Blogger Arrests Hit Record High
Image courtesy of the BBCBBC:
More bloggers than ever face arrest for exposing human rights abuses or criticising governments, says a report.Since 2003, 64 people have been arrested for publishing their views on a blog, says the University of Washington annual report.
In 2007 three times as many people were arrested for blogging about political issues than in 2006, it revealed.
More than half of all the arrests since 2003 have been made in China, Egypt and Iran, said the report.
Jail sentenceCitizens have faced arrest and jail for blogging about many different topics, said the World Information Access (WIA) report.
Arrested bloggers exposed corruption in government, abuse of human rights or suppression of protests. They criticised public policies and took political figures to task.
The report said the rising number of arrests was testament to the "growing" political importance of blogging. It noted that arrests tended to increase during times of "political uncertainty", such as around general elections or during large scale protests.
Jail time followed arrest for many bloggers, said the report, which found that the average prison sentence for blogging was 15 months. The longest sentence found by the WIA was eight years.
Blogger Arrests Hit Record High >>> | June 16, 2008
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishersThe Dawning of a New Dark Age –Paperback, direct from the publishers
