· July, 2012

Stories about Free Expression from July, 2012

Zambia: Pupils Expelled For Facebook Activities

  30 July 2012

Twenty one pupils at a secondary school in rural western Zambia have been expelled over vile messages against their teachers on Facebook. Meanwhile, ruling party boss wants Zambian citizen news website shut.

China: Beijing Arrests 5,007 Netizens in 2012 So Far

  27 July 2012

According to mainland Chinese media report, Beijing city steering committee and public security bureau had a working group meeting in July 24 on the control of the internet during summer vacation. The head of Beijing police Fu Zhenghua (傅政华)told the reporters that the public security authorities would strengthen law enforcement...

European Telco Proposal to ITU: A Threat to the Open Web?

  27 July 2012

A group of European telecommunications companies has made a proposal for global Internet regulation that could fundamentally alter the free flow of information online and undermine Internet neutrality. Parts of the proposal could disadvantage independent creators and content producers, particularly those in less-developed countries.

Mexico: Congress Resolves to Reject ACTA

  22 July 2012

On July 18, 2012, both the Senate and House of Representatives in Mexico passed resolutions calling for the country's new President, Enrique Peña Nieto, to nullify Mexico's signature on the ACTA treaty. Mexico's Ambassador to Japan, Claude Heller, signed the treaty a week prior, despite strong rejections of its terms by Mexico's Senate and the country's telecommunications commission.

Mexico: The Government Signed ACTA While Mexicans Were Asleep

  18 July 2012

The Mexican government signed its adhesion to ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) on Wednesday, July 11th. 2012 in Japan while it was the middle of the night in Mexico. Netizens showed their outrage complaining that the federal government acted against the will of the people and of the Senate.

A Campaign for Syrian Bloggers

  16 July 2012

The number of citizen journalists and bloggers arrested in Syria rises daily. A new campaign--for blogger Hussein Ghrer--seeks to raise awareness of the blogger's plight.