Stories about Freedom of Speech from May, 2016
Europe Expects Big Progress From Angola Following Prisoner’s Liberation
The liberation of the Angolan activist, Marcos Mavungo, could be the start of the Angolan government respecting human rights, says an EU spokesperson.
Ghanaians Oppose Shutdown of Social Media Platforms During Elections
"This kind of thinking is unacceptable."
In Afghanistan, Social Media Gives Rise to Hate Speech
"Pashtun zealots, water-carrying Tajiks, porter Hazaras and raw-brained Uzbeks, good morning!"
Russian Officials Make Plans for an Autonomous, State-Controlled Internet
Although the bill is in its early stages, should it become law, all of the RuNet's critical infrastructure would fall under complete control of the Russian state.
Netizen Report: Chilean Copyright Bill Could Eliminate Public Domain for Video, Music
Journalist Khadija Ismayilova wins court challenge in Azerbaijan, Vietnam censors Facebook and Instagram in the face of protests and the Nigerian Senate throws out ‘anti-social media bill’
Why Afghanistan's Hazara Won't Stop Marching
All Afghans are affected by the country's ongoing crisis of governance, but it is the long-suffering Hazara minority that has run out of patience fastest.
Russian Media and Internet Users Debate the Ethics of Reporting on Teenage Suicide
Russian censors have blocked dozens of communities on social network VKontakte after an ethically murky media investigation accused these communities of pressuring teenage users to take their own lives.
China’s Independent Journalists Face High Risks — And Are in High Demand
Outside the umbrella of the media institution, independent journalists face many risks, but their work is becoming increasingly influential in China's media ecology.
Now's Not a Good Time to Wear a Hammer and Sickle T-Shirt in Indonesia
"Fear of communism, fear of liberalism, fear of LGBT, fear of Chinese and foreign powers: personalities of those with inferiority complexes. Fearing their own stupidity."
A Novel About the ‘Anonymous People Who Every Day Live, Love, Resist and Struggle’ for Syria
"We hear little of those who resist, construct and reconstruct, in an increasingly difficult context," says activist, journalist, and Global Voices author Leila Nachawati Rego about her new novel.
A New Campaign Encourages Latin American Indigenous Communities to Create Their Own Media
"By creating our own media, we, the indigenous peoples, are protagonists of our own history..."
Venezuela: Research Confirms Censorship of News Platforms, Currency Websites
The study also confirmed that all local Internet service providers using DNS (domain name system) blocking, technique through which domain name servers respond incorrectly to requests for a particular domain.
The Iranian State Versus Kim Kardashian
The story is so absurd that it seems funny, at first glance. But the Iranian state's problems with Kim Kardashian are no laughing matter.
Argentina's ‘March of the Cap’, a Movement That Won't Stay Silent on Deadly Police Brutality
"We are the guys and girls from the 'hoods, dances, and football fields, from the jails all over the country. We are the workers who fight every day for dignity".
The Government of Mozambique is “Spying on its Citizens”, According to @Verdade
The order to intercept information was secured by military command between 2012-2014, and installed by the Chinese ZTE Corporation. Listening in on citizens is said to have begun in 2013.
Kenyan Blogger and Photographer Goes Missing
Before disappearing, he wrote on Facebook about how his arrest and 'terrorism suspect' label have destroyed his career and livelihood.
Ethiopian Blogger and Activist Sentenced to Five Years and Four Months
Ethiopia's state prosecutor conflated digital security training with terrorism. A local judge agreed.
Bulgarian ‘Green’ Activist Faces Lawsuit Over Facebook Post
Bulgarian eco-activist Borislav Sandov was sentenced for "insulting" the director of a mining company through a Facebook status. Court of appeals will hear his case at the end of May.
Netizen Report: Facebook and Twitter Disappear in Uganda Amid Election Tensions
Mapping “disputed” areas could become a crime in India, Nepal gives Canadian man the boot over controversial tweets and a Russian social mediaite is convicted of promoting “separatism” online.
Where Is Zeenat Shahzadi? Missing Journalist Is Suspected Victim of Pakistan's Enforced Disappearances
"It is getting to the point when anyone of us can disappear for seeking or speaking the truth..."
Ukrainian Activists Leak Personal Information of Thousands of War Reporters in the Donbas
The international journalist community reacted with consternation and anger to a leaked database of reporters accredited with the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" published by Ukrainian activists.