Stories about Digital Activism from July, 2009
Israel: A Belief In Coexistence – Interview With Activist Ibn Ezra
While Israel as a whole has moved to the right in recent years, there are nevertheless Israelis who oppose their government’s policies towards the Palestinians. Global Voices Online has interviewed activist Joseph Dana, who blogs at Ibn Ezra, about his involvement with the group Ta'ayush ("coexistence"), the state of activism in Israel, and using social media to get the message out.
Barbados: Where's the Culture?
Barbados Underground suggests that when it comes to Crop Over, “culture issues have taken a backseat in recent years at the expense of running the festival as a business”.
Azerbaijan: Adnan Hajizade, Emin Milli appeal rejected
Despite significant outcry from leading human rights groups, press freedom watchdogs, and the international community itself, two youth activists and bloggers have been sentenced to two months pre-trial detention. Their appeal, originally planned for last week, was eventually heard on Monday, but few expected them to be released.
Global: The push to boycott Shark Week
A group of scientists, scuba divers and self-described shark lovers are using the blogosphere to publicize their criticism of the Discovery Channel’s “horror-show” portrayal of sharks during its annual Shark Week. This loose coalition argues the Discovery Channel programming sensationalizes shark attacks and embellishes the dangers sharks pose to humans.
Russia: Social Networking
Profy writes about social networking in Russia.
Poland: #KDT Battle in Warsaw
Polish blogosphere had an interesting day today due to the conflict between shopkeepers of Kupiecki Dom Towarowy - a shopping complex in the center of Warsaw - and the police. Sylwia Presley reports on the bloggers' coverage of the confrontation.
Trinidad & Tobago: Media Responsibility
Attillah Springer considers the role of the local media in light of a comment by the Prime Minister: “It’s a time-honoured tradition in Trinidad now for Prime Ministers to have suspicion and contempt for the media. Papa Patos is right this time though. The media aren’t playing their role properly....
Barbados: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
“Our culture and attitudes must change from that of ‘guvment take care of it’ to ‘This street is mine and I must take care of my property’.”: Barbados Free Press says that there's no excuse for not recycling.
Indonesia: Online Nationalism
Last Friday's dual blasts marked the end of six years of a peaceful Indonesia. As the nation condemns the terror attacks, young Indonesians are showing the spirit of nationalism online. Thanks to microblogging sites, many Indonesians are able to get out of their fear shells to express their patriotic sentiments.
Russia: Scoring partly free in Freedom of the Net report
Karina Alexanyan of Internet & Democracy Blog accounts for Russia labeled partly free in a recent Freedom House report on Freedom on the Net.
Bermuda: Celebrity Tours
As Bermuda introduces “celebrity tours”, 21 Square says: “For those who believe that…tourism can be rejuvenated via exclusivity and prestige, this is horrifying…the absolute opposite direction for Bermuda tourism that we should be taking.”
Cuba: Biscet's Birthday
Uncommon Sense marks the 48th birthday of Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, a political prisoner “who by his example provides the moral leadership needed for that struggle [for freedom] to eventually prevail.”
Puerto Rico, Bahamas: Education Issues
Puerto Rico's Gil the Jenius and Weblog Bahamas‘ Rick Lowe take issue with the education systems in their respective countries.
Trinidad & Tobago: Stifling Democracy
In response to a move by the Trinidad and Tobago government to have the Director of Public Prosecutions consider laying charges against a group of citizens who protested outside the Prime Minister's residence, This Beach Called Life says: “When people say you and your Government don’t care, Mr. Prime Minister,...
Bangladesh: What Bloggers Can Do On Tipaimukh Issue
JRahman at Mukti urges Bangladeshi bloggers to act “by any means necessary and possible” to highlight the issue of the disastrous effects of the proposed Tipaimukh Dam in India.
China: Tweeting a detention experience
Yesterday, Guangzhou blogger Beifeng went hiking with a number of friends in Baiyun mountain. Some of them were wearing a t-shirt that carry a slogan from Xinhua Daily in1946 that says: one-party rule will bring disaster everywhere （一黨獨裁，遍地是災）. It is a communist party slogan against the former ruling party Kuomingtang....
China: Challenges to the Judiciary in the Age of the Internet
C. Custer from Chinageeks translated a blog entry from He Weifang, a former law professor at Beijing University on challenges to the judiciary in the age of the Internet.
Azerbaijan: Activists’ support site goes down
Yesterday, as Önər Blog [AZ] reported, the Appellate Court in Baku was to consider again the case of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade, the recently beaten and detained youth activists and bloggers sentenced last week. Yesterday, however, one of the main websites created in their defense went down.
Azerbaijan: Overzealous minions?
Following the recent detention of online activists and bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli in Azerbaijan, Business Week and former New York Times journalist Steve LeVine comments on the case on The Oil and the Glory, wondering if the arrest wasn't simply a case of an overzealous police official trying...
Kazakhstan: New Internet Law Passed
Katya Fisher Yoffe reports that Kazakhstan president signed a new law placing blogs, social media networks, and chatrooms under the rubric of “mass media”, effectively creating criminal liability for users of these internet communication platforms and permitting the government to shut down and censor websites as it sees fit.
Russia: Birth of Pirate Party
LJ user savinkoff posts [RUS] the manifest of the recently founded Russian Pirate Party, following the pattern of protagonists for Internet freedom in the rest of Europe.
