freedom of expression

Civil society groups welcome Irene Khan as the new Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression
Civil society groups welcome Irene Khan as the new Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression 31 July 2020 Various

APC joined with other civil society organisations to congratulate and welcome Irene Khan to her new role as Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and to highlight some broad priority themes that require particular attention.

#HoldTheLine Coalition calls for criminal tax charge to be dropped as Maria Ressa returns to court
#HoldTheLine Coalition calls for criminal tax charge to be dropped as Maria Ressa returns to court 21 July 2020 Various

The #HoldTheLine Coalition demands the Philippines authorities drop a barrage of bogus tax and foreign ownership cases against internationally celebrated journalist Maria Ressa and Rappler – the news organisation she founded.

Brazilian disinformation bill threatens freedom of expression and privacy online
Brazilian disinformation bill threatens freedom of expression and privacy online 24 June 2020 Various

APC and other regional and global civil society organisations call on Brazilian legislators to reject the latest version of the bill and open a participatory discussion on how to respond to the challenges of disinformation while respecting Brazil’s international human rights commitments.

Thai student protesters in the time of COVID-19: New generation, new forms of resistance online
Thai student protesters in the time of COVID-19: New generation, new forms of resistance online 22 June 2020 Chonthicha Jangrew for Coconet

In early 2020, Thailand saw a wave of student protests challenging the tenure and government of the Thai prime minister, but the pandemic forced a suspension of protests. How has social media been used in response?

Philippines: Guilty verdict against Rappler is proof of "cybercrime law's potential to be used for impunity, censorship, and to chill press freedom"
Philippines: Guilty verdict against Rappler is proof of "cybercrime law's potential to be used for impunity, censorship, and to chill press freedom" 15 June 2020 Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA)

APC joins FMA in denouncing the guilty verdict handed down in the cyber libel case against online media organisation Rappler’s CEO Maria Ressa and former reporter Reynaldo Santos, Jr. The case is widely regarded to be the ultimate test of the Philippines’ controversial cybercrime law.

Speaking of Hatred: Deconstructing the gendered nature of religion-based hate and violence
Speaking of Hatred: Deconstructing the gendered nature of religion-based hate and violence 12 June 2020

In the first session of “Speaking of Hatred: A three-part presentation on hatred, religion and gender in South and Southeast Asia", hosted by APC, Dr. V. Geetha explored the gendered nature of religion-based hatred and violence, as well as addressing broader questions on the nature of hate.

African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition: Position paper in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition: Position paper in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 08 June 2020 African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition

This position paper is informed by monitoring conducted by the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms (AfDec) Coalition of developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Challenging hate: Presentation on hatred, religion and gender in South and Southeast Asia
Challenging hate: Presentation on hatred, religion and gender in South and Southeast Asia 08 June 2020 APCNews

What are the most effective responses to hate speech and violence online? To address the rising trend of hate speech and hate crimes, APC will be hosting a series of presentations, with a special focus on the Asian context.

7amleh: Know your digital rights
7amleh: Know your digital rights 02 June 2020

7amleh has published the first guidebook to Palestinian digital rights in Arabic and English. “Know Your Digital Rights: Towards a Safe, Fair & Free Palestinian Digital Space” gives an overview of the digital rights of Palestinians.

Free online course on media freedom in Africa
Free online course on media freedom in Africa 29 May 2020 APCNews

The University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg is launching the third iteration of their online course Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in Africa. The updated version includes a session on African media in the time of COVID-19 as well as the impact of the pandemic on journalists.

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