· September, 2008

Stories about News from September, 2008

Tunisia lifts YouTube and Dailymotion ban, but…

  25 September 2008

The news today is that Tunisia has lifted the ban on both popular video-sharing websites Youtube (Blocked since November 2nd, 2007) and Dailymotion (Blocked since Septembre 3rd, 2007). But some tests carried out from Tunisia by some Tunisian activists and bloggers have shown that despite restoring access to Youtube, a...

Tunisia: 404 not found

  24 September 2008

Tunisian internet users are now too familiar with this error message 404 not found and they have even created an imaginary person that is responsible for censorship and nicknamed it Ammar the scissors of censorship. While in Tunisia, just try to open Youtube or Daily motion; you will get this error message! And if you want to get news from Al Jazeera or Alarabiya, the Tunisian Internet Agency is sorry because it cannot provide you with this service!

Kuwait: YouTube Ban Lifted

  24 September 2008

News about YouTube being blocked in Kuwait hit the headlines yesterday, with bloggers frustrated over what they described as yet another intrusion on freedom of speech in their country. The ban has since been lifted. Here's a cross-section of reactions from Kuwait.

Yemen: Loui Has Been Set Free!

  23 September 2008

Yemen Hurr website announced yesterday in a press release that its founder and editor-in-chief Loui Al-Moayed has been released from prison yesterday after about more than 70 days in detention. In a press release, the website thanked all those organizations and advocates who fought hard for his release from a...

Saudi Arabia: Why Should Arabs Have Access to the Internet?

  22 September 2008

For days, cyberactivists have been busy discussing the case of Moroccan blogger Mohammed Erraji, who was arrested, put on trial, sentenced - and then freed, and then put on trial again and finally acquitted. Who is Mohammed Erraji? Why did he cross 'red lines' knowing well that in many countries in the Middle East criticising members of the vast Ruling families is very likely to result in repercussions and punishment? Saudi blogger Fouad Al Farhan, who recently found himself behind bars for his writings in Saudi Arabia, visits Erraji's blog looking for answers.

Singapore: Blogger jailed for insulting judge

  19 September 2008

Former Singaporean citizen and naturalized American, Gopalan Nair, has been sentenced to three months imprisonment for insulting a high court judge on his blog. Newspaper reports that the court, in handing out the sentence, had stated that Gopalan had “scandalised…the judiciary and the administration of justice in Singapore” [...]

Malaysia: Detention without trial for blogger RPK

  12 September 2008

Just as the MCMC unblocks “Malaysia Today”, Raja Petra Kamaruddin's controversial news portal, Malaysiakini reports that Raja Petra (or RPK) (pic below) has been arrested under the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA). RPK’s wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, was reported to have said that he was arrested at 1310 on 12th September...

Malaysia: Good news, garnished with salt

  12 September 2008

In light of the its aim to encourage the people to use the internet as a means of disseminating information, the Malaysian government has restored access to the Malaysia Today news portal, together with the other sites which have been blocked since January 2008. According to the Malaysian Communications and...

Morocco: The Post that led Mohammed Raji to Jail

  9 September 2008

Moroccan blogger Mohammed Raji is behind bars in his country for speaking his mind. Following is a translation of the post [Ar], which will cost the blogger two years of his freedom. رج الملك كما يفعل عادة للتجول بسيارته في شوارع المدينة ، وكان معه داخل السيارة ابنه البكر ،...

Egyptian blogger arrested since July

  8 September 2008

A young Egyptian blogger Mohamed Refaat has being in jail since July, though the editor of the blog Matabbat was ordered to be released. The Prosecution accused Refaat of calling for a demonstration on the occasion marking the anniversary of the 23 July Revolution and distributing anti-regime fliers, in addition to other charges such as joining the legally banned Muslim Brotherhood Group and calling for demonstrations in front of places of worship and public squares in favor of the Group.

Israel: Did Tzipi Livni's team erase Shai's blog post from Google?

  8 September 2008

This story should serve as a warning for every internet user. It begins at a well known Israeli web-portal hook.co.il, with Shai Rozentsweig's blog, who writes funny satirical skits. Shai created a post that slightly mocks Tzipi Livni(a leading member of the Kadima party, and currently the front-runner for the...

Tunisia's ban on Facebook lifted

  4 September 2008

The ban on the popular social networking website Facebook has been lifted in Tunisia since yesterday 3 September 2008 after a massive protest by Tunisian Netizens. Tens of Facebook groups protesting the ban have popped up in recent weeks surrounding this issue. But, according to Al Chourouk newspaper, the President...

Iran:Ban on website needs court ruling

  2 September 2008

According to news sites and blogs, Iranian Judiciary chief Ayatollah Shahroudi said on Sunday that any case of banning a website needs a verdict from the court of justice. He added the websites committing security and immoral acts are exceptions.Taghvimeh Tabid,an Iranian blogger, believes[Fa] this order has not any impact...

Founder and webmaster of Ingush opposition website killed

  1 September 2008

The founder and webmaster of the Ingush opposition news website Ingushetiya.Ru, Magomed Yevloyev, was killed while in police custody. His website reported that Magomed was shot in the head after being arrested by the Ingush authorities on his arrival at Nazran (Magas) airport. He has passed away in hospital.