Posts Tagged ‘blogging’

Index on Censorship Student Blogging Competition

April 15th, 2013

coverSTUDENTBLOGGCOMPETITION

Are you passionate about freedom of expression? Do you want to write for an award-winning, internationally renowned magazine and website, which has published the works of Aung San Suu Kyi, Salman Rushdie and Arthur Miller? Then enter Index on Censorship’s student blogging competition!

The winning entry will be published in Index on Censorship magazine, a celebrated, agenda-setting international affairs publication. It will be posted on our popular and influential website, which attracts contributors and readers from around the world. Index is one of the leading international go-to sources for hard-hitting coverage of the biggest threats and challenges to freedom of expression today. This competition is a fantastic opportunity for any aspiring writer to reach a global, diverse and informed audience.

The winner will also be awarded £100, be invited to attend the launch party of our latest magazine in London, get to network with leading figures from international media and human rights organisations, and will receive a one-year subscription to Index on Censorship magazine.

To be in with a chance of winning, send your thoughts on the vital human right that guides our work across the world, from the UK to Brazil to Azerbaijan. Write a 500-word blog post on the following topic:

“What is the biggest challenge facing freedom of expression in the world today?

This can cover old-fashioned repression, threats to digital freedom, religious clampdown or barriers to access to freedom of expression, focusing on any region or country around the world.”

The competition is open to all first year undergraduate students in the UK, and the winning entry will be determined by a panel of distinguished judges including Index Chair Jonathan Dimbleby. To enter, submit your blog post to competiton@indexoncensorship.org by 31 May 2013.

Egypt: Case of hunger striking blogger adjourned again

November 29th, 2011

The retrial of Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil was postponed again on Sunday. The case, which was originally due to be heard on November 1, has been pushed back to December 4. Nabil was detained for accusing the military of having conducted virginity tests on female protesters on March 28. In April, Nabil was sentenced by a military court to three years imprisonment on charges of “insulting the military and dissemination of false news about the armed forces” in his blog “Son of Ra.” The 25 year old blogger has been on hunger strike since 23 August.

Maldives: Government shuts down blog in climate of growing religious intolerance

November 25th, 2011

The Maldivan government has ordered a ban on the blog of a freelance writer on the grounds it contained anti-Islamic material. The blog (www.hilath.com), run by independent journalist Ismail Khilath “Hilath” Rasheed, has been banned by the Communications Authority, and is said to be highly critical of religious fundamentalism. The blogger believes his site has been targeted because he is a Sufi Muslim. Rasheed plans to bring his case to court, as a website shut by the government can only be reopened by a court order.

International rights groups condemn unfair trial of UAE 5

November 3rd, 2011

Index on Censorship and six other international rights groups call for the five activists known as the UAE 5 to be released from detention and the charges against them to be dropped  (more…)

Bahrain: Court upholds lengthy prison sentences for journalists

September 29th, 2011

The lengthy prison sentences of two journalists have been upheld in Bahrain. Journalistic bloggers Abduljalil Alsingace and Ali Abdel Imam were sentenced in June on a series of charges related to “plotting to topple” the regime, along with 19 other people. The court upheld the life sentence for Alsingace and the 15 year sentence to Abdel Imam. Additionally in Bahrain, granting of ID passes to journalists from daily newspaper Al-Wasat was delayed, preventing the journalists from covering the government’s by-elections on Saturday. The passes would allow journalists to enter and report from polling stations.  

Russia: Bill for stricter responsibility for online libel drafted

September 20th, 2011

A new bill introducing stricter responsibility for online libel has been proposed by the head of United Russia political party. Alexander Mikhelson has introduced legislation on creating and spreading false information via the internet following online rumours that governor of the Kemerovo region, Aman Tuleyeve, was found dead. Elsewhere in Russia, businessman and former millionaire Alexey Kozlov was released from prison. Kozlov was unjustly imprisoned in 2007 under trumped-up accusations, but his public popularity remained high due to his prison blog. Forbes.ru started its own version of the blog, covering other unjustly convicted businessmen.

Vietnam: Dissident jailed for three years for subversion

August 10th, 2011

A Vietnamese court today sentenced French-Vietnamese activist Pham Minh Hoang to three years in prison on subversion charges for “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration.” Authorities say he posted several anti-government articles online, and had ties to Viet Tan, a pro-democracy group that is banned in Vietnam.  He also faces three years of house arrest following the end of his prison term.

China: Outspoken blogger released after six months in detention

August 10th, 2011

Ran Yunfei, a Chinese blogger and writer detained by police and charged with inciting subversion earlier this year has been released after nearly six months, his wife, Wang Wei, has said. Wang confirmed her husband had returned to his home in Chengdu, Sichuan province on Tuesday night, but declined to elaborate, adding that Ran is probably restricted from speaking to the media. Prominent human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang, who spoke briefly to the blogger on Wednesday morning, said Ran was released into “residential surveillance” for a six-month period, under which he is not allowed to leave home or meet people without permission, and he may not speak publicly. Ran was among the first detained amid the Chinese government’s recent crackdown on dissent.