FREE EXPRESSION: Verdict in Myanmar for Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Internet a battleground for free speech

The verdict for Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi received attention from news sites around the world, although Al Jazeera was the only press in the Middle East to cover the story. In the U.K. and U.S., news sources focused on the political reasons the government wants her imprisoned and therefore unable to run in an election. Asian news media gave more coverage to the death of an activist in Chechnya. The Moroccan blogosphere reacts to the seizing of two magazines that published an opinion poll about the king.

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi found guilty, sentenced to 18 months
Al Jazeera 11 August 2009

Aung San Suu Kyi/AFP

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s detained opposition leader, has been sentenced to another 18 months under house arrest after being found guilty of violating an internal security law.

Announcing its verdict on Tuesday the court in the former capital Yangon initially sentenced her to three years in prison, but that was immediately halved on the orders of the military government which said she could serve the time in her Yangon home.

The Guardian — BBC – Telegraph — CNN – NPR – Wall Street Journal

Abducted activist, husband dead in Chechnya Bangkok Post — Straits Times — Sydney Morning Herald

Moroccan bloggers react to the banning of magazines
Global Voices Online 11 August 2009

Last week, the Moroccan blogosphere was up in arms over the government’s decision to seize two popular magazines — French TelQuel and its Arabic sister publication Nichane — for publishing a poll in which ordinary Moroccans were asked to give their assessment of the monarch, King Mohammed VI, despite results which stated 91 percent of Moroccans approve of his first 10 years of rule.

Twitter, Facebook attacked to silence pro-Georgian blogger The Sydney Morning Herald