Stories about Advocacy from January, 2014
Saudi Arabia Jails Palestinian Poet for ‘Atheism and Long Hair’
Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh is in a Saudi prison, allegedly for spreading atheism - and having long hair. Online networks are calling for his release.
GV Face: Live from the Arab Bloggers Meeting #AB14
GVers Advox Director Hisham Almiraat, GV MENA Region Editor Amira Al Hussaini, SMEX Co-Director Mohammed Najem and Berkman Fellow Dalia Othman share with us their insights from this remarkable event.
Statement: Release Alaa Abd El Fattah And All Unjustly Detained In Egypt
At the 4th Arab Bloggers Meeting in Amman, Jordan, representatives from the region released a a statement pressing for the freedom of currently imprisoned Egyptian blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah.
China: Free Ilham Tohti — Support Ethnic Reconciliation
Ilham Tohti, founder of Uyghur Online and a moderate advocate for ethnic autonomy policy in China was arrested on January 15. Supporters are advocating for his release online.
Ukraine Stifles Freedom of Speech, Peaceful Protest With New Law
The Ukrainian parliament has passed a law that openly restricts free speech, peaceful protest and free communications in the country, leaving citizens and journalists outraged.
Russia’s Parliament Prepares New “Anti-Terrorist” Laws for Internet
Another Internet crackdown looms in Russia, where the Duma is reviewing three new pieces of “anti-terror” legislation that could place hefty restrictions on the activities of websites and civil society.
Monitoring the Russian Internet for Big Bucks
The Russian Federal Protective Service is asking software developers to design a system that automatically monitors the country’s news and social media, producing reports that study netizens’ political attitudes.
‘Red Pencil Protest’ Demands Media Freedom in Malaysia
A weekly magazine was suspended in Malaysia after it ran a story on the Prime Minister's spending habits. In response, journalists took to the streets to denounc media censorship.
Hong Kong 2013: A Burgeoning New Media Sector and a Backward Government
Despite legal and technological barriers, new online media projects pushing making big waves in the push for transparency, accountability, and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.
Award-Winning Egyptian Activists Receive One-Year Suspended Sentence
A report from this week's trial of Alaa Abd El Fattah, Mona Seif, and other activists accused of arson in what appears to be a politically motivated case.
Lebanon: SMEX Tracks Web Filtering Through Research, Crowdsourcing
New research from Social Media Exchange shows web blocking data from Lebanon -- and invites users to join a crowdsourcing effort to learn more about blocking across ISPs.
Netizen Report: Korean Indy Sites Accused of Producing “Not Real” News
Are anti-protest laws the new black? Is Facebook reading your mind? What if Egypt becomes the de-facto cyber security leader of Africa? These questions and more in this week's Netizen Report.
Egypt: The Muppets Intelligence Agency
In Egypt, a Muppet-like character is being accused of sending coded messages to terrorists. Amr Tarek explains why this puppet is on trial.
Censorship, Prosecution Drive Exodus of Opinion Leaders from China's Sina Weibo
China's crackdown on online "rumor-mongering" has led many opinion leaders to quit Sina Weibo, the country's most popular social media platform.
Netizen Report: Will Saudi Take the “You” Out of YouTube?
Fresh back from a holiday hiatus, this week we look at post-Snowden fallout in Southeast Asia, activist push-back on censorship in Morocco, and a new site that "translates" terms of service for the average user.
