Don’t boycott Beijing

Chinese human rights advocate Liu Xiaobo, Spiegel Online, April 7: That [Olympic boycotts] wouldn’t be a good way to punish China. If the Games fail, human rights will suffer. The government would stop paying any attention to the rest of the world. I personally think: We want the Games and we want human rights to…

The torch, boycotts and Tibet

My following article appears in the Amnesty International Australia’s Uncensor campaign about human rights in China: The Beijing Games is shaping up as a public relations disaster for the Chinese Communist Party. Four months from the opening ceremony and global protests against the torch relay are gathering speed. Tibetan activists are successfully highlighting their cause…

Towards Beijing: March 2008 update

My following article appears in the Amnesty International Australia’s Uncensor campaign about human rights in China: Human rights activists have dubbed the Beijing Games the “Genocide Olympics” over concerns of China’s involvement in the Darfur crisis. The situation there is worsening by the day. Human Rights First claims that China is arming the conflict. The…

Net censorship: the basics

My following article appears in the Amnesty International Australia’s Uncensor campaign about human rights in China: 1996 was dubbed China’s “Year of the Internet.” Only 150,000 people were connected, roughly one in 10,000. The vast majority of the mainland had never seen a computer and there were 17 people for every available phone line. A…

Uncensor

Amnesty International Australia yesterday launched its campaign to highlight China’s human rights abuses in this Olympic year. Uncensor focuses especially on internet repression and the involvement of Western internet multinationals in this worrying practice (actually the subject of my forthcoming book.) I’m working with Amnesty in the next months, writing and talking about these issues.

Beijing beware

International PEN is a group of global writers dedicated to human rights for other writers less fortunate than us. I am a Sydney member. Its latest campaign is dedicated to highlighting the issues relating to the upcoming Beijing Olympics: The poem ‘June’ by imprisoned Chinese poet and journalist Shi Tao is relaying around the world,…

Assisting repression

Following allegations that Western web majors such as Yahoo and Microsoft were assisting the Chinese regime in finding Tibetans after the recent violence, Yahoo has denied the allegations: “Contrary to media reports, Yahoo! Inc. is not displaying images on its web sites of individuals wanted by Chinese authorities in connection with the recent unrest in…

www.censorship.com

My following article appears in today’s ABC Unleashed: Fidel Castro controlled Cuba for nearly half a century. His rule was defined by defiance and dictatorship, brutal repression against dissidents and the management of an immoral American embargo. Free speech has always been the Achilles’ heel of the regime. During my visit to the island last…

Occupation breeds resistance

The protests in Tibet continue against Chinese rule . Scores are dead. China has blocked YouTube in an attempt to stop videos emerging from its brutality. Australia’s Prime Minister has been urged to use his “influence” with Beijing. Bloggers are transmitting news. The Dalai Lama is caught in the middle. The August Olympic Games could…

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

Site by Common