Stories about Freedom of Speech from August, 2014
The Alexander Sodiqov I Know, by Global Voices Contributor Mahina Shodizoda
65 days after his arrest by Tajik authorities, charges against Alexander Sodiqov have yet to be cancelled. Mahina Shodizoda explains why her country needs more people like him, not fewer.
SMS Death Threats Stoke Fears on Fate of Abducted Journalist in Maldives
The messages came just days before the unexplained disappearance of journalist and democracy advocate Ahmed Rizwan Abdulla.
Russians Don't Care for Bloggers, Approve of Bloggers’ Law
Russians are mostly unaware of the new bloggers' law, and those who do know about it think it's a good idea, a new public opinion poll has found.
The Internet Never Forgets: Join a Global Conversation on the EU’s ‘Right to Be Forgotten’
If the 'Right to be Forgotten' were implemented in your country, would it threaten the public interest? Global Voices editors are asking experts worldwide for their thoughts on the issue.
Prominent Egyptian Activist Alaa Abdel Fattah Goes on Hunger Strike
Egyptian activist and blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah has entered an open-ended hunger strike until he is released from prison, his family said in a statement posted on Facebook today.
ISIS Beheads Kidnapped Photojournalist James Wright Foley in Horrific Video Message to the US
A video allegedly showing the beheading of American photojournalist James Wright Foley, missing in Syria for 636 days, by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), was released today.
Sex, Censorship, and the Internet: Take the EROTICS Survey
The Association for Progressive Communications is asking LGBT activists, women's rights activists, queer bloggers and anyone with an active voice on issues of gender and sexuality on the Internet to participate...
Donetsk's Guerrilla Separatists Kidnap the Ukrainian Guerrilla Artist Who Dared to Mock Them
A Ukrainian guerrilla artist who has been stealthily putting up artworks mocking the separatists of the Donetsk People's Republic in the occupied city of Donetsk was captured by the rebels.
Mother-Daughter Duo Walk the Sarajevo Red Carpet in Palestinian Flag Dresses
Sabina Šabić, executive producer of Sarajevo War Theater, stirred comments when she appeared with her daughter at the famed Sarajevo Film Festival in gowns made from the Palestinian flag.
Twitter Popularity Brings No Joy to Self-Dubbed “Shitty Slovyansk” Blogger
The information war and the real one have almost become synonymous for a Ukrainian Twitter blogger from Slovyansk, and he is sick of both.
A Syrian in Brazil: An Interview With Global Voices Contributor Rami Alhames
From Syria to Brazil, from engineering to activism and finally Global Voices, Rami Alhames has an interesting story of his own to tell.
6 Days of Protests, Tweets and Tear Gas After Police Gun Down a Black Teen in Ferguson, Missouri
Protesters are largely unarmed and using only their voices to express their outrage at the killing of the unarmed black teenager. Police officers have responded with violent force.
In the Fight Against Russia, Ukraine Flirts with Kremlinesque Internet Censorship
A new draft law in Ukraine could grant the government extensive powers to shut down media outlets and block websites in the name of national security.
Malaysian Government Threatens to Block Facebook Over “Abuse” Reports
Other legislators want to create a government registry of Facebook accounts or amend the country's Sedition Act to address online hate speech -- moves that would still threaten free speech.
Crimea's One-Woman Resistance to Russian Occupation
Daria Karpenko says she is determined to stay in Crimea and report the realities of life on the ground, but she fears for her country and her family.
Killers Roam Free After Brutally Murdering a Defender of India’s Untouchables
"Burn him! Erase all his traces" - shouted the killers of Sanjay Khobragade, a Dalit rights activist from Maharashtra, India. Sanjay is one of many Dalits who face such cruelty.
Thailand's Junta Bans ‘Tropico’, a Computer Game That Simulates Military Dictatorship
The game allows a player to be a dictator named 'El Presidente' and launch a coup in a tropical paradise island.
TJournal's Vadim Elistratov Says It's a Political Time to Be Russian
Elistratov explains the creep of politics in Russian daily life, saying the recent barrage of oppressive laws is changing the tone of the country's social discourse.
Will Russia Start Blocking Websites in Real Time?
Already plagued by Roskomnadzor blacklists, blogger registration, and the blocking of Twitter accounts, a Russian organization now wants to introduce real-time filtering of online content.
More Than a Half Century Later, How Should Jamaica View Its Independence Day?
The learning curve for a people who historically never had a say continues to be a steep one, especially in a climate where corruption was already entrenched.
China Tightens Its Control of Popular Messaging App WeChat With Real-Name Registration
WeChat has grown popular since 2012 and now has almost 400 million active users. It was subject to a crackdown earlier this year, with 100 public accounts shut down.
