Stories about South-Asia from April, 2013
Bangladesh: Global Voices Condemns Assault on Bloggers
The Global Voices community, comprised of bloggers, writers, and activists from more than 100 countries, wish to express our concern about the current state of freedom of expression online in Bangladesh. We call for the immediate release of detained bloggers and urge government actors to uphold their commitments to national law and international human rights doctrine.
Accused of Blasphemy, Three Bloggers Detained in Bangladesh
The Detective Branch of Bangladesh Police has detained three bloggers- Rasel Parvez, Mashiur Rahman Biplob & Subrata Adhikari Shuvo yesterday night for their alleged write-ups demeaning Islam and Prophet Muhammad. Since yesterday the community blogging platform Amarblog.com has become inaccessible from Bangladesh. It is yet to be known whether the authorities have blocked it and why.
Bangladesh Authorities Go After Bloggers, Claim They Are ‘Anti-Muslim’
As deadly clashes between Islamist activists and authorities continue to escalate religious tensions in Bangladesh, the country's telecommunications authority is making moves to silence bloggers deemed anti-Muslim or anti-state. Award-winning blogger Asif Mohiuddin has become the latest target.
Cyber Attack on Pakistan's Electoral Commission Website
The Electoral Commission of Pakistan, an independent body tasked with supervising the upcoming general election, had its website attacked on Friday, March 29, 2013. According to local media, an "[Indian hacker] defaced the home page" and may have "compromised its availability to visitors.”
