Stories about Freedom of Speech from July, 2014
“The Zone 9 Bloggers Are Writing From the Outer Ring of the Prison, the Nation Itself”
The charges against the bloggers give a sense of what the Ethiopian government is fighting: dissent, not terror.
The Angriest Man in Odessa is on the Front Lines of Ukraine's Information War
Odessa's vigorously anti-Moscow LiveJournal star, Zloy_Odessit, has his work cut out for him. Indeed, open dialogue with pro-Russian bloggers is still a long way off.
Spanish Soldier Who Penned a Best-Selling Novel About Military Corruption Gets Jail Time
Luis Segura, a lieutenant in the Spanish army, is in prison for criticizing the military during interviews for his novel "Un paso al frente" (A step forward).
China Monitors the Internet and the Public Pays the Bill
Experts say the billion-yuan “stability maintenance industry” is designed to help the government tighten its grip over public opinion online -- and to turn a profit.
The World Tweets for Ethiopia's Zone9 Bloggers on July 31
Join Global Voices bloggers for a worldwide, multilingual tweetathon in support of the ten bloggers and journalists facing terrorism charges in Ethiopia.
Bangladesh Authorities Shut Down a 200-Year-Old Brothel, Evicting Hundreds of Sex Workers
Pressure from religious leaders and conservative politicians is the suspected reason behind the closure. But the national platform of sex workers of Bangladesh accused local officials of land grabbing.
Thai Junta Issues New Gag Order Against Media
A new order from the Thai military government bans "criticism of operations of the [Junta], its officials, or any related individual," among other things.
‘Terrified’ Founder Decides to Shutter Hong Kong Pro-Democracy News Site ‘House News’
Some are speculating that the site was pressured to shut down as part of a wider crackdown by Beijing on Hong Kong's media.
Macedonian Authorities Claim Social Networks ‘Have Always Been Blocked’ in University Dorms
Residents of a state-run student dormitory in Skopje began an online campaign to expose the horrific living conditions. Then, access to Facebook and other websites was cut off.
Colombian Sentenced to Prision and Fined for Comments Online
On a judicial ruling that sets a dangerous precedent in Colombia, the Supreme Court of Justice refused to reconsider an appeal taken on the verdict that orders 18 months of imprisonment and a 9,5 milon pesos fine (about US$5,1000) for netizen Gonzalo López for comments published on El País newspaper...
Three Anti-World Cup Activists Accuse Brazil of Political Persecution, Unsuccessfully Seek Asylum From Uruguay
Eloisa Samy, a lawyer who has defends activists, was "preemptively" arrested before the World Cup final, accused of forming an armed gang. She was later released, then arrested again.
Burmese Reporters Get Ten Years in Jail Plus Hard Labor for Reporting About Myanmar's Chemical Weapons Factory
Four journalists and the CEO of a Burmese journal were sentenced to ten years in jail with hard labor for reporting about Myanmar's chemical weapons factory.
2 Journalists Arrested for Alleged Defamation of a Minister in Madagascar
Two journalists from the daily paper Madagascar Matin were placed under arrest at Antanimora's jail, in the capital city of Madagascar, Antananarivo. Earlier this morning (July 23), both of them were summoned to the Brigade of Fiadanana for a hearing. Solo Rajaonson, another local journalist, posted the following update in...
Fear, Love and Iran's Favorite Internet Enemy (it's Facebook)
On July 13, eight young Iranians were dealt long prison sentences for their activities on Facebook. Activists both in and outside the country know little more about the case.
Court Ruling Against Restaurant Reviewer Leaves French Bloggers Reeling
The presiding judge ruled that while the review fell "within the scope of freedom of expression" its title was defamatory.
Dozens of Activists in Brazil Were Arrested Not for Protesting the World Cup, but for Possibly Planning to Do So
Thirty-seven people were preemptively arrested ahead of the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro because police believed they might protest violently in the future.
Bahrain's Foreign Minister Seems to Have Forgotten His Country's Ill Treatment of Journalists
Khalid Alkhalifa took a dig at NBC after it pulled Ayman Mohyeldin out of Gaza for "doing his journalistic duty." Twitter users quickly reminded Alkhalifa of Bahrain's own shoddy record.
The Russian Government's 7,000 Wikipedia Edits
Over the past ten years, IP addresses belonging to various Russian state agencies are responsible for almost 7,000 anonymous edits to articles on Wikipedia’s Russian-language website.
Artists Explore the ‘Melting Point’ of Art and Propaganda in Skopje
A not-for-profit, self-financed group of artists calling themselves Kooperacija (“Cooperation”, Macedonian slang for a general store in small villages) hosted an exhibition titled “Melting Point: Art as Anti-Hegemonic Propaganda” [en, mk, with photos] in Skopje recently. As reported [mk] by several news outlets that cover culture [mk], including Belgrade-based SEE...
4 Photos of Street Art by the ‘Iranian Banksy’ That Speak Volumes About Life Today in Iran
The work of the anonymous Black Hand has gone viral on social media. The graffiti offers timely commentary on events in Gaza and issues in Iran, such as women's rights.
Vietnamese Government ‘Opinion Shapers’ Target Activist Facebook Pages
The Facebook accounts of prominent Vietnamese activists have been suspended after being reported for abuse by suspected government supporters known as 'opinion shapers'.
