CH.FILM

Forbidden Voices Switzerland 2012 – 99min.

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Forbidden Voices

Valérie Lobsiger
Movie Rating: Valérie Lobsiger

In Cuba, Iran and China, women bloggers denounce their government's repression to fight for human rights.

In Cuba, the “ladies in white” carry gladiolas as they demonstrate peacefully to demand freedom for political prisoners. As a consequence, they are often beaten to death. The same scenes of violence are found in Iran and China. Brutalized by Cuban police in February, Yoani Sanchez is slowly recovering and continues to blog despite being terrified, hoping the 14 millions monthly visitors to her site will protect her. In Iran, cyber-feminist Farnaz Seifi called on women to take to the streets and had to flee the country, aided by a journalist from Reporters Without Borders. In China, Zeng Jinyan is under house arrest and her husband sentenced to 30 years prison, because she passes on information on her blog. Her computer has been confiscated, her blog shut down and she has been cut off from contact with the outside world. Meanwhile, 30,000 to 40,000 cyber-policemen guard the electronic Great Wall of China...

While in Europe freedom of expression is often taken for granted, great numbers of people are dying around the world for daring to speak out. These bloggers are courageous in their insistence on telling the truth, as they refuse to be intimidated by violence and make a difference with their perseverance: Yoani Sanchez has managed to have 52 political prisoners freed. Proof the internet is also a magnificent instrument of progress, democracy and justice.

15.03.2021

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