· September, 2008

Stories about Advocacy from September, 2008

China: An hour later, he was taken away

Another blogger arrest, this time we find out about merely by chance. Just days after WordCamp China 2008 wrapped up, citizen reporter and web editor Wen Yunchao is in Beijing...

25 September 2008

Malaysia: Blogger's habeas corpus bid thwarted

Just on the day of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s habeas corpus, a detention order was issued for him to be held under s. 8(1) of the Internal Security Act (ISA). Malaysia’s Minister of Home Affairs, Syed Hamid Albar, was reported to have admitted to signing the detention order the night before the habeas corpus hearing.

24 September 2008

Yemen: Loui Has Been Set Free!

Yemen Hurr website announced yesterday in a press release that its founder and editor-in-chief Loui Al-Moayed has been released from prison yesterday after about more than 70 days in detention....

23 September 2008

Saudi Arabia: Why Should Arabs Have Access to the Internet?

For days, cyberactivists have been busy discussing the case of Moroccan blogger Mohammed Erraji, who was arrested, put on trial, sentenced - and then freed, and then put on trial again and finally acquitted. Who is Mohammed Erraji? Why did he cross 'red lines' knowing well that in many countries in the Middle East criticising members of the vast Ruling families is very likely to result in repercussions and punishment? Saudi blogger Fouad Al Farhan, who recently found himself behind bars for his writings in Saudi Arabia, visits Erraji's blog looking for answers.

22 September 2008

Singapore: Blogger jailed for insulting judge

Former Singaporean citizen and naturalized American, Gopalan Nair, has been sentenced to three months imprisonment for insulting a high court judge on his blog. Newspaper reports that the court, in handing out the sentence, had stated that Gopalan had “scandalised…the judiciary and the administration of justice in Singapore” [...]

19 September 2008

Advocacy 2.0 Guide: Tools for Digital Advocacy

The Advocacy 2.0 Guide (Tools for Digital Advocacy) describes some of the best techniques and tools that digital activists - and others who wish to learn from this subject - can use as part of their online advocacy campaigns. While our previous guide (Blog for a Cause!) focused on the effective use of blogs as an advocacy tool, this guide will explore creative uses of other web 2.0 applications.

18 September 2008

Morocco: Blogger Arrested, Sentenced Immediately

This morning, it was reported by the electronic news site Hespress [ar] that blogger Mohammed Raji was arrested in his home in Agadir. An article that Raji had posted on Hespress [ar] is said to be the source of the conflict, though neither that fact nor Raji's arrest have been confirmed outside of the blogosphere. This afternoon it was reported that Raji had already been tried and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of MAD 5,000.

8 September 2008

Egyptian blogger arrested since July

A young Egyptian blogger Mohamed Refaat has being in jail since July, though the editor of the blog Matabbat was ordered to be released. The Prosecution accused Refaat of calling for a demonstration on the occasion marking the anniversary of the 23 July Revolution and distributing anti-regime fliers, in addition to other charges such as joining the legally banned Muslim Brotherhood Group and calling for demonstrations in front of places of worship and public squares in favor of the Group.

8 September 2008

More storms a-brewing for RPK

A new legal wrangle might join the criminal defamation charges and defamation law suits sitting on the doorstep of Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK). Newspapers reported recently that the Department of Islamic Development...

6 September 2008

Tunisia's ban on Facebook lifted

The ban on the popular social networking website Facebook has been lifted in Tunisia since yesterday 3 September 2008 after a massive protest by Tunisian Netizens. Tens of Facebook groups...

4 September 2008

Founder and webmaster of Ingush opposition website killed

The founder and webmaster of the Ingush opposition news website Ingushetiya.Ru, Magomed Yevloyev, was killed while in police custody. His website reported that Magomed was shot in the head after being arrested by the Ingush authorities on his arrival at Nazran (Magas) airport. He has passed away in hospital.

1 September 2008