Stories from May, 2014
Singapore Prime Minister Sues Blogger for Defamation
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sued blogger Roy Ngerng for defamation in connection to a blog article alleging that the leader was involved in corruption.
“I Can Feel Total Censorship in the Air”: Internet Freedom Evaporates in Thailand
"Freedom of expression is Thailand is at stake...Simply criticising the Council could land one before a military court."
365 Days of Snowden: This June 5, Say No to Surveillance
It has been nearly one year since the first Snowden leaks. This June 5, activists will be launching campaigns, lobbying legislators and holding live events to speak out against mass surveillance.
Netizen Report: Thai Military Blocks Over 100 Websites Under Martial Law
This week, floods in Serbia bring wave of anti-censorship activism, a Singporean political blogger faces defamation charges, and privacy prevails in Germany's “revenge porn” case.
China to Perform Security Inspections for Tech Products
A new policy will give Chinese authorities a legal basis to pressure technology companies and online service providers to remove "illegal" products -- like circumvention tools -- from the marketplace.
Serbian Bloggers Censored for Criticizing Flood Relief Efforts
Bloggers, journalists and rights-conscious Internet users have flooded the Serbian web with republications of a blog post condemning the government for stifling free expression during the country's state of emergency.
The “Happy” Video That Got Six Young People Sent to Jail
Six Iranians were jailed and forced to confess on national television that they were tricked into the making of a "Happy" video in Tehran.
Moroccan Blogger and Rapper El-Haqed Arrested Again
Friends say police recognized the rapper and explicitly targeted him at a football match. Mouad Belrhouat, aka El-Haqed, has been jailed twice since 2011 for his political music and activism.
Netizen Report: Indonesia Tries to Ban Vimeo For Sexual Content
This week's Netizen Report looks at looming social media censorship measures in Spain and Russia, and a possible "loosening" of online restrictions in Iran.
On May 22, Say Happy Birthday To Bassel
On May 22, Bassel Safadi will celebrate his 33rd birthday -- his third in a prison cell in Damascus. We do not want him to spend his birthday alone. We want him to hear our voices loud and clear and know that we are still supporting his case.
GV Face: Freeing Ethiopia's Zone 9 Bloggers
Nine bloggers and journalists are currently being detained in Ethiopia because of their work. GV author Endalk Chala, a close friend of the detainees, speaks about the case.
Countdown to the End of Twitter in Russia
The deputy director of Russia’s chief censorship agency, Roscomnadzor, has threatened to order a block on Twitter or Facebook entirely, in a matter of minutes.
Netizen Report: Google Loses in EU, Wins in Pakistan
This week's Netizen Report looks at threats to free expression in Venezuela, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia.
Ethiopia: Police Request More Time for Zone 9 Bloggers Investigation
Friends of Global Voices report on an emotional scene outside an Addis Ababa courtroom where Zone 9 bloggers appeared for a brief, closed hearing last week.
Tunisian Activist Azyz Amami Arrested on Drug Charges
Amami has been blogging on social and political issues in Tunisia since 2008. He has demanded an end to state surveillance and censorship in concert with Tunisia’s most influential cyberactivists.
Pakistan High Court Demands Unblocking of YouTube
In what appears to be a major victory for Internet openness in Pakistan, Lahore's High Court ruled to unblock YouTube, responding to a legal challenge filed by open Internet advocates.
Security Forces Detain Leader of “SOS Venezuela” Campaign
Rodrigo Diamanti is the president and founder of “Un Mundo Sin Mordaza” (A World Without the Gag), the NGO behind the campaign “SOS Venezuela” and “Your voice is your power.”
Activists Push Back on Mauritania's Information Society Law
A newly proposed law on the Information Society in Mauritania would limit free expression and prohibit the use of encryption. Activists are speaking out against the legislation.
#FreeSimpson: Campaign to Free Jailed Activists in Morocco
Eleven members of the pro-democracy February 20 Movement were detained in April after joining a labor protest. Using #FreeSimpson and #FreeKoulchi hashtags, supporters are calling for their release.
Join the #FreeZone9Bloggers Tweetathon on May 14
Join Global Voices bloggers for an Africa-wide tweetathon in support of the nine bloggers and journalists arrested in late April and currently being detained in Ethiopia.
