Stories from December, 2015
Russian Blogger Gets Five-Year Prison Term for ‘Inciting Hate’ Online
Vadim Tyumentsev, a Russian blogger from Tomsk, has been charged with hate speech and calls to extremism online and has received a five-year sentence for videos on YouTube and VKontakte.
Syrian Filmmaker Naji Jerf Killed in Turkey After Exposing ISIS Crimes in Aleppo
Syrian film-maker Naji Jerf, 38, was shot dead in broad daylight in Gaziantep, Turkey, for uploading a video exposing ISIS crimes in Aleppo, Syria, on YouTube.
Russian Censors Launch Automatic Online Media Monitoring System to Spot ‘Extremist’ Content
Roscomnadzor initially had ambitious plans to monitor all of the Russian Internet for extremist materials, but didn't have enough funding, so decided to focus on online media outlets.
On Taiwan, Facebook and the Politics of Trolling on the Chinese Internet
When Facebook became accessible in mainland China, trolls descended on a Taiwanese politician. What might happen if Facebook were to become permanently accessible in China?
Award-Winning Citizen Journalist Ahmad Almossa Killed in Idlib, Syria
Ahmad Mohamed Almossa, a member of Syrian citizen journalism collective Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), was assassinated by masked men in northern Syria, the group announced on Twitter.
Bangladesh Will Demand Biometric Data From All SIM Card Users
The scheme will create a massive database of citizens' communications data that could give the government unprecedented access to the mobile communications of Bangladeshi citizens.
Roscomnadzor Head Claims Google and Apple Are ‘Relocating Servers’ to Russia
Aleksandr Zharov, head of the Russian media watchdog, told journalists Google and Apple were "working on localizing their databases on Russian territory," but said the information was "unofficial."
Russian Activist Gets Two-Year Sentence for ‘Calls to Extremism’ on Social Networks
A Russian court has found activist Darya Polyudova guilty of "public calls to separatism and extremism" on social networks and has sentenced her to two years in a penal colony.
As Russia Insulates Itself from Human Rights Bodies, State Surveillance Decision Looms
The European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of a free expression advocate's case against Russian government surveillance. But thanks to a new law, Russia officially does not care.
WhatsApp is Back on in Brazil. But Why Was it Blocked in the First Place?
The judge who issued the order based her decision on a provision of Marco Civil, Brazil's so-called "Bill of Rights" for the Internet.
Netizen Report: Tales of Torture from Ethiopia’s Jails
Netizens give chilling account of inhumane treatment in Ethiopia's prison system. Meanwhlie, sedition laws levy strict penalties for netizens in Thailand, Malaysia.
China's 2nd World Internet Conference Will Focus on ‘Rule of Law’, But Not Free Expression
"These conferences have had no credibility ever since the first one, whose real aim was to ensure that Internet companies wanting to operate in China fall into line."
Ethiopian Netizens Defend Themselves in Court After 525 Days of Detention
Left to defend themselves in court, Ethiopian netizens reject charges of anti-government activity and describe torture and ethnic discrimination in prison.
Bangladesh Unblocks All Social Media Services (For Now)
Contradictory statements from authorities have left many Bangladeshis wondering what was behind the ban on Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and other major communications platforms.
Thai Worker Arrested for Mocking the King’s Dog on Facebook
Authorities will also file sedition charges against the Facebook user for 'liking' and 'sharing' an infographic which explains a corruption scandal involving the military.
Nigerian Lawmakers May Criminalize ‘Abusive’ and Anti-Government Messages Online
Nigeria's social media landscape is poised for dramatic changes, if lawmakers get their way with a new bill that would make it possible to sentence Internet bullies to prison time.
Low Bandwidth, High Hopes: Digital Participation in Venezuelan Elections
Despite low bandwidth and a series of localized Internet outages, the Web proved critical to public discourse and circulation of information about candidates, especially those running with the opposition.
Chinese Authorities Think Internet Companies Should Reward Netizens Who ‘Spread Good News’
China's State Internet Information Office spokesman urged Internet companies to allocate charity funds to those who "spread good news." But netizens don't completely agree with government's idea of good news.
Netizen Report: Pro-Government Hackers and Constitutional Amendment Put Free Speech Under Fire in Ecuador
Facebook is back on in Bangladesh, Venezuela sees big changes (and Internet outages) on Election Day and Kazakhstan plans to spy on everyone.
