Speaking out in Nepal

When Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked his country's government and declared a state of emergency in early February, press freedom immediately suffered. We now learn from the Committee to Protect Bloggers that a small group of bloggers in Kathmandu are fighting back and spreading the word of democracy. One was recently dubbed the "Salam Pax of Kathmandu", a reference to the trail-blazing resident of Baghdad who reported on his city's journey during the period before and after the US invasion of 2003.

The Committee blog focuses primarily on attempts by governments in the Middle East to restrict blogging access and voices other than the official line. They are, of course, fighting a battle they will never win.