Stories about Free Expression from March, 2017
Iranians See Arrests and Intimidation of Telegram Administrators and Journalists Ahead of the Elections
Revolutionary Guards have previously attempted to limit Telegram's free flow of information with arrests for immoral or obscene content. This is the first time crackdowns have focused on political affiliation.
Is Jamaica Preventing Cybercrime or Cyber Activism? The Tambourine Army Goes to Court
"Making threats through social media is a criminal offence, but making accusations is not. In interpreting the new act, the courts must ensure [...] the right to freedom of expression.”
Netizen Report: Why Did YouTube Censor Your Videos? You May Never Know.
A Brazilian blogger is forced to identify his sources, Iran cracks down on speech pre-election, and Tunisia's Truth and Dignity Commission hears testimony from bloggers persecuted under Ben Ali.
Jamaican Activist Arrested Under Cybercrime Law Amid Her Campaign Against Sexual Violence
"If the Tambourine Army believe they have exhausted all avenues of ‘proper’ ways to advocate, then I say do what you must, but please don’t give up the fight."
‘Those who tortured him [should] tell us the truth': Tunisian Commission Hears Net Freedom Testimonies From Dictatorship
The Truth and Dignity Commission is investigating rights abuses committed during the dictatorship era, including internet freedom violations.
Fake News and Fake Solutions: How Do We Build a Civics of Trust?
When posing solutions to fix fake news, we need to be careful not to build our own self-censorship machines.
Brazilian Facebook User Prosecuted for Posting a Joke About a Politician
The administrator was prosecuted not for defamation, but rather for violating Brazil's anonymity laws.
Netizen Report: Azerbaijani Bloggers Targeted with Legal Threats, Spearphishing
Censorship is up in France, China is censoring scientists (again), and Facebook tells developers to stop using network data for surveillance.
Syrian Civil Society in Douma Navigates a Tough Crackdown
Fundamentalist backlash to a magazine article has thrown civil society in Douma and Eastern Ghouta into turmoil, as activists and journalists struggle to get back to work.
In Kyrgyzstan, Prosecutors Sue Media for Offending President
"By advising him to sue internet publications, they are really doing him a bad turn."
Chinese Scientists Speak Out Against the Great Firewall (Again)
"...it takes at least 10-20 second to access a page. Sometimes it takes more than half an hour to access some university websites…"
South Africans Want Their Government's Hands Off Social Media
South Africa's Minister of State Security announced that his government is contemplating regulating social media to counter false narratives and the spread of fake news.
France Sees Sharp Rise in Blocked and De-listed Websites
Authorities have blocked or de-listed more than 2,700 websites in the fight against child pornography and terrorism, but with little oversight.
In Azerbaijan, Another Blogger Gets Jail Time
"Instead of investigating credible allegation of ill-treatment, Azerbaijan jails outspoken critic #MehmanHuseynov for two years."
Philippines Offers Media Credentials to Bloggers — But Some Suspect State is Trying to Control Online Content
"when analyzed [in accordance with the guidelines]....it becomes clear that contrary views are unacceptable lest they be misinterpreted as provocative."
Netizen Report: Social Media Users Arrested for Political Speech in Myanmar, Palestine, Turkey
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
