2 Apr 2012 | Index Index, minipost
Reports have emerged suggesting a Chinese blogger who criticised a public official in his personal blog was secretly sentenced to prison in 2010. Voice of America has reported that Gao Yingpu, a journalist who has written for the Asia Pacific Economic Times, was sentenced to three years imprisonment in a secret trial. It is believed Gao was imprisoned following his criticism of disgraced Communist Party Secretary Bo Xilai. Gao’s wife confirmed her husband was arrested in July 2010 and was sentenced for endangering state security. His former classmate told local media that the journalist’s wife signed a written promise not to publicise the case.
27 Mar 2012 | Azerbaijan News, Europe and Central Asia, News and features
As the international community looks forward to the Eurovision Song Contest, Azerbaijan is working hard to present itself as a modern, democratic country. But a new report from Index and partners paints a very different picture
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26 Mar 2012 | Africa, Index Index, minipost
Swaziland’s justice minister has told the country’s senate that the government is finalising a law that would make it illegal to criticise the King Mswati III on social media networks. “We will be tough on those who write bad things about the king on Twitter and Facebook,” Mgwagwa Gamedze said. Internet penetration is low in Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, but social networks have been used to organise public demonstrations, including a student protest last Monday against funding cuts. Last week Swazi senator Thuli Msane claimed online activism was spiralling out of control and disrespecting Mswati III.
26 Mar 2012 | Asia and Pacific, Index Index, minipost
A Bangladesh court last week ordered government authorities to shut down five Facebook pages and a website for blasphemous content. Judges at the high court in Dhaka ordered the telecommunications regulator, home ministry officials and police to block the offending content after two university lecturers filed a lawsuit complaining that the pages and the site were hurting people’s religious sentiments. The pages were deemed to contain “disparaging remarks and cartoons” about the Prophet Mohammed, Jesus, the Koran, Lord Buddha and Hindu gods. In 2010, Facebook was temporarily blocked on charges of malicious propaganda against the Prime Minister and hurting religious feelings.
