Stories about Freedom of Speech from October, 2023
Human rights organizations call for an immediate physical and digital ceasefire in Gaza
Global Voices aligns with human rights organizations in urging an immediate ceasefire, stressing the urgent necessity to stop the loss of innocent lives in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and beyond.
In Azerbaijan, public transportation does not welcome trans passengers
Public transportation become a place where transphobic stares, harassment and threats of violence are rampant.
Deconstructing the ‘beheaded babies’ misinformation in Israel’s war on Gaza
"We have seen journalists, in particular, spread unverified information that is being used to justify Israeli and even American calls and actions to annihilate an entire population.”
Decoding Chinese views on Palestine-Israel: Interview with independent journalist Vivian Wu
Global Voices interviewed US-based Chinese journalist Vivian Wu to explore how Israel's war on Gaza conflict is perceived in the Sinophone world.
Interview with Israeli-American journalist Joel Schalit: ‘Israel's government wants to put a formal end to democracy’
Global Voices interviewed Joël Schalit, co-founder of The Battleground, about Israel's war on Gaza. Schalit is an Israeli–American journalist who covers European and Middle Eastern politics, including for Israeli media.
Google denies Hong Kong police request to remove ‘seditious’ film about media tycoon Jimmy Lai from YouTube
This is the second time Google denied taking down political content. Its earlier refusal to alter protest song, 'Glory to Hong Kong,' has ended up in an injunction trial.
Legislating technology and the internet: Interview with Internet Society's Callum Voge
There are four main principles that we, with our community, identified as key for the internet: it must be open, global, secure, and trustworthy.
Vanishing memory: Commemorative plaques to victims of Soviet era disappear in Russia amid war and new repressions
Plaques commemorating victims of Stalin’s repressions are being taken down in Russian cities. News about vanishing plaques comes amid almost weekly arrests of activists for anti-regime or anti-war stances.
New policy requires Chinese influencers to display their personal information on Weibo
Popular mainland Chinese Weibo users must display their real identities, including names, gender, IP locations, and professional and educational background, on their account page starting at the end of October.
Civil society organizations call on tech companies to respect Palestinian digital rights in times of crisis
Tech companies must acknowledge their vital role and responsibility and adhere to business and human rights principles, along with international human rights laws, in upholding and protecting freedom of expression
Malaysian editor of banned book faces police probe for sedition
"Kean Wong’s arrest demonstrates the State’s concerted effort to suppress the public’s ability to both inform and to speak out without fear of censorship."
Portraits of exile: Iranian ‘soldier of justice’ Sholeh Pakravan
In a heart-wrenching moment behind prison walls in Iran, Sholeh receives news about her daughter Reyhaneh's execution for killing a former intelligence ministry worker who had attempted to rape her.
Landmark decision: Supreme Court of India rejects same-sex marriage
On October 17, 2023, a five judge bench of the Supreme Court of India has ruled against legalizing same-sex marriage in a unanimous verdict. This judgment has sparked concerns among LGBTQ+ activists.
Is there a double standard in how foreign-funded Persian media covers the opposition?
Four experts explain why there is a double standard in how the foreign-funded big Persian media are covering the Iranian opposition, neither criticizing them nor demanding transparency.
Still fighting the natives: A march for Palestine in London
The National March for Palestine began at the BBC’s London headquarters. Activists sprayed the doors with blood-red paint.
Anti-war activist punk musician from Yakutia detained in Kazakhstan
The poet, activist and leader of the Yakut punk band Crispy Newspaper Aikhal Ammosov regularly took to the streets with pickets and performances, painted graffiti and tried to hang anti-war banners in Russia.
Youth in the Balkans should be able to recognize disinformation with malign intent, Slovenian expert says
"We need to be able to communicate with the youth as effectively and as attractively as the adversaries are doing," said Petra Balažič, project manager at the Centеr of European Perspectives from Slovenia.
‘I can see the entirety of the sky now’: Australian journalist Cheng Lei is now free
"Tight hugs, teary screams, holding my kids in the spring sunshine. Trees shimmy from the breeze. I can see the entirety of the sky now! Thank you Aussies."
‘New Bloom': A rare leftist media voice in Taiwan
As Taiwan prepares for presidential and legislative elections, Global Voices spoke to one of the few leftist media operating outside of the Kuomintang/Democratic Progressive Party dichotomy that dominates local media.
Confessions from a Chinese censorship worker
A Chinese censorship worker discusses her workday, colleagues, and hatred for the Chinese censorship system.
Brazil: Communicators and activists from marginalized communities discuss online harassment and how they protect themselves
More than half of the journalists, communicators and influencers surveyed said they had received threats or been intimidated online, while 46 percent reported that they had already suffered hacking attempts on social media profiles
