Stories about Freedom of Speech from May, 2007
Morocco: Punish YouTube Blockers
“People behind the blocking of Youtube in Morocco have to be reprimanded in proportion with the damage caused from ban. The news has made its way to BBC,New York times, Washington Post and a plethora of other news outlets in the world causing an unwanted negative advertising of a Kingdom...
Egyptian Blogger Monem to Be Freed
Jailed Egyptian blogger Abdulmonem Mahmood is being released on Saturday - but Egyptian bloggers are holding their breath and are full of apprehension on their future in a country which has so far conducted a witch hunt on bloggers, reports Freedom For Egyptians.
Hong Kong: Take it to the UN!
A new blog called, take it to the UN, has been set up to file the complaint of the recent censorship cases by the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) to the Committees of Human Right Council of United Nation.
Egypt: Monem will be freed and Amr Gharbeia interrogated
Blogger Abdel-Monem Mahmoud appeared today before the Public Prosecutor who ordered to release him after 45 days in custody. “Monem and his group are expected to be release on Saturday after completing paperwork.” said his lawyer. Hossam el-Hamalawy reported that the Egyptian blogger Amr Gharbeia has been interrogated today on...
Oman: Shura Questions
Omani blogger Sleepless in Muscat discusses the affairs if the Sultanate here. “Then there is the other side of the story that has so many questions and queries to ask and begs to differ with the situation at hand. The fact that our country has come a long way in...
Morocco: ban on YouTube lifted
The block on the video-sharing Web site YouTube has been lifted yesterday and the Moroccan blogsphere is celebrating its victory and planning to continue the struggle to unblock Google Earth and Livejournal. “Najib Omrani, a spokesman for the state-controlled telecommunications company Maroc Telecom, said Moroccans were unable to access YouTube...
China: The importance of media dissent to “old Beijing”
Chris O'Brien from Beijing Newspeak blogs about the importance of media dissent to the redevelopment process of “old Beijing” by comparing the news reports of Dongsi Ba Tiao and Qianmen projects: media pressure has at least secured residents a better deal in terms of compensation.
Hong Kong: Migration of Websites
Duke of Aberdeen comments on the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority's advice of the suspected “indecent” photo at inmediahk.net, and points out that one of the consequence is a migration wave of website hosting out of Hong Kong as the government is targeting on local ISP and BSP (zh).
Hong Kong: Censorship Bureaucrats
Roland Snoog has translated the article from Inmediahk.net on the author's encounter with the staff from the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) who gave an “advice” to the website to remove a nude photo. See also ESWN
Uzbekistan: Another Blog Blocked
Libertad discusses the blocking of yet another blog within Uzbekistan. The blog in question, Khorezm, mostly discusses daily life in Uzbekistan's Khorezm region.
Yemen: Yes to Internet Filters
Yemeni blogger Omar Barsawad is in favour of his country's internet censorship tactics, saying: “Yemen was mentioned as one of the countries to have the most extensive censorship filters for the Internet. I do wholeheartedly support this; as would most of my fellow adult Yemenis. What Yemen censors most, are...
Qatar: Iran Lifts Al Jazeera Ban
Karim, a friend of Qatar-based Al Jazeera Television links to a news which says that Iran lifted a ban on the station.
Poland: “A Teletubby in the Closet”
The beatroot writes on the Polish Children’s Ombudsman (Ombudswoman) Ewa Sowinska and her discovery of a “Teletubby in the closet.”
Russia: Attacks on Gays and a British Diplomat
“This weekend marked yet another not particularly glorious episode in Russo-British relations, as one diplomat and two (well known) British gay rights activists were attacked in separate incidents,” writes Siberian Light.
Belarus: Blogger br23/Uładzimer Katkoŭski Passes Away
Belarusian blogger Uładzimer Katkoŭski/br23 passed away in Prague on May 25 at the age of 30. As one of his online friends wrote, "To a large degree thanks to his effort Belarusian-language Internet is now what it is."
Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela: Media & Politics
“When media become political players themselves, they lose their credibility, and they betray the people who rely on them for truthful, accurate information.” Jeremy Taylor weighs in on the controversy surrounding the closure of RCTV in Venezuela.
Hong Kong: How Did The Obscene Articles Tribunal Get Hijacked?
ESWN translated an article from inmediahk.net by Leung Man Tao that explained how the obscene articles tribunal got hijacked in Hong Kong.
China: GFW and Google
Zola claims that once he becomes more well off and famous, he will sue GFW and Google, the former blocks his blog from local access, the latter stops his adsense account without giving him any reason (zh).
Lithuania: Homophobia
Music and Life – Everywhere! writes about homophobia in Lithuania and a few other EU member states.
Bulgaria: George Michael For Tripoli Six
Eternal Remont reports that George Michael has joined the “You Are Not Alone” campaign to raise awareness of the Tripoli Six, “the six Bulgarian nurses who await death by firing squad in Libya.”
Egypt: Blogger being Watched
From Egypt, Issandr El Amrani links to an article by Egyptian blogger Wael Abbas, who is back from a visit to the US and is worried about his safety back home. “Last Thursday, I returned to my country, Egypt, after several weeks in the United States on a Freedom House...
