and bring the Afghan capital to a standstill. But that’s exactly what happened November 11, when thousands of Afghans took to the streets of Kabul to express outrage at another in a series of ethnic killings...

Dispatches: Free Speech in Malaysia is an Australian Concern Too

Elaine Pearson
When Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visits Malaysia on November 21, 2015, he should consider the words of the persecuted Malaysian political cartoonist Zunar...

Dispatches: Ukraine Bans Anti-LGBT Discrimination at Work

Kyle Knight
Last week, Ukraine’s parliament made it illegal to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in employment – a welcome move in a countrywhere LGBT activists have been attacked and homophobic legislation proposed in recent years...