Stories about Censorship from August, 2021
#KeepItOn: How the Twitter ban is affecting young Nigerians
Twitter is a connected public square for many young Nigerians. The ban is taking a toll on their businesses, advocacy, and social life.
Employees of Hungarian-owned TV in North Macedonia conduct partial strike over unpaid salaries
Since 2018, money funneled through Hungarian companies have bolstered media peddling populist propaganda in Slovenia and North Macedonia.
Little chance of justice for Colombia's murdered journalists
Only one out of 161 murders of journalists resulted in a conviction of all perpetrators.
Facebook user gets 18-month prison sentence for mocking Cambodia’s prime minister
"This verdict is a message that makes those who have constructive ideas or criticisms in relation to social issues be fearful and hesitant and will limit their freedom of expression."
Russian court issues bigger fines to social media companies for breaching data localization rules
The data localization law, adopted in 2015, requires all internet companies processing Russian users' data to store such data on servers physically located inside Russia.
The evil of banal censorship
Images of peaceful protesters do not fit the narrative that continues to portray the protesters as violent, irrational and emotional.
Blogger gets prison sentence for branding Kazakhstan's language policies “russophobic”
According to Taichimbekov, the Kazakh state has been "sourcing Russian individuals who speak out in favor of banning Russian television, banning Russian language, excluding it from the Constitution."
Belly dancing class in Kuwaiti ladies gym stirs uproar, prompting government intervention
The gym, located in the northern city of Al-Jahra, infuriated its conservative and tribal residents who saw belly dancing classes as violating their traditions and values.
More independent media added to Russia's “foreign agent” roster
"As for the list of foreign agents, by now it has so many decent people and publications on it that not to be on this list is simply indecent."
Russian authorities declare independent election monitor Golos a “foreign agent”
Golos has vowed to continue training Russian citizens as observers and commissioners at polling stations, and said it believes independent citizen observation is key to ensuring a transparent election.
New homophobic attacks in Kazakhstan rally support behind activists
Over the course of three months, LGBTQ+ activists were targeted three times by conservative mobs in various cities across Kazakhstan. An artist was bullied online for drawing same-sex kisses.
Belarus court labels independent media outlets Tut.by, Zerkalo.io as ‘extremist’
The ruling applies to every single piece of content on the Tut.by and Zerkalo.io websites, as well as to all content posted on their social media channels.
In Turkey, a social media battle amid ongoing blazes
To counter the trending #HelpTurkey the government responded with its own hashtags #StrongTurkiye and #WeDontNeedHelp.
After writing about police killings, editor of The Intercept Brazil is made target of investigation
The journalist sent out a newsletter with a text that focused was on the police's actions, which resulted in at least 41 homicides in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.
Graffiti in Almaty between scandals, competition, and trolling
Graffiti in Almaty have become a contested space between state authorities, commercial companies, and independent artists. As the competition continues, Kazakhstan's largest city is enjoying a renaissance in street art.
Belarusian sprinter sent home from Olympics by Belarusian officials says she will ask for asylum
24-year-old Krystsina Tsimanouskaya said she was not worried about being kicked off the national team, but was afraid she would be imprisoned once she arrived in Belarus.