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UN Special Rapporteur criticizes governments for using laws against dissenters

Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 09 12:12 AM

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Association and Peaceful Assembly Clement Voule said governments are using its legislative powers to curtail people's democratic right to freedom of expression and assembly. Read more »

'There is strength in numbers': Rights group urges Filipinos to unite on challenges vs free speech

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Mar 20 05:37 PM

MANILA - Human rights group Karapatan on Saturday called on Filipinos to unite on issues supposedly challenging one's freedom of speech in the country, amid the "environment of impunity." Read more »

Private schools association says military presence in schools undermine academic freedom

Josiah Antonio, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 25 08:28 PM

Military presence in schools may undermine academic freedom, the managing director of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations said Monday, noting that students should be able to freely express their views.  Read more »

CHR questions DND’s intent on abrogating pact with UP, urges reconsideration

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 20 08:38 PM

CHR said that DND’s unilateral termination at a time of mounting human rights violations casted “further doubts” on the department’s intent, which “aggravates the climate of distrust towards the government.”    Read more »

Palace: DepEd modules allegedly discouraging protests are for younger students

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Oct 19 05:56 PM

An alleged learning module from the Department of Education (DepEd) discouraged participation in protests is for younger students, Malacañang said Monday, following criticism from the Commission on Human Rights.  Read more »

CHR hits alleged DepEd module discouraging protests

Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Oct 18 12:49 PM

Obedience to the government is not the only measure of one’s love for the country, the Commission on Human Rights said Sunday as it raised concerns over an alleged learning module from the Department of Education (DepEd) that discouraged students from joining protests. Read more »

Governments use pandemic to crack down on online dissent: watchdog

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Oct 14 01:20 PM

Governments around the world are using the pandemic as a justification to expand surveillance and crack down on dissent online, resulting in a 10th consecutive annual decline in internet freedom, a human rights watchdog report said Wednesday. Read more »

Malacañang binanatan ang Facebook dahil sa anila'y 'censorship'

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Sep 29 06:46 PM

Nagpahayag ang Palasyo nitong Martes ng sama ng loob sa social media giant na Facebook.    Read more »

'Regulate social media firms, not users': AFP chief clarifies earlier proposal on anti-terror law implementation

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Sep 02 02:08 PM

Armed Forced of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay on Wednesday clarified his earlier pronouncement that the military should "regulate" social media, saying his proposal covers online companies, and "not users" of any platform. Read more »

AFP chief's comment on social media 'regulation' may cost him CA nod: Lacson

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 31 06:07 PM

The Commission on Appointments (CA) may reject the nomination of Armed Forced chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay should he fail to clarify his previous comment that social media needs to be "regulated" under the anti-terror law, an official of the Appointments panel said Monday. Read more »

Facebook plans legal action after Thailand tells it to mute critics

Hannah Beech, The New York Times
Posted at Aug 26 10:44 AM

Facebook is planning legal action against the government of Thailand for ordering the social media platform to partially shut down access to a group critical of the Thai monarchy, the company said Tuesday.  Read more »

With hacks and cameras, Beijing’s electronic dragnet closes on Hong Kong

Paul Mozur, The New York Times
Posted at Aug 26 09:40 AM

Hong Kong security forces are turning to harsher tactics as they close a digital dragnet on activists, pro-democracy politicians and media leaders. Their approaches — which in the past month have included installing a camera outside the home of a prominent politician and breaking into the Facebook account of another — bear marked similarities to those long used by the fearsome domestic security forces in mainland China.   Read more »

Online tutorial on making molotovs? Military official justifies need to 'regulate' social media

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 24 03:44 PM

A military official on Monday sough to justify the government's need to "regulate" social media, claiming terrorist groups have allegedly been holding online tutorials on how to make molotov bombs. Read more »

Defying China, Hong Kongers rush to buy pro-democracy newspaper

Yan Zhao, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Aug 11 12:10 PM

Hong Kongers rushed to buy copies of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily on Tuesday in a show of support for its owner, who was arrested a day earlier as police rounded up critics of China.   Read more »

Defense chief tells new military chief: 'Less talk, less mistake'

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 10 02:16 PM

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Monday that he had urged the new Philippine military chief to follow the "less talk, less mistake" tact after the latter drew criticism for a proposal to use the anti-terror law to regulate social media.  Read more »

Hong Kong police raid pro-democracy newspaper, arrest owner

Jerome Taylor and Su Xinqi, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Aug 10 01:07 PM

Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong media mogul and one of the city's most prominent pro-democracy figures, was arrested on Monday under Beijing's new national security law, a close aide and a police source said.  Read more »

Military chief's call for social media regulation 'ill-advised': senator

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 06 12:49 PM

The new chief of the Philippine military's suggestion of using the anti-terror law to regulate social media is "ill-advised", the measure's author said Thursday.  Read more »

World Broadcasting Unions calls for protection of media independence, freedom of expression amid pandemic

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 28 10:33 PM

The World Broadcasting Unions on Monday said media independence and freedom of expression should be guaranteed as countries across the globe continue to fight the coronavirus pandemic.   Read more »

Duterte's rants vs Drilon in 5th SONA 'unpresidential': Gordon

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 28 02:14 PM

Sen. Richard Gordon on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte's rants against Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon during the 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) were "unpresidential," saying lawmakers should not be called out for giving their opinions. Read more »

'Bong' Go says cybercrime complaint vs student not meant to clip free expression

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 16 09:38 PM

Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go on Thursday said he has "nothing against freedom of expression" after filing a complaint against a college student who allegedly shared what he said could be a libelous post against him. Read more »