Stories about Advox from May, 2015
Human Rights Abuses in Azerbaijan: We Can’t Stay On The Sidelines Anymore
Arzu Geybullayeva calls on Western leaders to speak out on political prisoners in Azerbaijan as the country prepares to host the European Games.
Open Letter to President Obama From a Bahraini Human Rights Defender
AlMahafdah, a former political detainee in Bahrain, asks President Obama to "be the voice of the people of Bahrain" when he meets the crown prince of the kingdom on Wednesday.
Hong Kong Citizens Want Legal Protections for Their Metadata
Should government agencies really be able to look at Hong Kongers' telephone metadata without any oversight from the courts?
Ananta Bijoy Das Becomes Third Free-Thinking Blogger Killed This Year in Bangladesh
Das promoted critical thinking about religion, which sparked the ire of Islamic hardliners in Bangladesh. He was hacked to death by a group of masked people with machetes.
Selective Truths Revealed: The Case of Iranian Search Engines
Iranian authorities maintain that local search engines can compete with Google and other Western alternatives. A new study by Iran research group Small Media puts these claims to the test.
‘Their Freedom Is Their Right': A Campaign for Prisoners of Conscience in the Arab World
Three human rights organizations launch a social media campaign to raise awareness about prisoners of conscience throughout the Arab World.
Philippines Deports Thai Worker for Insulting Filipinos on Facebook
Some Filipinos in Thailand criticized the deportation: "Offensive, hateful and downright irresponsible as [the remarks] are, they were not criminal."
New Research: Iran Is Using ‘Intelligent’ Censorship on Instagram
Political pages are accessible, but Justin Bieber and the Kardashians are blocked. Saddled with a censorship regime that is both exhaustive and ineffective, Iranian authorities are experimenting with “intelligent” filtering.
Singapore Shuts Down News Website on World Press Freedom Day
"The (government's) draconian measures...legitimize excessive intervention by the state and set a precedent for the diminution of our online space."
Hong Kong Civic Groups Demand Legal Protections Against Mobile App Surveillance
Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates fear that police have been monitoring instant messages and chat apps with no government oversight.
On World Press Freedom Day, Iraqis Mourn Journalist Ammar Al Shahbander, Killed in Car Bomb Explosion
On World Press Freedom Day, Iraqis are mourning the death of journalist Ammar Al Shahbander, killed in a car bomb explosion in Baghdad, carried out by the ISIS.