Featured stories from June 2012
Stories from June, 2012
Sudan: another blogger rearrested
According to recent reports, many Sudanese bloggers and activists have been arrested in the last few days. Today, I have followed one of the bloggers’ posts on Twitter. Maha Sanosi @MimzicalMimz was arrested. She was released later to tell us about the police raid: This is getting old :) I am fine,12...
China: Top Domain co.jp Blocked Temporarily
The Chinese Great Firewall had blocked top domain name registry, co.jp temporarily for more than 30 hours between June 15 and June 16. This is the first time the GFW blocks a top domain registry. According to Yahoo! Japan [jp], the blocking had lasted for 1.5 days and there hasn't...
Netizen Report: Intervention Edition
Throughout this week's edition we highlight examples of government intervention to limit free speech online, ostensibly "for the greater good". We begin in Kuwait, where a Shi’ite man has been sentenced to prison for ten years for allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammad and Sunni Muslims via Twitter. From there we travel to China, India, South Africa, Tunisia, Oman, Facebookistan, and beyond.
Kuwait: Three Netizens Sentenced to Prison
Since the Arab Spring first sparked, Kuwaiti authorities have been following internet users closely and summoning them to interrogation and then sending them to courts for prosecution over different cases that are mostly sectarian or political.
Taiwan: Facebook's Deactivation of User Accounts Triggered Free Speech Concerns
Several Taiwanese activists and politicians had their Facebook accounts suspended on June 1st, which triggered Taiwanese users' concern over the limitation on free speech.
Nabeel Rajab: Tweeting from prison!
Nabeel Rajab, the President of Bahrain Centre for Human Rights , who was released on bail last week, has been arrested again. Just like last time, Nabeel Rajab is detained for posting what the Bahraini government considers insulting posts on his Twitter handle. As a result, he will be detained for 7...
Netizen Report: Telecoms Edition
In this week's survey of the struggle for freedom and control of the global Internet, our team begins in Ethiopia where the introduction of new telecommunications infrastructure is creating a new layer of censorship and surveillance. We proceed onward across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, and provide an update on the battle over which international organizations should be allowed to govern parts of the Internet.
China: Annual June 4 Censorship Battle
Yesterday was the annual candle light vigil for commemorating the June 4 Massacre in Hong Kong. Across the border in mainland China, it was a date for internet censorship. The typical censorship measure is the filtering of sensitive words related with numbers, time, memory, places, organizations and names, as listed...
Iran: A Blogger's Life in Danger
Hossein Ronaghi Maleki,jailed blogger,has started his hunger strike since last Saturday.His health conditions are in dire situation and he was moved for two hours to a hospital [fa].Another political prisoner started[fa] hunger strike to support him.
Hong Kong: A Large Number of Facebook User Accounts Suspended at the Eve of Annual June 4 Vigil
Every year, before the annual vigil of June 4th Massacre in Hong Kong, concerned citizens would urge their friends to attend the vigil together via Facebook and other social media. Yesterday a large number of user accounts have been suspended for unknown reason and many of the users said their...
