Advox campaigns focus on digital rights around the world. We believe that by giving communities and decision makers the information that they need to understand the threats to digital rights, the challenges that must be confronted, and the opportunities for collaboration, we can organise effectively to protect digital rights for the present and future generations. Here are some of the campaigns we've been involved with and supported.
The Long Road After Revolution: Campaign to Free Egypt's Alaa Abd El Fattah
Alaa and his wife, Manal Hassan. Photo by Lilian Wagdy via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
In June 2014, Egyptian blogger and democracy advocate Alaa Abd El Fattah was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for violating a controversial protest law and attacking a police officer. This conviction is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges he has faced over the years. Known for his activism against various Egyptian governments, Alaa has been a prominent voice for social justice and human rights. His work includes creating influential online platforms and advocating for the use of internet tools in activism. This campaign ran in 2014 to raise awareness and seek his release.
Over the years, Alaa was (and has continued to be) imprisoned multiple times under different Egyptian regimes, including for peaceful protests, and has undergone periods of detention without trial. His 2014 sentence was among the harshest in a series of crackdowns on freedom of expression in Egypt. Other activists, such as human rights lawyer Mahienour El-Massry and April 6 movement founder Ahmed Maher,were also targeted under similar laws. Many activists believe these legal actions were politically motivated, aimed at silencing dissent and deterring others from political engagement.
Campaign to Free Ethiopia's Zone9 Bloggers
In April 2014, nine bloggers and journalists were arrested in Ethiopia on accusations of “inciting public disorder via social media” and “receiving support from a foreign government.” The detainees had all worked with Zone9, a collective blog that covered social and political issues in Ethiopia and promoted human rights and government accountability. Many of them were also contributors to Global Voices. Our community worked hard to demand the release of our jailed friends and to tell the world their story. We worked with the bloggers’ families and lawyers to report on their experiences behind bars and in court, and to promote their case on social media.
#Justice4Morocco: End Criminal Prosecution of Free Expression Advocates
The Global Voices community worked to bring international attention to the prosecution of seven free expression advocates who are facing trial in Morocco due to their advocacy. The seven advocates had sought to defend human rights, hold authorities accountable to the public, and uphold rule of law in their country. Five were charged with “threatening the internal security of the State” and two faced charges of “receiving foreign funding without notifying the General Secretariat of the government.” Among those charged was Hisham Almiraat, a medical doctor and long-time member of our community.
Bloggers Under Fire: The Fatal Consequences of Free Thinking in Bangladesh
“Who will be next?” Sketch of deceased Bangladesh bloggers by MadhuMondol.
More than ten Bangladeshi bloggers and writers have been assassinated since 2013. Some of the country's most active online writers now fear they may face jail or will die at the hands of the assailants. Some under threat have left the country. Since 2013, we have covered stories about individuals who have lost their lives because of their online writing, and the ways their communities have responded and grappled with this trend.
