Stories from June, 2017
Vietnamese Blogger Phạm Minh Hoàng Detained, Stripped of Citizenship, and Exiled to France
"I wrote blogs and continued to express my views on issues like democracy, corruption, territorial sovereignty. This is something that anybody could do, and to be honest, everybody should do."
China's Great Firewall Grows Ever-Stronger As Virtual Private Networks Disappear
"If one day I cannot climb over the wall, will you miss me?"
Mexico's Drug War Makes Everyone a Target
The rise in use of digital surveillance tools has become part and parcel of Mexico's ongoing internal armed conflict.
Is the End Near for Telegram in Russia?
Blocking Telegram in Russia would surely decrease its popularity, but there is no guarantee that it will help stifle communication among violent extremist groups.
False Rumors of a Collapsed Tunnel in Madagascar Raise Questions about Cybercrime and Punishment
Moral of the story so far: No one is anonymous behind his screen; don’t take everything that is said on the internet at face value.
Netizen Report: Arrest and Web Censorship Spark Online Protests in Palestine
Activists expose Mexico's multi-million dollar surveillance market, spy tech threatens Chinese jaywalkers and Twitter suspends Venezuelan state supporters.
Detained Telegram Channel Admins Go on Hunger Strike in Iran
The centrist administration of President Hassan Rouhani has been publicly criticized by Iran's hardline political factions for refusing to censor some of Telegram’s features.
How the Mexican Government Puts Citizens Under Systematic Surveillance
Evidence shows that espionage tools have been used for years against Mexican activists, journalists and people who hold dissenting opinions or oppose the current government in some form.
Angered by Online Censorship, Palestinians Say #NoToBlocking
Blocked websites are known for their criticism of the Palestinian Authority and its president Mahmoud Abbas.
Chinese Cities Are Shaming Jaywalkers With Facial Recognition Software
"Public interest is greater than individual interest,"a traffic police researcher argues. But legal experts argue that the measure violates people's privacy.
Five Years on, Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi's Family Repeats Call for His Release
Miriam was a four-year-old the last time she saw her father: "I try to remember you. Your voice, your hugs, but I can’t."
Palestinian Authority Once Again Censors Websites of Rivals and Critics
The blocked websites have been critical of the Palestinian Authority and its president Mahmoud Abbas.
Netizen Report: China Has a New Cybersecurity Law
Online censorship keeps rising in Egypt, Rouhani’s ICT Minister brags of Internet censorship in Iran and Venezuela tests the boundaries of online anonymity.
#FreeNassar: Palestinian Authority Arrests a Student Over a Facebook Post
Nassar Jaradat criticized a Palestinian official who stated that the Western Wall should “remain under Israeli sovereignty".
China Shutters Entertainment News Sites, Citing ‘Socialist Values’ and Cybersecurity
Crackdowns on entertainment news outlets indicate that controls are not only directed at the foreign enemy, but at thoughts and activities seen to go against “socialist core values”.
After Campaigning on Internet Freedom, Iranian President's ICT Minister Boasts of Internet Censorship
ICT Minister announced that Rouhani had effectively improved methods to control the Internet space as well as shut down a number of platforms.
Mirror Websites Are Helping Turkish Users Reconnect to Wikipedia
While the platform remains blocked, multiple "mirror" websites -- sites designed to reproduce the content of Wikipedia, which is constantly being updated -- have sprung up.
Pakistani Journalist Takes Intelligence Agency to Court Over Harassment
"Many friends have also confided tht seeing me go thru all wht i've had to has made thm self censor even more. Climate of fear persists"
Indian Journalists Demand Press Freedom Protections After State Agents Raid Broadcaster Offices
“We have one message to those who are trying to destroy the institutions of India and everything it stands for: we will fight for our country and overcome these forces."
Netizen Report: Gulf States Say ‘Pro-Qatar’ Speech Now Constitutes Cybercrime
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
