Freedom of expression

Rich white boys’ takeover of spaces of organising: Should you stay or should you go?
Rich white boys’ takeover of spaces of organising: Should you stay or should you go? 10 November 2022 Nyx McLean for GenderIT.org

As rich white men like Elon Musk own and control online platforms, these spaces are becoming more and more unwelcoming for queer and marginalised people. As individuals who have made and found communities in these spaces, should we leave our place on platforms like Twitter?

Digital authoritarianism in Bangladesh: Weaponising a draconian law to silence dissent in the pandemic era
Digital authoritarianism in Bangladesh: Weaponising a draconian law to silence dissent in the pandemic era 10 November 2022 Zayed Siddiki

The COVID-19 pandemic provided the government with pretext to censor free speech, harass critics, and effectively curb dissent – accelerating what has been an ongoing turn towards authoritarianism in Bangladesh.

Alaa Abdel-Fattah’s life at serious risk: Demand Egypt to immediately release him now!
Alaa Abdel-Fattah’s life at serious risk: Demand Egypt to immediately release him now! 09 November 2022 Various

APC and dozens of other organisations are calling on Egypt to immediately release human rights defenders Alaa Abdel-Fattah, Mohamed el-Baqer, Mohamed “Oxygen” Ibrahim Radwan and all those arrested and detained solely for exercising their rights.

Affordable connectivity and privacy violations plague Zimbabwe
Affordable connectivity and privacy violations plague Zimbabwe 08 November 2022 Otto Saki and Nompilo Simanje

There are several factors, some legal, some political and some economic, that continue to impact the exercise of rights online in Zimbabwe, particularly free expression, the right to privacy and access to information.

Navigating identities: Experiencing online violence as a Shia woman in Pakistan
Navigating identities: Experiencing online violence as a Shia woman in Pakistan 29 October 2022 Zoya Anwer for GenderIT.org

Shia Muslims are constantly at risk of being targeted with violence online and offline for their religious belief. And when Shia women and queer folks go online, they find themselves at risk of being targeted with abuse from multiple fronts as their two identities combine.

International coalition calls for withdrawal of Draft Indian Telco Bill: Provisions threaten end-to-end encryption
International coalition calls for withdrawal of Draft Indian Telco Bill: Provisions threaten end-to-end encryption 27 October 2022 Various

APC and the other signatories of this open letter stress that India – as the world’s largest democracy, and second largest base of internet users – has an opportunity to draft an exemplary legislation that ensures the protection of human rights in the digital age.

A COVID-19 power grab: Looming digital authoritarianism in Indonesia
A COVID-19 power grab: Looming digital authoritarianism in Indonesia 25 October 2022 Damar Juniarto

In Indonesia, a rise in hard-line approaches to governance is heralding looming authoritarianism. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided the government there with the opportunity to further accelerate digital authoritarianism through online surveillance, censorship and online manipulation.

Lungu law looms dangerously over Zambian digital rights
Lungu law looms dangerously over Zambian digital rights 24 October 2022 Susan Mwape

In March 2021, shortly before the elections scheduled for August, then Zambian president Edgar Lungu quickly signed and enacted three internet-related laws, one of which has remained especially problematic into 2022: the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act.

APC calls for Iran to immediately stop violence against citizens and blocking of internet access during the latest protests
APC calls for Iran to immediately stop violence against citizens and blocking of internet access during the latest protests 05 October 2022 APC

The Association for Progressive Communications is outraged by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Iran as well as deeply alarmed by the ensuing violent crackdown on protests, violations of women’s rights, and widespread internet shutdowns across the country. 

 Tackling online hate speech in Africa and beyond: “We can't trust Big Tech to abide by its own rules”
Tackling online hate speech in Africa and beyond: “We can't trust Big Tech to abide by its own rules” 05 October 2022 Fungai Machirori

Online hate speech has become a fixture of our lives, especially across Africa. We talked to experts in our network and beyond about this crisis, its tricky challenges and ways to counter it, including APC’s recent campaign on International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

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