Stories about Freedom of Speech from August, 2007
GV Advocacy: Toward a Global anti-censorship Network
During the last six months, since the launch of Global Voices Advocacy, we have been trying to cover the increasingly serious threats to online speech occurring around the globe and the efforts to combat them. We’ve documented the arrest and detention of scores of bloggers and online authors and highlighted several anti-censorship campaigns, reports of Internet censorship, blocked blogs and websites.
China: Self-disciplined bloggers
Keso commented on the recently passed “code of self-regulation of blog service”. More than a dozen of local blog service providers have signed the code which would demand real name registration of bloggers. The blogger doubted whether such “self-regulation” would really work… (zh)
Thailand: WordPress.com blocked
On August 22th, 2007, access to wordpress.com blogging platform has been blocked by TOT (Telecommunication Authority) preventing Thai Internet users from accessing Thai WordPress and all blogs hosted on wordpress.com. “A notice has been shown when trying to access any WordPress page: “Sorry. TOT Plc., as an organization of Thai...
The Committee to Protect Bloggers is back
The Committee to Protect Bloggers (CPB) “the first organization devoted to the free speech and personal liberty of bloggers worldwide, has come back after a 1+ year hiatus, with a tighter focus. Our primary goal is to act as the comprehensive clearinghouse for information on threatened bloggers and on threats...
Russia: Tešanović on Politkovskaya
On Boing Boing, Jasmina Tešanović writes about Anna Politkovskaya, who was her friend.
China: Porn crackdown targets online fiction
Maya from DANWEI writes about the recent Internet crack down of erotic online fiction in China: this crackdown is part of China's general push to “clean up” before the Olympics.
Tajikistan: Beating the US
One of the most discussed topics on Tajik blogs recently was the loss of the US U-17s to the Tajik team in the Under–17 Football World Cup. This and much more in this week's blogosphere roundup.
Syria: Journalists Arrested in Occupied Golan
“Two Syrian journalists have been arrested by Israeli Occupation Forces. Ata Farahat and Yousef Shams – correspondents for Al Watan – have been detained on unknown charges. They are Syrians, working on Syrian territory,” Sasa reports.
Bangladesh: under curfew
Civil unrest began in Bangladesh on the 20th of August when a petty dispute broke out concerning comments passed by armed forces personnel during a soccer match at a university gymnasium ground. An army camp has occupied part of the ground since the declaration of a state of emergency on...
Iran:Iranian-American Scholar Freed
View from Iran writes that Haleh Esfandiari,Iranian-American scholar,is free now.The blogger says that Esfandiari's mother had to put up her house as bail. This is the case time and time again. It is one way that the regime retains control over its middle class population. The family's financial security is...
Russia: Blogger on Trial for Writing Fiction
Blogger Dmitry Shirinkin faces trial for having written on his blog that he had purchased a gun and was going to kill a few dozen people in one of the city’s colleges. According to Shirinkin, the text - posted on April 21, but made private on April 22 - was a work of fiction, "inspired" by the Virginia Tech shooting. According to the prosecutor's office, however, Shirinkin has violated Article 207 of the Russian Criminal Code by "distributing false information on a planned terrorist act." The trial is likely to take place in September; if convicted, the Russian blogger may receive a three-year prison sentence.
Russia: August 1991
Window on Eurasia writes about the missed opportunities of the August 1991 coup, which out an end to the Soviet Union.
Jamaica: Media Emergency?
“I am a big supporter of the media and their freedom of speech. I do believe in the public’s right to know. However, I don’t know that the media has some emergency rights giving them free reign over the roads.” Beyondbee wonders what constitutes a “media emergency”.
Trinidad & Tobago: Faith and Tolerance
Caribbean Free Radio refers to an article by Nilanjana S. Roy to make a point about tolerance – religious and otherwise – and puts in her two cents’ worth about Trinidad & Tobago's 2007/2008 Budget.
Russia: Nashi, BBC, and the Upcoming Elections
Mark MacKinnon writes about the recent BBC ban and the Nashi movement's summer camps: “Both the Kremlin's bolstering of “patriotic” youth movements and its crackdown on non-state media outlets are moves directed at heading off any kind of Orange Revolution-inspired uprising in Russia around December's Duma elections and/or next year's...
Estonia: Russia
Yet another blog battle is raging in the comments section of Edward Lucas’ post on the Russo-Estonian relations.
Blogging for democracy around the world
Antony Loewenstein is a Sydney-based freelance journalist, author and blogger. He is currently writing a book on "Democracy and Blogging" and recently traveled to Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and China to meet with bloggers.
UAE: online forum administrator sentenced to prison
Earlier this month, on August 8th, Mohamed Rashed al-Shohhi, an online forum administrator in the Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah (UAE) has been sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of nearly US$ 13,600 (Dh50,000) for content deemed defamatory published by anonymous on the popular forum board he moderated...
China: Newspapers Frontpage
Ah Q weekly posted 5 different local newspapers’ front page. Just look at the layout of covering stories, they are all the same! The blogger jokingly said that all the 5 newspapers had shared one editor (zh).
Kuwait: Jailed Blogger Released
Following a local and regional outcry, jailed Kuwaiti blogger Bashar Al-Sayegh was released in Kuwait earlier today. While some bloggers celebrated the release, others warned that it could be a signal of more restrictions which could curtail freedom of speech in Kuwait. Another blogger expresses his disgust with men in...
Syria Bans Anonymous Speech Online
Syria bans anonymous speech online, reports Elijah Zarwan.
