Stories about Digital Activism from August, 2009
USA: “I am getting deported on Wednesday”
Herta Llusho is a 19-year old student at risk of being deported from the United States to Albania. Bloggers at DreamActivist.org and other immigrant rights blogs are calling on Americans to help her.
Egypt:Kareem’s final appeal
Kareem’s, Egyptian blogger, final appeal will take place on Monday and Rawda Ahmed, his lawyer, will be there to hear the final decision.
Brazil: Lawsuits force popular political blog to close down
Nova Corja, one of the most popular Brazilian blogs on politics, has folded after 3 lawsuits in 5 years. Bloggers fear it is the nail in the coffin of independent, investigative and challenging blogging.
Egypt: Limited Internet is Unlimited Backwardness
Egypt's Internet users joined hands to express their outrage at a new law which limits their Internet use. Now the law has been reversed and only new subscribers will be subjected to the threshold, for a two month period while the move is being assessed.
Pakistan: Independence Day Celebrations
This year, Pakistani bloggers had launched their special campaigns to celebrate the 62nd Independence Day of Pakistan on the 14th of August. Using blog posts and Twitter messages they reflect their thoughts on this special day.
Iran: A cartoon depicts Mousavi as a ‘brutal killer’
Some Iranian bloggers have published a cartoon depicting Iranian opposition leader, Mir Hussein Mousavi as a ‘brutal killer’.
Iran: Bella Ciao song and Iranian protest movement
Here is a video film where Bella Ciao, an old anti-fascist resistance song has been added to the Iranian protest movement's photos.
Egypt: Gamal Mubarak … Why Not?
Coinciding with Gamal Murbak's Sharek initiative, Egyptian singer Mohsen El Sayad decided to campaign for Mubarak in his own way [Ar]. Marwa Rakha sums up the reactions of Egyptian bloggers here.
Haiti: The U.N. & Elections
Dying in Haiti publishes an article by Bob Corbett which speculates as to “why the United Nations could keep so silent about the fraud during Haiti's April Senatorial elections and the June runoffs”, adding: “It's time to make some significant changes; now.”
Brazil's Forum for Digital Culture reaches out to the blogosphere
Cyberspace is ever more inhabited by government institutions in many countries. In Brazil, a Forum for Digital Culture has been launched to, so far, positive blogosphere reactions.
Cuba: Concert for Peace?
The Cuban Institute of Music has announced that popular Colombian singer Juanes is scheduled to perform at a "concert for peace" in Havana come September 20th. Cuban bloggers are divided on whether the event is a good idea.
Cuba, U.S.A.: Prisoner in Poor Health
“Nobody, except the few of us motivated by our blood as Cubans and/or our consciences as free men and women, gives a damn”: Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense shines a spotlight on the plight of Cuban political prisoner Ariel Sigler.
Bahamas: Young Mother Killed
As a young mother is murdered in the Bahamas, bloggers vent their outrage – Weblog Bahamas: “Stop the madness that is destroying our country”; Womanish Words: “Where is the public outcry? Where is the conscious, active women's movement in the Bahamas, and in the Caribbean for that matter?”
China: How Did Amoiist Break the Jail?
Amoiist, a blogger who was detained by police for 16 days, wrote about his experience in jail and he believed that twitter and rescue action organized by the Internet had saved him.
Russia, Ukraine: Music vs Politics
LJ user oleg_kozyrev asks (RUS) Ukrainians not to get offended at Russia because of president Medvedev's address and suggests that fellow-bloggers post “something Ukrainian today,” ending his post with a YouTube video of Vopli Vidoplyasova‘s Vesna (“Spring”) song.
Latvia: Cable TV Provider's “Twitterista”
Telecoms in Latvia reports that a Latvian cable TV and internet service provider “has hired a full-time employee to look after its interests on Twitter and other social networks”: “It asked that the letter of application be sent in tweet format, 140 characters. There were quite a few applicants.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Feeling Tight
“Tight belts. Tight thoughts. Tight minds that allow us no space to consider our humanity”: The Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister tells the public that they can loosen their belts, but Attillah Springer says that “tight or loose is the same old khaki pants.”
Barbados: Respecting the Environment
Lani Edghill, guest blogging at Barbados Free Press, believes “our environment is trying to tell us something” and urges fellow Barbadians to change their consumption habits and get involved in environmental events: “We as a community have the power to change our behavior.”
Azerbaijan: Bloggers’ appeal rejected
Media Helping Media reports that appeals by Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, two video bloggers and youth activists currently held in pre-trial detention in Azerbaijan on what many consider to be politically motivated charges, were yesterday rejected.
Morocco: Bloggers React to the Banning of Magazines
French newspaper Le Monde joins two other papers in being banned in Morocco after publishing the results of a poll in which ordinary Moroccans were asked to give their assessment of the monarch, King Mohammed VI. See how bloggers react to the censorship in this post.
Bangladesh: Uncultured Project and Clean Water
The Uncultured Project helps out in Bangladesh with clean water and disaster relief, and has an advantageous position to compare two different portable water filtering methods.
