Stories about Advox from May, 2015
Chinese Authorities Leap to Discredit Detained Citizens’ Rights Activist
"Now wicked people have taken control and good people are in jail."
Tagline of Zelalem Kiberet’s Blog: ‘Let Freedom Ring’
Because of his wit, humorous writings and uncompromising digs on religion, his friends nicknamed Zelalem after the imminent French writer, Zola.
Did Russia Just Effectively Outlaw Internet Anonymizers?
A Russian court has ruled to block a webpage for being "an anonymizer," raising concerns that tools like Tor and other anonymizing proxy services might soon be banned wholesale.
New Messaging App by Iran's Basij Militia Gives State Access to All Conversations
The app will use servers owned and controlled by the Basij, thus allowing easy access to and monitoring of all user conversations by the paramilitary group and intelligence agents.
Robot Commenters Accidentally Expose Themselves on China's Weibo Platform
Patrick Wong contributed to this post. Chinese netizens are having a good laugh over the mechanized missteps of government-controlled robot commenters, who have been criticizing messages sent by their own...
Leaked Emails Reveal Details of China's Online ‘Youth Civilization Volunteers’
'Speak out in a timely way and positively guide mistaken opinions and thoughts in order to grow mainstream thought and sentiment on the Internet.'
Dear Ukrainian Officials: Russian Security Services Thank You for Your Cooperation!
A group of journalists pulled a prank on Ukrainian officials who use Russian email services, alerting them to the dangers of careless information security policies.
Human Rights Lawyer's Indictment Marks the Beginning of a ‘Weibo Inquisition’ in China
Pu Zhiqiang was indicted on charges of "inciting ethnic hatred" and "picking quarrels and provoking a disturbance." The case against him is based on about 30 online postings he wrote.
Message to an Ethiopian Blogger: Mahlet Fantahun, You Are Not Alone
"Writing one single blog post is not going to bring Mahlet... out of Kaliti Prison. This is much rather about keeping the process going. Of not staying silent."
STATEMENT: Global Voices Calls for Safety of Bangladesh Bloggers
We condemn the recent murders of bloggers and call on authorities to ensure that those responsible for these killings are brought to justice.
Verdict Delayed in Detained Iranian Artist Atena Farghadani's Trial
Atena Farghadani was arrested over a cartoon she drew that depicts Iran's members of parliament as animals voting on law that will restrict access to contraception and criminalise voluntary sterilisation.
Russia Launches ‘Predictive System’ for Monitoring Protest Activity Online
The new Russian software will allegedly be able to spot preparations for protests online long before they happen, and could supply that information to law enforcement, academics and state officials.
The Media Is the Message: E-Diplomacy in Egypt
Egyptian authorities today must figure out how to communicate effectively in the wake of four years of constant regime change.
Atena Farghadani Goes on Trial Tomorrow in Iran for Her Cartoon About Access to Contraception
The cartoon that sparked her arrest depicts members of parliament as animals. She is charged with spreading propaganda against the system, insulting members of parliament and insulting the supreme leader.
Ethiopian Blogger Atnaf Berahane: Young, Courageous, and in Jail
This 26-year-old Ethiopian blogger's passion for free speech left him in chains.
Under a Shaky Ceasefire, Yemenis Struggle to Stay Connected to the World
Frequent electricity cuts, bombings and a dire humanitarian situation could exacerbate and completely isolate Yemen should internet and telecommunications services be cut.
Amid “Intelligent” Censorship Discussions, Iran Affirms Facebook Will Remain Blocked
Discussions regarding the implementation of “intelligent” filtering have proliferated Internet policy discussions within Iran. “Intelligent” filtering is a process whereby they filter select content on a social media platform, rather...
PayPal Blocks Donations for Printing Boris Nemtsov’s Ukraine War Report
PayPal has informed the "Putin.War" report team the service cannot be used for "collecting funds to finance the activities of political parties or for political aims in Russia.”
Facebook's Zuckerberg Responds to Ukrainians’ Complaints, But Is His Answer Enough?
Mark Zuckerberg has addressed the appeals of Ukrainian Facebook users for better content moderation and calls to create a dedicated Ukrainian office. His answers seem unlikely to satisfy them.
Bahrain Court Upholds Six Month Sentence Against Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab Over Tweet
A Bahrain court today upheld a six-month sentence for human rights defender Nabeel Rajab over a tweet. Rajab is already in custody under investigation for other tweets.
Suspended Algerian Satirical TV Show Vows to Make a Comeback Online
''Eldjazairia weekend'' an Algerian satirical TV show, co-hosted by GV contributor Abdou Semmar, was suspended from air on April 24, due to political pressure.