During the World Economic Forum currently taking place in Davos, Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani dropped some major news — he doesn’t write his own social media messages.
Iran: Friends with (social media) benefits?
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CATEGORY: Middle East and North Africa
Sudanese civil society calls for change to US digital technology sanctions
Campaign argues that current policy hinders Sudanese citizens’ free access to knowledge and information online, as well as tools like crowdsourcing and crisis mapping, writes Dalia Haj-Omar
Three years after Arab Spring officials thwart digital dissent
The “social media revolutions” once had tyrants fearing their imminent demise. Now Twitter users from Marrakech to Manama know — call for political reforms, joke about a sensitive topic, or expose government abuse and you could end up in jail. Adrian Shahbaz reports
Twitter suspends Hamas military wing account
The social media ban on the Al Qassam Brigade could have a knock on effect for civil society in Gaza. Ruth Michaelson reports
The Palestinian Authority is worse than Hamas for free speech, activist claims
Head of human rights group says situation for free speech in West Bank worse than Gaza. Daniella Peled reports
Tunisia’s draft constitution raises concerns about democratic transition
Tunisia’s National Constituent Assembly (NCA) is voting on a new constitution, following a political crisis which put on hold the country’s democratic transition after the assassination of opposition deputy last July, Afef Abrougui writes
Egyptians to vote on new constitution amidst boycotts and apathy
Egyptians head to polling stations on Tuesday to vote on a revised constitution heralded by Egypt’s military-backed government as a” first step in the country’s democratic transition” and billed as a blueprint for the “new Egypt.” Shahira Amin reports
Egypt: Regime casts wide net to destroy Muslim Brotherhood
As journalists are detained and activists face violence and politically motivated charges, Egyptian authorities’ heavy clampdown on dissent increasingly targets non-Islamists, Shahira Amin reports
Tunisians cast a wary eye on new crime agency
Years of massive surveillance haunt Tunisians as they commemorate three years since the toppling of the police State of former dictator Zeine al Abidin Ben Ali. Afef Abrougi reports
Egypt continues to target Al Jazeera journalists
In a new sign of a regression in press freedom in Egypt, authorities have ordered three journalists working for the Al Jazeera English (AJE) channel held in custody for fifteen days.