Stories about Freedom of Speech from September, 2013
IBM, Cisco Supply Brazil with Surveillance Tools for World Cup
With the perspective of mega events, Brazil became a priority for the global surveillance industry. On the front line of the technological centers which concentrate decisions concerning security during the games is the American multinational corporation IBM.
Praise and Criticism for Uruguay's Proposed Media Law
The bill, which has received the praise of several journalism and freedom of expression organizations, is not as controversial as the one recently approved in Ecuador or as contentious as the one currently in the hands of Argentina’s Supreme Court. However, it is not without its critics. While it has been lauded for its intention to set...
Brazil Becomes Hot Market for Surveillance Technology Ahead of World Cup
Giants of the surveillance sector get contracts in a number of Brazilian cities to monitor citizens during the games of 2014 - from security scanners to remote tracking software.
Protests in Sudan: Dozens Feared Dead
Sudan's answer against protests was cutting off the Internet and killing dozens of protestors. Activists say Sudan pulled the Internet plug to stop activists from sharing its crackdown on protestors.
Podcast: China's Big Internet Crackdown
Sinica podcast discusses China's recent crackdown on Big-Vs on Sina Weibo and poses questions about whether Sino Weibo will continue to be popular and if online discussions are already moving away from Sina Weibo towards mobile services like WeChat.
Vietnamese Blogger Speaks Out Against Government Repression
Nguyen Bac Truyen gave a testimony in a human rights event in Geneva about the repression suffered by bloggers and activists in Vietnam: Since Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang came back from a visit to President Obama in the United States at the end of July, government repression has entered...
India: Rape? Its Womens’ Fault
The media attention on rape in India and the public notion that women are responsible for most rapes have lead comedy podcast All India Bak**** (AIB), brainchild of comedians Tanmay Bhat, Rohan Joshi, Ashish Shakya and Gursimran Khamba, to protest by posting a satirical video on Youtube “It's your fault”...
Two Women Jailed After Kissing at Religious Rally in Brazil
In a religious service lead by the pastor and congressman Marco Feliciano, two young women who kissed in the middle of the event were arrested.
Brazilian President Calls for Global Respect of Net Neutrality at the UN
Net neutrality, privacy and human rights were in focus on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's speech (pdf) at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on September 24, 2013. The leader said that UN needs to establish international protections for Internet users from spying and announced Brazil's intention to prepare a proposal...
Blogging for Freedom on Saudi Arabia's National Day
Saudi Arabia marks its National Day on September 23. Bloggers share their hopes for a nation which respects and embraces its people and their aspirations.
China's Banned Websites to be Allowed in Shanghai
South China Morning Post reported that China will lift a ban on internet access within the Shanghai Free-trade Zone to websites that are currently banned in China, including Facebook, Twitter and The New York Times. In response to the news,Chinese netizens have made sarcastic comments online, although most of the comments...
South Korean Catholic Leaders Protest Spy Agency Scandal
700 Catholic clergy members held a protest against the spy agency's manipulation of the presidential election - the first time in recent decades that the Catholic Church has organized such demonstration.
Disagreements over 2010 Ethnic Violence still Troubling Kyrgyzstan
Attacks on a film festival screening a documentary about a prominent ethnic Uzbek human rights activist are a sore reminder that ethnic relations in Kyrgyzstan are still highly charged.
Humanity Defeated Again in Pakistan, Over 80 Christians Killed
A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up in a 130-year-old church in Peshawar after a Sunday Mass killing more than 80 people and injuring many.
Brazilian Police: Censors and Censored
In his first article for Global Voices, Danillo Ferreira writes about police oppression of the press in Brazil and the internal institutional oppression of officers freedom of expression.
Chinese Teenager Accused of Spreading Rumors Online Arrested
The 16-year-old junior high school student had published comments online questioning the official explanation of the recent death of a local worker.
Saudi Arabia – Where You're Shot and Sentenced for it
Jalal Al-Qattan was shot in the stomach during a protest in Qatif last year. He has since been arrested and sentenced to three years. Netizens react.
Mixing Politics at Live Concert in Cuba Gets Musician Banned
What did pianist Robertico Carcassés say at the concert for "Los Cinco" in Havana? And what happened afterwards? Elaine Díaz tells us.
Egypt – “A Dangerous Place for Journalists”
Egyptian blogger and journalist Abdulmonem Mahmood has left Egypt, saying he fears for his life.
Police Arrest Protesters Protecting Macedonian City Park from Destruction
The protests, which began a month ago, are against the construction of a government building in Bristol Park, one of the last remaining green spaces in Skopje.
Chinese Micro-bloggers Want to Un-verify User Account
As Big Vs, verified celebrities in Chinese micr-blog, have become crackdown targets. Some verified users are asking Sina Weibo to Un-verify their account. More from Offbeat China.
