Finland protests: Human rights for all and save the planet

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Finland protests: Human rights for all and save the planet

2018-07-17 13:32 Last Updated At：13:33

One sign in Helsinki read: "Build saunas, not war!"

Activists used Monday's summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold two days of high-profile protests in the Finnish capital over a variety of grievances.

Abortion-rights activists dressed up Monday in bulging bellies and Trump masks. Anti-fascist protesters carried signs with expletive-laden insults. Free traders, anti-war Ukrainians, environmentalists and rainbow flag-waving gay rights supporters all vied for attention from the world's media.

In a city proud to defend the right to protest, demonstrators were scattered about. Some stayed at barriers erected by police to try to register their complaints as the world leaders sped by in armor-plated vehicles for their summit at Finland's presidential palace.

Others marched by Helsinki landmarks, far away from the leaders' gathering but in clear view of curious residents and tourists.

At the city's Senate Square, about 20 male "pregnant Trumps" and 20 women wearing pink gags railed against a Trump order that bans providing federal money to international family-planning groups that perform abortions or provide information about them.

At the same location, a Finnish pro-Israel group was voicing support for Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Another march that drew hundreds of people was a mishmash of messages — some supporting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and some shouting "Fascists go home!" Some marchers questioned the legitimacy of Trump's election victory since he lost the popular vote. Another sign read: "A woman's place is in the Resistance."

"I don't think the two people meeting today are going to care whether we are here or not, frankly," said Helsinki protesters Tina Aspiala, 43. "It's more of a global solidarity against a lot of things that are messed up, and I think that that's why it's worth coming out."

Some marchers had professionally designed banners while others scrawled slogans like "Not Welcome" onto homemade posters or warned of a looming apocalypse.

On Sunday, 2,000 people marched through the city to promote human and sexual rights, democracy and environmental issues. Organizers for "Helsinki Calling" said the protest wasn't aimed directly against the U.S. or Russian presidents but was designed to focus on key global issues.

"We celebrate the Helsinki spirit here," said Timo Heikkinen, a 50-year-old from Helsinki. "And we welcome everybody who respects human rights and democracy and doesn't share fake news."

Why did bill to stem ‘foreign influence’ trigger protests in Georgia over country's media freedom?

2024-05-04 16:15 Last Updated At：16:20

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia has been engulfed by huge protests triggered by a proposed law that critics see as a threat to media freedom and the country’s aspirations to join the European Union.

Here is a look at the bill and the protests it has ignited:

The bill would require media and nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofits to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of funding from abroad.

The legislature approved a second reading of the bill Wednesday, and the third and final reading is expected later this month.

The proposed legislation is nearly identical to the one that the governing Georgian Dream party was pressured to withdraw last year after street protests.

The governing party says the bill is necessary to stem what it deems as harmful foreign influence over the country’s political scene and to prevent unidentified foreign actors from trying to destabilize the country’s political scene.

The opposition denounces the bill as “the Russian law” because Moscow uses similar legislation to stigmatize independent news media and organizations critical of the Kremlin. Opponents of the bill say the fact that it is now before parliament is a sign of Moscow’s purported influence over Georgia. They fear it will become an impediment to the country’s long-sought prospects of joining the European Union.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who is increasingly at odds with the governing party, has vowed to veto the law, but Georgian Dream has a majority sufficient to override a presidential veto.

Russia-Georgia relations have been strained and turbulent since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

In August 2008, Russia fought a brief war with Georgia, which had made a botched attempt to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. Moscow then recognized South Ossetia and another separatist province, Abkhazia, as independent states and beefed up its military presence there. Most of the world considers both breakaway regions to be parts of Georgia, a former Soviet republic.

Tbilisi has ruptured diplomatic ties with Moscow, and the separatist regions’ status remains a key irritant, even as Russia-Georgia relations have improved in recent years.

The opposition United National Movement accuses Georgian Dream, which was founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia, of serving Moscow’s interests — an accusation the governing party vehemently denies.

For several successive days, thousands of demonstrators besieged the parliament building in a bid to block the bill’s passage and scuffled with police.

Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. Over 60 protesters have been arrested and several people have been injured. Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the United National Movement, was among those injured.

On Thursday, parliament canceled its scheduled session, saying the move was because of damage to the building during Wednesday’s protests.

Another demonstration by thousands of people took place on Friday night, including a march to protest outside Georgian Dream's headquarters, but there were no reports of clashes.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has described the parliament’s move as “a very concerning development” and warned that “final adoption of this legislation would negatively impact Georgia’s progress on its EU path.”

“This law is not in line with EU core norms and values,” Borrell said in a statement last month. “The proposed legislation would limit the capacity of civil society and media organizations to operate freely, could limit freedom of expression and unfairly stigmatize organizations that deliver benefits to the citizens of Georgia.”