Stories about Freedom of Speech from June, 2013
Julian Assange, Calle 13, and Twitter Users Write a Song Together
René Pérez, from the musical group Calle 13, and Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, gathered ideas and suggestions from Twitter users to write a song together that will go on Calle 13's next album.
VIDEO: ‘Vinegar Revolt’ Bus Fare Protests Spread Across Brazil
The waves of protests against a bus fare increase in São Paulo is moving beyond the city limits and becoming a national movement.
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 used the Internet to promote his campaign.
Iran: “Happy My Vote Was Counted This Time” (Videos)
Many Iranians say they feel confident that their votes were counted since Hassan Rouhani has won the Iranian presidential election.
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 recent days have increased their quotations from foreign press as the Snowden story unfolds. China Media Project has the details.
Brazilian Court Gags Activist from Protesting Construction Project Online
A Brazilian court has forbidden an agricultural engineer from speaking out on the streets and on the Internet against the construction of a high-rise apartment complex. Freedom of expression advocates have warned that the decision breaks with international legal standards.
PRISM Infects Russia with Cyberwar Scare
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.
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.
Bangladesh Unblocks YouTube After Eight-Month Ban
Bangladesh's telecommunication authorities have unblocked YouTube in Bangladesh after 260 days of restricting access within the country to the video sharing website.
Situation of Cartoonists in the Philippines
Art professor Neil Doloricon laments the exodus of cartoonists in the Philippines: Cartoonists in the Philippines are rare breed, they are on the brink of extinction so to speak. Most of our par excellent cartoonists already migrated to other countries…They went abroad not only to earn more but because they...
Singapore’s ‘Largest Blogger-led Protest’ Bats for Media Freedom
An estimated crowd of 2,000 people joined a protest assembly in Singapore’s Hong Lim Park last June 8, 2013 to oppose the government’s new licensing scheme for news websites. Organized by the ‘Free My Internet’ movement, it was reported to be the ‘largest blogger-led protest’ in Singapore.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Police Brutality in Macedonia: Two Years On
On Thursday, June 6, in the center of Skopje, the Movement Against Police Brutality will mark two years since the murder of Martin Neshkovski, which sparked massive grassroots protests in Macedonia in the summer of 2011. The Facebook event [mk] about the memorial service states: On Thursday, June 6, at...
Tunisian FEMEN Activist Faces New Charges
As Tunisian FEMEN activist Amina Tyler is set to appear before a judge to face new charges on June 5, the secular opposition's lack of support to the young woman is met with criticism.
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.
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
