Index on Censorship

The Indian government has been implementing a system to track and access calls, texts, and online activities; opponents say that while the system can be used to halt terror attacks and other violence, the government will primarily use it to police hate speech and criticism of authorities.

As eight Vietnamese human rights activists are appealing their convictions, a coalition of organisations has questioned the legitimacy of the trial and condemned the reported ill treatment of the activists since they have been in detention.

Palestinian-born Bassel was arrested on 15 March last year by Syrian security forces, and has been in prison ever since.

The so-called secrecy bill’s passage through the South African parliament mirrors an increasing political intolerance towards diverse views that in some cases has spilled over in violence, Christi van der Westhuizen reports.

Bulgaria’s media grants over-exposure to those in power, and the industry seems to quickly adapt to a new political situation, says Georgi Kantchev. The country has measures put in place to distinguish editorial content from political advertisements for broadcast media, but not for the press.

Tunisian activist Amina Tyler was arrested on Sunday (19 May), after allegedly attempting to stage a topless protest in the central Tunisian city of Kairouan.

The International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan strongly condemns a series of repressive legislative amendments that Azerbaijan’s National Assembly adopted on 14 May 2013. The existing penalties for criminal defamation and insult have been extended to online content and public demonstrations.

Once the Islamic republic’s biggest cultural event, the Tehran International Book Fair – now in its 26th year — has wilted under President Mahmood Ahmadinejad’s hardline government.