· August, 2009

Stories about Freedom of Speech from August, 2009

Russia: Photos and Drawings of Opposition Rally

  31 August 2009

Photos from the Aug. 31 opposition rally in Moscow – by LJ user mnog (RUS); drawings and an observation – by LJ user pshevelev (RUS): “A few people are chanting ‘Shame!’ and are being seized [by the police], and the other 60 are taking photos and keeping silent. If you're...

Trinidad & Tobago: More on Guardian vs. Blogger

  31 August 2009

KnowProSE.com weighs in on the battle between a Trinidad and Tobago blogger and a mainstream newspaper: “I don't necessarily agree with everything Richard writes or how he writes it – but I think that he has the right to express his opinion. When you threaten legal action in a case...

Vietnam: Blogger fired by newspaper

  31 August 2009

Blogger Huy Duc, who writes under the pen name “Osin,” was fired from his job in a Saigon newspaper after Communist authorities in Vietnam complained about his writings

Malaysia: Muslims can’t watch “immoral” concerts

  31 August 2009

The political party which banned the concerts of Beyonce, Avril Lavigne and Gwen Stefani in Malaysia is now proposing to ban the "sinful" Michael Learns to Rock concert. Malaysian Muslims can't also watch a Black Eyed Peas concert because the show is sponsored by an alcohol company.

Trinidad & Tobago: Paper Vs. Blogger

  28 August 2009

A battle appears to be brewing between a Trinidad and Tobago blogger and a local newspaper: the latter says that it will “exercise all its available legal options” unless kid5rivers apologizes for this post, in which he airs his opinion that the paper has become “a media house that no...

China: Are Tibetan Bloggers Being Silenced?

  28 August 2009

Quite alarming to report that all of the most popular Tibetan language blog hosting sites (except one) have been inaccessible for almost three weeks now. Although it is fairly common practice for Tibetan language blog hosting sites to be taken down (sometimes for “maintenance”) at times deemed sensitive by the...

Iran: “Forced Blogging from Prison”

Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a leading reformist blogger and former vice president, started [fa] to update his blog in prison. He says that the interrogation continues but he has very friendly relation with interrogator and protesters in prison know that there was no significant fraud in Iran's presidential election.

Pakistan: Lone Gay Blogger Stops Writing

  26 August 2009

LGBTI Bangladesh Blog informs that “the lone Pakistani who blogs about gay travails has decided to stop writing”. “Not in Pakistan. I cannot. Sorry,” Jalaluddin, who blogs at Tuzk-e-Jalali, wrote in his latest and perhaps last post on June 28.

China: Free speech under control 2.0

  25 August 2009

David Bandurski translated an article from CCP mouthpiece publication, Qiushi, on “Freedom of Speech and the Media’s Responsibility”. The article showed the Chinese government's desire for a fair share in the global public opinion.

Maghreb: Ramadan Good Wishes and More

The Maghreb blogosphere has been blooming with an outpouring of congratulations, welcoming the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. And amongst the usual greetings and formal congratulations, controversial thoughts, often at odds with conventional views on Muslims, are being aired.

Barbados: Press Threats?

  24 August 2009

A senior political figure allegedly threatens a newspaper editor, prompting Barbados Free Press to comment: “Bajans know that our country has not enjoyed true freedom of the press in two decades or more.” Keltruth Corp. adds: “The Nation [newspaper] is getting all bent out of shape because somebody threatened to...