How to hide ip: Two Bloggers Arrested in Saudi Arabia

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 03:25 AM PDT

This will not be a first time when we bring you a story about people being arrested for speaking up their mind over the internet. If you live in the Middle East countries, where freedom movements have begun few months ago, please remember (AT ALL TIMES) that you are never truly anonymous or invisible in the internet. At How to hide IP we are trying not only warn you about dangers of web browsing with original IP but also to tell you how it can be changed.

Unfortunately, today it will be the first case. As you may read at DigitalTrends (full article below), two bloggers were arrested in Saudi Arabia just because they have been involved in blogging about peaceful protests in their country. Some of you may think "I do blog, but I I do it on site/server located in a different (democratic) country, I am safe" – nothing further from the truth!!!

Let start at the beginning. As you know in recent months freedom movements in Libya, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and other countries of the region started to be visible. As you know fight for freedom and democracy is still underway in some of them. But some other countries fear their citizens and will do everything to prevent criticism of authorities. If you do live in one of those countries and if you blog or post political comments about situation in your own country do not ever do it under your own IP. Even if the server you are connected to is located in different country you will still raise suspicions as your ISP is probably in close cooperation with your “national security” authorities. Use VPN or TOR. In this case even free proxy servers might be not enough.

Whole story (by DT ):

Recent social media news in the Middle East involves the arrest of two bloggers as well as one human rights activist in Saudi Arabia. The arrests follow new stricter free speech laws issued by King Abdullah bin Abd al-'Aziz on April 29.

Fadhil Makki al-Manasif, the human rights activist, was arrested on May 1 for participating in demonstrations against the government. Al-Manasif also documented cases of human rights violations. More than 20 other demonstrators were arrested by Saudi authorities over the past week.

Bloggers Mustafa al-Badr Al Mubarak and Husain Kazim al-Hashim were arrested for violating the new laws by participating in and blogging about these peaceful protests.

A series of bans starting in 2011 have increasingly worked towards curtailing the Saudi subject's free speech and expression. In March, Prince Nayef bin Abd al-'Aziz and the Council of Senior Religious Scholars reiterated the outlawing of demonstrations.

On April 29, King Abdullah amended the Press and Publications Law which now prohibits anything that the authorities feel disturbs or compromises the country's security, public order or national interests. An article by Human Rights Watch also pointed out that the new restrictions prohibit anything that violates the "reputation, dignity or slander or libel" of religious and government authorities or institutions.

In the beginning of 2011, a decree extended the Press and Publications law to the Internet realm, making it illegal for anything not approved by the government to be published online. The monarchy seems to be doing its best to control all avenues where dissent may be expressed, perhaps with good reason seeing the power of social media in Egypt.

If you want to avoid similar faith please read our posts and articles about how to increase you safety and anonymity over the internet. Be aware that there is not 100% safe solution but some methods are better than others and doing nothing about it is the worst choice you can make.

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Two Bloggers Arrested in Saudi Arabia