Featured stories about Freedom of Speech
Stories about Freedom of Speech
16 May 2019
Facebook posts trigger more arrests in Bangladesh, worrying netizens
Two people were arrested on May 14 and 15, for comments they had posted on Facebook. The arrests have sparked indignation and concern on social media in Bangladesh.
15 May 2019
Singapore parliament approves ‘anti-fake news’ law — will this curtail free speech?
The law gives broad, unchecked powers to government ministers to determine what online information is "false" and should thus be censored or corrected.
Dear European Commission: Don't let political parties use our data to manipulate the vote
Rather than protecting individuals’ rights, exceptions to the GDPR in some countries are limiting freedom of expression, eroding privacy, and abetting the spread of disinformation.
13 May 2019
Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina: ‘Even in Russia, social media is still an effective method for uniting people’
Masha Alyokhina talks art, activism, and feminism in Russia -- and why a new cold war is coming.
9 May 2019
The police were the ‘surprise guests’ at a fundraiser at Budapest's Aurora community center
Community center managers say the local municipality has been trying to shut Auróra down for years.
8 May 2019
Mauritanian blogger escaped the death penalty, but remains behind bars
Ould Mkhaitir was prosecuted for writing an article in which he criticised the role of religion in Mauritania’s caste system.
Despite the release of detained Reuters reporters, free speech remains under threat in Myanmar
"...the case of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo is proof that journalists are in constant risk of political reprisal for keeping power in check."
Mozambican journalists are released pending trial, after months in detention
Amade Abubacar and Germano Adriano were in detention since January, but were only formally charged on 16 April. Now they must await trial on probation.
6 May 2019
Ugandan regulators order 13 media outlets to suspend staff over coverage of opposition figure
The Ugandan regulator says media houses that fail to comply with their directive could have their licenses revoked.
4 May 2019
Too big to be anonymous? Russian journalists unmask a famous anti-Kremlin blogger, sparking ethical debate
StalinGulag’s posts are usually acerbic, profanity-laden critiques of Russia's political system, generating thousands of likes and retweets.
3 May 2019
Why is Twitter blocking state accounts in Venezuela?
The unique public value of accounts like these -- even if they are spewing hateful or partisan vitriol -- is worth considering.
Running counter: An interview with a French publisher of Turkish literature
"Kontr is a publishing house, and a home where one invites the ones he likes, it is not a factory aimed at producing goods, labels or at making money."
2 May 2019
Ugandan pop star politician Bobi Wine pens song on police brutality during house arrest
Ugandan musician and MP Bobi Wine's new song "Afande" critiques police brutality with a message of love and unity. "Why beat me? There is no difference between me and you!"
Venezuela's political crisis is intensifying and censorship is on the rise
Food, water and electricity are increasingly scarce, as is access to communication networks.
1 May 2019
‘Envision a new war': the Syrian Archive, corporate censorship and the struggle to preserve public history online
Social media companies are censoring images of war. The Syrian Archive is working to preserve them.
30 April 2019
Jailed Emirati activist Ahmed Mansoor's life is at risk, after six weeks on hunger strike
Mansoor was awarded the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2015. He has been jailed multiple times since 2011.
29 April 2019
Benin sees internet blackout on election day
A nationwide internet shutdown that lasted well into the night, leaving voters in the dark about their election day choices.
26 April 2019
Netizen Report: Saudi Arabian authorities arrest three bloggers and execute 37 prisoners, several of them protesters
Saudi Arabia's assault on free speech continues, Careem might be sharing your number with drivers, and the internet is still shutdown in Chad.
Tanzanian authorities detain and deport Ugandan human rights leader
Human Rights Watch says Tanzania has witnessed "a marked decline in respect for free expression, association and assembly" under the current government.
24 April 2019
Malaysian activist under police probe after LGBT speech at the United Nations
"The police investigation into Numan’s statement merely serves to highlight the harassment, bullying and discrimination faced by LGBT persons in Malaysia."
