Stories about Digital Activism from May, 2023
‘Support does not necessarily mean understanding': Interview with founder of Taiwan-based ‘Ukrainian Voices’ Oleksandr Shyn
As Taiwan and Ukraine face threats — and Kyiv a real invasion — from their large and immediate neighbours — China and Russia — is the popular comparison between Taiwan and Ukraine valid?
Poet Galal El Beheiry’s poetic protest and the perils of expression in Egypt
Imprisoned Egyptian poet Galal El Beheiry, detained since March 2018 for a poem, smuggles a letter from prison, vowing to escalate his 81-day hunger strike with a water strike starting June 1.
#FramedinBelarus: An art group makes embroidery depicting the stories of political prisoners
The project aims to create portraits of each illegally convicted citizen in Belarus (political prisoners) using the traditional Belarusian embroidery technique of red thread on a white background
New report uncovers the first documented case of Pegasus spyware used in an international war context
"This investigation is key to understanding the full scope of harms of invasive Pegasus spyware and the entire industry which has been operating with little to no oversight for years."
How the school massacre in Serbia played out on TikTok
Comments demanding the release of the detained teenager who committed the school shooting in Belgrade were common on TikTok videos, expressing “love” for him as a “hero” and a “legend”.
‘Post at your own risk': An interview with Indian journalist Srishti Jaswal
Global Voices conducted a telephonic interview with Srishti Jaswal, an award-winning journalist from India who became the target of online harassment from right-wing trolls, receiving thousands of threats.
A Sinophone podcast finds a loyal audience both in China and among the Chinese diaspora
One Sinophone podcast focusing on global as well as hyper-local issues is connecting China and its large overseas population thanks to a well-balanced selection of topics and guests.
Unfreedom Monitor Report: Philippines
Advox research into digital authoritarianism in the Philippines is now in a report. Read an excerpt and download the full pdf.
Time for reflection on lock-ins, lockdowns, and shutdowns at the Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly
EngageMedia Executive Director Phet Sayo invites allies to join in the collaborative sense-making process and reflect on the lessons and challenges ahead in navigating the digital rights landscape.
ÒCTele, a private TV station broadcasting in Occitan brings the language to France's public space
In southern France, a private TV initiative takes the safeguarding of the Occitan language to the next level by mainstreaming Occitan content for all age-category audiences over traditional and social media.
Pakistan faces nationwide internet blockage: A digital crisis unfolds
The internet blockade imposed in Pakistan amidst the arrest of Imran Khan raises serious concerns about the state of democracy, freedom of expression, and access to information in the country.
Controversies erupt in India over the film ‘The Kerala Story’
Directed by Sudipto Sen, the Bollywood movie "The Kerala Stories" explores the controversial notion of “love jihad” — a conspiracy theory that Muslim men convert Hindu women to Islam via romantic relationships.
Creative initiatives add new content from Central and South Eastern Europe to Wikipedia
From the Baltic to the Balkans, enthusiastic groups from Central and Eastern Europe are finding innovative ways to enrich the Wikipedia, which serves as a primary source of educational content in the region.
Undertones: A look inside Venezuela's extraordinary corruption scandal
Maduro put some of his own people in prison over the graft of billions of dollars. Theories abound as to why.
Pakistan on edge: Protests continue as Imran Khan's arrest sparks outrage
Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan was arrested from a courthouse on Tuesday afternoon. The news of Khan's arrest has sparked heated demonstrations and raised concerns about political instability in Pakistan.
Press freedom also means media in indigenous languages: The case of France's Occitan
Media production and access is essential to the revitalization of indigenous languages, as the case of Occitan, spoken less and less in southern France, demonstrates.
No one left behind: promoting the Indigenous languages of Ghana
Discover the efforts of Mohammed Kamal-Deen Fuseini, a language digital activist committed to promoting indigenous languages in Ghana. Through Wikimedia projects, he champions the visibility of the Gurene language in digital realms.
#VoicesOfChange: Mexican activist Julia Didriksson wants to heal the wounds of macho violence online
In the first installment of #VoicesOfChange we interview Julia Didriksson, a Mexican digital activist who creates educational feminist content and organizes women's circles.
Antiwar art on the streets of Saint Petersburg: A form of resistance
A showcase of antiwar art that appeared on the streets of Saint Petersburg in 2022 and 2023, all of which have already been destroyed by the authorities.
Ways of punishing dissent in Lukashenka’s Belarus
The regime of Belarusian dictator Lukashenka continues to repress Belarusians in many ways, some of them unheard of since Soviet totalitarianism.
