Stories about Freedom of Speech from June, 2015
Kenyan Blogger Defamation Case Highlights the Need for Education
Shitemi Khamadi argues that a case where a telecommunication provider, Safaricom, has sued a Kenyan blogger Cyprian Nyakundi for defamation highlights the need for education on the law and Internet in Kenya: The Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) in whose mandate is to promote online local content has been running...
Jailed in Singapore for Criticizing a Former Prime Minister, But Still Blogging
"Everyday my cellmates would eagerly wait for that light to dissipate, knowing that another day has passed, and they’re one day closer to attaining their freedom."
The Internet, a Staging Post for Protests in Ecuador, Is Under Threat
Participants in recent protests in Ecuador accuse government of illegally signal jamming communication between protestors. Peer-to-peer apps may be the solution.
Girl Group Goes Head-to-Head With Japanese Prime Minister Over Reinterpreting Constitution
A Japanese girl group's clash with municipal government highlights increasingly vocal opposition to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government.
What Social Media Can Tell You About Venezuelan Politics
Supporters of Venezuela's beleaguered opposition and the pro-government camp are clashing on social media and dragging millions of Venezuelans into the conflict.
Abel Wabela: “To Fight Bystander Apathy…This is My Mission as a Human”
"Warnings, intimidations, arrest and torture have not stopped me from exercising my free speech rights," says Abel Wabela, one of Ethiopia's Zone9 bloggers who have been jailed since April 2014.
Arrested for Criticizing a Former Prime Minister, Singaporean Teen Blogger Amos Yee is Now Being Evaluated for Autism
The 16-y/o blogger who criticized Lee Kuan Yew was suggested to be suffering from autism spectrum disorder, and the judge ruled him to be remanded for another two weeks to assess his suitability for Mandatory Treatment Order.
Social Media Analysis: How an Iranian Kurdish Woman's Death Triggered a Regional Social Media Conflict
Social media controversy following the accidental death of a hotel chambermaid underscored systemic discrimination ethnic minorities face in Iran and the emerging role of Internet censorship in this milieu.
Russian ‘Troll Factory’ Agrees to Compensate Former Employee, But She's Just Getting Started
An alleged Russian "troll factory" has agreed to compensate its former employee for unfair labor practices, but the former "troll" seeks to further expose the company and its inner workings.
An Official White House Visit to Ethiopia? Africans Tell Obama ‘Don't Do It!’
Despite recent elections that swept the one opposition member from parliament, US President Barack Obama is planning a visit to Ethiopia.
Police Shootings, Helicopter Crashes and Bystanders With Cameras: Weighing the Rights of ‘Accidental Journalists’
The rise in eye-witness documentation of police violence in the United States raises many interesting questions about the rights of witnesses and the public interest value of their work.
Iranian Journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi Sent Into Exile After Six Years in Prison
Zeidabadi, who worked for reformist newspapers, was convicted in 2009 of “propaganda against the state,” “assembly and collusion to create riots after the presidential election,” and “insulting the Supreme Leader.”
No More Internet: Website Models Effect Of ‘Right to Be Forgotten’ on Russian Search Engines
A new website created by Russian advertising executives asks Russian users to imagine what search engines will look like in 2018—if the “right to be forgotten” bill becomes law.
How a Facebook User in Thailand Was Sentenced to 50 Years in Jail for ‘Defaming’ the Monarchy
"How can they arrest Father? Father didn’t kill anybody; the judgment is excessive."
Infographic Shows Thailand Junta Arrested Hundreds in the Past Year for Criticizing the Government
The free speech advocate iLaw uploaded an infographic which showed that 166 people have been arrested in the past year in Thailand for expressing an opinion against the military-backed government. The army grabbed power in May 2014 but it vowed to restore civilian rule and conduct free elections next year....
Long After the African Union’s Golden Jubilee: A Letter to Jailed Blogger Natnael Feleke
"I think of your particular fate and wonder how any of us who are free continue to go about our lives as if there’s nothing to lose."
Singaporean Teenage Video Blogger Sent to ‘Rehabilitation’ For Offensive YouTube Video
According to Amnesty International, the 16-year old Amos Yee is the youngest prisoner of conscience in the world today.
The State of Blogging and Social Media in Kenya Today
BAKE, the author of a new report, represents a group of Kenyan online-content creators and seeks to empower innovation and improve the quality of content created on the Web.
Russian Censor Says It's High Time the Country Developed Its Own Messenger App
Russian officials bemoan the lack of control and access to user data in foreign text messaging apps as a threat to "national security."
Kenyan Blogger Bogonko Bosire is Still Missing, Nearly Two Years After His Disappearance
Controversial Kenyan blogger Bogonko Bosire went missing two years ago. Kenyans have revived his search with the hashtag #WhereIsBogonkoBosire.
Self-Proclaimed ‘Donetsk People's Republic’ Now Has an Internet Blacklist
A new law in the rebel eastern Ukraine state instituting a blacklist for webpages with content "prohibited in the republic" seems to be targeting Ukrainian media websites.
