Stories about Freedom of Speech from May, 2013
Spanish TV Offers Parents Tips on How to Dress Kids Appropriately
A news report on Spanish television showing parents how to ensure their children do not dress provocatively has unleashed protests on the web. Ever since the Rajoy government changed the top brass of the public broadcaster, there has been no shortage of denunciations about lack of independence and journalistic rigour.
Well-Known Chinese Leftist Advocates Militarized Internet
A prominent Chinese nationalist has called for China to take tighter control of the country's Internet in part by building an online army of civilians to monitor the Web and promote the communist party.
'14 Million: Life, Family & Liberty’ Movement Sparks Controversy in Ecuador
"14 million" is a citizen initiative that seeks to protect the rights of the family by opposing the free distribution of the day-after pill and other family planning policies in Ecuador. Even though part of the citizenry supports the movement, others -including President Rafael Correa- reject the group's ideas.
Free Speech and South Korea's Child Porn Law
A DeviantART website user wrote how South Korea's Children and Youth Protection law, that cracks down on child porn, can greatly undermine freedom of expression. Rough English translation appears in the latter half of the post. (There soon will be a detailed GV post on this issue)
14-year-old Citizen Journalist Killed Covering Clashes in Syria
Omar Qatifaan, a 14-year-old media activist, was killed while covering clashes between pro- and anti-government forces in the southern Daraa al-Ballad area of Syria near the border with Jordan.
How Social Commerce Tightens China's Grip on the Internet
A deal between e-commerce firm Alibaba Group and Sina Weibo, China's most popular microblogging service, has been heralded as a jump-start to the era of social commerce in China. But it could also enable the authoritarian state to tighten its grip on the Internet.
Thailand's Prime Minister Sues Cartoonist for Insulting Facebook Post
Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is suing a popular cartoonist for defamation over a comment he posted on Facebook comparing the leader to a prostitute for "selling out her country".
Panama President Levels Dirty Accusations Against Journalist on Twitter
The president called a journalist who wrote an article about his electricity-related business dealings a "sexual harasser" and "crooked" (accepting bribes or blackmail). The social networks reacted in a variety of ways.
Mozambique Mining Protest Ends in Arrests
Three brickmakers who had been arrested by the Mozambican Police while protesting peacefully with hundreds of people “at the gates of Brazilian mining giant Vale”, in Moatize on May 14, 2013, have been set free and are waiting for the verdict, NGO Justiça Ambiental informs denouncing acts of intimidation. The resettled population has been protesting...
69th Anniversary of Crimean Tatar Deportations: Memory and Politics in Crimea
On May 18, some 30,000 people gathered at a rally in Crimea's capital Simferopol to honor the memory of the victims of the 1944 Crimean Tatar deportations and to demand the immediate resignation of Anatoly Mogilev, the chairman of Crimea's Council of Ministers.
China: Online Social Management
David Bandurski from China Media Project explained the idea of “online social management”, a set of tactics to increase the capacity for channeling online public opinion, put forward by Fu Siming, a professor at the Central Party School.
Turkey: Syrian Refugees Targeted after Reyhanlı Blasts
On May 11th, Reyhanlı [en] small Turkish town on Turkey-Syria border, was under terrorist attacks. This was the biggest terrorist attack [en] in country's 90 year-old republican history. Netizens react to the blast, a government imposed media ban on the tragedy and the targeting of Syrian refugees which followed.
Angola Threatens to Shut Down Media
The Ministry of Communication of Angola threatens to suspend the public license of the Radio Despertar station and of the Folha 8 newspaper, despite the measure being unconstitutional. The government says they encourage public disorder. The announcement was made on Wednesday, May 15, as reported the Voz da América [pt]...
Dirty Words Russian Girls Can’t Say on the Internet
Earlier this week, opposition figure Maria Baronova penned an open letter to writer and political dissident Eduard Limonov, wherein she dropped a sexual bombshell. Her text unabashedly refers to “masturbating in the shower” and credits Limonov with teaching her (through his books) how to “suck dick” “without false modesty” and “fuck like an animal.” The online response has been intense.
Chinese Government Bans Seven ‘Speak-Not’ Subjects
A prominent Chinese law professor recently revealed in his microblog on popular Twitter-like site Sina Weibo that the Chinese government has imposed a policy on university professors instructing them not to teach seven subjects, including freedom of the press, past mistakes of the communist party, and human rights.
Ukrainian Blogger's Bobs 2013 Award Revoked
Ukrainian blogger Olena Bilozerska's User Winner prize in the Bobs 2013 Best Blog Ukrainian nomination has been revoked, writes [ru] Mustafa Nayyem, the Ukrainian member of the Bobs 2013 jury, on his Facebook page, linking [ru] to the official statement [uk] posted on the Bobs 2013 website. The scandal (more...
Bahrain Jails Six Twitter Users for Insulting King
Six Twitter users have been sentenced to a year in prison each by a Bahrain court today for allegedly insulting King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the micro-blogging site.
Saudi Mobile Company Seeks Privacy Advocate's Help to Spy on Clients
Saudi Arabia's second largest telecommunication company, Mobily, has reached for a privacy advocate's help to surveil encrypted communication applications. The advocate went public with the request, publishing email exchanges online, and causing an outcry on social media, where Saudi netizens calls for laws to protect people's privacy and punish those spying on the people.
Muslim TV Anchor Faces Backlash in India Over ‘Uncivilized’ Veil Comment
A female anchor for a popular Malayalam-language television channel in the southern Indian state of Kerala is facing a firestorm of criticism after she called the Muslim practice of women wearing a veil "uncivilized" and a form of oppression.
Online Journalism In Nepal To Be Regulated
Online journalism and news portals are gaining popularity in Nepal as evident in Surath Giri's list of 20 online newspapers. However, according to reports, the Ministry of Information and Communications of Nepal has recently formed a five-member committee to register, regulate and manage online news.
Lebanon: Blogger Beaten for Taking Photos
Lebanese blogger Habib Battah narrates how he was held against his consent, forced to delete photographs of ruins from his phone camera and repeatedly assaulted in this post on the Beirut Report. When he reported the case to his local police station, the officers in charge said it was his...
