Category Archives: Human rights
Raymond Aubrac, 97, was involved in the French Resistance’s most romantic legend – and bitterest controversy
PARIS – Raymond Aubrac, who has died aged 97, was among the last surviving leaders of the French Resistance in the Second World War and central to the most celebrated, and controversial, incident in the history of the clandestine organisation.
Raymond Aubrac, 97, was involved in the French Resistance’s most romantic legend – and bitterest controversy
PARIS – Raymond Aubrac, who has died aged 97, was among the last surviving leaders of the French Resistance in the Second World War and central to the most celebrated, and controversial, incident in the history of the clandestine organisation.
Fang Lizhi’s speeches inspired student protesters at Tiananmen Square
TUCSON – Fang Lizhi, the Chinese academic and dissident who inspired the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, has died at the age of 76 in the US. Fang was labelled the “grand puppet-master” by the Communist regime, which blamed him
Fang Lizhi’s speeches inspired student protesters at Tiananmen Square
TUCSON – Fang Lizhi, the Chinese academic and dissident who inspired the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, has died at the age of 76 in the US. Fang was labelled the “grand puppet-master” by the Communist regime, which blamed him
A strident voice for equality, Verica Barac, 56, was Serbia’s anti-corruption heroine
BELGRADE, Serbia – Verica Barac, one of the greatest fighters against corruption in Serbia, has died in Belgrade at the age of 56. Barac was born in the village of Mrcajevci near Cacak, Western Serbia on June 14, 1955. She
A strident voice for equality, Verica Barac, 56, was Serbia’s anti-corruption heroine
BELGRADE, Serbia – Verica Barac, one of the greatest fighters against corruption in Serbia, has died in Belgrade at the age of 56. Barac was born in the village of Mrcajevci near Cacak, Western Serbia on June 14, 1955. She
Convicted Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk, 91, dies in German nursing home
BERLIN – John Demjanjuk died Saturday in Germany, ending nearly 35 years of legal battles with officials in three countries who claimed he was a Nazi death camp guard. The man who became a symbol of the Holocaust’s collaborators to
Convicted Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk, 91, dies in German nursing home
BERLIN – John Demjanjuk died Saturday in Germany, ending nearly 35 years of legal battles with officials in three countries who claimed he was a Nazi death camp guard. The man who became a symbol of the Holocaust’s collaborators to
Newsman Franklin McMahon’s sketchs of Emmett Till lynching trial were bold strokes for civil rights
CHICAGO – Franklin McMahon covered the world and its newsmakers with a pencil and a sketch pad. “He told what he saw through his art,” said his daughter Chicago sculptor Margot McMahon. “He called himself an artist reporter and really
Newsman Franklin McMahon’s sketchs of Emmett Till lynching trial were bold strokes for civil rights
CHICAGO – Franklin McMahon covered the world and its newsmakers with a pencil and a sketch pad. “He told what he saw through his art,” said his daughter Chicago sculptor Margot McMahon. “He called himself an artist reporter and really
At mortal risk to herself, Tina Strobos hid more than 100 Jews in her Amsterdam house
RYE, N.Y. – Tina Strobos, a psychiatry student who joined the Dutch underground during World War II and helped save the lives of more than 100 Jews by giving them refuge on the upper floor of her Amsterdam rowhouse, died
At mortal risk to herself, Tina Strobos hid more than 100 Jews in her Amsterdam house
RYE, N.Y. – Tina Strobos, a psychiatry student who joined the Dutch underground during World War II and helped save the lives of more than 100 Jews by giving them refuge on the upper floor of her Amsterdam rowhouse, died
Leader of the first ‘jail-in,’ Patricia Stephens Due, 72, campaigned for civil rights
SMYRNA, Ga. – Civil rights leader Dr. Patricia Stephens Due died Tuesday at age 72, nearly 52 years after she played a leading role in student sit-ins in Tallahassee, Florida, her family said. Due’s death followed “a determined and courageous
Leader of the first ‘jail-in,’ Patricia Stephens Due, 72, campaigned for civil rights
SMYRNA, Ga. – Civil rights leader Dr. Patricia Stephens Due died Tuesday at age 72, nearly 52 years after she played a leading role in student sit-ins in Tallahassee, Florida, her family said. Due’s death followed “a determined and courageous
Camilla Williams, 92, may have been first black woman to sing with major opera company
(From The Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind., on Jan. 31, 2012.) BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Legendary opera singer Camilla Williams was in failing health when her friends and colleagues Charles Webb and two-time Grammy winner Sylvia McNair stopped by her Bloomington apartment to
Camilla Williams, 92, may have been first black woman to sing with major opera company
(From The Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind., on Jan. 31, 2012.) BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Legendary opera singer Camilla Williams was in failing health when her friends and colleagues Charles Webb and two-time Grammy winner Sylvia McNair stopped by her Bloomington apartment to
Heiress to the Duke tobacco fortune and Durham benefactor, Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans dies at 91
DURHAM — Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans, a Duke descendent who was devoted to philanthropy, education, civil rights and the arts, died today at the age of 91. She died this morning at Duke Hospital, said her assistant, Kathy Harrison.
Heiress to the Duke tobacco fortune and Durham benefactor, Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans dies at 91
DURHAM — Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans, a Duke descendent who was devoted to philanthropy, education, civil rights and the arts, died today at the age of 91. She died this morning at Duke Hospital, said her assistant, Kathy Harrison.
Adviser to French political leaders, nuclear strategist Therese Delpech, 63, also defended rights of the oppressed
PARIS – Therese Delpech, an author and senior French government official whose intellectual passions ranged from nuclear strategy and proliferation to the human rights of populations oppressed by dictators, died Jan. 18 in Paris after an apparent heart attack. The
Adviser to French political leaders, nuclear strategist Therese Delpech, 63, also defended rights of the oppressed
PARIS – Therese Delpech, an author and senior French government official whose intellectual passions ranged from nuclear strategy and proliferation to the human rights of populations oppressed by dictators, died Jan. 18 in Paris after an apparent heart attack. The
Cuban political prisoner Wilman Mendoza death by hunger strike is repudiation of Raul Castro regime
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba – The death of political prisoner Wilman Villar Mendoza, who was on a hunger strike for more than 50 days, prompted a quick and extensive wave of national repudiation against Raúl Castro’s regime, as it gets
Cuban political prisoner Wilman Mendoza death by hunger strike is repudiation of Raul Castro regime
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba – The death of political prisoner Wilman Villar Mendoza, who was on a hunger strike for more than 50 days, prompted a quick and extensive wave of national repudiation against Raúl Castro’s regime, as it gets
Journalist Mary Raftery, 54, revealed child physical and sexual abuse in Irish industrial schools
DUBLIN, Ireland – The death has taken place in Dublin of renowned journalist and broadcaster Mary Raftery. She died at St Vincent’s hospital in Dublin in the early hours of this morning after an illness. She was 54. One of
Journalist Mary Raftery, 54, revealed child physical and sexual abuse in Irish industrial schools
DUBLIN, Ireland – The death has taken place in Dublin of renowned journalist and broadcaster Mary Raftery. She died at St Vincent’s hospital in Dublin in the early hours of this morning after an illness. She was 54. One of
South African welfare volunteer Joy Roberts used theater to mix blacks, whites
Joy Roberts (85), a former chair of the Edendale Welfare Society, died on Christmas Day. Roberts personified the spirit of volunteerism, having worked full-time and without pay for the society more than 40 years. She was also a former chair
South African welfare volunteer Joy Roberts used theater to mix blacks, whites
Joy Roberts (85), a former chair of the Edendale Welfare Society, died on Christmas Day. Roberts personified the spirit of volunteerism, having worked full-time and without pay for the society more than 40 years. She was also a former chair
Judge Robert L. Carter, 94, challenged segregation from an early age
NEW YORK CITY – Robert L. Carter, a former federal judge in New York who, as a lawyer, was a leading strategist and a persuasive voice in the legal assault on racial segregation in 20th-century America, died on Tuesday morning
Judge Robert L. Carter, 94, challenged segregation from an early age
NEW YORK CITY – Robert L. Carter, a former federal judge in New York who, as a lawyer, was a leading strategist and a persuasive voice in the legal assault on racial segregation in 20th-century America, died on Tuesday morning
Gordon Hirabayashi, 93, defied World War II Japanese-American internment orders
EDMONTON, Alberta – Gordon Hirabayashi, who was imprisoned for defying the federal government’s internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II but was vindicated four decades later when his conviction was overturned, died on Monday in Edmonton, Alberta. He was 93.
Gordon Hirabayashi, 93, defied World War II Japanese-American internment orders
EDMONTON, Alberta – Gordon Hirabayashi, who was imprisoned for defying the federal government’s internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II but was vindicated four decades later when his conviction was overturned, died on Monday in Edmonton, Alberta. He was 93.
World warily eyes North Korea with death of unpredictable ruler Kim Jong-il, 69
PYONGYANG – Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader who ruthlessly controlled his Stalinist nation and kept South Koreans on constant edge with his “military-first” politics, died of a heart attack Saturday. He was 69. State TV announced in a “special
World warily eyes North Korea with death of unpredictable ruler Kim Jong-il, 69
PYONGYANG – Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader who ruthlessly controlled his Stalinist nation and kept South Koreans on constant edge with his “military-first” politics, died of a heart attack Saturday. He was 69. State TV announced in a “special
Playwright, essayist, president Vaclav Havel, 75, was unlikely hero of Czechoslovakia’s 1989 ‘Velvet Revolution’
PRAGUE — Vaclav Havel wove theater into revolution, leading the charge to peacefully bring down communism in a regime he ridiculed as “Absurdistan” and proving the power of the people to overcome totalitarian rule. Shy and bookish, with a wispy
Playwright, essayist, president Vaclav Havel, 75, was unlikely hero of Czechoslovakia’s 1989 ‘Velvet Revolution’
PRAGUE — Vaclav Havel wove theater into revolution, leading the charge to peacefully bring down communism in a regime he ridiculed as “Absurdistan” and proving the power of the people to overcome totalitarian rule. Shy and bookish, with a wispy
Nazi resister Hans Marsalek documented life in Mauthausen concentration camp
VIENNA — The Mauthausen Memorial Committee says Hans Marsalek, a Nazi resister who helped document the history of the former Nazi concentration camp, has died. The committee says Marsalek died on Friday at age 97. Marsalek was arrested and sent
Nazi resister Hans Marsalek documented life in Mauthausen concentration camp
VIENNA — The Mauthausen Memorial Committee says Hans Marsalek, a Nazi resister who helped document the history of the former Nazi concentration camp, has died. The committee says Marsalek died on Friday at age 97. Marsalek was arrested and sent
‘Straight-no-chaser’ senator Robert Brown dead at 61
Robert Brown called his style of talking “straight-no-chaser.” It meant he was going to tell you exactly how he felt — unvarnished – and that he would not waver from his convictions. People admired that about the former Democratic state
‘Straight-no-chaser’ senator Robert Brown dead at 61
Robert Brown called his style of talking “straight-no-chaser.” It meant he was going to tell you exactly how he felt — unvarnished – and that he would not waver from his convictions. People admired that about the former Democratic state
Lawrence M. Cranberg, 94, conducted groundbreaking research on high energy neutrons
Lawrence M. Cranberg PhD, 94, passed away on November 21, 2011 surrounded by his loving family. Cancer was the cause of death. Lawrence, a true patriot, was born on the 4th of July in 1917 in Bronx, New York, the
Lawrence M. Cranberg, 94, conducted groundbreaking research on high energy neutrons
Lawrence M. Cranberg PhD, 94, passed away on November 21, 2011 surrounded by his loving family. Cancer was the cause of death. Lawrence, a true patriot, was born on the 4th of July in 1917 in Bronx, New York, the
Savior of 2,500 Jewish children, Warsaw Ghetto heroine Irena Sendler is honored here
(Editor’s note: I try to post only new obituaries on this site, but in reading The Warsaw Voices’s Web site today, I came upon an obit of a heroic woman, Irena Sendler, who died in 2008 at 98. At great
Savior of 2,500 Jewish children, Warsaw Ghetto heroine Irena Sendler is honored here
(Editor’s note: I try to post only new obituaries on this site, but in reading The Warsaw Voices’s Web site today, I came upon an obit of a heroic woman, Irena Sendler, who died in 2008 at 98. At great
Died and Yet ... 