Bloggers worldwide post their views about anything and everything, about all kinds of topics. To me and you this is as normal as getting up in the morning. But sometimes things happen that make us realize that freedom of speech and freedom of press are not for everyone on this planet.

Last week 29 year old Moroccan blogger Mohamed Erraji was jailed because of an article published on the Internet which according to the authorities lacked “due respect to the king”. He was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of 5,000 dirhams (approx. 430 euros, but has now been provisionally released.

In Morocco, the monarchy is still a taboo subject. The penal code provides for sentences of up to five years in prison and heavy fines for “offences” against both the king and the royal family, or for “undermining the monarchy.” As a result it is not surprising that this blogger is not the first person to be arrested under these laws.

I’m not pretending that I am an expert on this kind of subject, but shouldn’t people be allowed to express their opinion freely and honestly? If I have been correctly informed this blogger simply criticized the monarchy which in his opinion encouraged “a culture of dependency.” He neither incited violence nor regicide. The freedom of speech is surely not too much to ask. What do you think?

At BuzzParadise we care a lot about the people we work with: bloggers. As a result, we are saddened to learn about the death of Magomed Yevloyev.

As some of you may know, he was a very important figure in the Russian blogosphere who spoke out against Russian authorities through his blog Ingushetiya.ru. He was a vocal critic of the police’s treatment of civilians and an opponent of the Ingushetia president, Murat Zyazikov, a former KGB officer. Zyazikov had tried to have the Ingushetiya website shut down and has been criticized of persecuting opposition activists.

This past Sunday, Yevloyev was said to have been arrested under Zyazikov’s orders. It has been reported that Yevloyev was accidentally shot in the head on his way to the police station and died shortly thereafter. An investigation of the events leading to his death has been launched.

Unfortunately, something many of us might take for granted (the freedom of speech) is not something that everyone can enjoy in Russia. But the following question does come to mind: Does free speech really exist, or is it something that we are made to believe we have?

Photo credits: Ingushetiya