· July, 2011

Stories about Freedom of Speech from July, 2011

TED Talk by Global Voices Co-Founder Rebecca MacKinnon

  13 July 2011

In a TED talk on July 12, 2011 Rebecca MacKinnon describes how the internet has become a primary communication channel between citizens and governments, but warns that there is a corporate layer of “internet sovereigns” between the two. Let's take back the Internet," she says.

Belarus: Vkontakte Social Network Blocked by the Providers

Update: Access to the Vkontake site is now restored. Vkontakte, Russian social network, is unavailable for Belarus Internet Users. The network hosts “Revolution Through the Social Network” [ru] group used to organize non-violent protests, telegraf.by reported [ru]. Individual Belarus-based users told GV that the page loads only header but the...

Malaysia: Bersih 2.0 Rally Rattles the Government

  11 July 2011

It was organized to push merely for electoral reforms but Malaysia's huge Bersih rally last weekend which was violently dispersed by the police has grown into a political movement that threatens the image and stability of the government. Bersih is now called by many people as the name of Malaysia's revolution

Hungary: Public Media Job Cuts

Hungarian Spectrum writes about the staff cuts at the three Hungarian public media outlets: “My understanding is that the two television stations [MTV and Dune TV] and Magyar Rádió have a total of something like 3,500 employees. From the little one can learn about the government's plans, most likely 1,000...

Cuba: Political Opposition

  8 July 2011

Uncommon Sense links to statistics about politically motivated arrests and deduces that “the numbers, although different, agree on one point about repression in Cuba. It is getting worse.”

The Disputed Reputation of Portugal's Former Political Police Chief

  8 July 2011

Major Silva Pais, the last director of Portugal's repressive PIDE police force - operative during the country's “New State” period - has been implicated in a play, in the 1965 assassination of democratic opposition politician General Humberto Delgado. A controversial criminal case is underway by Pais' nephews against the play's author and the directors who staged it.

North Korean Newspapers Never Go out of Business?

  8 July 2011

Blogger Hankok Story summarized characteristics of North Korean newspaper. The most extraordinary thing about newspapers in North is that they don't have to worry about going out of business, since newspapers are distributed to pre-selected people loyal to ruling party. They can shut down only when the party orders closing.

Belarus: Guilt by association?

LJ user budimir claims [RU] that Michail Myasnikovich, Prime Minister of Belarus, has announced that employees will be fired if they or members of their family participate in protests against the Lukashenko regime – a measure the blogger “supports”.

Cuba: Twitter Truce

  7 July 2011

“The exchange started cold, with scorched looks and the logical suspicion between persons who reside in a nation where debate of opposite opinions is a rare bird”: Iván García blogs about TwittHab, “the first encounter between official and alternative ‘twitterers’ [where]…both groups could look face to face and even exchange...

Hungary: A Roundup on Politics

Belatedly, links to some of Hungarian Spectrum‘s posts: on the Hungarian “oligarch” and PM's ally Sándor Demján; on the opposition rally and gay pride parade that took place in mid-June; on Hillary Clinton's visit to Budapest; and on a lecture by Aladár Horváth, the chairman of the Roma Civil Rights...