Stories about Freedom of Speech from January, 2007
Lebanon: General Strike
A general strike that was called for by the opposition brought Lebanon to a standstill today. Bloggers posted photos, video clips, analysis and updates on the strike and the activities that ensued. MFL updates and writes about how the strike effected various places and aspects of Lebanese society. The Opposition...
Hong Kong: Impartial rule or discrimination?
難道同性戀的傾向是高度傳染的病菌？就連看一看也會受感染？ Is homosexuality a kind of contagious virus? And that by watching it on T.V and one would be infected? — Jovisky One Jan 20, the Broadcasting Authority (BA) issued a strong advice concerning RTHK’s television programme “Hong Kong Connection”(鏗鏘集). There were very strong reactions from the local blogsphere against...
Hong Kong: Broadcasting authority PK RTHK
ESWN shows the impartial news headlines by mainstream media on the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority's strong advice against a RTHK television program about its pro-homosexuality bias.
South Korea: teachers arrested for mind crime
Two Korean middle school teachers have been arrested since 18 of Jan for quoting North Korea's view on the nuclear test. interlocals.net has some background about the issue.
Malaysia: Website Formed to Support Bloggers
Mavericksym blog introduces a website called bloggers united that has been launched to support the two bloggers being sued by a Malaysian newspaper for defamation. The support site is run by Susan Loone who says “Take heart my friends. Our movement is growing. This black dot in the history of...
Latvia: Riga Folk Choir
Dykun posts “footage of members of the folk choir Skandinieki singing this past weekend at a rock that marks one of the spots in Riga where 5 people were killed during a Soviet crackdown on January 20, 1991.”
Serbia: The Election
Europhobia and Balkan Baby write on the elections in Serbia.
Hong Kong: monitoring blog's background music
IFPI (International Federation of Phonographic Industry (Hong Kong) decided to have 24 hours monitoring local blogs’ background music against copyrights infringement. The issue raised concerns from local bloggers. However, many bloggers commented that(zh) such action was a waste of resources and eventually bad for the business.
China: statement on banned book
ESWN translated Zhang Yihe's statement and position towards the list of 2006 banned books in China. “This book (Past Histories of Peking Opera Stars)is banned because of that person.” That person is Zhang Yi-he.
The Global Voices Show #4
Finally — the fourth episode of The Global Voices Show has landed! In this edition we feature excerpts from the following podcasts: - The IndiCast (India) – also see Global Voices article “The Blogospheres on Big Brother, Shilpa Shetty, Bullying and Racism“ – Pambazuka News (Zimbabwe) – Palabras Libres (Bolivia)...
Russia: “The New Wave of Nazi Terror”
“From Knives to Bombs: The New Wave of Nazi Terror in Russia“: Sean's Russia Blog publishes a text by Vlad Tupikin (LJ user tupikin) – who “frequently writes on anti-fascism, Russian anarchism and the anti-globalization movement in Russia;” translated from Russian by Thomas Campbell.
Hong Kong: warning against homosexual program
The Television and Entertainment licensing authority issued a warning to Radio and Television Broadcast Hong Kong regarding a TV program on homosexual love and marriage. The chief of Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau immediately demanded to meet with the head of RTHK. Many citizens and netizens, including Mo at inmediahk.net...
Hong Kong: doraemons fans’ websites forced to closed down
Animation International issued legal document and demanded the closed down of non-profitable cartoon fans’ website in Hong Kong. All of them are run by Japanese cartoon figure doraemons’ fans: doraemons.dorafans.com, search.dorafans.com, keithyuen.dorafans.com, news.dorafans.com, www.dorafans.com
China: Independent directors funded
With the news of Chinese broadcasting regulation body SARFT‘s decision to heavily invest in future films from sixteen of China's hottest young independent directors, one might jump to the conclusion that official regulators are just as tired of the same few big-name directors as many Chinese netizens are. LiLiang, for...
Turkey is Typing…the Death of Hrant Dink
While normally this column focuses on what only Turkish bloggers are saying, sometimes events happen that warrant the voices of not only Turkish points-of-views but others as well. The Death of Hrant Dink is one of those moments. As a bit of background- Hrant Dink was a Turkish-Armenian journalist and...
Iran:Journalist banned from leaving Iran to collect prize
According to Kosoof, a freelance journalist,Taghi Rahmani, was banned from leaving Iran as he prepared to travel to Denmark on 13 January 2007, to receive a prize awarded by the local section of the freedom of expression organisation, PEN International.The journalist, who is a leading press freedom activist, has worked...
Croatia, Serbia: Vets vs Bora Dordevic
Croatian war veterans group protests an upcoming talk show appearance by a Serbian rock singer Bora Dordevic, reports Illyrian Gazette.
Russia, Estonia: The Monument
Estonia‘s parliament voted last week to relocate from the center of the capital Tallinn the Soviet-era monument to the Red Army soldiers who died in World War II. The bronze statue of a soldier was erected in 1947 and is considered by many as a symbol of Soviet occupation. The...
Russia: Novaya Gazeta Piece Translated
A lengthy Novaya Gazeta article on “the institutionalization of murder as a political tactic in Vladimir Putin's Russia” – translated at La Russophobe.
Lebanon: A Bouquet of Topics
A variety of subjects were brought up in the Lebanese blogosphere this week. Following are some of the topics with links to selected posts about each. Hope you enjoy reading them. On the Environment: The oil spill that covered the Mediterranean coast last July as a result of Israeli bombardment...
Guyana: Press freedom
In light of the recent withdrawal of state-sponsored advertising from the Guyana news daily The Stabroek News (an act condemned by Reporters Sans Frontières), Guyana360 writes a series of posts (one, two, three, four) on press freedom in Guyana.
