Stories about Freedom of Speech from December, 2013
South Korean Pres. Vows Pre-emptive Strikes on Social Media Rumors
Is South Korea government gearing up toward social media censorship? The latest official remark by President Park (full transcript [ko]) had Korean net users worried. Park, addressing “those rumors spreading via social media”, said “if the government let these things happen, it will bring chaos nationwide” and added “bear in mind that...
China's Southern Media Group Turns Back on Anti-Censorship Supporters
The newspaper issued testimony that supports the prosecution of activists who took part in an anti-censorship protest in support of the paper.
South Korea: Reason Behind Movie ‘The Attorney's Box Office Smash
South Korean movie ‘The Attorney’ which depicts the early life of ex-President Roh who started as a civil rights lawyer resisting against dictatorial regimes, has drawn over 4 million admissions in just ten days of screening. Movie critics even comment [ko] that its popularity in Korea is more explosive than that...
#askPussyRiot Wants Your Questions
After almost two years in federal custody, Pussy Riot's two most famous members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina, will hold their first post-prison press conference [ru]. The event will be hosted by the online TV station Dozhd and take place on Friday, December 27, 2013, beginning at 2:00 PM Moscow time (5:00 AM...
Impact Of Social Media In The Delhi Elections
Prior to the Delhi Legislative Assembly election (4 December 2013) the Delhi Election Commission vowed to monitor the social media for political campaigns looking for breach of model code of conduct by the candidates. However the commission later said that there were loopholes in monitoring and it is virtually “impossible”...
Chinese University Professor’s Resignation Letter Censored
One day after professor Chen Hongguo posted his resignation letter on Weibo that has triggered hot discussion on academic freedom in China on December 23, 2013, his letter was deleted. A search on professor Chen's name on Sina Weibo shows the following message: 根据相关法律法规和政策，“谌洪果”搜索结果未予显示。 According to relevant regulations and policies, search results...
Pussy Riot Free to Tweet at Last!
Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova are already micro-blogging up a storm.
South Korean Military Bans ‘Arirang’, Country's Iconic and Beloved Song
South Korean Military is infamous for banning books, films and songs which they find ‘controversial’ or ‘subversive’ and their recent decision to ban the nation's most beloved and historically important songs, ‘Arirang’ (which even has the famed nickname of ‘unofficial national anthem of Korea‘) met with fierce backlash. The military explains it...
7 Rallies that Rocked Southeast Asia in 2013
Several Southeast Asian governments were confronted with big street protests in 2013. In Thailand, street protesters are still actively pushing for the ouster of the incumbent government
PHOTOS: Brutal Crackdown by 4,000 South Korean Police is Epic Failure
Over 4,000 South Korean riot police broke into the headquarter of the nation's 2nd largest trade union center without a search warrant, angering South Korean net users.
Chat is a Dirty Word in Iran? WeChat Blocked
A popular smart phone application that enables access to social media is now blocked in Iran.
Chinese University Professor Quits to Seek Academic Freedom
"I want to be responsible for my own life. The only thing you can change is yourself."
Will Pussy Riot Fight Putin's Amnesty and Remain in Prison?
The manner in which Mikhail Khodorkovsky was freed seems to differ from what awaits Pussy Riot's Tolokonnikova and Alekhina, who have signaled some unwillingness to leave prison early.
South Korea: Class-action Suit Against Key Players of Election Manipulation
Marking a year after the latest presidential election tainted with allegations of political tampering, attorney Han Woong, together with 610 plaintiffs, filed a civil lawsuit [ko] against those who are allegedly responsible for the election manipulation scandal. Han accused ex-President Lee Myung-bak, former head of the NIS (National Intelligence Service), ex-Commissioner of the Seoul...
South Korean Education Ministry Discourages Students’ Poster Movement
As South Korean university students’ ‘We Are Not Fine!’ poster movement spreads like wildfire across the country, even up to the point of motivating high, junior high and elementary students [ko] to write their own, the Ministry of Education has given notice to schools to control students’ poster-making in order...
Syria: The Free Women of Darayya
Darayya's Free Women have engaged in numerous protests and initiatives since the beginning of the Syrian uprising, in the spring of 2011. Today, they work from exile - and prison.
Photos of Mass Candlelight Rallies in South Korea
By holding candlelight rallies across the country, frustrated South Koreans have voiced flooding concerns over current political developments and series of scandals, including the snowballing election manipulation allegations. @Emfla505 tweeted [ko] this stunning photo of protest in Seoul (below) and WikiTree.com site gathered more photos of rallies on December 19. 오늘 서울시청 광장입니다! 민노총의 깃발이 빠져 나가고...
Chinese Film Director Feng Xiaogang on Censorship
When asked about his dream during an interview at China's top Tsinghua University, Chinese film director Feng Xiaogang said[zh] to the students: I have realized all my dreams, if there is any, that is one day, I wish there's no film censorship in China. His words inspired thunderous applause. He...
China: Online Annihilation of Dissent
China Media Project translated veteran journalist and former Southern Weekly commentator Xiao Shu's comment on the Chinese authorities’ online annihilation tactics against Chinese liberal opinion leaders: In early August this year I was abducted by state security police. Under orders to bring me in for questioning, state security from Guangzhou...
Mapping the ‘Urban Commons’ of Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul and Athens
Pablo de Soto's research project discusses the control governments have over societies' shared goods, and establishes a connection between the commons and production as collectively owned resources.
Bangla Blogging Community Gears Up For The Fifth Bangla Blog Day
On December 15, 2005, Bangla Blogging started its journey through the largest Bangla Blogging platform Somewherein.net [bn] and the community grew larger every year. A section of the Bangla bloggers’ community started to observe December 19 as Bangla Blog Day since 2009. The fifth Bangla Blog day will be celebrated...
