· June, 2013

Stories about Freedom of Speech from June, 2013

Iran: Dear Mr. President, Fix the Internet!

A group of bloggers and cyber activists wrote a letter to new President-elect Hassan Rouhani, asking him to increase Internet speed. They also complain about filtering and remind Rouhani that he...

17 June 2013

China Quotes Foreign Press on Snowden

China tightened its media's use of information from foreign press in April, 2013, in a move to exert stronger control over domestic newspapers and TV broadcasts. Ironically, Chinese media in...

13 June 2013

PRISM Infects Russia with Cyberwar Scare

RuNet Echo

Since last week, when the world learned about PRISM, Russian state officials have expressed renewed concerns about foreign social networks posing a national security threat. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin recently told reporters that websites like Facebook and Twitter are elements of a larger American campaign against Russia.

12 June 2013

Senegal's Democratic Tradition Takes Worrisome Turn

Senegal has a solid tradition of democracy and protection of freedom of expression and human rights. But recent months have seen the West African nation's reputation as a stronghold for democracy in Africa seriously damaged with the evictions of a Chadian journalist and Gambian dissident, both opponents of the governments in their home countries.

11 June 2013

Israeli Social Justice Protesters Met with Violence by Jerusalem Police

A protest organized by three groups affiliated with the Israeli social justice movement (#j14) was held in Jerusalem on Saturday night (June 8). The protesters demanded a reversal of the decision to export most of Israel's natural gas reserves with only 12.5% of the value of the gas going to the State in taxes. The protesters also voiced objections against the budget of the new government, which is expected to significantly raise taxes on Israel's lower and middle-class, while at the same time cutting government services on which those classes rely. The protest, despite being peaceful and rather small (a few hundreds of protesters) was met with an unusually high level of random police brutality.

9 June 2013

Interview: Award-Winning Mauritanian Activist Ahmed Jedou Blogs for Change

Meet Ahmed Jedou, a Mauritanian activist and blogger, GV contributor, and recent winner of the Deutsche Welle - Best of Blogs (BoBs) Award. We caught up with him a few days before the publication of the BoBs results, discussing his opinion on the state of freedom in Mauritania, his struggle for a civil state in his country, and more.

9 June 2013

Syrian Creativity: Radio SouriaLi Broadcasts over the Internet

Syrians continue to devise creative and innovative solutions to the daily obstacles they face, despite extreme repression. Radio SouriaLi, formed by a group of young Syrians from diverse backgrounds, is one of the many projects and initiatives emerging from the need for expression and the attempt to reach out to all Syrians, regardless of their ethnic, intellectual and religious backgrounds.

7 June 2013

Jail for NGO Workers in Egypt

The sentencing of 43 Egyptian and foreign employees in non-governmental organisations [NGOs] to jail terms of up to five years, has sparked anger on social media networks – and on the ground. The move is seen as a warning for human rights organisations, and those promoting democracy.

7 June 2013

Saudi Arabia Blocks Instant Messaging App Viber

Following the Saudi threat to block encrypted communication software unless the government is allowed to spy, the instant messaging application Viber was blocked earlier yesterday. The website can no longer be accessed and the application does not connect.

6 June 2013

Saudi Prisoners On and Off Hunger Strikes

The Twitter account dedicated to Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA ) member, Mohammed Al-Bjadi, @FreeAlbjadi, published two letters written by Mohammed Al-Bjadi in prison last year. The letters were published after the Saudi Ministry of Interior denied that Al-Bjadi has gone on hunger strike. We share translations of the letters, that have been making the rounds online. Also read about the plight of prisoner Sayyed Aqeel Al-Shakhouri, who has been detained in October 2011, and is still awaiting trial.

4 June 2013

Turkey: A Social Media Chronology of Occupy Gezi

On April 10, a hashtag on Turkey's Twitter proclaimed, #ayagakalk ("stand up"). This came from a small group of activists trying to preserve the standing park, Gezi Park in Taksim Square, against plans to build a mall on the area. Nobody expected to this little incident to turn into biggest protest in the country’s republican history

4 June 2013