Stories about Digital Activism from July, 2021
Who’s trying to silence the fearless voice of Sri Lankan journalist Tharindu Jayawardhana?
One of Sri Lanka’s most promising young journalists is facing intimidation following his reporting on the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
Weak public consultation approach draws questions about plans to ‘revitalise’ beloved Trinidad park
Plans allegedly include replacing the existent grass with AstroTurf in order to utilise the park's potential as “a public wellness and sports hub in the heart of our capital city.”
Russian internet censor blocks Team Navalny websites
Navalny's main website, navalny.com, as well as over 40 other webpages for Navalny's national network of campaign offices were added to Roskomnadzor's state registry for blocked websites.
Global investigation reveals Pegasus Project identified in Azerbaijan and elsewhere
Around 1,000 phone numbers belonging to users in Azerbaijan were identified, among them, prominent journalists, editors, rights defenders, lawyers, political activists, as well as their friends and family members.
Pegasus spyware revelation indicates Indian state snooping on journalists, activists and politicians
The Pegasus Project released a report detailing the potential hacking and surveillance of more than 1,000 activists, journalists and politicians from India using the Israeli-made spyware, Pegasus.
The “ticket to happy life” politics of Indian marriages in the context of dowry-related violence
The recent death of 24-year-old medical student Vismaya Nair in the Indian state of Kerala has sparked widespread outrage and renewed discussions over dowries and domestic violence in India.
Devices of journalists, government officials in Kazakhstan hacked and spied on
Journalist Serikzhan Mauletbai found himself on a list of people targeted by Israeli-made spyware the government of Kazakhstan bought. The current president and prime minister are also on the list.
Team 29, Russia's most prominent legal defense group, shuts down under state pressure
On July 19, after its website was blocked, Team 29 announced it was shutting down its operations in order to protect its staff and clients from possible criminal prosecution.
State escalates attacks on media freedom and civil society in Belarus
Since the start of July, dozens of civil society organisations and independent media outlets in Belarus have faced law enforcement raids, searches and staff detentions.
Caribbean Tree Planting Week: A region-wide coalition gets serious about climate change action
"The Caribbean contributes less than one per cent to global greenhouse emissions, but we are increasingly bearing the burden of the environmental devastation that climate change events bring."
WATCH: Indigenous+Digital: How young people are revitalizing their native languages on the internet
Missed the live stream of the July 13 Global Voices Insights webinar about the role of young people in Indigenous language revitalization? Here's a replay.
From Cuba, with VPN
“I realized what was happening and immediately thought that in a few minutes the internet service in Cuba, or at least in San Antonio de los Baños, would be interrupted.”
New application maps accessibility of Ukrainian urban public spaces
The map allows users to filter locations by key features, such as how accessible a venue's entrance is, whether it has accessible bathrooms, a Braille food menu, or baby-changing facilities.
A decade after the first siege, Assad's regime besieges Daraa, the cradle of the Syrian Revolution
Calls for solidarity and global pressure to end the blockade have risen worldwide, amidst silence from key regional and international players.
By gathering knowledge, volunteers step in to save and revive the Macedonian music industry
Vasil Buraliev, the founder of the biggest publicly available nonprofit database about music from North Macedonia, talks about challenges of digital activism to promote cultural values.
Developers say the reef at St. Vincent's Indian Bay is dead. These photos say otherwise
"I have witnessed coral regrowing in key spots throughout the bay. Imagine what's possible if we put some real, intentional effort into it; an artificial reef is not the solution."
Tintin in Bangladesh…. only in the artist's imagination!
A Bangladeshi cartoonist is drawing nostalgic memories of the European comic book "The Adventures of Tintin" through his fan art "Tintin in Bangladesh" — with a local twist.
LIVE on July 13: Indigenous+Digital: How young people are revitalizing their native languages on the internet
The involvement of young people is a key factor in keeping Indigenous languages alive. Join us for a conversation with language activists from Australia and Mexico to find out more!
Humanities researchers have become ‘enemies of the nation’ in Brazil, says anthropologist
Rosana Pinheiro-Machado suffered attacks, persecution, and other difficulties working as a researcher before leaving her homeland Brazil for England.
Social media companies could be liable for user-generated content in India
Twitter in India has found itself outside the “safe harbour” that otherwise would have protected itself legally from being implicated for the content generated by its users.
Founder of Egypt's Speak Up: ‘Sexual harassment is a daily fight, but change is happening’
Due to the pressure exerted by initiatives like Speak Up, the government has upped its measures to counter prevalent sexual harassment, passing laws that criminalize the act and support victims.
