Stories about Freedom of Speech from July, 2013
China Cracks Down on Corruption Whistleblower
China has blocked the web presence of anti-corruption hero Zhu Ruifeng for reporting on the shady relationship between two local communist party officials.
Billionaire Jack Ma Makes About-Face, Praises Chinese Government
Was Ma's change of attitude related to the recent secret execution of “China's Madoff”?
The Perils of Putting a Label on Edward Snowden
Is the man who revealed US surveillance programs run by the NSA - a traitor, a hero, a fugitive, or a spy?
Reporters Break Their Silence on Trinidad & Tobago Press Freedom Confusion
Reporters that left their jobs at the Trinidad Guardian say “there was a significant threat to press freedom [and] that [the] threat wore the garments of political interference."
Snowden Airport Saga Polarizes Russian Human Rights Community
Are some of Russia's human right defenders guilty of letting the Kremlin score a few PR points?
Multiple Resignations at the Media Association of Trinidad & Tobago
Netizens following developments in the Trinidad Guardian newsroom controversy were looking forward to new information that should have been revealed at a Media Association press conference today.
Trinidad & Tobago's Media Association Pulls a 180 in Press Freedom Debacle
The Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago has retracted its original statement about political interference having a part to play in the alleged reassignment of key reporters in the Guardian's newsroom, leaving some bloggers wondering if the whole affair was a storm in a teacup…or if the public is not being told the whole story.
Teen Activist Malala Yousafzai Impresses UN, Polarizes Pakistan
Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist who was shot by the Taliban on her way to school less than a year ago, celebrated her 16th birthday by delivering a powerful speech to world leaders at the United Nations headquarters in New York. A symbol for child education and women empowerment around the world, some in Malala's country Pakistan continue to spin conspiracy theories to malign her.
New Internet Law in The Gambia Puts Gag on Government Criticism
Parliamentarians in the tiny West African state of the Gambia have ratified and passed a new law that seeks to tighten laws on Internet freedom. The law seeks to punish “instigating violence against the government or public officials”, and also targets individuals who “caricature or make derogatory statements against officials” or “impersonate public officials”.
Press Freedom Déjà Vu in Trinidad & Tobago
All anyone seemed to be talking about today in Trinidad and Tobago was the walkout at the Guardian newspaper and whether there is more in the mortar than the pestle. Many bloggers are making the point that this isn't the first attempt at silencing journalists in the country.
Cambodia Elections: The Facebook Vote
Cambodian netizens are actively using Facebook to discuss, debate, and share updates about the July 28 National Assembly elections. Meanwhile, political parties are also maximizing the popular social networking site to reach out to younger voters.
Trinidad & Tobago Media Reshuffle Viewed as Threat to Press Freedom
There is controversy brewing in Trinidad and Tobago over freedom of the press following a reassignment of key media personnel (including the Editor-in-Chief) at the Trinidad Guardian newspaper – a move which some are claiming came about because of political pressure.
Fear and Censorship in Russia's Huffington Post
PublicPost, an internet news publication that for a time sought to become the Russian Huffington Post, met its end last month, when it became the latest in a series of innovative online media to be shut down this year.
St. Kitts & Nevis: Arrest Escalates Political Tensions
Political tensions in St. Kitts continue to rise following the arrest of the former People's Action Movement leader Lindsay Grant during a protest march in the capital last Friday.
Grenada: Electronic Media Ignorance?
Grenada's controversial Electronic Crimes Bill will be debated today in Parliament, but Blah Bloh Blog is “at a loss as to how they are going to establish such legislation…given the very well-known fact that literally NO ONE in the government…knows anything about computers, the internet, electronic communications or social media.”
Saudi Families of Detainees Mark ‘Third Detainees Day’
Families of Saudi detainees marked the Third Detainees Day to protest the arbitrary detention of their loved ones. Saudi Arabia is one of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the world and has a devastating human rights record which includes arbitrarily detaining over 30,000 people.
Venezuela's President Offers Asylum to Edward Snowden
Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro offered political asylum to Edward Snowden, creating controversy within and outside of the country, in addition to intensifying tense relations with the United States of America.
Chinese Social Media Users are Rumor-Happy, Low-Educated, Report Says
A new report from the state-run Chinese Academy of Social Sciences that labels social media in China as a rumor mill and social media users in China as having low levels of education and income is raising alarm among netizens.
Protests Erupt in South Korea Over Spy Agency's Electioneering
Protests have continued for several weeks in South Korea against the state secret agency’s electioneering. Nine agents from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) created hundreds of Internet IDs and wrote more than 5,000 posts on the Internet and used some of them to attack domestic opposition parties and their candidates ahead of South Korea’s presidential election last December.
How Edward Snowden Divides Russians
When Edward Snowden left Hong Kong for Moscow, it placed Russia at the center of what had primarily been an American story. For Russians, his prolonged stay in Sheremetyevo has turned the question of what should be done with him from academic to practical, as his fate now rests largely in Russia's hands.