Stories from October, 2008
Deprived of using the university dormitories because of blogging
Ahmed Abdel Kawi , meeting all the necessary conditions to use his university housing, so, the decision of his exclusion was strongly condemned by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information’s Legal Aid Unit for Freedom of Expression, which issued a statement saying:
Sayed Pervez Kambakhsh's Sentence Commuted to 20 Years
An Afghan appeals court overturned a death sentence Tuesday for a journalism student accused of blasphemy for asking questions in class about women’s rights under Islam. But the judges still sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
Malaysia: Home Minister admits Internet news is now mainstream
Malaysia's Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, was reported to have said that Internet media is no “alternative media” as more and more Malaysians were obtaining news and information from the...
Malaysia: Blogger's bail extended
Blogger kickdefella, who was arrested for seeking the public to post the Malaysian national flag upside-down, has had his bail extended to Nov 21. Kickdefella, or Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz, was arrested...
Malaysia: Yet another blogger rebuked
Deputy Chief Minister, Alfred Jabu Numpang, of the Malaysian state of Sarawak, has criticised blogger, Joseph Tawie for a posting on the latter's blog. Freelance writer and blogger Tawie accused Sarawak state...
Australia embraces web censorship
The issue of internet censorship generally involves countries deemed non-democratic or “repressive” (something I discuss in my new book, The Blogging Revolution.) We regularly read reports about the regimes in...
Worldwide protest against surveillance: Freedom not Fear 2008
Surveillance and data retention is a problem that deserves Global attention, even for developing countries. In developing countries protests for such causes are sometimes not among the list of priorities, such as poverty, hunger and violence, which are the major concerns. Not quite. In Peru, breaking news points to surveillance coming from the government, and recently in Guatemala, the President himself was under heavy surveillance.
Livejournal inaccessible in Kazakhstan
Kazakh Internet users seem to be unable to access the popular blogging platform and social network Livejournal through Kazakh major ISPs. According to Reuters Canada, only a small number of Kazakh Livejournal bloggers still can access the website through smaller ISPs or through the use of proxies. Livejournal.ru, however, seems to be accessible.
Tunisia: National Day for Freedom of Blogging on November 4
Tunisian bloggers are rallying for a National Day for Freedom of Blogging on November 4. The day will coincide with a court hearing for a lawsuit filed by the journalist and blogger Zied El Heni against the Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI).
The Blogging Revolution: from Iran to Cuba
Antony Loewenstein, a Sydney-based freelance journalist and blogger, has recently published his new book: The Blogging Revolution. This book talks about the impact of blogging on six countries: Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China and Cuba.
An Egyptian blogger is out of jail provided that he stop blogging
After being in jail for more than 2 months, the Egyptian blogger Mohamed Refaat was set free. Mohamed told Add-Dostour daily newspaper that the state security officers insisted that he will not go out of his detention custody till he sign a paper saying he will never update his blog neither heis Facebook account , nevertheless dealing with humanitarian NGOs or journalists.
Malaysia: Outrage at racist blogger
Blogger “Sammy”, reported to be a 22 year old employee in a Kuala Lumpur advertising firm, was reported to have posted anti-Indian sentiments on her blog, Life is a Drama. The...
Malaysia: Bloggers seek RPK's release at PM's Eid'ul Fitri celebration
Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi, unwittingly had more than 50 activists at Eid’ul Fitri celebrations at the Putra World Trade Centre on October 1st. About twenty of these were bloggers, led by blogger and lawyer, Haris Ibrahim, who wanted to personally tell the Prime Minister they wanted the Internal Security Act (ISA) repealed, and that all detainees, including Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK), be released.
