Stories about Censorship from April, 2020
A feeling of hopelessness: Interview with a Uyghur refugee in Turkey
The Chinese government policy of racial and religious profiling has forced young Uyghurs to leave China and remain in exile.
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: Chinese netizens’ tribute to whistleblower Dr. Ai Fen
There are still people who are brave enough to speak up, and we value these people and try our best to spread their messages.
Coronavirus and surveillance technology in India: Public health vs. privacy
Global Voices interviewed rights lawyer Mishi Choudhary and tech and policy researcher Srinivas Kodali to discuss the newest proposal in India to use unique ID data for #FacialRecognition with drones.
Setbacks for freedom of expression as Tunisia fights COVID-19
Two bloggers have been arrested for accusing local authorities of corruption in relation to aid distribution, while a journalist who criticized the health minister faced insults online.
COVID-19 in the Middle East: Is this pandemic a health crisis or a war?
War-like rhetoric around COVID-19 has allowed governments in the Middle East and North Africa to execute emergency powers and impose draconian measures that would otherwise be unacceptable.
Prosecutions mount as Russia intensifies fight against COVID-19 ‘fake news’
Russia has made sharing "fake news" a criminal offence. Rights activists fear that charges will be brought against anybody questioning the state's account of the coronavirus pandemic.
Liberia's President George Weah sings his fight against COVID-19
Despite a message and movement solidarity in the fight against COVID-19 in Liberia, President George Weah still faces critique over a tanking economy and restricted media.
Even with a law, São Paulo's municipalities are not fulfilling citizens’ right of access to information
Using Brazil's Law on Access to Information, Agência Mural asked 39 municipalities about their current objectives: Many ignored the requests, and the majority which replied did not send clear data.
Malaysia orders ‘stern action’ against media misreporting government statements on COVID-19
"Resorting to censorship, especially in its extreme form, in a time of crisis reflects the insecurity of the government of the day."
Serbian government revokes controversial COVID-19-related decree used as pretext to arrests journalists
Public outcry after arrest of journalist embarrassed the Serbian government, which revoked its decree aimed at centralizing flow of information about COVID-19 epidemic.
Blocked websites, internet shutdown, and media arrests undermine free speech in Myanmar
Activist and human rights groups are worried that free speech is being undermined in the name of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hong Kong censures public broadcaster for raising question on Taiwan's WHO membership status
"I don't really understand why when a reporter is asking something relating to health, she [...] has to remember there is ‘One Country, Two Systems'…"
The most critical lesson we've learned from the COVID-19 outbreak is the importance of free speech
As COVID-19 continues to spread, there is pressure in Hong Kong to silence discussion of the disease and punish doctors who are raising the alarm about its origins.