Stories about Digital Activism from August, 2015
India Has a Less-Than-Rosy Track Record on Media Freedom
The government recently threatened to pull the licenses of three news channels over criticism of the execution of Yakub Menon, convicted of the 1993 Mumbai bombings.
Google's Optical Character Recognition Software Now Works with All South Asian Languages
Google's OCR software supports more than 248 world languages, including all the major South Asian languages, bringing together hope for the large-scale digitization of old texts.
GV Face: Everything You Need to Know About Lebanon's Massive “You Stink” Protests
In this episode of GV Face, Faten Bushehri talks to Global Voices contributor from Beirut Joey Ayoub, who has been working closely with the organizing committee of You Stink.
No, India, Hindi Will Not Take Over Without a Fight
People all across India are pushing back against government policies and new trends in human migration that have made the imposition of the Hindi language a sensitive political issue.
This Is What Happened When a Ukrainian Film Director Was Sentenced to 20 Years in a Russian Prison
When Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in a high-security Russian prison on terrorism charges, Russian and Ukrainian Internet users were less than pleased.
You Can Also Demand Justice for the Journalists Killed in Mexico
Writers around the world ask President Peña Nieto of Mexico to probe journalist murders. (Here's their letter) https://t.co/qAkZI5K2MR — Susana Hayward (@mediasayer) August 16, 2015 More than 500 journalists, writers, artists...
Australian National TV Airs Lewd Twitter Handle About Prime Minister
The handle, "AbbottLovesAnal," was broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Q&A program.
Everyday People Put Solidarity Into Action Helping Refugees in Greece
"It's not charity, it's solidarity from everybody to anybody...It's also love from human beings to human beings regardless of skin color, ethnicity or religion."
The Story of Salim Alaradi, a Canadian National of Libyan Origin Detained in the UAE
Libyan-born Canadian Salim Alaradi has been in a UAE prison for a year, with no charges or access to a lawyer. His 17-year-old daughter is campaigning for his freedom online.
Think You're So Clever, Wikipedia? Russian Censors Are Blocking You Anyway
Though Wikipedia has tried to circumvent Russian censors' demands to remove content, the Kremlin seems intent on blocking the website at all costs.
Son of Green Movement Opposition Leader Comes Out in Support of Iranian Nuclear Deal
"As a professor of law who was banned from teaching in Iran, I strongly support the nuclear deal," Mohammad Taghi Karoubi declared in a video.
The Bold and the Uniformed: How New Ukrainian Police Are Taking Over Social Media
Ukrainian capital Kyiv has recently revamped its police force in an attempt to improve law enforcement's reputation, and the fresh new officers are taking social media by storm.
Human Rights Protections Weaken as Tunisia Fights Terror
Despite the PM's reassurance that "people can talk or write whatever they like," authorities have been cracking down on speech.
Kyrgyz Rappers Trash Bribe-Takers in Hip-Hop News Segment
"There are no clean people on this old stage."
As Chad’s Former Dictator Heads to Trial, Impunity for African Despots May Be Coming to an End
An extraordinary event for Africa, Hissène Habré's trial demonstrates what's maybe the beginning of a new era for the continent, where young politicians are changing the way the law works.
Will Nepal's Gadhimai Temple End Its Centuries-Old Animal Sacrifice Rituals?
News reports that the Gadhimai temple -- which hosts one of the world’s biggest massacre of animals -- will ban their centuries-old ritual of sacrifice, turned out to be wrong.
HRW Research Finds Media Freedom in Western Balkans Under Serious Threat
After almost a year of research in the region and in-depth interviews with over 80 journalists, editors, and independent media owners, Human Rights Watch released a report in July 2015...
Pro-Russian Web Network Digs Up the Dirt on Kremlin Critics
Some of the sites in the pro-Kremlin network aim to attack Ukrainian politicians and Russian opposition figures by way of "personal dossiers" and alleged "dirt" dug up on the individuals.
Serbian Intelligence Agency Caught Inquiring to Purchase Surveillance Software
Serbian NGO SHARE Defense reported in July 2015 that leaked emails and files belonging to Milan-based software company Hacking Team (HT) published on Wikileaks reveal that at least one Serbian...
Maldivians March to Mark Anniversary of Local Journalist's Disappearance
"To demand action and accountability from the state, Rilwan’s well-wishers started the #FindMoyameehaa campaign – the first of its kind in the Maldives."
Russia Hacks the Military Again (Its Own)
Russian hackers Anonymous International are shaming the country's Defense Ministry for poor information security practices by leaking sensitive documents that were allegedly sent via free email services.
