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Stories about West Asia & North Africa from March, 2017
Emirati Hardline Nationalists Target Human Rights Defenders on Twitter
It is no longer unusual for governments to maintain a robust online presence. They understand well the power of the internet in forming public opinion and manipulating political discourse.
Iranians See Arrests and Intimidation of Telegram Administrators and Journalists Ahead of the Elections
Revolutionary Guards have previously attempted to limit Telegram's free flow of information with arrests for immoral or obscene content. This is the first time crackdowns have focused on political affiliation.
Young Iranian Faces Execution Over ‘Anti-Islamic’ Social Media Posts
"Sina's grandfather was a martyr of the eight-year war. Sina himself served two years. Sina has more rights to this country than most of these authorities."
UAE Authorities Arrest One Rights Activist and Extend the Detention of Another
On 20 March police arrested human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor from his home. Meanwhile, UAE authorities have refused to release Osama al-Najjar, despite him having served out his prison sentence.
‘Those who tortured him [should] tell us the truth': Tunisian Commission Hears Net Freedom Testimonies From Dictatorship
The Truth and Dignity Commission is investigating rights abuses committed during the dictatorship era, including internet freedom violations.
UAE Court Sentences Jordanian Journalist Tayseer al-Najjar to Prison
UAE authorities took issue with a Facebook post that Tayseer al-Najjar published before he had even moved to the country.
Syrian Civil Society in Douma Navigates a Tough Crackdown
Fundamentalist backlash to a magazine article has thrown civil society in Douma and Eastern Ghouta into turmoil, as activists and journalists struggle to get back to work.
Jaysh Al-Islam Is Leading Peace Talks in Geneva, While Clamping Down on Speech in Syria's Eastern Ghouta
The group controlling the region has shut down a magazine and five well-known civil society organisations, according to activists.
Netizen Report: Social Media Users Arrested for Political Speech in Myanmar, Palestine, Turkey
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
Tunisian Government Pledges to Loosen Restriction on Civil Servants Speaking to Media
The government suspended guidelines that forbid civil servants from speaking to the press without permission from their superiors.
