India’s Supreme Court’s reliance on “redeeming social value” and “community standards” provides cause for consternation, writes Saurav Datta
India’s Supreme Court junks the Hicklin Test, but there’s little cause for cheer
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CATEGORY: Asia and Pacific
Pakistan: Draft computer crimes law violates human rights
Pakistan’s draft computer crimes law is the latest example of vaguely worded legal frameworks that have severe implications for freedom of expression in the country, Nighat Dad writes
Hindu supremacists stall play in India
Religious bigotry and the government’s abdication of responsibility jointly endanger free speech, writes Saurav Datta
Australia: Prime minister’s department cracks down on civil servant criticism
Under new guidelines, Australian civil servants working for the prime ministers’s office caught criticising the government can be sanctioned for illicit social media use, Helen Clark reports
Controversy surrounds India’s biometric database
Questions about the security of India’s giant biometric database continue to be raised by privacy advocates, Mahima Kaul reports
Digital freedom in Bangladesh: Navigating in uncertain waters
Bangladesh witnessed the internet take on an increasing role in its socio-political sphere in 2013, Faheem Hussain writes
Pakistan: Journalists urged to unite for protection
In the sixth attack on Express Media employees unknown assailants threw a hand grenade at the gate of Express News bureau chief’s house. Though no one was injured in Sunday’s incident, it highlights the dangers for Pakistan’s journalists, Zofeen Ebrahim reports
Australia debates repeal of parts of racial discrimination act
Recent moves to repeal sections of Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act have sparked public debate and anger on both sides of the political divide, Helen Clark reports
For defectors, getting out of North Korea is only part of the problem
An inside look into the often forgotten struggles of those who have escaped the brutal regime
Twitter trolls in India: Sexist abuse as a tool to muzzle women
The social media experience which came across as a liberating tool for women, was often equated with a living room where one could voice opinions in public sphere. However, of late, a series of incidents have sounded a note of caution against the euphoria around social media, writes Niharika Pandit