Stories about Middle East & North Africa from February, 2014
Photos: A Message to the World from #AB14
Photographer and human rights advocate Amer Sweidan took a series of portraits at last month's Arab Bloggers Meeting. In this brief essay, he describes the collaborative process of the project.
#AB14: If I speak out, will I be punished for it?
Focusing on policies for the digital realm seems strange in a region where dissent and even fact-based reporting, whether they happen online or offline, so often have profound real-life consequences.
Netizen Report: Turks Protest, “Unfollow” President Over Censorship Law
This week's report looks at mass protests in both Turkey and Venezuela, Facebook fallout over WhatsApp, and a must-see hand-illustrated video on digital surveillance.
Arab Bloggers: A Blessed Generation?
"It’s no surprise that three years after the start of the Arab revolutions, the situation of online freedom of expression in the region seems almost as bleak as it did before 2011." Hisham Almiraat reflects on #AB14.
Digital Citizen 1.4
Digital Citizen brings you the latest human rights and technology news from the Arab World. In this edition, we look at effects of export controls on Sudan and Syria, and threats to bloggers in Egypt and the UAE.
Algerian Cartoonist Faces 18 Months in Jail for Mocking President
Djamel Ghanem faces prison for an unpublished cartoon in which he used an image of baby diapers to mock Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Netizen Report: #TheDayWeFightBack Edition
This week, we round up events around the globe that marked #TheDayWeFightBack anti-surveillance campaign and look at mounting pressure on indy media in Turkey and Venezuela.
Privacy vs. Free Speech? Questioning the Conflict
"In the Arab world...we are still struggling to have our voices heard. I cannot accept the idea that the fight has now moved to the area of surveillance and away from free speech."
Iran on the Day to End Mass Surveillance
On the "Day We Fight Back", one digital rights group urges the world not to forget that pervasive surveillance has long been part of everyday life in Iran.
Netizen Report: Egypt and Saudi Suppress Speech With Terror Laws
We dedicate this week's edition to journalists and bloggers currently under threat in Egypt. We also look at ongoing surveillance tech developments in Sochi and the latest Snowden releases.
Four Months in Jail and Counting for Algerian Blogger Who Criticized President
Algerian blogger Abdelghani Aloui has been in prison since September 2013. His charge? Posting on Facebook photos and caricatures deemed offensive to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
