freedom of speech

Two years in jail for donkey video

Team Observers — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:46:39 +0100

Two Azerbaijani bloggers were sentenced to jail on Wednesday. Charged with "hooliganism", the pair were arrested shortly after posting a satirical video online which mocked the government's alleged purchase of a dozen - suspiciously priced - 41,000 dollar donkeys from Germany.

After already four months of detention, Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli are now beginning sentences of two years, and two years six months, respectively. They were charged for fighting with a pair of men in a cafe in Baku, something which they immediately reported to the police as an unprovoked attack, but which led to their arrest the same day (8 July) and on November 11, their sentencing. The ruling has been condemned by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Hajizade is the founder of OL!, a web savvy youth movement which often ridicules the government. It was along with the group, which Milli is a member of, that the pair produced the following, now infamous, donkey video, which was posted on YouTube on 28 June.

Posted on OL!'s YouTube channel.

Jailed for crying out his hunger

Team Observers — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:59:34 +0200

An unemployed drunkard shot to fame last month in Cuba when a video of him storming a TV report to demand food began circulating on the Web. His outburst got him a prison sentence, making him a symbol of Cuban poverty and repression.

Juan Carlos, nicknamed Pánfilo (dimwit in Cuban slang), never expected his impromptu interruption of a report on Cuban hip-hop to make such an impact. But after his tirade was posted on YouTube (presumably by one of the video reporters, although it is not known who is behind the initial upload) his life was never going to be the same again.

"We are hungry! What we really need is jama (Cuban slang for food)!", he repeated over and over for the camera. His words resonated with thousands of Cuban Web users, spreading like wildfire on the blogosphere. They also landed him in jail for two years, after authorities branded him a "danger" to society.

Cubans at home and abroad have rallied for his liberation, though a petition on the website Jama y Libertad (food and freedom). So far, however, Pánfilo remains behind bars.

Far from the same old opposition protest

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:35:50 +0100

A "Young Russia" (pro-Kremlin youth group) member. Photo: Anton Belickiy.

Why was Saturday's opposition rally in Moscow strikingly different from previous events? Because not one protestor was beaten or arrested. Even stranger - pro-Kremlin counter activists themselves were detained by the police. Which begs the question; is the Russian government warming to the idea of freedom of speech?

The protest was organised by "Solidarnost" (Solidarity), a unification of several long-existing anti-government movements. It was the same faces and slogans that took to the streets, but for once, their event had been approved by the city authorities, and instead of the protestors facing police persecution, it was their opponents who ended up in the back of a police van.

Yoani sends a thank you note to her spies

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:45:00 +0100

Yoani Sanchez, our Observer in Cuba, is under permanent surveillance. She decided to photograph the men who camp outside her house.

Yoani lives in the capital Havana, from where she writes the blog Generacion Y. She was voted one of Time's most influential people for 2008.

I can only thank these courageous 'compañeros' who plant themselves on my doorstep day and night. Thanks to them, there's no more vandalism, fewer clothes stolen from the washing line, no more pissing on the steps, no more flashers exposing themselves to adolescents. Even the dogs have been booted out.

I've got nothing against the watchmen, they're only soldiers. But I do wonder if there's a better way to spend state money, at a time when production is crumbling. There nothing to see at my house. I've got nothing to hide. Everything I think, I write on my blog. You only need to read it..."

30 years after the Islamic revolution: "In Iran, I feel free to express my opinions"

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:53:48 +0100

At a documentary film festival in Tehran, October 2008. Photo posted by Azad on his excellent photo-blog, "Life goes on in Tehran", along with the comment: "Iran is not the ‘evil' country you hear about in a John McCain stomp speech".

On February 11, Iran marked the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution that brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power. We put four questions before our Iranian Observers both inside and outside the country (read the others). Here, one of them defends the revolution and says he is happy in his country.

Seyed Vahid Aqili, 40, is a media researcher from Tehran.

What were you doing 30 years ago?

I was in primary school. I remember that the Shiraz University campus (where I later studied) was closed for six months because of trouble caused by the revolution. I watched what happened on TV at home."

Do you feel free in Iran?

Yes. I feel free to express my opinions. Of course I can't talk about everything and I always take the economic and security interests of my country into consideration. But we do feel free to criticise the social and cultural initiatives taken by our government. We're not scared to do that."

What financial situation are you in?

I'm generally happy with my financial circumstances. I earn around 470 euros a month. We live well, me and my family. Those who are really suffering are the lowest classes. But those with a salary or who work for the state do ok."

What do you think of the United States?

The US needs to change its view of Iran. In 1950 they supported the Shah's coup against the national government of Mohamed Mossadegh (who five years later, died in prison). Then in 1979 the US supported the Islamic revolution's opponents. Personally, I stand by the ideas behind the revolution, because it supports equality while the Shah's regime only benefitted the upper classes. The Iranian people want professional and social progress, but they're not dreaming of leaving the country, like everyone thinks. I wouldn't mind spending a bit of time abroad to gain some experience and knowledge, but I love my country."

What do you expect from the presidential election next June?

I hope there are more candidates so that we can really choose a president. Although personally I support Ahmadinejad because he's done a lot for the lower-middle classes."

The world's deadliest job: defending human rights in Russia

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:06:00 +0100

Mourners commemorate a human rights lawyer's death. Image: "Dave Pyle".

Lawyer and human rights defender Stanislas Markelov, 34, was shot dead on 19 January after leaving a press conference not far from the Kremlin. His death hasn't come as a great surprise in Russia, where mysterious killings end up lost to a culture of impunity.

Stanislav Markelov was a controversial figure in Russia. He once represented Anna Politkovskaya, the journalist who dared to write about Chechen war crimes, herself killed in 2006. Markelov had just finished telling reporters that Yuri Budanov, a Russian soldier condemned for raping and killing an 18-year-old Chechen girl, was being released from prison. On leaving the press conference, he was shot by a masked gunman, who also killed 25-year-old Anastasia Barburova, a Novaya Gazeta journalist who had come to Markelov's aid. The client behind the attack, evidently committed by a professional, has yet to be identified - and probably never will. Markelov is just the latest in a long list of investigative journalists and human rights advocates shot, stabbed or poisoned to death by killers who go unfound and untried.

A few of Russia's most famous unsolved murders:

1993 - Nikolay Likhachev, banker
1994 - Dmitry Kholodov, journalist
1995 - Vladislav Listiev, journalist
1996 - Paul Tatum, businessman
1997 - Mikhail Manevich, member of State Duma [MP]
1998 - Galina Starovoitova, member of State Duma [MP]
1999 - Viktor Novoselov, vice-speaker of St Petersburg city parliament
2000 - Ilya Vaisman, businessman
2001 - Igor Belyakov, vice-mayor of Novosibirsk
2002 - Vladimir Golovlev, member of State Duma [MP]
2003 - Sergey Yushenkov, member of State Duma [MP]
2004 - Paul Khlebnikov, journalist
2005 - Ayrat Sharipov, businessman
2006 - Anna Politkovskaya, journalist
2007 - Farid Babayev, political activist
2008 - Ruslan Yamadaev, member of State Duma [MP], Chechen opposition leader.

Oh my God, they killed Kenny, Homer and Peter!

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:43:20 +0200

Russian authorities are in a flap about "Mr Hankey the Christmas Poo", who they say "promotes religious hatred". The upset means that along with The Simpsons and Family Guy, Mr Hankey and his South Park friends will soon disappear from Russian television screens.

The satirical cartoons are said to promote violence and pornography, distorting children's moral values and spreading panic and fear among them. South Park is considered the worst offender and has been branded extremist. TV channel 2x2, which airs most of the shows, was also forced to cut Happy Tree Friends and The Adventures of Big Jeff, also considered extremist, last spring. But this time the channel will contest the attorney general's decision, arguing that the shows are aired late at night and are not aimed at children. In a bid to prevent the disappearance of the cartoon, South Park fans recently staged a protest outside the courts.

UPDATE (25 Sept 08 - 11.30am): The 2x2 channel won its case in court on Wednesday, meaning that it will be allowed to keep its license and continue to air the shows. However, it still faces criminal investigation for extremism concerning the broadcasting of South Park.

Time Magazine honours our Observer in Cuba

Julien — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:06:12 +0200

Blogger Yoani Sanchez, who's been commenting on Cuba for the Observers since its launch, has been selected by Time Magazine as one of "the world's most influential people". Fidel Castro, on the other hand, didn't quite make it.

Hailing Hitler on Capitol Hill

Julien — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:11:32 +0200

A group of around thirty neo-Nazis marched through Washington on Saturday to protest against illegal immigration. One man who took part in the rally tells us why he's proud to hail Hitler, while a free speech activist explains why he has the right to say something that, in a European country, could have him put behind bars.

Students openly criticise the Cuban government

Julien — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:45:21 +0100

Seeing Cuban students openly criticise the Castrist regime in front of Parliamentary President Ricardo Alarcón is not easy to imagine. But it's true. And the proof, in this video sent to the BBC by an anonymous source, has now become a huge online hit. Is the nearing end of Fidel Castro's reign bringing about improvements in freedom of speech, or is it a publicity stunt to better outside views of the authorities? Our Observer in Cuba, blogger Yoni Sanchez, gives us her opinion.

This video was filmed on Jan. 19 at the University of Information Technology (UCI). It was supposed to be broadcast only on the school's internal TV channel, but someone anonymously sent it to the BBC. In the auditorium, Ricardo Alarcón is questioned by 200 straight-talking students on domestic policy. They interrogate him on various issues: the double currency on the island (a separate peso for the Cubans and the foreigners); travel restrictions; prohibition for Cubans to stay in tourist hotels; internet controls; and the united vote. Basically, all the subjects that usually irritate the authorities. A few more sceptical observers said that the event was part of a government strategy to facilitate the post-Castro transition, because the questions asked covered topics identical to those of the ‘grand national debate' initiated by Raul Castro. The head of state asked the country to air their concerns before Feb. 24, the date that the Parliament will meet to confirm the removal of Castro from his post, and possibly elect a new president.

UPDATE (12.0207 / 17.00): One of the students, Eliecer Avila, was uncontactable for just over a day, leading to the belief that he has been arrested. He reappeared this Monday in an interview on Cuban television (see in post), where he denounced the way the foreign media ‘manipulated' his statement.