Stories about Free Expression
Devices of journalists, government officials in Kazakhstan hacked and spied on
Journalist Serikzhan Mauletbai found himself on a list of people targeted by Israeli-made spyware the government of Kazakhstan bought. The current president and prime minister are also on the list.
Team 29, Russia's most prominent legal defense group, shuts down under state pressure
On July 19, after its website was blocked, Team 29 announced it was shutting down its operations in order to protect its staff and clients from possible criminal prosecution.
Hong Kong will pass a tough anti-doxxing law that may curb freedom of information
The internet sector has expressed concerns about the vague definition of doxxing, the extension of criminal liability to tech companies and their employees and the extraterritorial implications of the amendment.
Mozambican journalist receives international prize for press freedom
The award winner, Matias Guente "has faced a series of threats for his harsh reporting, including police interrogations, accusations of rape, state secrecy, and conspiracy and an attempted kidnapping in...
State escalates attacks on media freedom and civil society in Belarus
Since the start of July, dozens of civil society organisations and independent media outlets in Belarus have faced law enforcement raids, searches and staff detentions.
Twitter Japan appears to suspend government critics
Twitter Japan typically provides no explanation for the bans, or why accounts are restored.
Social media companies could be liable for user-generated content in India
Twitter in India has found itself outside the “safe harbour” that otherwise would have protected itself legally from being implicated for the content generated by its users.
What has Hong Kong lost one year after the National Security Law was enacted?
Hongkongers have lost the right to attend public protests and assemblies; Apple Daily, Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy publication has been shut down; and numerous civic groups have been dissolved.
Access denied: the social and economic costs of Nigeria’s Twitter blackout
President Buhari of Nigeria has perceived Twitter’s support for the 2020 youth-led #EndSARS protests, together with the deletion of his tweet, as an act of hostility.
Top Belarusian media website removes social media posts to protect employees
Tut.by editors removed virtually all of the content published on most of their social media channels in 2020 and the first half of 2021, at the height of the post-election...
Hong Kong digital news outlet Stand News removes articles and suspends subscriptions following Apple Daily closure
Pro-democracy digital news outlet Stand News has announced it will remove opinion articles it published before May and stop accepting donations to reduce risks under the national security law.
Myanmar journalists endure attacks for reporting the coup
"We're all just waiting for the knock on the door. Sometimes you hear footsteps on the stairs, it's like they're coming for you: you have this feeling all the time."
Security police interventions force closure of Apple Daily, Hong Kong's 26-year-old pro-democracy news outlet
In its inaugural editorial, Apple Daily had stated: "Are we not afraid of the changes 1997 could bring about? We are, but we are not willing to be daunted by...
Pro-democracy Apple Daily continues its operations despite raid, seizures and arrests
Among the five senior executives arrested, two were officially charged with with conspiracy to collude with external elements on June 18
Organiser of online map protest in Russia fined for crowdsourced obscenities
Unlike street protests, which require prior authorisation from local authorities, online rallies aren't technically subject to the same restrictions.
More internet security for many, not for Central Asians
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are among the few countries that will not enjoy a new privacy tool unveiled by US giant tech company Apple for its users. Apple's focus in 2021...
Pressure on journalists, bloggers mounts ahead of Uzbekistan's presidential elections
A foreign journalist loses accreditation, a pro-LBGT blogger is beaten and another blogger gets a heavy sentence on dubious charges.
New report highlights ongoing pressure on Ukrainian activists and rights defenders
In the first quarter of 2021, physical attacks, destruction or damage to activists’ property, and attempted intimidation of human rights defenders were the most common, in addition to digital threats.
Twitter vs India: The battle of BJP and Congress over a ‘fake toolkit’ on COVID-19
Twitter expressed concern about the “use of intimidation tactics by the police” and “the potential threat to freedom of expression” for the Indian users.
