Stories about Free Expression from June, 2014
Russian Bureaucracy’s Race to Police the Web
"...the most frightening truth may be that Russia’s law enforcement agencies don’t always wait for lawmakers to grant them formal authority when it comes to policing the Internet."
The Struggle for Freedom Online in Mexico
Mexican citizens continue to protest the country's broad-reaching telecom law, that could impact free expression, privacy, and other fundamental rights online.
Hong Kong: Massive DDoS Attacks Continue, Targeting Pro-Democracy News Site
Days after a massive DDoS attack on a citizen-led online voting system, news sites Apple Daily Hong Kong and Taiwan were paralyzed by hackers.
Iran's Internet Under Hassan Rouhani: Hope and Disillusionment as Narenji Bloggers Face Prison Sentence
What explains the recent moves to tighten controls within Iran’s cyberspace alongside Rouhani’s liberal Internet ethos? Mahsa Alimardani and Fred Petrossian explain in this exclusive #longread for GVA.
STATEMENT: Global Voices Demands Release of Tajik Scholar Alexander Sodiqov
The Global Voices community calls for the release of Alexander Sodiqov, a Tajik-born University of Toronto PhD student and Global Voices author currently detained in Tajikistan.
Tajik Government Silent on “Disappeared” Global Voices Contributor
Tajik authorities have allegedly paraded University of Toronto researcher Alexander Sodiqov, who disappeared three days ago, on television in an apparent attempt to discredit him and an opposition politician.
Administrative Court Lawsuit: Stop Social Media Surveillance in Egypt
Human rights groups in Egypt filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the Ministry of Interior’s plans to procure software capable of monitoring public and private conversations on social media.
Tajik Authorities Detain Global Voices Contributor
Former Global Voices Central Asia Editor Alexander Sodiqov was detained by authorities in Khorog, Tajikistan while conducting research for his PhD thesis. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
Iraq Telecom Ministry to ISPs: Kill the Internet in Five Provinces
A leaked document from Iraq's Ministry of Telecommunications shows that the government has decided to shut down the Internet in some provinces, social media in others.
54 Days in Prison and Counting for Ethiopia's Zone 9 Bloggers
Six members of the Zone 9 blogging collective and three journalists have been in prison with no formal charges since April 25, 2014.
Social Media Sites Unblocked in Iraq, But Is Worst Yet to Come?
"Apparently blockage of social media sites were removed now in #Iraq, the fear is that the Gov is getting ready 2 cut the Internet," tweets Mohamed Najem.
Revolutionary Band Laal's Facebook Page is Now Accessible in Pakistan. Hooray? Not Really.
The unblocking of Laal was a minor battle won in the war over Internet content -- a war we are losing.
BREAKING: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube Blocked in Iraq
Local media and at least one ISP are reporting that the Ministry of Communications ordered Internet providers to shut down Google and social media sites, fearing security risks.
Interview: Thailand's Coup Brings Self-Censorship, Curtailment of Free Speech
In this interview with a Thai citizen, we learn the impact of the ongoing military coup on the media and online freedom of expression in Thailand.
New Study: How to Archive Public Information in the Era of Habeas Data
As more and more public information becomes freely accessible, how should these documents be managed? Advocates in Latin America, a global leader access to public data, tackle the question.
Delfi v. Estonia: Website Liability for User Comments Would Stifle Free Expression
Comment is free - until it isn't. The European Court of Human Rights will soon decide whether websites should be held legally responsible for the content of user comments.
Malaysian PM Sues News Site for Libel
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is suing Malaysiakini website for libel over reader comments on two articles that paint Najib in a negative light.
Meeting with Putin, Industry Leaders Ditch Users on Digital Rights
Vladimir Putin attended a much-anticipated meeting with Russian Internet industry leaders in Moscow today. Did they discuss Internet freedom? Barely.
Icing the Virtual Cake: Jordan's Draft Telecom Law
A newly proposed telecom law would give the Telecommunications Commission broad powers to criminalize and block various types of online content.
On 1st Anniversary of Snowden Revelations, World Governments Urged to End Mass Surveillance
A year after Edward Snowden revealed governments' large-scale monitoring of individuals, an international group comprising nearly 350,500 organizations and individuals are rallying in support ofNecessary and Proportionate Principles .