human rights | Christina Felschen

human rights | Christina Felschen

First times – Iranians in a German village

part of the photo exhibition “…und plötzlich diese Stille” (…suddenly there is silence), on display in the townhall of Wadersloh, Germany, as of April 20, 2016 >>

Farkhondeh*, Kurosh and their two daughters were betrayed. While they were on vacation, the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution broke into her house in Tehran and found figures of angels and crosses. Evidence. As Christians, they would have been immediately arrested upon entry. A smuggling truck was their salvation – but first, it was nearly their end.

“Too safe to die, too poor to live”

part of the photo exhibition “…und plötzlich diese Stille” (…suddenly there is silence), on display in the townhall of Wadersloh, Germany, as of April 20, 2016 >>

Marjeta and her friends aren’t refugees and yet they applied for asylum because they can not apply for a visa. They come from a so-called safe country of origin”, Albania, and might be deported anytime. To rid her family of hospital debts, they need to earn money in Germany. A local company wants to employ them, but their work permit is still pending.

Borderland – undocumented migrants in the United States

published in the newsletter of the American Coucil on Germany, read full text here >>

Eleven million people live as undocumented migrants in the United States, constantly afraid of deportation. By working off the books and off-hours, they allow the middle class to maintain their American way of life.

Viviana’s silence

published on Peace Boat’s website on February 14, 2013 Peace Boat el 21 febrero 2013 >> and in Spanish >>

At 14, Viviana Fernandez was imprisoned and tortured by the military dictatorship of Pinochet in Chile. For three decades she did not touch the topic, not wanting to aggravate her family’s discrimination and isolation. Many of the 1000 children, that were imprisoned under Pinochet, are traumatized until now. Today Viviana helps other former child prisoners to improve their self-esteem and to be recognized for their political resistance.

“Frightened for generations”

published on Peace Boat website, 2/2/2013 >>

Three decades after the end of the military dictatorship in Argentina, its cruel legacy is still alive. The militaries have abducted, tortured and killed at least 30,000 people who were suspected of opposing their regime – and adopted their young children. Thus, more than 400 young people of my generation are still living with the murderers of their real parents (or their complices). We met one woman who recently regained her identity.

No Man’s Land

“No Man’s Land” is an attempt to show the effects of landgrabbing on villagers in Indonesia. After a large part of Sumatra’s rainforest has been destroyed, investors have started to expand into Papua since 2010.

Hamburg meets Johannesburg – an evening with Joe Thloloe

blog post written during the International Insitut for Journalism’s Summer Academy 2007