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ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship 16. Reporters Without Borders, Malaysia, (n.d.), available at: https://rsf.org/en/country/malaysia 17. ARTICLE 19, Malaysia: Ismail Sabri’s government is undermining fundamental freedoms, (23 August 2022), available at: https://www.article19.org/ resources/malaysia-ismail-sabri-fundamental-freedoms/ 18. ARTICLE 19, Malaysia: Critics are suppressed while police brutality goes unaddressed, (2 July 2021), available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/ malaysia-critics-suppressed-police-brutality-unaddressed/ 19. Cartooning For Peace, Alert Malaysia – Amin Landak, (5 July, 2021), available at: https://www. cartooningforpeace.org/en/soutiens/alert-malaysia-amin-landak/ 20. The Vibes, Nature activist probed for defamation after tweet about Pahang regent: cops, (25 July 2022), available at: https://www.thevibes.com/articles/ news/66808/nature-activist-probed-for-defamationafter-tweet-about-pahang-regent-cops 21. American Bar Association, Malaysia: A Preliminary Report on Criminal Proceedings Against Blogger Dian Abdullah, (23 March 2021), available at: https:// www.americanbar.org/groups/human_rights/reports/malaysia--a-preliminary-report-on-criminal-proceedings-against-b/ 22. The Star, Single mother fines RM10,000 for insulting King, ex-PM, (21 December 2021), available at: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/ nation/2021/12/21/single-mother-fined-rm10000for-insulting-king-ex-pm 23. Article 19, Malaysia: Halt legal action against Meta over content moderation, (23 June 2023), Available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/malaysia-halt-legal-action-against-meta/ 24. Pakatan Harapan, Menjamin Kebebasan Dan Hak Bersuara, (2022), available at Pakatan Harapan, Menjamin Kebebasan Dan Hak Bersuara (2022), available at https://kitaboleh.my/tawaran-kita-boleh/ menjamin-kebebasan-media-dan-hak-bersuara/ 25. Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ), A Report on the State of Freedom of Expression FOE in Malaysia, (December 2023), available at: https:// cijmalaysia.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ CIJ_FoE_Report.pdf 26. ARTICLE 19, Malaysia: Slow progress on reforms and ongoing restrictions on freedoms, (30 November 2023), available at: https://www.article19.org/ resources/malaysia-slow-progress-on-reforms/ Malaysia 27. ARTICLE 19, Rights In Reverse: One year under the Perikatan National government in Malaysia, (March 2021), available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/rights-in-reverse-one-year-under-the-perikatan-nasional-government-in-malaysia/ 28. CIJ Malaysia, CIJ Urges the Government to Honour and Uphold Our Human Rights Obligations, (13 December 2021), available at: https://cijmalaysia.net/ cij-urges-the-government-to-honour-and-uphold-ourhuman-rights-obligations/ 29. CIJ Malaysia, Report on the State of Freedom of Expression (FOE) in Malaysia 2022, (December 2022), available at: https://cijmalaysia.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FOE-REPORT-2022_10Dec2022.pdf 30. Channel NEws Asia, Civil society groups call out Malaysian government’s slow reforms on ‘draconian’ laws; fear Cabinet change may stifle progress, (14 December 2023), available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-civil-society-organisations-draconian-laws-freedom-expression-cabinet-reshuffle-3988056 31. Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ), A Report on the State of Freedom of Expression FOE In Malaysia, (December 2023) available at: https:// cijmalaysia.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ CIJ_FoE_Report.pdf 32. Amnesty International, Malaysia 2022, (n.d.), available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/ asia-and-the-pacific/south-east-asia-and-the-pacific/ malaysia/report-malaysia/ 33. ARTICLE 19, Malaysia: Drop sedition charges against opposition party member and repeal the draconian Sedition Act, (2 June 2021), available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/malaysia-drop-sedition-charges/ 34. Malaysiakini, DAP man held under Sedition Act over ‘don’t vote MIC’ video released, (13 April 2022), available at: https://www.malaysiakini.com/ news/617958 35. Civicus Monitor, Blocking Of Websites, Use Of Sedition Law And Harassment Of Protesters, Undermines Fundamental Freedoms, (September 2023), available at: https://monitor.civicus.org/ explore/malaysia-blocking-of-websites-use-of-sedition-law-and-harassment-of-protesters-undermines-fundamental-freedoms/ 36. Free Malaysia Today, Bersatu’s Razali Idris charged with sedition, (24 November 2023), available at : https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/ category/nation/2023/11/24/bersatus-razali-idris-charged-with-sedition/ 173

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Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024

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English

Topic

Digital Rights
Digital Surveillance
Information Operation
Internet Restrictions

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MANUSHYA

Date Published: Mar 8, 2024

Abstract: Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024 Whether we like it or not, we are living through a pivotal moment for the future of human rights. This includes the issue of our digital rights, and the question of our online freedoms. In places like Southeast Asia, where the majority of its peoples are experiencing immense threats to their online and offline freedoms, at the hands of opportunistic governments and corporations, this is especially prevalent. The digital space has become an integral part of human life, and is still growing in its influence over our world. Accordingly, if our freedoms in the digital space are endangered, our freedoms overall are endangered as well.

It is understandable to feel powerless while possessing this knowledge. But it is not enough to just know about the forces acting against our human rights, and understand that they are dangerous. If we truly want to create a safer, more equitable, more liberated world - which we all know, deep down, is possible - we must understand these forces, and act accordingly. We must equip ourselves with knowledge about what governments, corporations, and other powers that be are doing, alongside demanding our rights to freedom. The powers that be have weaponised the online and digital space, as well as the law, against the people that these things are supposed to serve and protect. It is our right to protect ourselves with research, knowledge, advocacy, and the power of the people. When we understand the powers we are up against, fighting back will become less daunting.

This is what our report, titled Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia, is for. Join us in powering ourselves with knowledge, in order to compel ourselves to action!

As always, our work is rooted in decolonial, feminist, intersectional values, with historically marginalised people at the centre. Thus, this work was a collaboration between a coalition of groups oriented in these values: ALTSEAN-Burma, Cambodian Center for Human Rights, ELSAM, Free Expression Myanmar, Foundation for Media Alternatives, ILGA Asia, Manushya Foundation, The Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network, SAFEnet, Viet Tan, and Women’s Peace Network. What is the ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship? The ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship was established in 2020, by human rights and digital rights activists from Southeast Asia, on a mission to decolonize digital rights and restore our online democracies.

Together, we stand in solidarity with one another, with people from the Global Majority, resisting and pushing back against authoritarian governments and complicit tech companies.

We tell our realities from the ground, and we develop solutions together.

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Manushya Report 2024 - FULL REPORT - Book File-compressed.pdf
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Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024

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