Stories about Free Expression from August, 2013
Transparency Reform in Mexico: A Step Backward in the Name of Security?
The Attorney General, the President of the National Bank, and other high-ranking authorities may soon be able to overrule actions of the Federal Institute for Access to Information, the semi-autonomous...
Russia's Political Firebrand: What Makes Navalny Tick?
Russia's best-known political blogger earned his fame fighting corruption in the private sector, but may now face five years' jail time on (possibly trumped-up) embezzlement charges. In the meantime, he's...
In Thailand, Facebook ‘Likes’ Can Land You in Jail
On major chat and social network platforms, law enforcement officials are now monitoring users of keywords including "coup", "monarchy", "drugs", "prostitution", and other terms deemed relevant to national security.
Advocates Condemn New Filtering System in Pakistan
IT Minister Anusha Rehman says the new system will allow the government to lift its nearly year-old ban on YouTube, leaving only “objectionable” videos blocked on the site. Meanwhile, many...
Controversial Human Rights Lawyer Arrested in Bangladesh
Adilur Khan was arrested without a warrant, allegedly for helping his employer, prominent human rights group Odhikar, to publish a report on police abuse. The report has raised substantial public...
Thailand Wants to Monitor Conversations on LINE App
Government officials would monitor the messaging application to track online threats to national security. LINE has 15 million subscribers in Thailand.
Why was Facebook Blocked in Cambodia?
On August 7, Facebook was inaccessible in Cambodia for several hours. Government officials and ISPs claimed that the blockage resulted from technical complications, but media freedom groups remained suspicious of...
Taiwanese Government Alters Search Engine Ads to Favor Nuclear Energy Policy
Activists in Taiwan are fighting to halt the operation of nuclear power plant that could be highly hazardous for the island state. Early this week, a Yahoo! search on anti-nuclear...
Fifty Bloggers Demand the Release of Bahrain's Mohammed Hassan
On 31 July, blogger Mohammed Hassan was arrested from his parents' house in the Bahraini town of Sitra without an arrest warrant. Hassan is accused of “promoting a forced change...
Government Critic Arrested on Drug Charges in Mexico
Supporters suspect that Gustavo Maldonado was arrested in retaliation for his online activities. Just hours before his arrest on a small-scale drug charge, Maldonado posted a YouTube video accusing local...
