Blocked, banned and muzzled: Asia’s tough month. The month of October saw the banning of websites, books, mass organisations, and, in the weeks leading up to the International Day to End Impunity For Crimes Against Journalists, on 2 November, an uptick in attempts to silence independent media by governments intent on eliminating what they deem ‘threats’ to national unity and public order.
Ending impunity and defending democracy: November in Asia-Pacific. Cambodian democracy takes a hit, while IFEX members mark IDEI in Nepal, Pakistan, Mongolia, Australia and make strides against gender-related violence
Defiant cartoonists, detained foreign journalists, and ‘recalcitrant’ activists: December in Asia-Pacific. December was a tough month for free speech advocates across the Asia-pacific region: Several cartoonists faced state persecution, two Vietnamese bloggers received harsh prison terms, foreign journalists were detained in Kashmir and Burma, China remains the ‘world’s worst abuser of internet freedom’, and Singapore detained a ‘recalcitrant’ activist.