Stories about Freedom of Speech from September, 2011
Cuba: “Capitalism of the Castros”
Iván García explains that “the Cuba of the 21st century is split in two. The islet of the gentleman and the atoll of the comrade.”
Cuba: “Damas” March Tomorrow
Uncommon Sense will have his eye on Cuba tomorrow as “the Damas De Blanco (‘Ladies In White)…participate in a march and other ceremonies commemorating Our Lady of Mercy, the patroness of prisoners, a fitting celebration for a group committed to advocating for the release of Cuban political prisoners.”
Russia: Controlled Media Support Party Hijacking
With Russia’s parliamentary and presidential elections quickly approaching, political battles are becoming an almost daily occurrence. The latest scandal has reminded many bloggers that political celebrities can be discredited as fast as they're pushed into the spotlight.
Russia: Cyber Security Code of Conduct?
The Russian government is attempting to spread the system of Internet controls abroad. Russian bloggers are interpreting these attempts as either the current regime's basic self-preservation instinct, or, even more troublesome, as inadequate thinking about the Internet.
Ukraine: Vitaly Portnikov's “Winter Time”
Foreign Notes posts a loose translation of Vitaly Portnikov's latest analytical piece [ru] on the political situation in Ukraine.
Latvia: Talk Show Host Fired for “Breach of Good Taste”
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reports that a Latvian-American talk show host has been fired from LTV for calling certain politicians “whores.”
Cuba: Image of a Free Woman
Rebeca Monzo examines the new image of the Cuban woman, saying: “In official spheres they speak of the revolutionary woman, mother, comrade, worker, housewife. But what’s certain is that, more and more, our women suffer transformations that are detrimental to their appearance and self-esteem.”
Cuba: Parents Detained; What Happens to Child?
Uncommon Sense calls the “countless number of children [who] have been separated from their families…one of the regime’s more unforgivable sins” and goes on to highlight the plight of a two-year-old boy whose parents are allegedly “in jail because of their active opposition to the Castro dictatorship.”
Uganda: Anti-Museveni Author Freed After Five Days
The Ugandan government has freed the author of a book who was imprisoned for five days without access to his lawyers or family. Vincent Nzaramba’s little known book 'People Power, Battle the Mighty General' called for a coup and a revolution in the country, thrusting the little known activist into the spotlight.
Hungary: Photojournalists Banned From Parliament
The Contrarian Hungarian reports that photojournalists working for two Hungarian online news portals have been banned from entering the Parliament building following the publication of photos of PM Orbán's handwritten notes on the speech he was delivering on the country's defense plan.
Mexico: ‘Peace Caravan to the South’ Arrives in Mexico City
Fred Rosen –from the blog Mexico, Bewildered and Contested at NACLA– reports that The ‘Peace Caravan to the South’, organized by the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, “arrived in Mexico City’s central plaza, the Zócalo, ending its eleven-day, round-trip journey to and through southern Mexico, where it documented...
Uganda: LGBTI Human Rights Defender Receives Kennedy Award
Frank Mugisha, a Ugandan LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) human rights defender has been selected for the 2011 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Haute Haiku reports.
Cuba: Hunger Strike for Human Rights
Pedazos de La Isla posts an interview with Rufina Velazquez, speaking out on behalf of her activist father, who has been on a hunger strike to demand respect for the human rights of all Cubans.
South Korea: More Blocking of Pro-North Korean Internet Content
Quoting DongA newspaper's report on the censorship of internet content in South Korea, Martyn Williams from North Korea Tech blog wrote that there has been a sharp increase of the number of South Korean police requests demanding the deletion of pro-North Korean internet content.
Russia: Governor's Death Rumors Provoke Harsh Reaction Among Authorities
Alexander Mikhelson, head of “United Russia” fraction at Kemerovo regional Duma, has proposed [ru] a new draft bill that implies stricter responsibility for online libel. The action followed the appearance of the rumors [ru] that Aman Tuleyev, governor of the Kemerovo region, was found dead. Previously, local police had set up a task force...
Cuba: “Repression Weekend”
Cuban bloggers are referring to this past weekend as “repression weekend”; new dissidents are detained even as others are released.
Southeast Asia: Press Freedom Heroes
Three Southeast Asian journalists (Cambodia's Hang Chakra, Malaysia's Zulkiflee Anwar Ul Haque, and Thailand's Chiranuch Premchaiporn) were recognized by the Human Rights Watch for their promotion of press freedom in the region
Myanmar: International Websites Accessible Again?
The Irrawaddy reports that international websites, including YouTube, are accessible again in Myanmar. But internet connection in the country is still slow, according to internet cafe operators.
Malaysia to Overhaul Security and Censorship Laws
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak surprised everybody during the Malaysia Day celebration when he announced an overhaul to several controversial acts related to national security, censorship, speech and freedom of assembly
China: Calls to Free Blind Activist Met With Violence
After serving a 51-month sentence for disturbing public order, blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng was released in September 2010, but has been kept under house arrest for more than a year by local police in Linyi, Shandong province. Activists campaigning for his release have been victims of violence.
Brazil: Defending Freedom of Religion
Rosângela Basso, of the blog Maria da Penha Neles, posts a series of pictures of a protest in defence of religious freedom in Rio de Janeiro. The blog Bule Voador posted a video and pictures of a protest for the secular state in Curitiba, in the state of Paraná.
