Stories about Middle East & North Africa from March, 2010
Egypt: Activist arrested for running a Facebook group – Released
An Egyptian activist is arrested for running a Facebook group supporting Mohamed ElBaradie for running for Presidency. Police are holding him without a charge.
The Second Decade of Middle East Internet
In its second decade in the Middle East, the Internet has been increasingly challenging many of the region's governments – specifically dictatorships that impose strict limitations on civil freedoms. It has brought about the formation of pressure groups for social and political change on FaceBook, allowed for real-time coverage of...
Egypt: Governmental Decision to Block Skype using USB Modem
It looks like the Egyptian Government attempts to control the cyberspace and netizens are moving forward. Although, Egypt didn’t witness many attempts to block websites and online services, the government follows different ways to keep an eye on what’s happening online, beside harassing bloggers and netizens. Two days ago, citizens...
Youtube: Saudi young man impersonating a police officer arrested and charged with morality crimes
Update 1: On March 22nd, 2010, Pinkpaper.com reported that Ahmad al-Faqih was sent to jail for a year, fined $1,330, and will be lashed 1,000 times for appearing in a gay-themed video. According to Arab News, a 27-year-old Saudi man, Ahmad al-Faqih, has been arrested in January for making and...
Would You Defend The Rights of Your Political Enemies? (on Algerian censorship)
For my first post on Global Voices Advocacy I'd like to entertain a discussion on an issue that has been bothering me since news of the first censored political website in Algeria was broken. That is, how far would one go in defending the human rights, and most relevant the...
