Stories about Advox from September, 2023
Iran’s women, digital rights and human freedoms
While the Iranian government’s tactics reflect a global issue, the world must remember and celebrate the unique courage of Iran’s women, who stand tall in the face of adversity.
Media control, a threat to Nigeria's democracy
Nigeria was ranked 123rd out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index for 2023.
Australian parliamentarians visit Washington to lobby for Julian Assange's release
Despite the visit, support for Assange's release remains low in the US. If extradited, he could face a sentence of up to 175 years in prison.
Iraqi Assyrians struggle for freedom of expression amid political and extremist threats
Ongoing oppression, ethnic and sectarian conflicts, and political unrest have greatly reduced the Middle East's Assyrian community, endangering their 3000-year-old Assyrian language in its native Middle Eastern home.
Breaking down India's new data protection law: Good, bad, or ugly?
While the previous versions of the law have been criticised for not doing enough, the DPDP Act gives the government the power to grant blanket exemptions to any government, or government body.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture threatens legal action against CamboJA news
"In this system, journalists are expected to conform to the contours of power rather than challenging them."
In China, questions remain ahead of Huawei’s launch of the Mate 60 phone series
As China's Huawei launches its new phone brand, Mate 60, questions over the origins of their processing chips and the timing of the launch remain.
The government of Bangladesh quietly passed the new Cyber Security Act 2023
The Bangladesh parliament passed the new Cyber Security Act 2023 after scrapping its predecessor, the controversial Digital Security Act, 2018. The new law poses similar threats to the freedom of expression.
Why do ‘Bart Simpson’ and ‘Monkey D. Luffy’ have registered SIM cards in the Philippines?
"The SIM registration law cannot be “fixed” without having serious implications on our right to privacy and communication."
In Russia, it's the state against the internet
What a sovereign Runet is, no one still really understands. In the view of the Russian authorities, it apparently means destroying all the bad guys and rewarding all ‘our guys’.
Arrested humor: Comedian Nour Hajjar detained in censorship case
Comedy in Lebanon has always served as a means to find relief in challenging circumstances, but now, the tightening grip of censorship on creative freedom and satire could challenge this.
The story of Qatari women’s rights defender Noof Al-Maadeed
Human rights defender Noof Al-Madeed disappeared after releasing a series of videos in March providing evidence of violations of her civil and human rights by the Qatari State security apparatus.
Malaysian government told to stop playing ‘Big Brother’ to media
"What is more worrying is the fact that much of the so-called 'offending' content is mere reports and opinion pieces deemed critical of the government."
How Kurdish language divisions hinder access to information
The ongoing disputes among Kurdish languages and their lack of standardization create obstacles to accessing online information, impedes the flow of information, and curtails active participation in the digital realm.
The Taliban's devastating effect on journalists and press freedom in Afghanistan grows worse
Over half of 600 media outlets have ceased operations. A significant number of journalists and media personnel, particularly women, have either lost their jobs or been coerced into leaving the country.
Australian journalists imprisoned in China anxiously await diplomatic breakthrough
Australian novelist Yang Hengjun has been awaiting the verdict on his case in China for more than two years after being accused of spying. Now he fears he may die in detention
In Russia, authorities filter information and algorithms help them
Social networks want their users to spend more time on their platforms, to leave a more extensive digital footprint that can be used for various purposes.