Stories about TOPICS from February, 2012
Iran: Another blogger was arrested
Nama Jafari,blogger and journalist was arrested. He was editor of a cultural site. He also wrote a book called “a gathering in solitary confinement”.
Netizen Report: Combat Edition
Most of this report was researched, written, and edited by Weiping Li, Mera Szendro Bok, and Sarah Myers. The past two weeks have been highly tumultuous for Internet activists around the world as governments continue to crack down on online protests. In Syria, the well-known blogger and free speech advocate...
Syria: Razan Ghazzawi and Female Colleagues Freed
Syrian Blogger and Freedom of Speech advocate Razan Ghazzawi, who was arrested for the second time earlier this week, was released on Saturday along with her female colleagues. Her male colleagues from the Syrian Center for Freedom of Expression in Damascus remain in detention.
Syria: Razan Ghazzawi Arrested… Again
Syrian security forces have arrested blogger and free speech advocate Razan Ghazzawi along with her collegues at the Syrian Center for Freedom of Expression in Damascus. This is the second time Razan Ghazzawi is arrested. The news caused disbelief among netizens who were very quick to react.
Morocco: Student Jailed For Insulting King In Video
A 24 year-old Moroccan student, Abdelsamad Haydour, was sentenced to 3 years in jail for criticizing the king of Morocco in a video posted on YouTube. The news of the sentence provoked strong reactions on social networks.
Global Voices Partners with Electronic Frontier Foundation on “Bloggers Under Fire”
In 2009, Global Voices launched Threatened Voices, an innovative project to track threats to bloggers and netizens worldwide. At the time, Threatened Voices filled a void in coverage, during a year a U.S. State Department official dubbed “the worst year in the history of the Internet as it related to Internet freedom.”...
Iran: Journalists Threatened by Email “You Will be Punished”
Several Iranian activists and journalists have received an email threatening that they will be punished according to the “Islamic Punishment” law of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
China: Activist's Wife and Son Harassed Online
An anonymous Twitter user has disclosed Wen Yunchao, his wife and son's personal information online. Wen is an outspoken blogger and free speech activist on the Chinese Internet and has been a subject of attack for the past few years. His gmail account has been hacked several times and personality...
China: Chinese Communist Party Plans To Lead Microblogging Platform
In China, all conventional media outlets are under the direct leadership of Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A CCP secretary is planted in every media organization to oversee the content and give direction to the editors and reporters what to highlight and what to censor. Same arrangement would be introduced to...
Morocco: Busted for Posting Caricatures of the King on Facebook
On February 7, 2012, Walid Bahomane appeared before a court in the Moroccan capital Rabat. The 18-year-old is accused of “defaming Morocco's sacred values” by posting pictures and videos on Facebook mocking king Mohammed VI of Morocco.
Netizen Report: Which Way Ahead?
In the past few weeks, we have witnessed how Internet companies - the sovereigns of cyberspace - struggle with the conflict between market demands for global expansion and the demands of their users for freedom of expression online. In this edition of our twice-monthly report on developments affecting the freedom of netizens around the world, we report on new censorship policies at Twitter and Google, privacy developments, new legislation, netizen activism against the ACTA trade agreement, efforts by bloggers and activists around the world to fight repression, and much more.
China: Censoring Opinions on China's veto on UN resolution on Syria
Even though the People's Daily propagated [zh] that “China’s veto was in accordance with the Syrian people’s basic interests”, Chinese concern citizens have not been misled by the official media and believed that China should be responsibility for bloodshed after Syrian resolution veto. However, the popular opinion against China's vote...
Iran: Innovations in Cyber Dictatorship
In the latest examples creative repression over the internet, the Islamic regime has used Skype as a long-distance interrogation tool, and wrested control over a Facebook group for photos of hot guys and girls from its administrators.
Oman: Blogger Muawiya Alrawahi Detained
It has been reported on Twitter that outspoken Omani blogger Muawiya Alrawahi, known for his controversial ideas, has been detained because of a blog post and some tweets in which he criticised Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the ruler of Oman.
Iran: Blogger was sentenced to 14 years in prison
Several bloggers reported that Mehdi Khazali, a blogger and publisher was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The blogger was sentenced to 90 lashes too. He can appeal this sentence.
Kuwait: Ahmad Mansoor, a UAE blogger denied entry
Ahmad Mansoor, UAE's most famous blogger who was detained last year for several months with four other activists for signing an online petition calling for reforms in his country, was denied entry to Kuwait few days ago. The UAE5 including Mansoor were released with a pardon on the 28th of...
Ethiopia: Freedom of Expression in Jeopardy
More than ten journalists have been imprisoned in Ethiopia since June 2011 and according to the Committee to Protect Journalists about 25% of exiled journalists in Africa are from Ethiopia, making the country the world's main enemy of the major driving forces of free expression: journalists, bloggers and political dissidents....
South Korea: National Security Law Muted North Korea Related Discussions
A South Korean Twitter user, Park Jeong-Geun has been arrested since January 11, 2012 for re-tweeting messages such as “Long Live General Kim Jong-Il” in Twitter. Under the curry National Security Law (NSL), Park would face up to seven years imprisonment. Amnesty International called for Park's release yesterday, February 2,...
We the terrorists…?
This is how the FBI can consider everyone liking his/her online privacy. Katitza Rodrigez was depicting very finely and accurately the current state of privacy fights right before International Privacy Day. The latter was just few days ago, on 28th January. And here comes the FBI now with a very...
New Book on Global Struggle for Internet Freedom
How do we ensure the Internet develops compatibly with democracy? And how do we become active “netizens” who take responsibility for our digital future? This is the subject of Rebecca McKinnon's new book: "Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle For Internet Freedom."
