Stories from November, 2009
Global Voices to screen 10 tactics for turning information into action in Beirut
10 tactics for turning information into action is a documentary film, about rights advocacy, with a distinctive hands-on approach. The film features interviews with 25 rights advocates in 24 countries who have successfully used digital technologies to initiate positive change. It includes the story of Noha Atef whose blog, TortureinEgypt.net,...
Purdue Professor facing criticism for his blog
After Butler University, another Indiana university is now embroiled in online free speech debate. This time it is a Purdue University Professor who is facing lot of criticism for his blog post-which he maintains on his own time and using his own resources, where he stated his views against homosexuality....
IGF2009: #UNfail?
A medium size poster, in English, promoting the 2nd ONI volume “Access Controlled” book was removed by the Internet Governance Forum security forces, because of a phrase on it saying: The first generation of Internet controls consisted largely of building firewalls at key Internet gateways; China's famous “Great Firewall of...
Chinese twitterers’ expectation to Obama's China visit
The U.S president Barack Obama has just arrived at Shanghai and started his first official visit to China. In the past two weeks, Chinese twitterers have been using the tag #obamacn to pose questions and comments and one of their major concerns is about the Great Fire Wall. Please help...
Thailand’s new tsunami of political repression – SET them FREE!
Politicians can be so entertaining. Sometimes we laugh so hard we cry. Of course, the posturing and bluster of politicians always leads to the truth being forgotten as they try to distance themselves from any issue which could interfere with their position at the public trough. We’re still trying to...
Azerbaijan: Bloggers sentenced
As many of their supporters feared, and on the same day as a round table on the case against two detained video blogging youth activists, a court in Baku, Azerbaijan, earlier passed sentence on Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli. The verdict and first reaction spread on Twitter. Media Helping...
Azerbaijan: Blogger trial continues
In the same week that Threatened Voices, an online project to map bloggers under attack worldwide was launched, the continuing trial of detained video blogging youth activists Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli in Baku, Azerbaijan. The last court hearing was adjourned because witnesses did not turn up.
Cuba: Yoani Sanchez & Other Bloggers Seized
Yoaní Sánchez, Cuba's most famous blogger, who has received countless international awards for her activism, was detained briefly and beaten by Cuban authorities on November 6, along with fellow bloggers, Claudia Cadelo (a Global Voices contributor) and Orlando Luís Pardo Lazo. Bloggers make their feelings known about the incident.
For Reporter Without Borders, “Press Freedom is the Price for Democracy”
“For you, access to information costs one click. In China, it would have cost a journalist seven years in jail”. This is the message you will currently find on the New York Times website as well as on USATODAY.com. Reporters Without Borders, an international organization advocating press freedom, defending journalists...
Iran: Online protest during the 30th anniversary of the US embassy seizure
While Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned the opposition not to hold protest on 4th of November, Iranian people prepare for huge rallies against dictatorship. 4th of November marks the anniversary of US embassy seizure. 30 years ago, students grabbed the embassy, but now students have changed significantly, so...
On-line Social Networks in Syria
Syria was among the last countries in the Middle East to introduce the Internet. On February 24, 1996, the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE) received permission from the prime minister’s office to do so, and to serve as the body responsible for the Country Top-Level Domain Code (sy.). Two weeks later,...
Tunisia: blogger Fatma Riahi arrested and could face criminal libel charge
update 1: November 6th, 2009 – Lawyer Ben Debba said fatma has been transferred to Bouchoucha police station and might be summoned to appear before a public prosecutor. update 2: November 7th, 2009 – Lawyer Ben Debba said that fatma has been released. On Monday, November 2nd, 2009, Tunisian blogger...
Iran: More attempts to control the people
These are just some of the actions that have been taken place in order to prevent Iranian Netizens from accessing the Web during the 4th of November: According to some sources from Iran, the internet speed has become too low and even when using ADSL, it is hard to open...
Butler University drops lawsuit against student
Butler University has dropped lawsuit against Jess Zimmerman. The student was accused of defaming the university in his blog “TrueBU”. Indiana Daily Student says “He (Zimmerman) was critical of Butler and two administrators: Peter Alexander, dean of Butler’s College of Fine Arts, and Jamie Comstock, Butler’s provost. He wrote things...
Introducing Threatened Voices
Today, Global Voices Advocacy is launching a new website called Threatened Voices to help track suppression of free speech online. It features a world map and an interactive timeline that help visualize the story of threats and arrests against bloggers worldwide, and it is a central platform to gather information from the most dedicated organisations and activists.
Thailand: Liberal Thai blocked by MICT!
Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT). We have just discovered free Thai language news site Liberal Thai blocked by a transparent proxy redirecting users to Thailand's ICT ministry. Liberal Thai is a new websites which has been translating news articles in English into Thai making them accessible to Thai readers, particularly...
