Stories about Middle East & North Africa from June, 2014
Iran's Internet Under Hassan Rouhani: Hope and Disillusionment as Narenji Bloggers Face Prison Sentence
What explains the recent moves to tighten controls within Iran’s cyberspace alongside Rouhani’s liberal Internet ethos? Mahsa Alimardani and Fred Petrossian explain in this exclusive #longread for GVA.
Administrative Court Lawsuit: Stop Social Media Surveillance in Egypt
Human rights groups in Egypt filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the Ministry of Interior’s plans to procure software capable of monitoring public and private conversations on social media.
Netizen Report: Sweeping Censorship in Iraq, Tajikistan
A scholar is detained in Tajikistan, social media gets the axe in Iraq, and China closes millions of “dirty” WeChat accounts.
Iraq Telecom Ministry to ISPs: Kill the Internet in Five Provinces
A leaked document from Iraq's Ministry of Telecommunications shows that the government has decided to shut down the Internet in some provinces, social media in others.
Social Media Sites Unblocked in Iraq, But Is Worst Yet to Come?
"Apparently blockage of social media sites were removed now in #Iraq, the fear is that the Gov is getting ready 2 cut the Internet," tweets Mohamed Najem.
Get the Facts: The Case of Jailed Egyptian Activist Alaa Abd El Fattah
Convicted of organizing a protest without a permit, Alaa has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Get the legal facts on his case and connect with the #FreeAlaa campaign here.
BREAKING: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube Blocked in Iraq
Local media and at least one ISP are reporting that the Ministry of Communications ordered Internet providers to shut down Google and social media sites, fearing security risks.
Netizen Report: Acclaimed Egyptian Blogger Gets 15 Years in Jail, Sentenced in Absentia
This report looks at social media surveillance and activist persecution in Egypt, censorship of videos about Tiananmen Square, and the total SMS ban in the Central African Republic.
Icing the Virtual Cake: Jordan's Draft Telecom Law
A newly proposed telecom law would give the Telecommunications Commission broad powers to criminalize and block various types of online content.
Digital Citizen 1.7
Digital Citizen reviews news, policy, and research on human rights and technology in the Arab World. We begin this report with a tribute to fallen friend and colleague, Bassem Sabry.
Get the Facts: Egypt Ramps Up Digital Surveillance
Egypt's Ministry of Interior wants to monitor all online content -- public and private. Learn what the government is doing now, and what it's hoping to do in the future.
Netizen Report: China’s Censors Take on Google and Messaging Apps Ahead of Tiananmen’s 25th Anniversary
This week's report begins in China, where the government has blocked access to all of Google’s encrypted and unencrypted services in the country and announced a new battle against Internet messaging apps.
Moroccan Rapper Behind Bars While Justin Timberlake Performs A Few Miles Away
Activists have launched a campaign to free local rapper El-Haqed, who was arrested under what they say are trumped up charges, while the state sponsors Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys.
