Middle East & North Africa

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19 May 2013

Bahrain Jails Six Twitter Users for Insulting King

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Six Twitter users were sentenced to a year in prison each by a Bahrain court last week for allegedly insulting King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the micro-blogging site.

29 April 2013

AFTE Releases Legal Guide to Digital Security for Arab Human Rights Activists

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The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression, in Egypt, issued a “legal guide to digital security” as part of its digital freedoms programme. The guide was produced for campaigners and human rights activists and lawyers interested in freedom of digital expression and the confidentiality of communications and information stored on mobile phones, computers or any other device used to store or distribute data or information

4 April 2013

Kuwaiti Twitter User Jailed for Insulting Emir

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Insult the Emir on Twitter and go to jail: Hamid Al Khalidi has been sentenced to two years in prison for insulting the Emir of Kuwait on Twitter. His attorneys plan to appeal his case to a higher court next week.

1 April 2013

Saudi Arabia Threatens to Block Skype and WhatsApp

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Saudi Arabia is threatening to block a number of popular communication tools, such as Skype and mobile messaging service WhatsApp, unless the operating companies agree to infringe on the privacy of users and monitor them.

27 March 2013

Oman: Online Activists Freed

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On 21 March, the Sultan of Oman issued a pardon for online activists and writers convicted on charges of insulting the ruler, "information technology crimes" and taking part in unauthorized protests. The move, which came as a surprise to most observers, runs counter to increasing attacks against online freedom of expression in the region.

25 March 2013

Digital Freedom: Principles and Concepts

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The Egyptian Institute for Freedom of Thought and Expression recently issued its first statement on digital freedom, a simplified research paper to propose definitions for digital rights and related principles. This post offers a brief description of the paper, which focuses on universal access, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to privacy, and the right to creativity, development and innovation.

12 March 2013

World Day Against Cyber Censorship

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March 12 is World Day Against Cyber Censorship. Reporters Without Borders and other advocates for Internet rights are calling on activists, movements and organizations around the world to participate by reminding their constituents of the importance of protecting free expression online.