Featured stories from December 2017
Stories from December, 2017
Brazil Introduces Tougher Regulations on ‘Fake News’ Ahead of 2018 Elections
A committee with members of the army, the federal police, and the Brazilian Intelligence Agency will monitor and possibly order the blocking of false news reports on social media.
Don't Call “Xi the Bun” — Chinese Netizens Are Being Jailed for Chatroom Jokes
Three recent cases indicate that chatroom conversations in China are under surveillance and can be used as evidence in criminal prosecution.
#FindRaza: Social Media Campaign Launched for the Safe Return of Pakistani Human Rights Activist
Human rights activist Raza Mehmood Khan, who was working to build peace between Pakistan and India, went missing after an event in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
#FreeNganang: Cameroonian Writer Patrice Nganang Detained in a Maximum Security Prison in Yaoundé
Cameroon needs intellectuals resolutely committed to the service of the people, the oppressed. Those who sacrifice their times, their energy, their money, their families, their children, to build change.
The Campaigning Dead: Deceased Users’ Profiles Post Pro-Putin Messages on a Russian Social Network
Most Vkontakte accounts belonging to deceased Russians posting pro-Putin messages have been suspended. Vkontakte’s management said these accounts had been hacked by unknown perpetrators.
Twitter Japan is Not a Safe Space for Minority Users
"Of respondents who reported they found it unpleasant when coming across discriminatory articles online (as described above), 19.8% said they would refrain from using the Internet."
A ‘Detainee of All Eras': The Prominent Case of Egyptian Activist Alaa Abdelfattah
"His trial is an attempt to silence criticism of a judiciary that has itself become a source of human rights violations."
Right To Information Requests in Sri Lanka Reveals Process for Blocking Websites
Information released by the Telecom Regulatory Commission revealed that from 2015 onward 13 websites had been blocked, including a number of websites publishing political news, and a few pornographic sites.
Harsh Prison Terms for Video Journalist and Blogger as Vietnam Cracks Down on Free Expression
“Repressing citizen journalists is not only a violation of human rights but also a major impediment to Vietnam’s aspirations to become a tech and innovation hub.”
Jailed Bahraini Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab Faces Additional Fifteen Years in Prison
Rajab is in prison for his human rights-related activities and for freely expressing his opinions.