Stories about Law from February, 2015
Renowned Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Still Detained After 10 Months
A human rights lawyer who has defended clients ranging from Ai Weiwei to communist party officials, Pu Zhiqiang is now facing criminal charges over his postings on Weibo.
Digital Citizen 2.4
Digital Citizen is a biweekly review of news, policy, and research on human rights and technology in the Arab World. Last month, a horrific attack on the Paris offices of...
Belarus Bans Tor and Other Anonymizers
Belarus is banning anonymizers, typically used to circumvent government censorship and reach online resources banned inside the country, including many of the opposition websites.
Advocates Petition UN to Intervene on Jailed Ethiopian Bloggers’ Behalf
Advocates argue that the Ethiopian government's imprisonment of these individuals on spurious terror charges is arbitrary and illegal.
Wave of Arrests in France for ‘Advocating Terrorism’ After Charlie Hebdo Attack
Since the attacks last January, over 100 criminal charges have been filed for terrorism advocacy in France, occasionally against minors, oftentimes for reasons that have little to do with the true fight against terrorism.
In Putin's Russia, a Retweet Can Lead to a Jail Term
Even a retweet of an image or a republished post may cost Russian citizens unfettered access to the Internet—and often, their freedom.
Turkey Cites National Security as it Cranks Up Internet Controls
Courts offer citizens occasional protection from Ankara's vicious war on freedom of expression and privacy, so government is looking for laws that bypass them.
Is Iraq Restricting Speech on Facebook?
Local sources say escalating fights online among political parties and sects since last week's execution of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh may have led to the new policy.
‘We Need to Be Careful Even of What We Think': Self-Censorship in Venezuela
"Since the start of the protests, I had been mapping online censorship and helping people use encrypted communication tools. When the police came, I got up, scared to the bone."
Crimean IT Industry Wilts Under Western Sanctions
Companies like Apple and Google blocking access to their services in Crimea due to Western sanctions, bringing a high cost for IT professionals and citizens.
Stop the Music: Spotify Cancels Launch in Russia
Spotify is leaving Russia in response to the economic crisis, the political situation, and the draconian Internet laws.
The Macedonian Government Clamps Down on Filming Protests With Drones
Drone-made videos and photos were instrumental in demonstrating the size of a recent massive student protest, which has been called the largest student protest in Macedonia since independence.
Thailand’s Digital Economy Bills Could Worsen Media Repression
Some civil society organizations are calling the draft digital economy bills “national security bills in disguise” because of their repressive provisions.
