Articles by Freedom House
The quest to protect human rights defenders and journalists in a digital world
In the face of new, sophisticated restrictions, frontline human rights activists are unprepared for the security challenges they face, while donors and international support groups struggle to collaborate effectively and protect and defend human rights, Freedom House concludes in a new report.
Rulers who use the social media they ban
Iran, Cuba, UAE, Azerbaijan, India and Turkey are examples of countries whose leaders contradict their own policies and practices on restricting social media.
Coalition condemns Vietnam court decision in Le Quoc Quan case
It is believed that Mr. Quan’s detention is politically motivated and a reaction to his blog, where he frequently exposed human rights violations by the Vietnamese government.
Rights groups call for charges against Moroccan editor Ali Anouzla to be dropped
Journalist and editor Ali Anouzla was arrested on 17 September 2013 in connection with a 13 September news article published on the Arabic edition of news website Lakome. Ahead of a Rabat court hearing scheduled on 18 February, local and international rights organisations came together to call for the charges against him to be dropped.
Iranian poet executed after his sentence was approved by President Hassan Rouhani
Poet Hashem Shaabani was an Iranian of Arab origin and a founder of the Dialogue Institute, which tried to promote understanding of Arabic culture and literature in Iran. He was sentenced to death in July 2013 and executed on 27 January 2014.
Kenyan journalists win court victory against repressive media laws
A three-judge panel of the High Court in Nairobi has halted implementation of the Media Council Act 2013 and Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Act 2013 until the full Court considers the legal questions.
Democracy in crisis: Corruption, media, and power in Turkey
A new report by Freedom House catalogues the Turkish government’s actions to suppress freedom of speech, which have intensified since the emergence of a major corruption scandal in December 2013.
Transparency, independent media are vital for global development plan
195 civil society organisations from around the world have called on the UN to put government accountability and independent media at the centre of a new framework for global development.