Global Bloggers Under Threat

Popular Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez was stopped and beaten by police this week on her way to an anti-violence rally in Havana. She was one of three bloggers reportedly detained and assaulted by Cuban officers -- probably for their outspoken online criticism of  the country's political rulers.  Global Voices has an excellent roundup of the incidents and Sanchez wrote about the incident and posted video of the anti-violence rally she missed.

Also this week, Tunisian blogger and theater professor Fatma Riahi was imprisoned for three days and could face defamation charges for allegedly writing poltical satire and commentary on her blog. She was freed yesterday, but her laptop was confiscated, and advocates fear she could be arrested again once officers dig up evidence that she criticized the state. A community of bloggers has rallied around her, and Global Voices and the LA Times have reported on her situation.

There's great promise in new media to challenge oppressive regimes around the world and bring sunlight to unjust practices of dozens of world governments. That's why these governments crack down on bloggers like Riahi and Sanchez -- they're scared of the power of blogs to bring international attention to their actions.

Threatened Voices, a Global Voices site that tracks silenced and imprisoned bloggers around the world, lists Tunisia as fourth on its list of countries with threatened of arrested bloggers. Cuba's on the list, too, of course. The site is an invaluable resource for tracking -- and exposing -- media suppression around the world.

Blogs will play a key role in the opening of media and democracies around the world in the year to come, and we need sites like Threatened Voices to shine a light on the countries that seek to silence voices of reason.