Stories from September, 2010
Iran: Derakhshan was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison
According to [fa] Mashregh News Hossein Derakhshan, Iranian jailed blogger, was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison. Read more here.
Mozambique: Government interference in SMS service
Much noise was made around the world about how the popular unrest against the rises in the cost of living in Maputo on September 1-2 was propagated by SMS messages by mobile users in the capital's poorer neighborhoods. On the afternoon on September 6, pre-paid mobile phone users on both mobile carriers...
Iran: Jailed blogger, Hossein Derakhshan (“Hoder”) may face death penalty
A reliable source has told Global Voices that Tehran's prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for jailed Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan (also known as “Hoder”). The presiding judge, named Salavati, has not yet ruled in the case. Derakhshan has been accused of “collaborating with enemy states, creating propaganda against the...
Iran: Prosecutor seeks death penalty for Derakhshan
A knowledgeable source told Global Voices that Tehran's prosecutor seeks death penalty for Hossein Derakhshan, jailed blogger. Judge Salavati hasn't ruled yet. Hossein has been accused of “collaborating with enemy states, doing propaganda against Islamic regime, insulting religious sanctities and doing propaganda for anti-revolutionary groups.”
Venezuela: Government vs. Social Networks, the battle continues.
Last week, the President of the Media Commission of the National Assembly, Manuel Villalba, declared that tomorrow, September 21, he’ll file a petition before the National Prosecutor against several websites (link: ES). The cause: during a spate of deceases of people belonging to the high spheres of the government, several people expressed their enjoyment for the deaths, in diverse social networks and forums. Regarding this matter, legislator Gustavo Capella declared that this investigation should also encompass twitter and facebook.
Iran:”Shiva was sentenced to Prison”
According to [fa] several news sites, Iranian jailed blogger and human rights activist, Shiva Nazar Ahari was sentenced to 74 lashes and six years prison.
China: ID data verification system
Bloggers and twitterers are discussing the implementation of real name registration in Baidu's micro blogging platform, Baidu Shuoba. Some speculated that Baidu, the largest search engine company in China, is connected to the government ID Data base, as the verification of the Baidu Shuoba requires a complete match of the...
Syria: Tal al-Molouhi, a 19-year-old female blogger in jail for almost a year
Tal al-Molouhi, a Syrian blogger, was arrested by Syrian state security agents for posting poems on her blog about Palestine. Till now she is detained with no charges and no trial, whereabouts unknown, that her mother has appealed the Syrian president for her release. The Arabic blogosphere is calling for support.
Telefónica Spain and Net Neutrality
Spanish Bloggers are once again discussing net neutrality, but this time the focus is not on the Google-Verizon´s agreement and their policy offer in the U.S, but on something much closer and of immediate effect to them: Telefónica (the largest telecommunications service supplier in that country) and its proposal to...
Morocco: Blogger Receives Death Threats
Kacem who's a Moroccan blogger and activist openly writing about his atheism, says he received death threats on his Facebook inbox. Whilst the blogger insists he's not against Islam, he is calling for the right to freedom of conscience in his country.
Egypt: a new threat to Internet freedom
In a new try to impose more restrictions on Internet in Egypt allegedly keeping a new legal protection for intellectual property, the Egyptian minister of culture issued an administrative decision on august 31, 2010 starting to cancel all websites which publish any video or audio contents that does not abide...
Bahrain: Ali Abdulemam, blogger and Global Voices contributor arrested
Ali Abdulemam, a leading Bahraini blogger and Global Voices Advocacy author, was arrested earlier today by the Bahraini authorities for allegedly spreading “false news” on BahrainOnline.org portal, one of the most popular pro-democracy outlets in Bahrain, amidst the worst sectarian crackdown by the government in years. The BahrainOnline portal is censored in Bahrain. He sent an email earlier today mentioning that he got a call from the Bahraini national security just before his arrest, then arrested him and alleged that he was trying to flee.
Oman: VPN Ban Soon
In the latest episode of internet censorship in Oman, the Telecom Regulation Authority of Oman has announced its plans to completely ban the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and would require companies to acquire the TRA's permission before they can use them. The new regulation has not been passed...
