Stories about Freedom of Speech from November, 2017
#DemocracyDefeated: How Indian Right-Wing Groups Stalled A Bollywood Period Drama
Scandal surrounding "Padmavati" film causes Indian BJP leader to call for the lead actor's beheading and draws attention to larger issues of freedom of expression in film.
13 Things Banned (or Strongly Discouraged) in Tajikistan
Tajikistan's people are renowned for hospitality, but their government isn't. Some locals joke the only ban left is a ban on banning things.
Malaysian Authorities Blocked Websites Reporting on Massive Personal Data Theft Scandal
"I believe that you have a right to know about it, in a timely manner. Authorities can’t sit on the data for weeks without letting you know on any pretense."
Jordanian Cartoonist Goes to Trial For Drawing Jesus
The cartoon commented on the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, which sold church property to Israeli settler groups to pay off church debt.
When Citizens Rejected a Ban on WhatsApp and Telegram, Afghan Officials Backed Down
"The order must be immediately withdrawn, otherwise we put Ghani’s name in line with dictators like Putin, Bashar Assad, Kim Jong Un and many more."
#StopTheCrackdownVN: Global Groups Call for Human Rights Protection in Vietnam
Human rights groups are stepping up the campaign urging the Vietnamese government to release 165 prisoners and conscience and to stop the persecution of activists and bloggers.
In India, Class and Gender Inequities Impede Justice for Sexual Harassment Victims
"...the entire justice system itself is aligned towards keeping patriarchy and caste system intact."
A Look Inside China's Propaganda Bureaucracy
How powerful is the Publicity Department of China's Communist Party? This article explores the history, functions, and expanding role of China's propaganda bureaucracy.
Netizen Report: Memes and ‘Obscene’ Messages Are Under Fire in Indonesia
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
Freedom of Expression or ‘Obscene Representation'? The Case Against Indian Cartoonist Bala G
"The incident made me think that my children were burning. I have no words to express my sorrow, so I drew the cartoon out of rage."
Indonesian Police Go After Social Media Users for Mocking House Speaker
"What does it say about....Indonesia when a politician can continue to act with impunity, while somebody who spreads a meme about him gets arrested?"
China's Twitter Community Is Polarized Over Corruption Allegations by Fugitive Billionaire Guo Wengui
"When struggling with the CCP, one has to be cunning and wise -- borrowing power from one authority to crack down on the other one."
United Arab Emirates: Seven Months After Completing His Sentence, Blogger Osama Al-Najjar Remains in Prison
Osama Al-Najjar was arrested in 2014 for tweeting in support of his imprisoned father.
Macedonian Court Ruling Favors Formerly Jailed Journalist, Indicates Government Conspiracy
Kezarovski spent the better part of three years as political prisoner, under conditions tantamount to torture.
Moroccan Journalists Keep Fighting to Cover the Hirak Movement, Despite State Intimidation
Journalists reporting on the Hirak protests are facing a myriad of restrictions.
Activist Faces Imprisonment For His Book Criticizing The Indian River Inter-Linking Project
"Sedition case for writing against river linking! This is a most financially, socially, environmentally disastrous idea."
