Stories about Freedom of Speech from April, 2014
The Kremlin’s Internet Annexation
For some reason, lawmakers in Russia today continue to add new powers to the state’s censorship utility-belt, as though the current panoply of Internet controls weren’t enough.
Protesting in Venezuela Will Require Authorization
(All links are in Spanish otherwise noted as [en] for English) As the protests [en] in Venezuela draw upon 100 continuous days of demonstrations, the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice's recent verdict rules that the right to protest “is not an absolute right.” In order to carry out any type of demonstration, one needs to...
Pakistani Spies, Mir and the Missing People of Balochistan
After Pakistan's top TV newsman was shot, a vicious media war between single-minded nationalists and his TV station ensued leaving the story he was working on in the dark.
Sexy Monday: Between Sexual Expression and Censorship
(All links are in Spanish) David Troya writes for Gkillcity about the Ecuadorian Superintendence of Communication's sanction on the newspaper Extra for its cover picture of model Claudia Hurtado and headline: “Start the week off right with your hot and sexy Monday. Damn, what a hot babe!” Troya reflects: If...
#EPNStop : Human Chain in Mexico against #LeyTelecom
A human chain protest against the Telecommunications Bill proposed in Mexico took place in Mexico City, the country's capital, on Saturday, April 26, 2014. The chain was planned to link the official residency of the Mexican president in Los Pinos to the headquarters of Televisa [es] in Chapultepec, covering an approximate distance of 7 kms. But the...
Macedonian Activists Attempt to Break Media Silence on Corruption Scandal
The majority of Macedonian media failed to relay a documented claim by Macedonia's largest opposition party about the prime minister's involvement in a corruption scandal. Social media users stepped in.
GV Face: Live from the Internet World Cup
Do we have a new roadmap for global internet governance? This week's hangout is from the Net Mundial conference in São Paulo, Brazil.
“I Sold Out to China”-One Journalist's Experience with China's Censors
Leslie Anne Jones from aeon talks about her personal experience with China's censors during her time as a journalist for a local expat magazine. She discovers how she was not permitted to document the true Xinjiang she had observed during her “propaganda” trip there.
LiveJournal Fights Coming Censorship, But Don't Tell Anyone
Some RuNet giants are already fighting back against coming law that may be used to censor opposition bloggers.
Iran:Remember Jailed Gadget Bloggers
Electronic Frontier Foundation, in an article,talks about jailed gadget bloggers, who used to run one of the best websites in Iran for gadget news,Narenji.There is an online petition to support Narenji's bloggers.
Algeria's Opposition Report Threats, Intimidation Following President's Reelection
An amendment to the country's constitution had allowed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999, to run again.
#EPNvsInternet: Mass Campaign against Mexican Communications Bill
A joint mass action between civil organizations and activist is pushing to revert the Telecommunications Bill proposal sent by president Enrique Peña Nieto for Congress' approval.
Cameroonian Bloggers ‘Are the Future, and We Are Writing That Future Now’
An interview with Florian Ngimbis, president of the Cameroonian Bloggers Association, about language, the country's poor Internet penetration and more.
Bad News & Worse News for Russian Internet Users
A Russian initiative to expand regulation over bloggers is still just a bill in the legislature, but it’s already harming the country's Internet freedom.
Facebook Predicts the Outcome of Macedonian Presidential Elections, Again?
Like in the 2009 elections, the support Facebook users in Macedonia are showing for candidates in the 2014 election is uncannily similar to the actual results of voting.
Censorship by Litigation in Russia?
Earlier this month, VKontakte minority shareholder United Capital Partners (UCP), filed a complaint against Durov for breach of VKontakte fiduciary duty for creating the secure messenger Telegram.
Facebook Post Spells Legal Trouble for Russian Charity
Romanenko reported that no less than the governor of Vologodsk had filed a complaint against him with the local prosecutor's office because of the jocular post.
Russia's Largest Social Network Says No to Censorship
Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Russian social network VKontakte, has once again used his account there as a platform to speak out against Internet censorship.
Tunisian Blog Launches Whistleblowing Platform
Tunisian award-winning collective blog Nawaat has launched its own whistle-blowing platform: Nawaat Leaks.
China Blocks Short Sci-Fi Film From Hong Kong
Hong Kong saves itself in the film from a meteor forecast to hit in 2047, an allegory for when the city is set to lose its democratic political system.
Baidu Censors New Citizens Movement Website
After Chinese court affirms Chinese lawyer and activist Xu Zhiyong’s conviction of four-year sentence in prison for assembling a crowd to disrupt order in public places, New Citizens Movement website, of which Xu was one of the founders, disappeared from Baidu search results. This is not the first time that information relating...
