Stories about Legal Threats
Website blocking in India: One arrow for all
A report last updated in March 2024 by a digital rights organization observed that 55,607 websites were blocked between 2015 and 2023.
‘Free at last': Aussies respond to Julian Assange homecoming
"This case has … a serious chilling effect on public-interest journalism, and sends a terrifying message to any sources sitting on evidence of abuses by the government and its agencies."
In Brazil, since Bolsonaro, attacks on journalists fell while lawsuits against them increased
The data revealed that aggressions of various types against media professionals decreased to 181 last year, while, on the other hand, lawsuits targeting journalists increased by 92.31 percent last year
From discredit to censorship: When power attacks the Latin American press
With their campaigns against independent media, the governments of several Latin American countries are beginning to threaten press freedom.
Numerous journalists connected to Azerbaijani news site arrested
At least three Azerbaijani journalists were arrested on November 20 from Abzas media in connection with corruption reporting. International press groups are calling for their release.
Benin: Punitive online journalism legislation poses setback to press freedom
The application of Benin’s Digital Code to online journalists complicates matters for the online journalism profession in the country, thus jeopardizing press freedom.
Despite change in government, another Thai activist is jailed for royal defamation
"Thailand appears to be on a path toward regression, undoing the progress hoped for by millions."
Australian parliamentarians visit Washington to lobby for Julian Assange's release
Despite the visit, support for Assange's release remains low in the US. If extradited, he could face a sentence of up to 175 years in prison.
Arrested humor: Comedian Nour Hajjar detained in censorship case
Comedy in Lebanon has always served as a means to find relief in challenging circumstances, but now, the tightening grip of censorship on creative freedom and satire could challenge this.
Australian journalists imprisoned in China anxiously await diplomatic breakthrough
Australian novelist Yang Hengjun has been awaiting the verdict on his case in China for more than two years after being accused of spying. Now he fears he may die in detention
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.
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.
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.
In Togo, a journalist honoured for his fight against corruption must from now on live in exile
In Togo, the journalist Ferdinand Ayité's determination and resilience net him an international prize, but Togolese journalists are still powerless in the face of exile.
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."
Digital rights activist groups urge tech giants to defend against Hong Kong’s injunctions against protest anthem
More than 24 human rights and digital rights groups believed that the injunctions, once granted, would have a “disastrous effect” on freedom of expression and information access, with global implications.
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 […]"
