Stories about Freedom of Speech from February, 2017
Indian Student Activist Faces Death Threats After Standing Up to Right Wing
Threats of violence, gang rape, and physical attacks are making news in India, after a 20-year-old student activist from New Delhi's Lady Shri Ram college launched the #StudentsAgainstABVP protest.
Palestinian Journalist Describes Days of Torture, Mysterious Injections by Palestinian Intelligence
“Open a funeral house for me, you will hear about my death soon.”
She’s Still in School, But This Slovenian Journalist Just Took Down a High-Powered State Official
Journalist Lea Majcen is an overnight celebrity in Slovenia, after stumping government official Tilen Smolnikar with basic interview questions about his work as head of the country's renewable energy sector.
Macedonia’s Ruling Party Is Draining Civil Society Groups’ Time—and Money
Ruling partly leaders are calling for the "de-Sorosization" of Macedonian civil society, arguing that the country's civil sector should rely on the Macedonian government for financial support.
Netizen Report: How Private is Our Email? Riseup Users Want to Know.
New malware targets Iranian mac users, Facebook discloses some information about data-sharing with advertisers, and Cameroon’s regional Internet shutdown could cost the country millions.
In Georgia, Concern Mounts as Tussle over Key Broadcaster Reaches Endgame
"#Media is a natural ally of society. It can show flaws! Never make mistakes already made by your opponents. Support #Rustavi2"
Twitter Walks a Fine Line in Russia
Why does Twitter comply with Kremlin requests to censor Tweets inside Russia? It's complicated.
Free Expression Under Fire as Venezuela Takes CNN Spanish Off the Air
CNN broadcasts will now be freely available in Venezuela on YouTube — but what does it matter in the country with one of the slowest Internet connections in the region?
Hackers Target Iranian Activists’ Mac Devices With Revamped Malware
State-sponsored Iranian hackers targetting civil human rights users have a new virus targeting Apple computers.
Netizen Report: In Kenya and Mexico, Citizens Suspect State Manipulation on Twitter
As social manipulation abounds on Twitter, Venezuela blocks more news websites, and Facebook heads to France to fight fake news.
Battle of the Hashtags: Mapping the Online Conversation Surrounding Mexico's Gas Prices
In the wake of protests following Mexico's hike in gas prices, social media has become a battlefield over the propagation of false stories.
Should Brazil Boycott Traditional Carnival Songs With Sexist and Racist Overtones?
"Leaving this song out doesn't make the party less fun and we manage to have a gathering where everyone can really enjoy themselves."
Palestinian Authority Bans Novel for ‘Threatening Morality and Public Decency’
The Palestinian Authority's decision to ban a novel is being met with a lot of resistance.
Russian Censor's Warning to Radio Station Raises Alarm, Briefly
Alarm about another crackdown on Russian media spread quickly—and briefly—yesterday, when news broke that the state media censor had warned radio station Ekho Moskvy that it could be shut down.
Netizen Report: Internet Shutdowns Return to Iraq, Persist in Cameroon
Cameroon's Internet regional shutdown enters its third week, Ukraine prosecutes two men for "separatist" speech on Vkontakte and Algerian lawyers are told to stop using social media.
Thai Media Groups Say Proposed Law Could Bring Total Government Control of the Press
"Government presence on a press panel and licensing of journalists are never part of a free press."
In Iran, From Prison to Banishment for Posting Jokes on Facebook
After completing a five-year prison sentence for Facebook posts about religion on Facebook, the Judiciary has sent Soheil Babadi into internal exile in southern Iran.
Soldiers Outnumber Residents in Angola’s Oil-Rich Cabinda, Says Activist Marcos Mavungo
"The crisis is so big, hunger is so bad, illness is so bad that people die like chickens."
Argentina Confronts the Scourge of Women’s Nipples
A police crackdown on three topless women at a beach has sparked a national debate about the gender inequality of the country's recreational dresscode.
Ukrainian Social Media Users Get Five Years in Prison For ‘Supporting Separatism’
The two men were sentenced to five years in prison by a Sloviansk city court for threatening the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
As Burundi's Political Crisis Simmers, Critics Are Silenced
Many reporters and activists have fled the country, and some are even missing.
