Stories about Activism from May, 2014
“I Can Feel Total Censorship in the Air”: Internet Freedom Evaporates in Thailand
"Freedom of expression is Thailand is at stake...Simply criticising the Council could land one before a military court."
365 Days of Snowden: This June 5, Say No to Surveillance
It has been nearly one year since the first Snowden leaks. This June 5, activists will be launching campaigns, lobbying legislators and holding live events to speak out against mass surveillance.
Serbian Bloggers Censored for Criticizing Flood Relief Efforts
Bloggers, journalists and rights-conscious Internet users have flooded the Serbian web with republications of a blog post condemning the government for stifling free expression during the country's state of emergency.
Moroccan Blogger and Rapper El-Haqed Arrested Again
Friends say police recognized the rapper and explicitly targeted him at a football match. Mouad Belrhouat, aka El-Haqed, has been jailed twice since 2011 for his political music and activism.
On May 22, Say Happy Birthday To Bassel
On May 22, Bassel Safadi will celebrate his 33rd birthday -- his third in a prison cell in Damascus. We do not want him to spend his birthday alone. We want him to hear our voices loud and clear and know that we are still supporting his case.
Security Forces Detain Leader of “SOS Venezuela” Campaign
Rodrigo Diamanti is the president and founder of “Un Mundo Sin Mordaza” (A World Without the Gag), the NGO behind the campaign “SOS Venezuela” and “Your voice is your power.”
Activists Push Back on Mauritania's Information Society Law
A newly proposed law on the Information Society in Mauritania would limit free expression and prohibit the use of encryption. Activists are speaking out against the legislation.
#FreeSimpson: Campaign to Free Jailed Activists in Morocco
Eleven members of the pro-democracy February 20 Movement were detained in April after joining a labor protest. Using #FreeSimpson and #FreeKoulchi hashtags, supporters are calling for their release.
Azerbaijan: N!DA Activists Face 6-8 Years in Prison
As one journalist put it, members of the leading online activist group were “found guilty of being bright, intelligent, brave and honest.”