Stories about Freedom of Speech from April, 2013
Fancy Cars and Booze Fuel Russian Online Petitions
A Russian government online petition platform went live on April 2. RuNet Echo takes a look at how it works in practice.
South Korean Anti-Discrimination Law Faces Conservative Pushback
South Korean conservative groups are mounting a fierce resistance to a proposed anti-discrimination law in South Korea that would prohibit discrimination based on religion, political ideology, or sexual orientation.
China Yanks ‘Django Unchained’ from Theaters
Chinese censors abruptly pulled the Oscar-winning movie “Django Unchained” from the country’s cinemas on the day of its premiere in an unexpected about-face after the movie's week-long promotion in China.
Racism Remarks in the NYT Land Cuban Intellectual in Trouble
Author Roberto Zurbano's tough talk on racism in Cuba published in The New York Times apparently cost him is job as editor at a publishing house and generated a heated debate among the island's intellectuals.
Greek Government Shutters Athens Indymedia
A leading alternative news site in Greece, Athens Indymedia announced it was being suppressed by Greek judicial authorities, along with two radio stations, and provided a Tor link [el] for alternate access. Potmos asserted on the significance...
Putin Unfazed by Topless Protest in Hannover
On Monday, 8 April 2013, Putin's tour of a trade fair in Hannover with German Chancellor Angela Merkel took an unexpected turn when three members of the controversial Ukrainian feminist and...
Tunisian Graffiti Artists Fined, Most Serious Charges Dismissed
A Tunisian court fined two street artists for drawing pro poor graffiti today. The court, however, dismissed the charges of "disturbing public order" and "breaching the state of emergency".
Russian Censors Partially Acquiesce to Wikipedia
Russian Internet censors at Roskomnadzor have reversed a decision to ban Wikipedia's entry for “cannabis smoking,” following a reexamination of the article after a new round of edits by Wikipedian...
Zambian Activist Arrested After Speaking Out for Gay Rights
Gay rights activist Paul Kasonkomona was arrested in Zambia after he appeared on live television arguing that the country, which criminalises homosexual acts, should respect same-sex relationships. His arrest came a week after four all-male couples attempted to get married in Zambia's capital city.
Djibouti: Arrests follow ‘Democratic’ Elections
Several opposition leaders were arrested in Djibouti after demonstrations which followed the February 22, 2013 general elections. The elections saw yet another victory for the party in power, the People's Rally for Progress. President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has ruled since 1999, received 80% of votes cast, leading to allegations of fraud on a massive scale. Arrests were still continuing at the time of writing, April 2013.
Macedonia's Media Law Lacks Media's Input
The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) explains [en] why Macedonian journalists are demanding an open debate “on the scope and the contents” of the draft Law on the Media...
Wikipedia's Suicide Mission Against Russian Censors
Smoking cannabis is dangerous business for people the world over. In Russia, just writing about it online can get you in trouble. State officials informed Wikimedia Russia that the government has placed its “Cannabis Smoking” article on its blacklist of illegal websites.
Yemen Court Summons Investigative Reporter
“Yemen’s Press and Publications Court (YPPC) has issued a summon statement against prominent investigative journalist, Mohammed Abdo Alabsi, to appear before court and interrogate him for his investigative reports,” writes...
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba Getaway Offends Diaspora Bloggers
You might not think that political bloggers would be particularly interested in the whereabouts of celebrities, but the minute Beyoncé and Jay-Z, touched down in Cuba, an anniversary getaway became the business of the Cuban diaspora in the United States.
Masked Protest Against Thai Royal Insult Law
Activists entered Thailand's National Book Fair wearing masks with the face of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a magazine editor who was sentenced to ten years for publishing articles which were deemed to...
An Iranian Blogger's Hunger Strike in Question
While many bloggers warn that Mehdi Khazali’s life is danger after 90 days of hunger strike in prison, there are also those who question whether it is really true.
China: Death of a News Censor
David Bandurski from China Media Project blogs about the life of Zeng Li, a “content examiner” at Southern Weekly, who had recently passed away. Before his retirement, he wrote a...
Taiwan Independent News Academy Hits at Corporate Media
A group of Taiwanese independent journalists and academics in journalism and communication launched the Academy of Independent Media in March 2013. The academy is to provide journalistic skill to citizen reporters and serve as incubator for independent media organizations.
Protests Against Arrest of Bloggers Charged with Blasphemy in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Police have detained four bloggers for their posts which allegedly "hurt religious feelings" and the hunt is on for seven more bloggers. Many popular Bangladeshi blogging platforms and blogs have blacked out their websites in protest.
Madrid President Advocates Censorship of Embarrassing Photos
Madrid regional president Ignacio González voiced his support during a radio interview for establishing "certain limits" on the publication of compromising images in the media, saying that "you have to be careful of the damage to people and to institutions".
Chinese Envy the Return of Private Media in Myanmar
As Myanmar's media landscape opens up, Chinese consumers wonder whether privately controlled media will ever see the light of day in their country.
