Stories from March, 2017
In Kyrgyzstan, Prosecutors Sue Media for Offending President
"By advising him to sue internet publications, they are really doing him a bad turn."
Chinese Scientists Speak Out Against the Great Firewall (Again)
"...it takes at least 10-20 second to access a page. Sometimes it takes more than half an hour to access some university websites…"
Russia Adds First-Ever Foreign Messaging App to Federal Registry
For the first time ever, Russia’s federal censor, Roskomnadzor, has added a foreign online messenger to its “Registry of Information-Dissemination Organizers,” targeting the Swiss company Threema.
South Africans Want Their Government's Hands Off Social Media
South Africa's Minister of State Security announced that his government is contemplating regulating social media to counter false narratives and the spread of fake news.
France Sees Sharp Rise in Blocked and De-listed Websites
Authorities have blocked or de-listed more than 2,700 websites in the fight against child pornography and terrorism, but with little oversight.
In Azerbaijan, Another Blogger Gets Jail Time
"Instead of investigating credible allegation of ill-treatment, Azerbaijan jails outspoken critic #MehmanHuseynov for two years."
Philippines Offers Media Credentials to Bloggers — But Some Suspect State is Trying to Control Online Content
"when analyzed [in accordance with the guidelines]....it becomes clear that contrary views are unacceptable lest they be misinterpreted as provocative."
Netizen Report: Social Media Users Arrested for Political Speech in Myanmar, Palestine, Turkey
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
Red Paint, Stalking and Cyberattacks: Pro-Beijing Newspaper Condemns Escalated Violence
These threats have led to speculation that Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing camp is fragmented and that Chinese President Xi Jinping is prepared to eradicate a powerful sector within the Communist Party.
Ukraine Will Blacklist Websites That ‘Undermine Ukrainian Sovereignty’
The list, like Ukraine's new Information Security Doctrine, is directed at countering the dissemination of pro-separatist and pro-Russian information.
Tunisian Government Pledges to Loosen Restriction on Civil Servants Speaking to Media
The government suspended guidelines that forbid civil servants from speaking to the press without permission from their superiors.