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Stories about Freedom of Speech

Fearing the national security law, Hongkongers change their social media habits

Of the 2,587 people who responded to an online survey conducted by The Stand News, 96 percent said they fear "loss of free speech."

Journalists face sedition charges under cybercrime law in Pakistan

"The alarming increase in such actions against journalists confirms that the government is bent on muzzling freedom of expression."

A new ‘cyber defence’ system in Oman raises human rights concerns

The Omani Sultanate passed a new decree giving security authorities further control over the internet.

Lebanon protests: Authorities prey on digital spaces to silence criticism

While social media and WhatsApp have been extensively leveraged by demonstrators to organize, document, and sprawl the protest, Lebanese authorities have resorted to identifying and persecuting dissidents.

Social media in Latin America: Caught between a rock and a hard place

As researchers, it is very difficult to know how, or even if, high profile global announcements are actually impacting users in Latin America.

China's persecution of Muslim minorities: An Uyghur student living in Turkey shares her story

I came to Turkey legally, on a passport issued by the Chinese authorities. Why did they punish my family?

Millions of Indian students sit university entrance exams after government disregards protests to postpone them

Students protested throughout the entire month of August, citing concerns with COVID-19 transmission and reduced transportation in quarantined zones.

Al Jazeera Balkans crew attacked at a right-wing opposition party protest in Skopje

Assaulted female journalist insisted on reporting the incident to the police and tracking the attacker, as a way to stand up to a culture of impunity for violence against journalists.

Website exposing military corruption blocked in Myanmar

"It shows the increased intolerance by the government on freedom of expression and that they are trying to cover up the crimes and corruption of the military."

In DR Congo, will new legislation protect citizens’ digital rights?

In Democratic Republic of Congo, a citizen movement is underway to reclaim digital rights that have been violated for years under a vague and outdated legislation.

Moderating harmful content online in Sudan: Policies and measures

In Sudan, social media platforms struggle to enforce guidelines and rules regarding content deemed harmful such as hate speech and disinformation.

What's happening in Thailand? Youth activists rally to protect democracy, freedom of speech

An explainer about the ongoing youth-led protests in Thailand.

Surveillance in Lebanon: A crisis of privacy

Intrusions on citizens’ privacy in Lebanon are pervasive and often conducted without proper judicial oversight.

Myanmar activist poet convicted for protesting against internet shutdown

The protest featured the unfurling of a banner that read: “Is the internet being shut down to hide war crimes and killing people?”

Julian Assange supporters rally to defeat extradition to United States

"The extradition to the US of a publisher and journalist, for engaging in journalistic activities while in Europe, would set a very dangerous precedent."

In Sri Lanka, affected families resist climate of fear on International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

Thousands of people, primarily ethnic Tamils, are believed to have been forcibly disappeared while in state custody during the final years of the 1983-2009 civil war. Their families still seek...

‘Khon Kaen has had enough': Pro-democracy activists protest in northeast Thailand

The youth-led protest actions in Thailand are not just happening in the capital Bangkok. Here's a report of a major rally in the country's northeast region.

The path to the square: The role of digital technologies in Belarus’ protests

Today, state violence against protests is becoming less effective in suppressing them. As the situation in Belarus shows, violence provides a new motivation for people to take to the streets.

Hong Kong artists burn protest gear, Winnie the Pooh, and ballot boxes on Ghost Day

"In the real world, no one answers our demands, so we have to seek other channels, such as communicating with the ghost realms."

‘We could present our revolution at a design festival': a Belarusian artist reflects on protest imagery

Many of the banners and placards waved by Belarusian protesters are works of art in their own right. Theirs is a mass movement with an artistic sensibility, says Darya Sazanovich.

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