Join us at 6 PM on Wednesday, February 27 for the launch of Muhal, an open database that documents online freedom of expression violations.

We have collected data, including the charges, the punishment, and a description of each case, from local news articles and independent sources. By aggregating and publishing the details of these violations, Muhal shines a light on the threat to online freedom of expression.

In 2018, we recorded 43 online freedom of expression violations compared to 16 in 2017 and just 7 in 2016. These violations range from informal phone calls from the Cybercrime Bureau to multi-day detentions. Even when these informal detentions do not result in arrests, they contribute to a culture of self-censorship and weaken the environment around freedom of speech.

At our Masaha, Executive Director Mohamad Najem will briefly take users on a tour of the database, explain how they can upload unreported cases to the site, and answer any questions participants might have.

Check the Facebook event here.