Stories about Freedom of Speech from November, 2008
Korea: The Birth of Internet Netizen Legend
A new Hong Gil Dong [EN] emerged on the Internet of Korea! A netizen who is just known as “Minerva” started writing his economic analysis in Agora—a Netizens’ panel— in a major portal site, Daum from 2007. He predicted the collapse of Leman Brothers, sudden jump in the foreign exchange...
The Baltics, India: “The Dangers of Turning a Minority into an Underclass”
Lithuania-based Andrei Khrapavitski of Belarusan American Blog reflects on the events in Mumbai and suggests there might be a “lesson for the Baltics” there: “I know any status comparisons of Muslims in India to a Russian minority in Latvia or Estonia would be more than far-fetched, nevertheless I can see...
Tunisia: Facebook Case Thrown Out of Court
A Tunisian court threw out a case against the censorship facing Facebook, brought about by blogger and journalist Ziad El Heni against the Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI).
Iran: Do not Execute Farzad Kamangar
Several human rights activists and bloggers warned that Farzad Kamangar, a teacher and trade unionist may be executed in the near future in Iran. Farzad Kamangar, who is from Kurdistan province in Iran, is accused of being affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
China: Chinese students inform on political science professor
David Bandurski from China media project quoted from South China Morning post on a news about two Chinese students reporting to the police on a professor at Shanghai’s East China University of Political Science and Law concerning his “anti-government” speech. The incident has been widely discussed in local forum, such...
China: Zeng Jingyan's Thanksgiving message
ESWN translated Chinese dissent Zeng Jingyan's Thanksgiving message. Zeng's husband Hu Jia is still in prison and Zeng herself is under monitored.
Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan: Calling Attention to Tragedy
Window on Eurasia writes: “Kyiv’s efforts to call attention to Stalin’s terror famine on the 75th anniversary of that tragedy and especially its moves to gain international recognition of it as a genocide against the Ukrainian people has generated much criticism by Russian officials from President Dmitry Medvedev on down...
Russia: The Crisis and Constitutional Changes
Robert Amsterdam writes about “the uses and expediency” of Beslan in 2004 and the current financial crisis for Russia's leaders: “[…] an opportunity to pass measures to further consolidate authority.”
Latvia: The Crisis and Freedom of Speech
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia wrote on Nov. 22: “A university lecturer was arrested for two days for making comments at a public discussion of the economy, while a musician was questioned for joking about taking money out of a bank during a concert.” More coverage of the situation –...
Cuba: Youth Activist Jailed
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense highlights the plight of a Cuban youth activist who “was sentenced this week to 3 years in prison for ‘offenses against authority.'”
Thailand: Airport takeover and Twitter
Twitter has become an interesting and good source of information about what is happening in Thailand. Twitter users in Bangkok have been exchanging travel tips, news updates, and opinions about the current situation.
Bulgaria: Inadequate Media Coverage
Veni Markovski writes about a recent case of misrepresenting Bulgaria in the International Herald Tribune and posts his letter to the editors. He also writes about the European Commission's decision to cut funding to Bulgaria (and so does The 8th Circle), and about Sofia mayor's explanation for a recent earthquake...
Russia: More on Mikhail Beketov's Case
At Robert Amsterdam's blog, Grigory Pasko writes about the attack on Mikhail Beketov.
Egypt: Locking Al Azhar students in the dark ages!
Al Azhar English Training Center is funded through a partnership agreement between Al Azhar University, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund and the British Council. The Center was supposed to provide English Language courses in its first semester to 125 students from various disciplines until Ali Laban, a Muslim Brotherhood deputy, decided otherwise. One enraged instructor speaks up on Facebook.
Mauritania and Tunisia Hack Dissident Sites
Hack in the Box reports that Mauritania and Tunisia have mastered a new way of muzzling the online media – hacking dissident news sites.
Kurdish Writer Sentenced for Writing about Sex
“The Kurdish province convicts and sentences a Kurdish writer for writing about sex. Don't you like it when pro-war US liberals pretend that the Talbani-Barzani tribal confederation is an enlightened republic?” reports The Angry Arab News Service.
Angry Arab's Blog Blocked in Syria
Lebanese Dr As'ad Abu Khalil, who lives in the US, writes: “A reader in Damascus tells me that my website is still blocked there. Maybe this will lift the ban: Down with the Syrian regime.”
Egypt: Police officers banned off university campus
In a historic court ruling, police are now banned from patrolling Cairo University's campus. Instead, the university will have to deploy civilian personal as security guards. Bloggers, who linked police recklessness and use of excessive force to the order, welcomed the ruling with guarded optimism.
Is Secularism the answer to Egypt's Sectarianism?
Egypt has always been known as an Islamic country where Muslims, Christians, and Jews peacefully co-existed. Today this is no longer the case. Is secularism the solution? Following is an outline of the discussion taking place on Egyptian blogs today.
Sudan: Darfur and the Orphans of Mygoma
Sudanese bloggers on illegitimate children, Obama's victory, and the Muslim and Arab hypocrisy in regards to the Darfur conflict.
Haiti: Non-Violence
Haitian blogger Wadner Pierre strongly advocates the path of non-violence.
