Stories from July, 2014
#FreeZone9Bloggers: Today, We Tweet for Human Rights — and Human Beings
If convicted, they will find themselves in the company of at least eighteen other journalists who have suffered the same fate. All remain in prison today.
Spain on a Downward Spiral? New Law May Destroy the Digital Commons
Linking is what made the Web what is today -- restricting this function poses a threat to the very nature of the open Internet.
Netizen Report: Colombian Scholar May Face Prison Thanks to Free Trade Copyright Reforms
This week, Colombia's free trade agreement with the US backfires for free expression, bloggers unite to support the jailed Zone9ers in Ethiopia, and Spain’s Google tax is back in business.
Tajik Blogger: “We Must Prove our Professionalism and Close the Case Against Alexander Sodiqov”
Global Voices community member Alexander Sodiqov has been released from jail, but still faces wrongful charges of treason. This blogger - his former student - hopes for Alexander's swift release.
China Monitors the Internet and the Public Pays the Bill
Experts say the billion-yuan “stability maintenance industry” is designed to help the government tighten its grip over public opinion online -- and to turn a profit.
Leaked Cybercrime Law Could Undo Tunisia's Pioneer Status on Internet Rights
Government officials renew calls for filtering and monitoring of the Internet under the pretext of "fighting terrorism" -- could this mean the end of Tunisia's Internet rights renaissance?
The World Tweets for Ethiopia's Zone9 Bloggers on July 31
Join Global Voices bloggers for a worldwide, multilingual tweetathon in support of the ten bloggers and journalists facing terrorism charges in Ethiopia.
Twitter “Blocks” Access to Russia's Most Infamous Hackers
Russia's Twitter users no longer have access to @b0ltai, an account belonging to a hacker collective that has leaked several Kremlin documents to the Internet over the past 7 months.
Russia Offers 4 Million Rubles to Crack the Tor Network
Although unlikely, should Russia’s decryption project succeed, it could endanger millions of Internet users whose interest in online anonymity is far from nefarious.
Netizen Report: Censorship and Social Media Sneakiness Abound in Southeast Asia
At the peak of summer, censorship is rising in SE Asia, African NGOs are drafting a regional Internet Rights declaration, and Europe is wrestling with Right-to-Be-Forgotten fallout.
Court Ruling Against Restaurant Reviewer Leaves French Bloggers Reeling
The presiding judge ruled that while the review fell "within the scope of freedom of expression" its title was defamatory.
Fear, Love and Iran's Favorite Internet Enemy (it's Facebook)
On July 13, eight young Iranians were dealt long prison sentences for their activities on Facebook. Activists both in and outside the country know little more about the case.
Zone 9 Bloggers Charged With Terrorism in Ethiopia
The nine bloggers and journalists, four of them Global Voices members, have rejected the charges and are preparing a defense for their August 8 trial.
The World Shouts #FreeAlexSodiqov During Global Vigil
Global Voices' community member Alexander Sodiqov is not a British spy. And #FreeAlexSodiqov is an international movement. This vigil - a month after his arrest - proves it.
Vietnamese Government ‘Opinion Shapers’ Target Activist Facebook Pages
The Facebook accounts of prominent Vietnamese activists have been suspended after being reported for abuse by suspected government supporters known as 'opinion shapers'.
Netizen Report: China Teases Users With Sporadic Censorship
This week, Iranian Facebook users face major jail time, Google reverses its real-name policy, and lawyers, geeks, and librarians all say no to censorship in Turkey.
How to Temper Internet Trolls: Tips from the Field
Digital rights buffs share ideas on how to mitigate online trolling -- without compromising free expression. This is the first of our partnership posts with Pakistani NGO Bolo Bhi.
Thai Junta Tightens its Grip on the Internet
Findings from the Citizen Lab’s network measurement tests show that blocking in the days following Thailand's coup was “highly dynamic.”
7 Cases That Prove Online Activism is Under Siege in Saudi Arabia
Learn about Gulf Center for Human Rights efforts to raise awareness about online activists facing harassment and legal challenges in Saudi Arabia.
Blocking Facebook: A Hot New Trend in Southeast Asia?
More and more governments in Southeast Asia are becoming aggressive in their efforts to block Facebook, especially during crisis moments. Netizens should respond by remaining vigilant.
