Stories about Freedom of Speech from March, 2015
In Zambia, a Tomato Pushes Joblessness Center Stage
Zambia's unemployment rate is ranked 9th highest in Africa.
Another Blogger Hacked to Death: Is Free Thinking Becoming Fatal in Bangladesh?
A young man named Oyasiqur Rahman Babu was killed in Bangladesh by religious fanatics in the second such incident in a month's time.
An Interview with Anna Nemtsova About Being a Russian Journalist
Independent Russian journalist Anna Nemtsova talks to Global Voices about the assassination of Boris Nemtsov (no relation), Putin's recent unexplained disappearance, and censorship in Russia.
News and Search Websites Blocked in Yemen as Conflict Escalates
Several websites, some of which include content critical of the Houthi takeover in Yemen, have been blocked by Yemen's largest ISP.
Pakistani Journalist and Blogger Remains in Exile, One Year After Violent Attack
March 28 marks the first anniversary of the attack on Pakistani blogger and prominent political commentator Raza Rumi. Once a contributor to Global Voices, Rumi was added to the Taliban's hit list after he opposed government peace talks with the militant group in 2014. His moderate views also have been misinterpreted...
Ecuadorians Take to the Streets to Protest Government
Despite the rain, on March 19 citizens participated in a protest in Loja, Ecuador, which spread over seven blocks, to express their discontent of the current government. Labor code reforms, extended reelections, free access to education, and the recent exchange rate safeguards on imports were some of the issues that...
Prisoner of Conscience Pedro Canché's Letter to Journalist Carmen Aristegui
From jail, Pedro Canché wrote a letter to fellow journalist Carmen Aristegui after her recent and controversial exit from media group MVS. This letter was published on his Tumblr blog “Diary of a prisoner of conscience“. 15 de marzo de 2015 Carta a Carmen AristeguiA propósito del consumado golpe al equipo de investigación de MVS, en...
Balloons Released in Brussels in Support of Jailed Iranian Student Hamid Babaei
Ever since the tribulations of Hamid Babaei and his wife began, his classmates at Liège and in Brussels have shown them unrelenting solidarity.
Belarus Tightens Grip on Internet With New Data Retention Decree
The new data retention demands are just the latest in a string of restrictive Internet measures employed by Belarus in the wake of the next presidential election.
India's Supreme Court Axes Online Censorship Law, But Challenges Remain
People in India are cheering after the Indian Supreme Court struck down IT Act Section 66A, calling it a violation of free expression.
Chinese Artist Recounts Being Censored for Selling Ai Weiwei T-Shirt
Artist Wu Tun saw economic rights collide with online censorship when he tried to sell a T-shirt supporting world renowned political artist Ai Weiwei.
Macedonian Journalist Describes How It Feels to Be Subject of State Surveillance
Prominent investigative journalist Meri Jordanovska wrote a testimony about her experience on receiving evidence that she was one of allegedly twenty thousand individuals who have been subjected to state surveillance in Macedonia. In an op-ed on Balkan Insight, Jordanovska explains: Each report on one of my wiretapped conversations was true:...
Thousands of High School Students Protest throughout Macedonia
Thousands of high school students gathered across Macedonia to protest controversial educational reforms. Authorities hit back with every dirty trick available.
Tunisian Activists Fear Rights Setbacks After Bardo Museum Attack
Tunisian activists are worried that the authorities' response to the deadly Bardo museum attack may trample on rights.
Sentenced to Death in Kafkastan
Totalitarianism and bureaucracy no longer exist. Innocent people are no longer put on trial. Any resemblance this post might bear to reality is the fault of reality alone.
Outing the Russian Military in Eastern Ukraine
A number of citizen data verification initiatives, both Ukrainian and Russian, specifically focus on tracking down information about the origins and fates of individuals fighting in Donbas.
Firing of Mexican Journalist Carmen Aristegui Unleashes Heated Comments on Twitter
At the launching of MéxicoLeaks, a platform that collects leaked information about possible corruption, journalist Carmen Aristegui and her research team declared that they would back the project. This lead MVS Radio, their employer, to fire Aristegui's collaborators, Daniel Lizarraga and Iriving Huerta, for supposedly compromising the company name. In...
Back-to-Back Murders of Journalists Raise Concerns in Colombia
The murders of Colombian Edgar 'Quintin' Quintero and Luis Peralta highlight the dangers journalists face in Colombia today.
Government Takedown Requests from Russia Double, Facebook Reports
Facebook restricted access to 55 pieces of content in Russia since July 2014, based on requests from Russian authorities, compared to 29 fulfilled during the first half of 2014.
Vietnamese Photojournalist Continues Hunger Strike After Four Years Behind Bars
In addition to the lengthy prison sentence and subsequent house arrest, Minh Man has faced increasingly unfair and discriminatory treatment in detention.
Human Rights Watch Website Temporarily Blocked at Egypt the Future Conference
A block on Human Rights Watch website was lifted at an economic conference in Egypt after a journalist raised the alarm on Twitter.
