Stories from 22 December 2011
Iran: Blogger May Face Death Penalty
Several bloggers and news sites reported [fa] that Mohammad Reza Pour Shajari, a jailed blogger , may face charge of ‘Waging War Against God’ (moharebeh). A death sentence can be pronounced in this case. He criticized Islam and Islamic Republic in his blog, Iran Land's Report.
China: Micro-blog real name registration extended to Guangzhou and Shenzhen
The regulation of real name registration for micro-blogging platform has extended from Beijing to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. According to local report [zh], the real name registration requirement is started today (December 22). 7 major micro-blogging platforms, including Tencents, Jinyang, Dayoo, Shenzhen News Web, OE, DIgu and Fanfou have to authenticate...
For Bloggers at Risk: Creating a Contingency Plan
In 2011, we have witnessed the incredible power of bloggers and social media users capturing the world’s attention through their activism. At the same time, regimes appear to be quickening the pace of their cat-and-mouse game with netizens, cracking down on speech through the use of surveillance, censorship, and the persecution and detention of bloggers. Aware of the risks they face, some bloggers have created contingency plans to protect themselves and contacts in the event of an arrest. Here are some suggestions.
