Stories about Digital Activism from July, 2015
German Digital Rights Pioneers Investigated for Treason
The last time a German journalist was charged with treason was in 1962, when the editor-in-chief of Der Spiegel was prosecuted for publishing secret documents about the German defense forces.
Russia to Web Anonymizers: Shut Up and Go Away
Russian censors are now officially adding anonymizing websites to their blacklist registry, on the grounds they enable access to extremist content that is already blocked in Russia.
Scroll Through Madagascar History Via Vintage Photographs
Access to the visual history of most former colonial countries in Africa is usually a challenging proposition because former colonial powers restrict access to historical archives. Helihanta RAJAONARISON and Tsiry...
Brazilian Music Legends Caetano and Gil Will Perform in Israel Despite Calls to Cancel
Ex-Pink Floyd member Roger Waters and former apartheid campaigner and Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu have publicly asked the duo to boycott Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.
After Youth Activists’ Arrest, Ugandans Speak Out Against Police Impunity
"The Uganda police has been reduced into a small armed group that fights political opposition while part-timing at law keeping"
Internet Spots Luhansk Militants′ ‘Battlefield 3’ Fakes
Pro-Russian militants claimed they found a cache of "American weapons" at the Luhansk airport but social media users quickly discovered that the evidence was a video game-inspired fake.
Laundering Russian Money in London: Undercover Reporters Show You How It's Done
The new hard-hitting exposé From Russia With Cash shows hows dirty money from Russia and elsewhere is being laundered through London's high-end real estate market.
Global Voices Checkdesk Training Workshop to be held in Beirut on July 29
Investigative journalists and people interested in social media in Lebanon are in for a treat at the end of this month. Global Voices Online and Meedan are teaming up to...
China Blocks Telegram Messenger for ‘Aiding Rights Advocates’
Chinese state-run newspaper People's Daily accused Telegram of aiding human-rights lawyers and advocates, who allegedly used the app and its "Secret Chat" mode to engage in “anti-government" activity.
What You Need to Know About Ethiopia v. Zone9 Bloggers: Verdict Expected July 20
Ethiopia's Zone9 bloggers have appeared in court 30 times in 15 months, and been adjourned each time. "This is no anomaly in Ethiopia’s highly compromised judiciary system," says Endalk Chala.
Enough With the ‘Us Versus Them Mentality'—We Are All Trinidadian
Lily Kwok posted a photo of herself on Facebook holding a placard that said, "I will not 'Go back to China'. I am Trinidadian" following a spate of anti-Chinese racism.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Chinese Community Is Dog-Tired of Racial Stereotyping
Video of dog being skinned (allegedly at a Chinese restaurant) goes viral. Health minister hastily comments. Local Chinese community hits back online to try to bring the minister to heel.
In Sweeping Effort to Spy on Civil Society, Macedonia Broke Its Own Privacy Laws
"When such a government wiretaps you, it means that you are on the right track," says NGO worker Xhabir Deralla.
Open-Source Information Reveals Pro-Kremlin Web Campaign
Publicly available information from Google Analytics and other sources shows connections between a number of pro-Russian and pro-Kremlin websites, but offers little indication as to who might be behind them.
BAKE, an Organization That's Helping Kenya's Blogging Community Grow
The association has trained over 1,500 people on blogging, social media and online community management. One day, they hope to "help set up blogging associations in all the African countries."
Serbian Authorities Take Control of A Man's Facebook Account Following Alleged Threats Against PM Vucic
Police in Serbia seemed to have overstepped boundaries in search and seizure proceedings, taking over a personal Facebook account without a court order.
Hungarian PM: Immigration Crisis Should be Solved by Building Wall along the Border with Serbia
While the European immigration crisis is not showing any signs of dying down, the EU has been taking some much needed measures related to saving the lives of the people...
Bangladesh Activists Have Little Faith in Blogger Murder Investigations
"They are [attacking] bloggers because the Internet penetration is still low in the country and they want to silence freedom of speech that exposes their narratives and political message."
ISIS Hacks Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Website and Threatens its Director
The ISIS cyber army has allegedly hacked the website of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog on July 8, 2015, and threatened its Syrian director, Rami Abdelrahman, for his...
For Arab Human Rights Defenders, Hacking Team Files Confirm Suspicions of State Surveillance
"Rights groups knew Egypt using Hacking Team spyware since 2012; Sunday's hack just proved it," says Egyptian activist Ramy Raoof.
Russian Police Want to Save Your Life With This Selfie Safety Guide
An Interior Ministry selfie safety microsite has caused a stir on the RuNet because of an infographic created for the campaign, outlining the riskiest scenarios for selfie-taking.
