Twitter CEO Dick Costolo has stressed the need to keep freedom of speech as a priority, even in times of civil unrest. Speaking at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco on Monday, Costolo stood by the decision not to suspend the service or reveal...
CATEGORY: Europe and Central Asia

Libel reform: a final push
As Parliament takes a significant step in its slow removal of the UK’s pariah status on defamation, John Kampfner describes the progress on libel reform
Libel reform campaign responds to parliamentary committee findings
Libel reform campaign responds to parliamentary committee findings
The Libel Reform Campaign is calling for the government to honour manifesto promises for a defamation bill with a strong public interest defence to protect authors, bloggers, scientists, academics and NGOs
Azerbaijan at 20: Little progress on free speech
As Azerbaijan celebrates 20 years of independence, Index on Censorship tracks its citizens’ struggle for free expression

Web filtering: Keeping it clean?
David Cameron has announced plans to block access to pornography online, with providers offering the choice to turn on a filter.
Seth Finkelstein examines how indiscriminate blocking systems censor not just pornography, but feminist, gay rights and education material
PAST EVENT: Azerbaijan – 20 Years of Independence and the Struggle for Democracy
20 October: Azerbaijan – 20 Years of Independence and the Struggle for Democracy
Azerbaijan: Journalist’s relatives beaten, home demolished
Relatives of an Azerbaijani journalist were severely beaten while they attempted to prevent his house from being demolished by heavy machinery. Idrak Abbasov’s house was targeted for demolition amid accusations that it had been built illegally. The...
Azerbaijan: Reporter abducted, forced to cross Iranian border
A journalist claims he was kidnapped and expelled from Azerbaijan. Yafez Hasanov, an Azerbaijani correspondent from Radio Azadliq, part of Radio Free Europe, was in Naxcivan investigating the death of airport technician Turaz Zeynalov, when he was...

Website blocking: gone but not forgotten?
The UK government’s dropping of blocking plans are to be welcomed, says
Peter Bradwell. But there are questions over what happens next with web copyright

‘Voluntary’ website blocking scheme threatens free expression
Leaked documents have revealed British government plans that could seriously affect web users. Peter Bradwell reports