Stories about Freedom of Speech from February, 2022
Russian discourse about the war in Ukraine is not monolithic
While Putin’s voice might seem to represent the Russian discourse, he only speaks for himself. Russian people’s views on the situation in Ukraine and about Russia’s military attack vary widely.
Azerbaijani journalist and queer activist murdered
Hafizli's sparked a public outcry on social media platforms, with many activists criticizing Azerbaijan's history of inaction when addressing hate crimes, specifically those targeting marginalized groups in the country.
What does Russia's new “hostage-taking” law mean for social media companies?
The new law imposes new obligations on popular foreign websites and social media platforms with over half a million daily Russian users, asking them to register legal entities in Russia.
Malaysian artist Fahmi Reza faces police probe and two charges for satirical posters
"Gov leaders must learn to take public criticism and dissent in stride and stop going after critics like #FahmiReza for poking fun at them."
The Beijing Winter Olympics: A wedding adjacent to a funeral
Are IOC leaders that naïve, or do they lack the vision to understand the concept of genocide and what it is like to be voiceless in a one-party regime?
Pacific media groups rally behind suspended Papua New Guinea journalist
Sincha Dimara was suspended for reporting on court proceedings against Australian hotelier Jamie Pang. MLN has faced criticism before for suspending and silencing journalists.
Court in Russia-occupied Crimea sentences freelance journalist to six years in prison
Vladyslav Yesypenko was detained in Crimea in March 2021 on suspicion of collecting information for Ukrainian intelligence, charges the journalist has denied. While in detention, has reportedly endured torture.
Undertones: What Russian media says about the Russia-Ukraine crisis
Inside Russia, mainstream media have treated the crisis as a joke, reminded their audience of Russia’s position as a nuclear superpower, or stated that Putin does not know how to retreat from the situation.
Hijab ban stirs protests in the Indian state of Karnataka
Protests have broken out in the southern state of Karnataka in India over the past months, after colleges in the state banned women students wearing hijabs from attending classes.
Myanmar activists oppose sale of Telenor telecom to military-linked firm
"They have not consulted with the people risking their lives to resist the military junta, whose lives are in Telenor's hands."
Concerted attacks against Bangladeshi activists on Facebook
In a recent collaborative attack by unknown perpetrators, the Facebook profiles of several celebrities, journalists, media personalities and activists from Bangladesh were mysteriously turned into tribute profiles.
Vietnam's human rights situation off to an ominous start in 2022
Eight people were arrested for "anti-State propaganda" in the first two weeks of 2022 alone, with a few multi-year sentences tacked on for good measure.
In Azerbaijan, a man arrested for disrespecting a flag
This is perhaps the first instance of strong public backlash against someone disrespecting a foreign flag in Azerbaijan.
