Stories about Freedom of Speech from January, 2010
China: No more dirty joke via SMS
According to last week's Xinhuanet report, Mobile China Shanghai branch will start suspending a mobile phone's SMS function if they find the number distribute “vulgar”, “pornographic” and other illegal contents(Details see GVA). Other cities and mobile companies also carry out similar practices since the beginning of 2010. The new policy...
China’s Orwellian Future
John Chan (陳冠中), an author from Hong Kong who is currently living in Beijing, has written a novel entitled The Fat Years: China, 2013 (盛世 – 中國, 2013). The story happens in 2013, when China enters a new era of material prosperity and everyone is happy, while the western world...
Russian Blogger Harassed For Marrying Chinese
Maria Gromakova became a victim of comprehensive virtual attacks of Russian extreme nationalists. Online harassment eventually turned into a real-life nightmare forcing Maria and her family to leave Russia. She tells her story to GVO.
Tunisia: And They Censored Arabicca!
Tunisian blogger Fatma Arabicca, who was arrested two months ago, decided to resume blogging last week. With only one post on her new blog, authorities swooped in to block it. Tunisian bloggers react to the ban and to the censorship of other blogs as well.
Israel: Activists and bloggers protest against deterioration of human rights
As activists are rounded up and arrested on the ground, Israeli bloggers and Twitter users turn to the Internet to fully employ alternative media platforms to influence public opinion and public opinion and struggle for democracy, writes Carmel L. Vaisman, who also updates us about Israel's new biometric law.
Morocco: Bloggers Mourn Freedom of Expression
Nebrash Eshabab [Ar] is a Moroccan collective blogging platform. It published a call for Moroccan bloggers to “mourn freedom of expression in Morocco during a week, from 25 to 31 January,” in order to raise awareness about the deteriorating situation of free speech in the country.
Azerbaijan: Demonstrations in London and Paris for imprisoned video blogging youth activists
On the same day that an appeal court hearing for imprisoned blogging youth activists Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli was adjourned, supporters of the two men protested outside the Embassies of Azerbaijan in London and Paris.
Russia: Famous Police Video Blogger Arrested
Ex-police officer Aleksey Dymovsky has been arrested on Jan. 23 on fraud charges. Dymovsky became a Russian Internet sensation when he released an online video address publicly accusing several high-ranked Russian police officers in corruption.
Egypt: Severe criticism for the human rights situation
Alaa Kamal discusses [Ar] the upcoming Human Rights Watch (HRW) annual report, that will be published over the next days. He says that the Arab countries received the biggest share of criticism. Also, the report clearly focused on the deteriorating human rights situation in Egypt.
China：Google's announcement to clarify rumors brings in more speculations
The latest announcement by Google.cn is that all the rumors about their quit is just rumors. However, more speculations came in, questioning whether Google's move is to cover up its business failure, or to serve for a political purpose
Sri Lanka: Tamils And Democracy
Lankanyyz at Musings from Toronto explains the reason for the claim that the Tamils in Sri Lanka don't have a voice: “the Tamil population don't have a strong political presence to represent them democratically.”
Bhutan, China: Of Cyber And Border Wars
With quiet diplomacy and tact the tiny Himalayan state Bhutan took on giant China over encroachment and border issues recently. The Bhutanese officials and netizens are usually cautious to protest these issues with China, the powerful neighbor, but some netizens are voicing their dissent anonymously or under pseudonyms.
China: The Internet is freer than ever?
C. Custer criticized Shaun Rein’s recent column in Forbes about China internet freedom.
Poland: Government Approves Proposal to Create Registry of Banned Websites and Services
Sylwia Presley posts an update on the Polish government's controversial decision to create a Registry of Banned Websites and Services, and on the Polish netizens' ongoing protests against Internet censorship.
Turkey: Solve the Hrant Dink case…
Erkan's Field Diary comments on the case of Hrant Dink, an ethnic Armenian journalist who was assassinated in broad daylight in Istanbul, Turkey, three years ago this week. The blog says that if the authorities actually solved the case completely they would also solve that of another — the controversial...
Egypt: Detained Bloggers Tell their Tales
More than 20 Egyptian bloggers, who were on their way to pay their respects to the families of the victims of the Coptic massacre, were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady in Upper Egypt. They were released shortly afterwards and they are now telling us their side of the story.
Hong Kong: Media harassment of activist
tj_legg blogs about the dirty act of a local magazine in publishing student activist Christina Chan Hau-man's bathroom pictures in the cover. The blogger interprets the dirty tactic as a mean to silence Chan.
China: Avatar ordered to make way for Confucius?
DANWEI blogs about SARFT's response to the rumor that the mega-hit Avatar has been ordered to stop its run early in order to make way for Confucius. Meanwhile, workers in Guangzhou started using Avatar as their protest slogan.
Morocco: Blogging About Blogging
Moroccans, as usual, are blogging, only this time it's about…blogging! This year, two awards are being offered in the blogosphere: the third annual Maroc Blog Awards and the brand new Best of Morocco Blog Awards (or BOMBies).
Morocco: A Case for the Moroccan Sahara
American blogger in Morocco Eatbees makes a case for the Sahara to remain Moroccan.
Turkey: Third anniversary of Hrant Dink assassination
Three years ago today, Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was gunned down outside the office of the Argos newspaper he edited in Istanbul, Turkey. Often ignored, loathed or detested when he was alive by nationalists on both sides for his message of tolerance and peace, one blogger compares Dink to Martin Luther King Jr.
