Stories about Digital Activism from June, 2007
Egypt: Blogger is Released, Court Case to Block 50 Blogs, Press Attacked By Bloggers and More
In this week’s round-up from Egypt, Big Pharaoh is back, bloggers are unhappy with the Press, a blogger who was arrested last week is now free, public opinion is not taken on top movies, and finally a court case in motion to block and shut down 50 blogs and websites....
Iraqi Blogger Arrives in Canada
Iraqi blogger Alaa has immigrated to Canada. “It is true that I have sadness in my heart for our poor old Iraq, but deep down I am convinced that we shall win in the end… And I don't like to hear anything against President Bush, either, because I still hold...
Bahrain: Mahmood's Den Gets a Face Lift
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif gives his popular blog a face lift.
Iran:Appeal for Iranian Students
In CityBoy we read “this is an appeal by bloggers against the detention of 9 Iranian students from the Amir Kabir Polytechnic University in Tehran who are been kept and repeatedly tortured at the notorious Evin prison.”The blogger has published the photos of these 9 jailed students too.
Israel: Kos Ban Benefits
Israeli Desert Peace says being banned from the Daily Kos has opened new doors for him and others to air their views.
China: Chen Guangcheng beaten, on hunger strike
It's Dragon Boat time, nearly a year to the day since blind reproductive rights advocate Chen Guangcheng was taken in by police, and civil rights blogger Hu Jia makes his blogging return with news that Chen has been beaten while in prison.
Slovenia: More Bike-Lane Parking Pics
An update on the “Self-Absorbed Bike Lane-Parking Morons” Project – at Piran Cafe.
Iraq: New Blogs
Konfused Iraqi Kid updates us with a list of new Iraqi blogs in town here.
Bahrain: Blog Birthday
Bint Battuta, from Bahrain, marks her blog's first anniversary – with a lot of philosophical questions.
Bangladesh: natural disaster and responsibilities of the bloggers
Last Monday rain-triggered mudslides buried dozens of hillside shanty homes in Chittagong killing at least 134 people. This is just another piece of tragic news that we read everyday. As a blogger how do you respond to it? Arild Klokkerhaug is an entrepreneur, blogger and the man behind the largest...
Kenya: Mzalendo on Africa Journal
Watch Mzalendo, eye on Kenyan parliament, on Reuters Africa Journal on Saturday.
Africa: Blogging TED Global
Africa's business blogosphere is known for being many things: Diverse Analytical Funny Engaging And the list could go on and on. But one thing that it is not generally known for is uniformity. During the historic week of June 4 – 8, 2007, however, this was all to change –...
WITNESS/Global Voices Human Rights Video Hub wins One World Media award
Yesterday evening (June 14), the WITNESS/Global Voices Human Rights Video Hub pilot took the award for best New Media project at the One World Media Awards in London. As former Video Hub editor Sameer Padania writes in an e-mail this morning: "I know people say this all the time, but the award really does belong to the brave, committed, talented people on the ground - bloggers, human rights advocates, journalists, lawyers, filmmakers, citizens - who fought to bring these stories to light, and without whom we genuinely would have had nothing to say or show." (Visit this page to see the full list of winners).
Egypt: Another Blogger Arrested
The Egyptian blogosphere scene is still witnessing more clampdowns on bloggers by State Security for different reasons. This week’s most recent incident is the arrest of Egyptian blogger Omar El Sharkawy. El-Sharkawy was arrested on June 11 while covering Egypt’s Shura Council elections or Upper House of parliament in his...
Egypt: Blogger Arrested
“Egyptian blogger Omar el Sharqawi was detained last tuesday by Mubarak's police, he managed to make a phone call and inform his friends that he was being held in Talkha police station in Mansoura. yet when human rights lawyers inquired about him the Talkha sherif denied Omar was ever arrested....
“Beat the Censors!”, a gift of freedom for Thai Internet users
To date, Thailand’s ICT Minister, Dr Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom, has not kept his promise to unblock the popular video-sharing site, YouTube, which was blocked by the Thai government in April 2007 following the appearance on the site of material critical of the country's king. Sami Ben Gharbia explores Thailand's worsening censorship climate, and interviews one of the activists behind FACT, an organisation that is refusing to take the government's threats lying down.
Oman: Gonu Relief Blog
Gonu Relief Blog is another blog put by Omani bloggers to follow up on relief efforts, following the tropical cyclone Gonu, which hit Omani shores recently.
Touring Libyan Blogs: Is the Arabic Language Dead?
Libyan bloggers mourn the death of the Arabic language as more Libyans resort to blogging in English. What makes them blog in a language other than their mother tongue? What do they think of the phenomena? And what is the relationship between language, religion, globalisation and terrorism? Fozia Mohamed summarises the raging debate going on in her blogosphere here.
GV's Advocacy Director at AI-Observer-Irrepressible.info's June 6 meeting
On June 6, 2007, Global Voices' Advocacy Director Sami Ben Gharbia appeared at an event in London marking the one-year anniversary of the Amnesty International-Observer-Irrepressible.info campaign. Read on to view a video of Sami's address and for further links to print and multimedia reports on the event.
Egypt: Blog Turns Three
Egyptian blogger Freedom for Egyptians is celebrating her blog's third anniversary. “My baby is turning three years this month. I cannot believe how time has passed so quickly. On June 25, 2005, my baby was born in a good shape. I am an only daughter so is my baby. Elder...
Bahrain: Spammers Not Welcome
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif, who manages Bahrain Blog Central, has had it with spammers. “I’m sorry to let you know that I have disabled the automatic and instantaneous sign-up and blog creation due to the number of “spam blogs” being created. For the time being, please fill in the...
