Stories about Freedom of Speech from June, 2021
Top Belarusian media website removes social media posts to protect employees
Tut.by editors removed virtually all of the content published on most of their social media channels in 2020 and the first half of 2021, at the height of the post-election protests.
Hong Kong digital news outlet Stand News removes articles and suspends subscriptions following Apple Daily closure
Pro-democracy digital news outlet Stand News has announced it will remove opinion articles it published before May and stop accepting donations to reduce risks under the national security law.
Myanmar journalists endure attacks for reporting the coup
"We're all just waiting for the knock on the door. Sometimes you hear footsteps on the stairs, it's like they're coming for you: you have this feeling all the time."
Amazon Prime TV series dangerously misrepresents Eelam Tamil narratives and histories
An Indian TV show, which launched its second season on Amazon Prime recently, landed deep in controversy for portraying the Lankan Tamils in a highly colourist and problematic manner.
Pride month marred by crackdown in Azerbaijan
As Pride month nears its end, one European country stands out for its dismal record when it comes to supporting the LGBTQI+ community.
Turkey moves to ban pro-Kurdish political party
The 843-page indictment was first filed by the chief prosecutor of Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals in March 2021, accusing the party of collaborating with the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party militant group.
Security police interventions force closure of Apple Daily, Hong Kong's 26-year-old pro-democracy news outlet
In its inaugural editorial, Apple Daily had stated: "Are we not afraid of the changes 1997 could bring about? We are, but we are not willing to be daunted by fear."
Some Thai students reject uniforms and standing for national flag during online classes
Some students refused to stand while others used a camera filter to make it appear like they were wearing a school uniform.
Balloons, graffiti, sports and economic power are the latest tools of Palestinian resistance
These latest acts of resistance reflect the energy brought to the movement by young people seeking their right to self-determination and to claim the spaces in which they live.
Pro-democracy Apple Daily continues its operations despite raid, seizures and arrests
Among the five senior executives arrested, two were officially charged with with conspiracy to collude with external elements on June 18
War journalists grieve execution of Spanish reporters in Burkina Faso
Fighting between jihadist groups has grown since a 2015 coup d'etat.
Organiser of online map protest in Russia fined for crowdsourced obscenities
Unlike street protests, which require prior authorisation from local authorities, online rallies aren't technically subject to the same restrictions.
Women in Chile create thriving community through radio
"Many people think ham radio is dead because of the Internet, but that's not true."
More internet security for many, not for Central Asians
"Apple has clearly been forced to comply with legal regulations in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan."
Laos social media task force: Will it target ‘fake news’ or censor online criticism?
"The reinforcement of social media platforms’ registration and severe control of online information are another reflection of the digital dictatorship in Laos."
Pressure on journalists, bloggers mounts ahead of Uzbekistan's presidential elections
A foreign journalist loses accreditation, a pro-LBGT blogger is beaten and another blogger gets a heavy sentence on dubious charges.
Late-night raid at Turkey's Boğaziçi University as students continue resisting interference in campus affairs
Six months later, university students, alumni, and faculty members are still agitating against the government-appointed rector Melih Bulu and his policies, which they claim are eroding the campus' democratic culture.
Barbados’ prime minister chastises musicians for violent lyrics; artists defend freedom of expression
Prime Minister Mia Mottley dismissed the “artistic license” defence by noting that some people in Barbadian society lack the maturity required to not interpret the musical message literally.
Myanmar’s long history of revolutionary poets
In Myanmar's history, poets have shown solidarity with the ordinary people and have been at the frontline in every revolution.
Pop-rock music and changing attitudes to the personality cult of Josip Broz Tito
" ... the generations of children born in Yugoslavia in the 1970s reacted to the break-up of the value system that put Tito on a pedestal with a growing dose of cynicism."
How the lack of Brazilian correspondents in China affects perceptions of both countries
Journalists Marcelo Ninio and Talita Fernandes discuss Brazilian perspectives on China.
