Stories about Freedom of Speech from April, 2008
Estonia: “The Rubik's Cube of the Soviet Legacy”
Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonia: “This country is complicated, but attempts to explain it to the outside world often fail. […] Estonia is closer than you think to solving the Rubik's Cube of the Soviet legacy. Let them work it out by themselves.”
China: Hu Jia's Prosecution Document
Zeng Jinyan posted Hu Jia's prosecution document[zh] on her blog.
Iran:Journalist under fire
According to Kamangir, Masih Alinejad, a female journalist, is under fire in Iran after she wrote about the similarity between dolphins dancing to their instructor and the crowd which gathers around when president Ahmadinejad goes to his numerous trips to under-developed areas.
Indonesia: Olympic torch relay
Reacting to the detention of a Dutch citizen after joining a pro-Tibet Olympics rally in Jakarta, Unspun wonders “about the rightness of foreigners taking up causes in other people’s countries.”
Thailand: Refusing to stand for the Royal Anthem
Wise Kwai's Thai Film Journal features the perspective of a Thai citizen who has been charged with lèse majesté for refusing to stand for the Royal Anthem before a film screening last year.
Egyptian activists released
Two Egyptian activists, Esraa Abdel Fattah Ahmed, who launched the “6 April” Facebook group and blogger Mohamed Sharkawy, have been released. Both Esraa and Sharkawy were arrested on 5 April while distributing leaflets announcing the 6 April strike.
Lithuania: Bloggers’ Conference
Babel in Vilnius reports on the second Lithuanian bloggers conference – BLOGin 2008 – held in Vilnius in early April.
Ukraine, Russia: “Hitler Toy” Story
Ukrainiana writes about the “Hitler toy” story that first appeared on the Russian TV and was later picked up by BBC: “To the extent that the Western media often cite Russian sources as an authority on Ukraine, they also partake in this smorgasbord of Soviet-style propaganda.”
Egypt: Esraa Update
Egyptian blogger Zeinobia updates us about the whereabouts of Esraa Abdelfattah, who was jailed in Egypt for allegedly creating a Facebook group which encouraged people to take part in the April 6 strike.
Serbia: Biljana Srbljanovic
Balkan Baby writes about Biljana Srbljanovic, Belgrade mayoral candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party.
Albania: “Albanosphere”
Douglas Muir of A Fistful of Euros posts a new installment on the “Greater Albania” – an extensive overview of the myths and facts about the “Albanosphere.”
Cuba: Damas de Blanco
As “a group of Cuban women peacefully demonstrating for the release of their jailed husbands were roughed up by a mob and arrested”, Cuban bloggers speak out…Babalu: “The regime still fears free thinkers and political opposition”; Uncommon Sense: “Freedom in Cuba — for the brave men on whose behalf these...
Egypt: Disappearing People
Michaelitoo compiles a post about Egyptians who have gone missing, for their religious and political beliefs, in this article Tarek Amr translates from Arabic.
Egypt: Detainees Update
From Egypt, blogger Hossam El Hamalawy updates us on the conditions of those arrested in the recent Al Mahalla protests and clashes, over inflation and increasing salaries. They include bloggers, journalists and activists.
Bermuda: Freedom of the Press
As Bermuda's Premier responds to international concern over the country's press freedoms, Vexed Bermoothes thinks that his letter “oozes with false sincerity and contorted logic.”
Burkina Faso: Vegetarians need not apply
As much as Ouagalais love political intrigue, most people are much more preoccupied with the power cuts that have afflicted the city for the past five weeks or so. First, a galet poussoir, which translates as a roller tapet, failed at one of the city’s main power stations, forcing Sonabel, the local power company, to schedule rolling blackouts throughout the city every day for more than a week until someone was sent to France to pick it up a new piece.
Iran: Shirin Ebadi and the Threats
Mohammad Ali Abtahi,former vice president and blogger,says that Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shirin Ebadi, has written a letter to police stating that she is threatened to death. Fortunately the president has emphasized on the need for her security in a letter.
China: One world, one dream, and one multi-front protest
The Chinese global anti-Carrefour boycott was supposed to begin on May 1, but with tempers flaring over CNN commentator Jack Cafferty's on-air remarks this past week, and a number of other recent incidents, people in a few cities across China decided to get a head start. So too did the Chinese hackers who had been planning a coordinated denial-of-service attack on CNN.com set for April 19.
Russia: “Gensek Putin”; Politkovskaya Case Update
Sean's Russia Blog writes about “Gensek Putin” (48 comments) – and posts an update on the investigation of Anna Politkovskaya's murder.
Estonia: Interview With Blogger Flasher T
Itching for Eestimaa interviews “Estonian blogger Flasher T, author of the lively Antyx.”
Armenia: Independent TV Station Faces Closure
Blogian comments on what many consider to be the imminent and effective closure of a regional TV station broadcasting in Armenia's second largest city of Gyumri. The station has been under pressure from the authorities since covering the activities of a former head of state and presidential candidate in the...
