Religious persecution is real, and should be fought. Freedom of belief is a basic right. But blasphemy laws protect only power, and never people.
Padraig Reidy: Blasphemy laws protect only power, never people
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CATEGORY: Asia and Pacific
Pakistan’s complicated media freedom threats
Pakistan’s journalists are daily confronted with a bleak statistic: Since 1992, 30 journalists have been murdered in Pakistan; 28 with impunity. Milana Knezevic reports
Thailand: Can the junta deliver on promises to “bring back happiness”?
The junta’s message to the public is, don’t worry about the abrogation of human rights, freedom of assembly and the clampdown on the media, writes Tom McGregor
India’s social media “peace force”
Indians have organised online to stop social media postings looking to incite communal tension. Will it work, and is it a threat to free expression? Mahima Kaul reports
The “slippery slope” of Chinese literary censorship
American journalist Evan Osnos says he turned down the opportunity to publish a copy of his new book in China because censors asked for almost a quarter to be struck out. The case highlights the dilemma writers face publishing in a country now hungry for western works, reports Dinah Gardner
A meme is worth a thousand (banned) words in China
Comedic memes are the Achille’s heel of Chinese internet censors. Jemimah Steinfeld reports
World Cup 2014: What’s the score on freedom of expression?
Index has compiled some key stats for each World Cup country
Shubhranshu Choudhary: Using arts to help rural India speak out
The Index Award winner has launched a new project using song, dance and drama to teach rural Indians how to report on issues using their mobile phone
The repugnant Section 66A of India’s Information Technology Act
Repealing the blatantly arbitrary law is the only way to protect and uphold the freedom of expression, Saurav Datta writes
Good sports: Which free-speech offending countries should we blow the whistle on?
Against the backdrop of the World Cup in Brazil, we ask how, during global sporting events, should we respond to countries that repress their citizen’s free expression? Should we engage or ignore?