Freedom of Speech

Soroush Lashkari, better known with his nickname, Hichkas (No one), is an Iranian rapper. His lyrics are about society, poverty and resistance against foreigners. He is an underground well-known artist inside Iran.
After 2009 post-election riots in Iran, he sang a song called “a good day comes”. I heard it yesterday and liked to share it [...]

Today is the first anniversary of Iranian blogger Omid Reza’s death. For those of you who don’t know who Omid is, this is an excerpt from the entry we created on Wikipedia: Omid Reza Mir Sayafi (also Omidreza Mirsayafi), a 29-year old Iranian blogger and journalist died in Evin Prison in Tehran on March 18, 2009. In December, he was sentenced to two and half years in prison for allegedly insulting religious leaders, and engaging [...]

Bloggers across the globe are being imprisoned for writing posts that are deemed “blasphemous” or are accused of “spreading false information harmful to the country.”
In the last month almost 10 netizens and bloggers have been arrested worldwide.
The March 18 Movement aims to shed light on these cases and calls for free speech on the [...]

This story happened more than 70 or 80 years ago, in the Galilee Heights, during the British occupation “Mandate” to Palestine, a long time before we had the “honor” to host our “cousins’ the jews. There, in one of the Galilee villages, there was a Palestinian peasant who had a stubborn donkey. Both, the peasant [...]

Transcript of Turkish Prime Minister Erodgen’s famous ‘one minute’ speech at the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland

The Internet has become a powerful international tool for freedom of speech. It enables users anywhere in the world to foster debate and provide a forum to express different points of view. In doing so, the ability of internet users to transcend international boundaries and bypass most government censorship efforts and restrictions on internet [...]

I had the opportunity recently to read the Manifesto of the Green Movement in Iran. It’s quite an impressive document; very reminiscent, in many ways, of American democracy, as spelled out in such historic documents as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Thomas Jefferson would have approved. The trouble is, however, as the [...]

Meklit Hadero, an Ethiopian-born musician and 2009 TEDGlobal Fellow, sings a very moving song in support of Kareem:

Thank you so much Meklit! If you’re on Twitter, please take a moment to send a personal shout out to Meklit @meklithadero for joining the struggle to free Kareem Amer.

Art is a path charged with risks and dangers. Undoubtedly, when I mention this statement I shall face wide opposition voices saying that art is the path to money, fame and beauty.
My dear reader, Naji Al-Ali, who is beyond description, is among the magnificent artists who adopted art as a way for resistance, freedom fighting, [...]

Tomorrow I will take part in a virtual press conference where I will reveal for the very first time why I left Palestine and what prompted me to leave, including details of the death threats that I’ve received. I’ll also talk about how I was assisted to get out.
Will be revealing more details and information [...]