WordPress removes blog after libel allegation

06 Jan 10 | Index Index, minipost, News and features, United Kingdom

Popular west of England site The Bristol Blogger was temporarily removed by blogging platform WordPress after it received a complaint from former University of the West of England vice-chancellor Howard newby.
In a statement given to local radio station Star FM, WordPress said:

We received a complaint that there were a number of false and defamatory statements on the blog. This was checked and we agreed with the complaint.
The blog was was suspended to remove the material from view.
The blog owner has been in touch, the blog is not now suspended and he has details of the statements which need removing.
This has to be done today.

He has been advised that if he disputes this and wishes the statements he made to be allowed on the blog then he must settle the issue outside of wordpress.com first.

We do not censor blogs but where defamation has occurred we are obliged to act as stated in our Terms of Service.

Apart from the specified statements we have no issue with any other parts of the blog right now.

Read more here

Blogger faces death penalty in Vietnam

15 Dec 09 | Index Index, minipost, News and features

Blogger and pro-democracy activist Nguyen Tien Trung is facing the death penalty after being charged with “trying to overthrow the  government” and is due to be tried at the end of the month. Trung was arrested in July on a charge of propaganda against the state which related to  blogs he had posted including an open letter to the government on education policy. According to his father he is now facing the more serious charge of “subverting the people’s administration”. His supporters believe the charges are intended to intimidate  students who are calling for more press freedom. Read more here