Featured stories about Law
Stories about Law
If adopted, Tajikistan’s draft law on bloggers will do more harm than good
In the last few years, the country has recorded significant backsliding with regards to freedom of expression as well as overall political freedoms.
Cambodia: Problematic laws and restrictions on information are threatening digital rights
As internet use and digital technologies flourished in Cambodia, more people are relying on social media to access news and information and to exercise their rights to free expression.
Concerns in Guyana about threats against women activists
Women have been on the receiving end of death threats and other forms of intimidation for speaking out against mining, fossil fuel extraction and sexual violence.
Ahead of election, Pakistan introduces new laws to stifle dissent
On August 9, 2023, the Pakistan National Assembly was dissolved to pave way for the upcoming election and dozens of bills were hurriedly passed that limit civil liberties and stifle dissent.
‘I haven't seen a tree in three years’: An Australian journalist’s prison letter from China
"I miss the sun. In my cell, sunlight shines through the window but I can stand in it for only 10 hours a year. ... Most of all, I miss my children."
Jordan's fight for online freedom of expression
Jordan's endorsement of the controversial "Cybercrime Law" fuels concerns about online freedom and data privacy. It also echoes a larger conflict between security and rights.
Disinformation fuels church protest against gender equality in North Macedonia
The iconography of June 29 protest, organized by Macedonian Orthodox Church and right-wing political parties, included religious and nationalist symbols, Russian flags and participation by pro-Kremlin politicians and associations.
Ethnic clashes bring Indian state Manipur to the brink of civil war
More than 180 people have died, and 400 others have been injured in the conflict between the majority Meitei community and the minority Kuki tribe in the Indian state of Manipur.
What is ‘soft resistance’? Hong Kong officials vow to take a hard line against it, but provide no definition
Hong Kong officials have vowed to take a hard line against “soft resistance” but failed to define the term. HKFP tracks the term's usage and quotes views from legal scholars.
Hong Kong’s homegrown security law, Article 23, is back in the spotlight
An attempt to pass the city’s own security law collapsed in 2003 under the weight of mass protests. This time, public opposition is likely to be muted.
Unfreedom Monitor: Civic Media Observatory findings report
The Unfreedom Monitor is a project to analyse, document, and report on the growing phenomenon of the use of digital communications technology to advance authoritarian practices.
Hong Kong court rejects government application for ban on pro-democracy protest song
The judge believes that perfectly innocent people might refrain from engaging in lawful acts involving the song for fear of trespassing the injunction.
Commentators discourage extending national security crackdowns to ‘soft resistance’ in Hong Kong
The government is considering clamping down on “soft resistance” when drafting the local version of National Security Law (HK-NSL).
Singapore under the pandemic: The normalisation of digital authoritarianism
"Surveillance has reinforced a culture of self-censorship and fear in Singapore which further mutes public criticism of the government."
Cambodian Prime Minister quits Facebook after Oversight Board review
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen deleted his official Facebook account after Meta's Oversight Board recommended his account be suspended for six months after he shared a video inciting violence.
A brief overview of AI use in West Asia and North Africa
In general, using Artificial Intelligence technologies almost always allows for greater surveillance of individuals, and therefore, is especially concerning in authoritarian regimes.
Post-pandemic, lockdown on rights persists in the Philippines
The restrictions and repressive measures imposed during the pandemic have continued to have a chilling effect on the local population.
Interview with Bao Choy, a Hong Kong reporter who won a 3-year legal battle over investigative journalism
"We have to admit that Hong Kong is gradually getting worse. And it will continue to deteriorate. But it is still important to meticulously document every small change in the city."
Hong Kong Court asks: Who are the defendants of the protest anthem injunctions?
"Even if [the injunction] successfully restrained Google, it would only prohibit its circulation within Hong Kong. The SAR government has to apply an injunction in the U.S.A to take down the videos globally […]"
Zimbabwe’s uneven electoral field: Data protection laws used to deny digital voter roll inspection
In April this year, a number of eligible voters received accurately targeted campaign SMS messages from the ruling party, with details such as voters’ full names and where message recipients had registered to vote.
