Stories about Freedom of Speech from October, 2022
Undertones: Brazil copes with ‘digital militias’ ahead of tense elections
Some are asking the courts to not sacrifice what is urgent (stopping the flow of disinformation) for what is important — safeguarding democratic processes.
Police detains scores of activists at an opposition party rally in Azerbaijan
According to local media reports, police started rounding up members of the party and other attendees hours ahead of the scheduled rally.
Activists predict homophobic and transphobic violence in Russia, but most avenues of escape are slammed shut
The law on prohibiting "propaganda" from the LGBTQ+ community might trigger homophobic and transphobic violence. Time is running out, and the plea to help needs to be urgently heard.
‘Call them by their names’: Stories of Russian anti-war political prisoners
In March 2022 the Russian parliament passed amendments to the Russian Criminal Code allowing for real prison terms for an anti-war stance. Some people now face up to 10 years in prison.
Turkish lawmakers ratify new disinformation bill
Aimed to combat fake news and disinformation, the 40-article legislation passed by Turkey's parliament, is a threat to freedom of speech say critics of the bill.
Ola Bini, the cyberactivist who causes panic in Ecuador
"There is a fear of the knowledge of the computer security and cybersecurity community.”
Ugandan poet spreads her message despite new law to criminalize online dissent
The irony in the duality of how President Museveni decisively dealt with his son's threats of war on Twitter versus his treatment of dissident Dr. Nyanzi was not lost on many Ugandans.
The struggle to maintain an independent russophone voice in Moldova
In de facto bilingual Moldova, russophone media Newsmaker offers independent coverage as an alternative to pro-Moscow media that influence a large part of the population, including about Ukraine.
Will banning music glorifying violence from the airwaves reduce Jamaica's crime rate?
"The music is a reflection of the environment. Change the environment and the music will be changed."
China censors online chatter after anti-Xi Jinping protest; Hong Kong media muted
Keywords such as #Haidian, #Sitong bridge, #Beijing, and even #I-saw-it were censored on Chinese social media.
The true colours of Truecaller in India: app accused of being negligent about data privacy
According to recently published research, the popular app TrueCaller is plagued with constant breaches and data security failures, and the company is avoiding regulations and taxes in India.
The world must hear the voice of Iranian women
The Iranian government is attempting to silence the online and offline voices of women and all dissidents through a brutal and ongoing crackdown.
Can citizens of democracies still trust the law? A Global Voices Insights discussion
The flip side of regulating the internet is that this enables the state to mobilise itself and erase the existence of these communities and their identities from popular culture and discussion.
Civil society groups call for justice after a radio broadcaster is killed in the Philippines
“...the culture of impunity in the country has made members of the press easy targets by vested interest groups who want to hide the truth.”
Why are so many teachers giving up their careers in Hong Kong?
As over 4,000 teachers leave the profession in Hong Kong, some discuss why they were compelled to quit and how the sector is faring.
Women in Turkey stand in solidarity with women of Iran
In Turkey where women’s rights keep deteriorating, the murder of Mahsa Amini hits close to home. Women from across all walks of life express solidarity with the protests in Iran.
Supporters hold rallies around the world in solidarity with the Iranian people
As the protest movement in Iran continues, rallies in solidarity with the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and justice were held in more than 150 cities worldwide over the weekend.
