Abstract

When we think about censorship today, vivid images of brutal governments’ repression of free speech around the world might come to mind. The works of courageous artists and activists like Ai Wei Wei – an outspoken critic of China’s Communist rulers – are constant reminders of the curbing of dissent perpetrated by the Chinese government. Wei Wei’s criticism has put him on a collision course with the Chinese government, despite his artistic international fame. In fact, he was assaulted and beaten by the police after having investigated and documented the names of more than 5000 children who had died under shoddy school buildings in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Similarly, we cannot forget the appalling murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, ‘guilty’ of having unfolded horrific stories about abductions and Russian military abuses against civilians in Chechnya. Likewise, we are aware that Iran has in place one of the most extensive internet filtering system in the world (OpenNet Initiative, 2007) that proved its strength when protests erupted over the recent disputed election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

How to Cite:

Nötzold, K., (2017) “Editorial”, Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture 7(2), 1-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.16997/wpcc.137