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Hong Kong citizens mouth the death of Liu Xiaobo outside the Liaison Office Of The Central People's Government In The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Thursday. (New York Times photo)

BEIJING - There was media silence Thursday in China after the death of Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo was confirmed to the rest of the world.

Censors scrubbed social media and blocked internet searches for his name.

Liu was China's most influential dissident and his death has made headlines around the world.

The BBC reported that Xu Xin - a user with 31 million followers - posted a few candle emojis, which have been removed.

People often use candle emojis on Weibo to commemorate someone who has died.

A search on the popular Sina Weibo microblog brings up a message saying "according to relevant laws and policies, results for 'Liu Xiaobo' cannot be displayed".

Official Xinhua "news" agency, the country's state-controlled outlet, reported in English the death of dissident Liu, marking the first time Xinhua hac mentioned him since his hospitalisation.

But the news of the 61-year-old democracy activist's death from liver cancer while in custody remained absent from Xinhua's main Chinese service more than an hour after it was published on the English-language wire.

The urgent single-paragraph English report recalled that Liu was "convicted of subversion of state power" in 2009 but it made no mention of his Nobel prize.

Chinese authorities tightly controlled information about Liu's condition after disclosing last month that he was released on medical parole following a diagnosis of late-stage liver cancer.

The hospital where he received treatment, the First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang, was heavily guarded and his family members had barely any contact with the outside world

Before Liu's death, fought for information control, the Associated Press reported.

From coordinated leaks of hospital surveillance video to a near-total news blackout for Chinese-language media and social media, the Chinese government's sprawling propaganda apparatus revved up efforts to contain the controversy surrounding its most prominent political dissident.

The Apple Daily's front-page photo showed Hong Kong defiance of Chinese censorship.

In an update Tuesday afternoon, the hospital treating Liu said he remains in critical condition and is now on dialysis and organ support.

Liu was convicted in 2009 of inciting subversion for his role in the "Charter 08" movement calling for political reform. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize a year later while in prison.

Chinese media have hardly mentioned repeated calls by the US, the European Union and others for Beijing to let Liu leave on humanitarian grounds. On Tuesday, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert again urged China to parole Liu so he can receive medical care at a location of his choosing.

Chinese state media have provided extensive coverage this past week of President Xi Jinping's recent achievements, especially his travels to Russia and Germany, which they portrayed as a massive public relations triumph for China.

On Tuesday, heavily controlled state newspapers including the official People's Daily and the English-language China Daily trumpeted Xi's call to "unswervingly advance" China's judicial reform and improve the military.

Meanwhile, the daily barrage of questions about Liu fired off by the international press at foreign ministry news briefings were all excised from the ministry's published transcripts, as if they were never asked.

The few mentions of Liu in the state media's overseas-oriented English editions in recent weeks contained denouncements and tough language aimed at foreign audiences.

"It is probably out of politics that some people and forces are requesting Liu to be treated abroad," the nationalistic and Communist Party-controlled Global Times tabloid, published by the People's Daily, said in an editorial Tuesday headlined "Liu's cancer treatment mustn't be politicised."

"Today's China is stronger and more confident, and will not yield to Western pressure," it said, accusing unidentified overseas forces of "squeezing Liu for their political goals."

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang reiterated on Tuesday that China hopes other countries can "respect China's judicial sovereignty and not use such an individual case to interfere in China's domestic affairs."

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Liu's death triggers frantic Chinese censorship - Bangkok Post

NEW DELHI He may have won a Nobel Prize, but renowned Harvard economist Amartya Sen cannot say the word cow in a new documentary, Indias movie censorship board has ruled.

The documentary, called The Argumentative Indian, is named after abookof essays written by Sen thatdwells (rather ironically) on Indias long history of intellectual pluralism and public debate. The movie will not get a license for public screenings in India unless the cuts are implemented.

Censors have not said why the word cow is objectionable. The documentary at one point talks about the Hindu nationalist, self-styled cow protectors who attack people, mainly Muslims, for carrying or eating beef. Hindus consider the cow tobesacred.

The move comes against the backdrop of a rising nationalistic fervor in India after the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014. The party has pushed policies in line with its conservative view of Hinduism, the predominant religion in this diverse nation.

Director Suman Ghosh told IndiasTelegraphnewspaper that the censorship underlines the relevance of the documentary in which Sen highlights the growing intolerance in India.

He added, There is no way I would agree to beep or mute or change anything that one of the greatest minds of our times has said in the documentary.

It wasnt just cows that caught the censors attention.Ghosh was also asked by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to remove words such as Gujarat, the name of an Indian state, Hindu India, and Hindutva view of India, referring to the nationalist Hindu ideologyespousedby the BJP.The filmmakers face a lengthy appeals process through which they will attempt to fight the censorship boards decision.

In India, where films draw audiences numbering in the millions, nationalist ideology has slowly seeped into the experience of going to the movies. In 2016, the Supreme Court ordered that thenational anthembe played before every screening and that audiences must stand during it.

The CBFC has increasingly comeunder firefor overzealous censorship and moral policing under the leadership of Pahlaj Nihalani, avocal supporterof the BJP, who appears to take offense at any implied criticism of India or Hinduism.

Recently, the board asked directors to remove all references to the northern state of Punjab in a crime drama called Udta Punjab, meaning Flying Punjab or High Punjab. Instead, the board demanded, the movie should be set in a fictional land. Censors made no comment at the time as to why references to Punjab were objectionable.

In the recent James Bond movie, Spectre, a kissing scene was cut short. Another controversy involves an upcoming Bollywood romantic comedy called Jab Harry Met Sejal, playing on the title of When Harry Met Sally, in which censors objected to the word intercourse.

The threat of violence from right-wing mobs also has resulted in censorship in recent months. In the Bollywood blockbuster Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the role ofPakistani actor Fawad Khan was allegedly trimmed after a right-wing groupthreatenedto burn cinemas down.

The Argumentative Indian, which centers onSen, shows clips of his conversations with former World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu.

The word cow, which the board wants removed from the film, is heard in an answer to Basus question about the context of Sen'sbook, according to the Telegraph. As part of his answer, Sen says, There was a kind of grandness of vision there, and an integrated picture which hangs together in trying to embrace each other, not through chastising people for having mistreated a cow or some other thing, but dealing with people in terms of argument.

Speaking tothe Telegraph, Harvard historian Sugata Bose, who also features in the documentary, lambasted attempts to block the film. It is a preposterous and unacceptable assault on the freedom of expression. The film ought to be given a certificate immediately. It is an academic film primarily where every word has been carefully weighed, he said.

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India's censors now won't allow the word 'cow' in a documentary about Harvard economist - Washington Post

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El Salvador media bill prompts 'censorship' claim - BBC News

Armenia's Golden Apricot international film festival has run into controversy as rights activists accuse organizers of censorship for scrapping part of the event that featured two films dealing with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) themes.

The two features, Listen To Me: Untold Stories Beyond Hatred and Apricot Groves, were scheduled outside the competitive portion of the weeklong festival under the rubric Armenians: Internal And External Views.

Festival organizers, however, canceled the entire slate of 36 films by Armenian directors, as well as foreign productions about Armenia and Armenians, to be shown in the section, saying only that they "apologize for any inconveniences."

The move immediately sparked a backlash from filmmakers and rights groups who said it was a thinly veiled attempt at censorship reminiscent of the Soviet era and the Ottoman Empire.

"We condemn the actions of both the Union of Cinematography of Armenia, that has dared to censor the special program of the Golden Apricot International Festival because of the themes broached in the films Listen To Me: Untold Stories Beyond Hatred and Apricot Groves," more than 100 of the country's filmmakers, artists, and rights advocates said in a letter to the organizers.

"Golden Apricot should immediately restore the screening of all films regardless of the format. Otherwise the Golden Apricot International Festival should accept that they are the ones who are legitimizing the censorship and changes in the festival."

Facing Prejudice

Though homosexuality has been legal in Armenia since 2003, the subject is still taboo within Armenian society, which is firmly guided by the Apostolic Church.

The country does not recognize formalized same-sex relationships performed locally, has no antidiscrimination laws, and gay men are declared mentally ill and unfit for military service.

In the documentary Listen To Me, written by Hovhannes Ishkhanyan and directed by Gagik Ghazerah, 10 members of the LGBT community relate their experiences of coming out to their friends, families, and community.

Included in the group is Tsomak Oganezova, the owner of a gay pub in Yerevan that was firebombed and vandalized with Nazi symbols in 2012. Oganezova has said she left Armenia after the attacks "to be with those like me."

Pouria Heidary Oureh's Apricot Groves is about Aram, an Iranian-Armenian trans man who has lived in the United States since childhood. The story follows him as he returns to Armenia to meet his girlfriend's conservative family and make preparations for their marriage.

Both films have already been featured at festivals around the world.

"Understanding the fact that this is not only discrimination against the Armenian LGBT community, and a violation of freedom of expression and freedom to create, but also a slap to Armenian cinematography, we are calling upon the Ministry of Culture of Armenia, the staff, and sponsors, and partners of the...festival to put all their efforts to restore the whole...program," supporters wrote in a petition to Culture Minister Armen Amiryan*, the Cinematographers Union, and festival organizers.

'Officially Sanctioned Hate'

Given the hostile conditions they face, many LGBT people say they remain closeted to avoid discrimination and violence.

In 2015, a local tabloid outed dozens of LGBT advocates, calling on readers to shun them and providing links to their Facebook profiles. The victims filed suit against the publication, but the court ruled in favor of the paper and made the plaintiffs pay $100 in fees.

That incident came after a 2012 study was published showing 55 percent of Armenians would reject a friend or relative if they came out.

"Hate speech in Armenia is rising day by day," activist Mamikon Hovsepyan said after being one of the journalists outed by the tabloid. "The homophobic media has the support of government officials and promotes aggression and hate toward LGBT people."

This year, jury members at the Golden Apricot festival include Britain's Hugh Hudson, who directed the Oscar-winning 1981 epic Chariots Of Fire, and Dutch director Tom Fassaert.

*CORRECTED from original version.

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Armenian Film Festival Sparks LGBT Outrage, Cries Of Censorship - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

BY: Katelyn Caralle July 11, 2017 10:36 am

The Associated Press Stylebook, the traditional journalist stylistic handbook for decades, has sparked controversy over new updates that have right-leaning journalists and politicians concerned about potentially biased language.

The AP annually updates its stylebook in the spring to give journalists guidance on style and grammar. These changes are often analyzed and publicized, but the most recent updates have some observers particularly concerned.

Fox News host Shannon Bream on Tuesday listed changes that have some people questioning if the intent is to censor words more likely to be used by conservatives.

"The AP Stylebook tells people to change pro-life' to anti-abortion,'" Bream reported. "Militant,' lone wolves,' or attackers,' those are the preferred terms rather than terrorist' or Islamist.' And illegal immigrant' or undocumented,' well those are no longer considered acceptable words."

Dave Hoppe, former chief of staff to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), discussed the importance of language and the AP's changes along with the campaign director at the Center for Progress Action Fund, Emily Tisch Sussman.

"The thing you have to look at is that use of language is a very powerful tool. And to make choices like this, and I think in some cases bias choices like this, is something you have to watch very carefully," Hoppe said. "In extreme cases, this is actually censorship. So one has to be careful and be fair to use the language that both sides like."

One change that seems to be causing the most discussion is the disparity between "pro-life" and "anti-abortion."

Bream read off the change that instead of using "pro-choice" or "pro-abortion," journalists should use "pro-abortion rights." The AP also guides journalists to no longer use the term "abortionists" because it claims that term only refers to people who perform clandestine, or unsafe, abortions.

Bream then asked whether it is possible for language to truly be neutral in any story that raises such controversial and emotional topics.

Sussman said these standards exist so everyone can agree on and be aware of what is being reported.

"It's important to have a distinction if you are anti-abortion, pro-abortion, or pro-choice. There are people who can be anti-abortion and pro-choice, that is possible," Sussman said. "So I think it's important that we have clear guidelines."

"Use the word pro-life,' that is the phrase preferred by people who are pro-life. There's no problem in using it; it's not confusing to people to use it. It's very clear what they mean," Hoppe said. "That you use one set of words as opposed to the other and are told specifically not to use a certain set of words, it seems to me is bias and that's where the power of language can come in to try and turn people's minds and turn their thoughts away."

Sussman disagreed, arguing that it is important to be as specific as possible when talking about emotional issues like abortion and immigration.

"I do think that being anti-abortion is as specific as possible. I don't think that being pro-life is as specific as possible," Sussman said. "That would imply that someone would be pro-life in other contexts like death penalty or health care."

"To choose the language that someone prefers, I don't think is specific," she added. "As culture is moving, our definitions have to evolve as well."

Some other AP guideline amendments include calling migrants or refugees fleeing to Europe "people struggling to enter Europe." The AP also says that journalists should describe people who dispute that the world is warming as either "climate-change doubters" or "those who reject mainstream climate science."

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AP Stylebook Updates Spur Controversy Over Worries of Conservative Censorship - Washington Free Beacon