Syria

Surprise among countries jailing the most journalists per capita

The Committee to Protect Journalists of the CJR is most concerned with the murder of journalists in Russia and Syria and the long-term incarceration of reporters. The number of nations hostile to free speech and press includes the usual suspects: China, Ethiopia, Iran, Vietnam, and Sudan. But it is surprising that Israel ranks second in the number of journalists in prison although aspiring to be a modern democracy. -db From an analysis for the Columbia

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Bloggers advocating democratic reform suffer oppression

Despite the promise of the Arab Spring, bloggers world-wide are seen as threats to public order and  arrested and imprisoned for speaking out for democratic reform. Bloggers are in danger in many countries including Syria, Egypt, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. -db From a commentary by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, October 27, 2011, by Jillian C. York. Full story

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Exiles use Internet to promote Syrian revolt

Anti-government activists living in the Middle East, Europe and the U.S. are taking a leading role in using the Internet to defy the autocratic Syrian government in providing news of the uprising to the world. Writing in The New York Times, Anthony Shadid described the work of one man, “Gaunt and with bloodshot blue-green eyes, Mr. Nakhle navigated a cascade of information Friday — a frenetic conversation on Skype with 15 people in Syria, a

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