Southeast Asia: Dictatorships Are Gone, But Censorship Hangs On
Global Voices Online
Since the late 20th century, many Southeast Asian countries have moved from military dictatorships and unelected governments to representative governance systems. While these transitions have brought many improvements to national law and government accountability, certain old ways still remain.
Both off and online, censorship is still enforced in several countries through the use of draconian laws and strict media regulation. Media groups have consistently decried certain controversial laws and regulations as tools of media repression in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Myanmar.
Vietnam: Mass persecution of political bloggers
Thirty-five political bloggers are currently in prison in Vietnam. Continuingpersecutionsuffered by bloggers and dissidents has highlighted the urgent need to reform laws that govern speech and online content in Vietnam.
Article 88of the Criminal Code, which bans anti-state propaganda, is often used to detain individuals who oppose the government.Article 258of the Criminal Code punishes misuse of democratic freedoms to attack state interests and the legitimate rights and interests of collectives and individuals and carries a sentence of seven years in prison. Last year, the nations Prime Minister issued adirectiveordering a crackdown on reactionary blogs. Broadly speaking, vague provisions in the law allow authorities to make arbitrary arrests with little structure for accountability.
Early this month,Decree 72took effect, putting into force a law that many activists have described as the countrysharshest legal offensiveagainst freedom of information. The new regulation bans the sharing of news stories or so-calledcompiled information. But the government claims it is intended only toprotectintellectual property.
Apress cardsystem frequently is used to control mainstream media. Former journalist Pham Doan Trang explains further:
No card, no access. Without a press card, reporters cant hope to meet high-ranking officials, visit contacts at public offices or cover official conferences.
The State doesnt need to kill journalists to control the media because by and large, Vietnams press card-carrying journalists are not allowed to do work that is worth being killed for.
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Southeast Asia: Dictatorships Are Gone, But Censorship Hangs On