Featured stories from February 2011
Stories from February, 2011
Advocacy Recap: Part II
Last week, we looked back at the US government's handling of G20 summit protesters and pro-democracy bloggers in Vietnam facing persecution. Now let us talk about the Purdue University Professor who faced intense criticism for his views on homosexuality and Turkey's YouTube ban. Professor Bert Chapman, a Government Information and Political...
Bahrain Blocks YouTube Pages and More
In the midst of protests in Bahrain's capital of Manama that resulted in over 200 arrests and at least one death, evidence suggests that the government has clamped down on the Web, blocking access to specific YouTube pages and videos as well as, possibly, video live-streaming site Bambuser.com. The blocked...
Thailand: Free speech on trial – day five
Day Five – Police scientist testifies for prosecution ((Please also read day one, day two, day three and day four trial.) The fifth day of trial continued on Friday for independent news portal Prachatai’s webmaster, Chiranuch Premchaiporn independent news portal Prachatai’s webmaster in Bangkok’s Criminal Court. Chiranuch is charged with...
Thailand: Free speech on trial – day four
Day four: MICT and police lawyers testify (Please also read day one, day two and day three trial) The trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, independent news portal Prachatai’s webmaster continued Thursday in Bangkok’s Criminal Court. Two further prosecution witnesses were called to testify. The morning session was devoted to MICT lawyer...
Thailand: Free speech on trial – day three
Day Three – MICT’s legal advisor testifies: “Freedom has its limits.” (Day one and day two trial) The third day for prosecution witnesses in the trial of Prachatai webmaster Chiranuch Premchaiporn opened in Bangkok’s Criminal Court Wednesday. We have written that Chiranuch is facing 50 years on ten charges under...
Thailand: Free speech on trial (day two)
Day Two: Thailand’s chief censor continues in Prachatai trial (Day one trial see) The second day in the lèse majesté trial against Chiranuch Premchaiporn, webmaster of Thai independent news portal, Prachatai, using the Computer Crimes Act began Tuesday. Chiranuch, nicknamed Jiew, was charged over ten comments to Prachatai’s public webboard...
China: Censorship instructions in January 2011
In China, censorship instructions are issued by a number of government and CCP authorities. The China Digital Times has translated a number of censorship instructions issued in January 2011 to outline the magnitude of censorship practice in China. The selected instructions are issued by the State Council Information Office, the...
Egypt: Sequence of Communication Shutdown during 2011 Uprising
25 January 2011 was the day when people of Egypt went to the streets in several proveniences to demonstrate against President Mubarak and the current regime. Online platforms and social websites were highly utilized by activists to mobilize youth and spread the word before January 25. On the first of...
Advocacy Recap
After blogging about free speech issues and dangers faced by bloggers and reporters in various parts of the world, I think it would be nice to look back and check on them. On October 20, 2009; I discussed about how the city of Pittsburg-hosting G20 summit, harassed protesting activists and even tried...
Thai webmaster facing 50 years for lèse majesté postings
The trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, nicknamed Jiew, opened on Friday at Bangkok’s Criminal Court, the venue changed to Courtroom 701. A larger courtroom was needed due to an unprecedented number of observers from numerous Thai and foreign NGOs, local and international media, and foreign embassies.
Malaysia too wants to monitor the bloggers
Following Saudi Arabia's decision to closely monitor bloggers and online news sites, Malaysia is proposing guidelines to reign in the blogosphere. The Malay Mail said on January 27,2011, Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz announced the drawing up of new guidelines, which are to be...
As International Privacy Day is Celebrated, Governments Continue to Chip Away at Privacy Rights
“Effective data protection is vital for our democracies and underpins other fundamental rights and freedoms.” – Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Last Friday, privacy advocates and government officials in countries across the world celebrated the 5th annual International Privacy Day...
