Global Voices Digest

Latvia: Freedom of Speech Controversy

Prominent Latvians are outraged over the detention of a university lecturer at a seaside town of Ventspils by the security police. The economic crisis, a bank bailout, and the launched talks with the International Monetary Fund served as a backdrop for the arrest of Dmitrijs Smirnovs, who said this during a discussion at a provincial newspaper Ventas Balss: “The only thing that I can recommend is: first of all, do not save money in banks; second of all, do not save money in lats because right now it is very dangerous.”

Today on Global Voices Advocacy: Cuba: Government Officials Tell Bloggers to Cancel Planned Meeting

A Cuban blogger meet-up scheduled for December 6 is in danger of being cancelled by the authorities. The event, which has been in the planning stage for months and had 25 confirmed attendees, is being deemed “counterrevolutionary.” This is according to a recent conversation between officials from the Interior Ministry and one of the island’s most well-known bloggers Yoaní Sánchez of Generación Y, who was one of the bloggers recently summoned to the local police station.

Roundups

Get the blog buzz from the world over in the Global Roundups, where today you can find a review of an award winning Indian photographer’s exhibition on people’s responses to HIV/AIDS, the story of a 36-hour bus ride from Mangochi, Malawi to Johannesburg, South Africa going through Mozambique and Zimbabwe, imposing new regulations on internet use and blogging in Vietnam, and much much more!