Stories about Freedom of Speech from July, 2012
Russia: Anti-Church Activist Flees Under Psychiatric Incarceration Threat
A blogger and leader of the Youth Human Rights Group in Karelia, has fled Russia to Poland after months of interrogations by prosecutors that included threats of detention in a...
Iran: Pro-Ahmadinejad Blogger Jailed
"What a world and judiciary we have, Ahmad was arrested just for writing and supporting his country's president" - Ahmad Shariat is behind bars. Other pro-Ahmadinejad bloggers have also been...
China: Bizarre Power Triangle – Sina, the Government and Netizens
Ever since the advent of Internet in China, the Chinese government has either tried to embrace it or control it. The upsurge of social media in the country has introduced...
Tanzania: Newspaper Shut Down by Government
On 30 July, the government of Tanzania banned indefinitely a popular weekly investigative newspaper called Mwanahalisi. Tanzanians received the news with great astonishment, although the same newspaper was previously banned...
Taiwan: Threat of Media Monopoly and Power Abuse
Taiwanese civil society is worried that the acquisition of cable TV services by Want Want China Times would result in political censorship, in particular on mainland China news. A recent...
Mauritania: Diplomat Sets Himself Alight
A few minutes before Iftar, Hassan Ould Abba, a Mauritanian diplomat who used to work as an advisor at the Mauritanian Embassy in Kuwait, set himself alight in the district...
Bahrain: ‘Boycott the Olympics’
Many Bahrainis are calling for the Olympics to be boycotted. First, a royal, who is allegedly personally involved in the torture of athletes, is attending the games. Second, most of...
Nigeria: Senate President Calls for Social Media Censorship
The President of Nigeria's Senate, David Mark, recently advocated clamping down on social media in the country arguing that there was no opportunity for retraction of information in such media....
Peru: Environmental Journalist Detained in Cajamarca
Juan Arellano reports [es] in his blog that the “environmental journalist Jorge Chávez Ortiz, known on Twitter as @chavezwar [es], has reportedly been detained a few hours ago in Cajamarca....
Russia: Senator Wants Criminal Case Against Satirical Blogger
Novgorod Senator Dmitri Krivitskii has accused [ru] local blogger Vadim Beriashvili of violating the Russian criminal code's infamous Article 282 [en], alleging that he incited hatred against “a social group” when he...
Zambia: Pupils Expelled For Facebook Activities
Twenty one pupils at a secondary school in rural western Zambia have been expelled over vile messages against their teachers on Facebook. Meanwhile, ruling party boss wants Zambian citizen news...
Global: A Marathon to Translate the Declaration of Internet Freedom
The Olympic Games are taking off in London, but Global Voices Lingua translators are also excited with another marathon: the Internet Freedom Translathon, a challenge to get the Declaration of...
Saudi Arabia: Lone Protester Khaled Al Johani Temporarily Released
When the Day of Rage was called for in Saudi Arabia back in March 11, 2011, only a handful of protesters challenged the heavy police presence and protested. Khaled Al...
Syria: Weapons and Combat Tutorials Online
Syrian rebels turn to a YouTube channel called 'Free Syrian Army Help' for training. The channel has 80 videos explaining tactics like hand-to-hand combat, how-to-make flame-throwers, and ambushing an enemy.
Cuba: Pro-Democracy Leader Oswaldo Payá Dies in Car Crash
"Money from the United States is not going to drive change in Cuba. […] The problem is in Cuba, and the solution is in Cuba, between Cubans" - Oswaldo Payá...
Mauritania: Outrage Over the Murder of a Worker
In the early hours of Sunday [July, 15], Guard Forces (police) in Mauritania attacked a group of workers on strike, at the headquarters of the Mauritanian Copper Company [MCM], where...
Portugal: Tugaleaks Bank Account Deemed as Terrorist and Closed
Website Tugaleaks, which aims to serve since December 2010 as Portugal's Wikileaks, had its bank account for donations arbitrarily closed on July 13 with no official communication [pt]. Tugaleaks contributors...
Russia: Hacker Hell, Scourge of the RuNet
When noted Russian anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny's email and Twitter accounts were hacked, it came as no surprise that the hacker "Hell" took responsibility. A legendary figure in the RuNet,...
Palestine: Remembering Political Cartoonist Naji Al Ali
On the 25th anniversary of his assassination, we take a look back at the Palestinian political cartoonist Naji Al Ali, who was famous for criticising Arab autocratic regimes and Israel...
Malawi: Joyce Banda's 100 Days in Office Amidst Controversy
Malawian President Joyce Banda became Africa's second female head of state after Liberia's President following the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika. How has she performed after 100 days in...
