Stories about Freedom of Speech from June, 2009
Haiti: Run-off Elections
Repeating Islands says that “despite government efforts to lure voters to the polls in the Senate run-off elections held yesterday in Haiti, voters stayed away in protest against what they see as failed leadership and growing despair.”
China: Chinese netizen reactions to CCTV attacking Google
Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated a blogger's letter to Gao Ye, the CCTV intern who attacked Google.cn under the identity of university student for poisoning youth's spirit by their overseas links to pornsites.
Maghreb: Views on Iran
As the world watches events unfolding in Iran, Maghreb blogs have been following and commenting on the rapidly developing crisis there. Some questioned the motives behind the way western media covered the events; others criticized Mir Houssain Moussavi's reaction, but it seems that the majority are supporting protesters.
Nigeria: Government launches attack against bloggers
Sokari Ekine writes about the plan by the Nigerian government to launch attacks against bloggers and online news media such as Sahara Reporter.
Iran: Protesters break a taboo and defy Khamenei
One day after Islamic Republic Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced protests and warned reformist leaders against taking to the streets, thousands of people demonstrated in Tehran. They were joined by others in several cities across Iran in ignoring Khamenei's order and voicing their anger against the June 12 presidential election results. They clashed with Iranian police who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them.
Egypt: A New Presidential Candidate in the Making
In September 2005 Ayman Nour of Al Ghad Party and No'man Goma'a of New Wafd Party nominated themselves against President Hosni Mubarak. Nour was charged with fraud and Goma'a was accused of insanity! Since 2000, Gamal Hosni Mubarak has the been groomed to be his father's successor as the next president with no apparent opponent. Today, rumor has it that Omar Soliman, Chief of The Egyptian General Intelligence Services, is an eligible presidential candidate.
Iran: Reformist and activist bloggers arrested
As demonstrations continue in Iran against the results of the June 12 presidential elections, authorities continue their clampdown on activists, journalists and bloggers. Hamid Tehrani reviews the Iranian blogosphere, where several reports of blogger arrests are being circulated.
Tanzania: Blogger arrested for publishing manipulated images of the president
The alleged owner and blogger of the blog Ze Utamu (zeutamu.com) has been arrested in Tanzania. The alleged arrest has been in discussed at Jamii Forum, a popular Tanzanian Online Forum, since yesterday. And today, Swahili Time has posted the news along with a picture of the arrested blogger, Malecela...
Vietnam arrests prominent lawyer and writer
Vietnam ’s Ministry of Public Security police arrested Le Cong Dinh in Ho Chi Minh City for participating in subversive activities. Dinh is a prominent pro-democracy lawyer, human rights advocate and writer. Several media groups and local scholars have condemned Dinh’s arrest.
China: Speaking for the Party Or the people?
ESWN translated various articles about a recent catchphrase in the Internet: “Will you speak for the Party? Or will you speak for the people?” The sentence was uttered by a Zhengzhou city government official of the urban planning department Lu Jun to a reporter who was doing an investigative report...
China: Internet with Chinese characteristics
Alice Poon from Asia Sentinel has translated Leung Man To’s introductory remarks at ifeng.com on Hu Yong's newly published book “The Cacophony of Public Voices” (眾聲喧嘩).
CCTV's propaganda campaign against Google.cn
On June 18th, China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Centre (CIIRC) published a report in its frontage condemning Google.cn for spreading obscene contents. The report, titled as “Strongly condem google for spreading indecent and obscene information”, said
The Irony of Iran's ‘Twitter Revolution’
When the dust settles down on the Iran election crisis, we will see that Twitter was more useful as a media tool and not as an organizing tool.
Iran: Green Silent Protest Movement in photos
Protesters all over Iran continue their demonstrations against the June 12 presidential election result that declared Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner. Supporters of Ahmadinejad's challenger, Mir Hussein Mousavi, and many Iranians who profess to believe in “change” continue to use the colour green as the symbol of their movement. Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi,...
Arab World: “Iran is a Democratic Dictatorship”
Reactions continue to pour across the Arab world over developments in Iran, in the aftermath of the country's presidential elections which saw Mahmoud Ahmedinejad winning a second term, with 66 per cent of the overall votes. In this round up of reactions, Arab bloggers compare between the political scenes in their countries with that in Iran as well as offer their insights to developments on the ground.
Lebanon: Bloggers React to Iran Crisis
Only a week after its own tight elections, Lebanese bloggers have been intently watching the fallout from Iran's disputed polls. The turmoil in Iran - a key power broker in Lebanon and main supporter of the powerful Lebanese Shia group Hezballah - has received mixed reactions. Whilst many of the bloggers are resisting to choose a side in Iran's dispute, they have plenty to say on other fronts.
Cuba: Lessons from Iran
Havana-based blogger Generation Y thinks that “what is happening in Iran and its dissemination through the Internet is a lesson for Cuban bloggers.”
Iran: Islamist bloggers react to protest movement
As protests grow in Iran against the June 12 presidential election results that declare Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner, some Islamist bloggers explain why they believe his opponent Mir Hussein Mousavi lost. While international media is awash with news about how Mousavi supporters are using the internet to make their views known, several bloggers are using the same tools to make a case against the opposition candidate.
Trinidad & Tobago: Smelter & Democracy
As a legal ruling causes construction on the proposed Alutrint aluminium smelter to come to a halt, This Beach Called Life comments: “This case is destined to go to the Privy Council and if the EMA (Government) should lose then the reputation of the EMA would be damaged beyond repair...
Iran: Revolutionary Guard cautions bloggers
According to Guardian, Iran's Revolutionary Guard said through the state news service that Iranian websites and bloggers must remove any materials that “create tension”, or else they would face legal action.
lran: Tohidloo, reformist blogger arrested
Somayeh Tohidloo, a female reformist blogger was arrested. As protest against Iranian presidential election grows, Iranian authorities arrested several political activists. recently she and a couple of bloggers organized an internet interview with former president,Mohammad Khatami.
