Stories about Advox from June, 2015
Jailed in Singapore for Criticizing a Former Prime Minister, But Still Blogging
"Everyday my cellmates would eagerly wait for that light to dissipate, knowing that another day has passed, and they’re one day closer to attaining their freedom."
Abel Wabela: “To Fight Bystander Apathy…This is My Mission as a Human”
"Warnings, intimidations, arrest and torture have not stopped me from exercising my free speech rights," says Abel Wabela, one of Ethiopia's Zone9 bloggers who have been jailed since April 2014.
Russia Bans the Internet Archive's ‘Wayback Machine’
The Russian government has blocked the Internet Archive, the San-Francisco-based website that provides the popular Wayback Machine, which allows users to view archived webpages.
Arrested for Criticizing a Former Prime Minister, Singaporean Teen Blogger Amos Yee is Now Being Evaluated for Autism
The 16-y/o blogger who criticized Lee Kuan Yew was suggested to be suffering from autism spectrum disorder, and the judge ruled him to be remanded for another two weeks to assess his suitability for Mandatory Treatment Order.
Social Media Analysis: How an Iranian Kurdish Woman's Death Triggered a Regional Social Media Conflict
Social media controversy following the accidental death of a hotel chambermaid underscored systemic discrimination ethnic minorities face in Iran and the emerging role of Internet censorship in this milieu.
An Official White House Visit to Ethiopia? Africans Tell Obama ‘Don't Do It!’
Despite recent elections that swept the one opposition member from parliament, US President Barack Obama is planning a visit to Ethiopia.
Police Shootings, Helicopter Crashes and Bystanders With Cameras: Weighing the Rights of ‘Accidental Journalists’
The rise in eye-witness documentation of police violence in the United States raises many interesting questions about the rights of witnesses and the public interest value of their work.
How a Facebook User in Thailand Was Sentenced to 50 Years in Jail for ‘Defaming’ the Monarchy
"How can they arrest Father? Father didn’t kill anybody; the judgment is excessive."
Long After the African Union’s Golden Jubilee: A Letter to Jailed Blogger Natnael Feleke
"I think of your particular fate and wonder how any of us who are free continue to go about our lives as if there’s nothing to lose."
Singaporean Teenage Video Blogger Sent to ‘Rehabilitation’ For Offensive YouTube Video
According to Amnesty International, the 16-year old Amos Yee is the youngest prisoner of conscience in the world today.
Kenyan Blogger Bogonko Bosire is Still Missing, Nearly Two Years After His Disappearance
Controversial Kenyan blogger Bogonko Bosire went missing two years ago. Kenyans have revived his search with the hashtag #WhereIsBogonkoBosire.
Self-Proclaimed ‘Donetsk People's Republic’ Now Has an Internet Blacklist
A new law in the rebel eastern Ukraine state instituting a blacklist for webpages with content "prohibited in the republic" seems to be targeting Ukrainian media websites.
Russian Lawmakers Vote to Support First Draft of ‘Right to Be Forgotten’ Law
Only one Russian lawmaker voted against the new draft law, with other members of parliament overwhelmingly supporting the "right to be forgotten" regulations for search engines.
Arbitrary Arrests, Cybercrime, and Mass Mobile Adoption: Monitoring Digital Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa
Global Voices speaks to Tom Rhodes, the East Africa representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, about the state of freedom of expression online in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Former TV Producer Mostafa Azizi Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison in Iran
Azizi, who had left for Canada, was arrested when he returned to be near his ailing father. He was convicted of “assembly and collusion against national security,” among other charges.
Local Chinese Authorities Use Internet Slang ‘Ziganwu’ in Their Propaganda Recruitment
'Ziganwu' are Internet commenters not officially affiliated with authorities but who nevertheless ardently defend the government. China's Sichuan education office has adopted the term as part of recruitment efforts.
Pakistani Digital Rights Advocate Nominated as TIME's Next Generation Leader
'If youth is speaking for a cause, they have the ability to bring change. They only have to be consistent.'
Ugandan Authorities Jail Facebook User for “Offensive” Comments About President Musveni
Robert Shaka, a Ugandan IT specialist, is in jail for allegedly running the controversial TVO-Uganda Facebook page which is critical of Ugandan government.
Mexico’s Independent Media Crackdown Threatens Indigenous Radio in Oaxaca
Community radio stations devoted to indigenous groups in Mexico once more confront governmental limitations on their work, facing off against elites with a distinct set of political ambitions.
Hong Kong Social Media Activists Under Fire as Key Electoral Policy Vote Approaches
Local legal experts suspect that authorities are exploiting Hong Kong's cybercrime laws in an effort to suppress political speech online.
Russia Moves Forward on ‘Right to be Forgotten’ Bill Despite Industry Protests
Lawmakers insist on adopting the new legislation that would require search engines in Russia to delete links to information and content online based on user requests.
