Stories about Freedom of Speech from April, 2011
Ecuador: Twitter Campaign Gives President Correa ‘the Finger’
It started as a Twitter campaign, and now many Ecuadorians are posting photos of themselves showing the middle finger. Why? To ridicule the idea that you could be arrested for something as simple as raising a finger.
Italy: Initiative in Support of Ai Weiwei
While the event itself initially seemed to have passed without comment [it] by traditional media and bloggers in Italy, something is finally happening [it] to call for the release of the Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei [it], who has been presumed imprisoned by the Chinese authorities since April 3. The Pulitzer Association has issued an appeal [it]...
Egypt: Graffiti – For a Colorful Revolution and an Undying Memory
From the early days of the Egyptian revolution, protesters adopted their ancestors way of documenting the glorious days, documenting the days of the revolutions on the walls of Tahrir Square in central Cairo, the epicentre of demonstrations. In turn, the graffiti frenzy flourished across the walls of Cairo.
Cuba: Ferrer Held
According to Uncommon Sense and Babalu, Dr. Darsi Ferrer and other activists were arrested today “during a protest in which they were calling for the Castro dictatorship to allow Cubans to travel freely, among other demands.”
Syria: A hero father
A Gay Girl in Damascus writes about how her father stood up for her, when officers came knocking on her door one night.
Peru: Second Electoral Round Kicks Off
A few weeks before the second round of elections in Peru, the choice between candidates Ollanta Humala and Keiko Fujimori, the growing polarisation in Peruvian society, and ultimately from the electorate, is as notable in the press as it is on social networks.
Thailand: Opposition radio stations raided
The Committee to Protect Journalists criticized Thailand authorities for raiding 13 radio stations which are aligned with the Opposition
Cuba: Right to the Internet
“Any ‘supposition’ about what a farmer should do on Google, or in the furrow, is called control over the free actions of another, personal choice and individual freedom”: Octavo Cerco wonders “why it’s a problem to assume access to the Internet as a 21st Century human right.”
Cuba: The “Queen of Incredulity”
1Click2Cuba profiles Claudia Cadelo, “one of the best-known members of the Cuban blogging community.”
India: Deabating The Draft Internet Control Rules
Nikhil Pahwa at Medianama debates the changes in the cyber law in India which is waiting to be passed soon. In his opinion “these rules give the Indian government the ability to gag free speech, and block any website it deems fit, without publicly disclosing” who did it or why...
Cuba, U.S.A.: Tamayo to Leave with Son's Remains
Bloggers are monitoring the impending departure from Cuba of Reina Luisa Tamayo, who is reported to be going into exile, but not without the remains of her son, “murdered Cuban prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo.”
Russia: Two Bloggers Sentenced for Extremism
The Ufa city court in Bashkortostan sentenced bloggers Robert Zagreev and Ayrat Dilmikhametov to three and six years in prison for extremist activities “with the use of media,” Russian news agency Interfax reported. The bloggers pleaded not guilty.
Russia: Blogger Found Guilty in Harsh Criticizm of Bashkir Authorities
Alexander Izmailov was found gulty in posting 649 comments online criticizing the authorities and not shying away from curse words, Ufimskij Zhurnal reported. Izmailov also frequently produced photo collages making fun of the President of Bashkortostan Murtaza Rakhimov who is notorious for limiting Internet freedom in the republic. Izmailov will...
Syria: Defamation Campaign Against Human Rights Activist
From Syria, human rights activist Wissam Tarif tweets: “Sorry guys but I had problems with my twitter account, email, and website. And a defamation (hate) campaign in #Syria”
North Korea: Three Films Denouncing Kim Jong-il Regime
Three films which give a rare glimpse inside the North Korea have been introduced during the North Korea Freedom Week, an annual event jointly held in Seoul and Washington hosting lectures and film screenings focusing human rights abuses in the North. Mike Paarlberg posted a detailed introduction to the films in...
Argentina: Bloggers Discuss Inflation
Inflation has long been a subject of controversy in Argentina, and as such is a recurring topic for discussion among bloggers. As an important political issue, it is expected to be one of the main themes debated during the presidential race next October.
Sri Lanka: Another Lanka-E-News Journalist Arrested
Freedom Of Expression Sri Lanka reports that Shantha Wijesuriya, another journalist working for Lankaenews.com has been arrested by Sri Lankan authorities.
Russia: Grigoriy Golosov, Political Analyst and a Blogger, Assaulted
Grigoriy Golosov, professor at the European University at Saint-Petersburg and a political blogger at Slon.ru [ru], had been assaulted at the street. According to his blogpost [ru], on April 23, 2011 two persons followed him to his home, called his name, and after receiving a positive reply one of them hit...
Equatorial Guinea: SOS Malabo
The team behind S.O.S Malabo has a mission: to promote “visibility, awareness, mobilization, collaboration for the people of Equatorial Guinea using social media.”
Russia: “Navalny's Nationalism”
A Good Treaty went through the archives of Alexey Navalny's blog and other RuNet sources and wrote about this prominent Russian anti-corruption activist's nationalism.
Bangladesh: Netizens Protest Human Rights Abuse in the Hills
Ethnic violence has sparked again in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh between Bengali settlers and indigenous people due to land disputes. The mainstream media have been accused of highlighting the Bengali casualties only and are ignoring the plights of the local aboriginal people. But this time around these minorities have found a voice via blogs and Facebook.
