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Vatileaks journalists cleared as PR consultant and priest found guilty
A Vatican court has convicted a priest and a PR executive over their roles in leaking secret documents to two journalists, eight months after the Vatican launched its case into the “Vatileaks II” scandal. The court ruled it did not have jurisdiction over journalists Fittipaldi and Nuzzi, who received the leaked documents on Italian rather than Vatican soil. THE GUARDIAN

UN declares online freedom to be a human right that must be protected
The United Nations Human Rights Council has passed a non-binding resolution for the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet. The UN condemns countries that intentionally block Internet access as a violation of human rights.
AUSTRALIA NETWORK NEWS

Youngest detainee in Chinese lawyer crackdown released on bail
Zhao Wei, a legal assistant and the youngest detainee in China’s crackdown on lawyers last July, has been released on bail almost a year after she was taken away by authorities. However, charges against Zhao were not disclosed. Zhao was working for human rights lawyer Li Heping when she was taken away on July 10, 2015. HONG KONG FREE PRESS

Privacy Shield data pact gets European approval
The Privacy Shield pact states that data stored in the US about EU citizens must be given “equivalent” protection by law to what it would receive if stored in the EU. The agreement covers everything from personal information about employees to the detailed records of what people do online, which is often used to aid targeted advertising. BBC

China cracks down on news reports spread via social media
The Cyberspace Administration of China has judged multiple news reports to be based on false information spread through social media platforms. Citing these news reports as examples justifying new regulation, the agency said it would punish websites that publish “directly as news reports unverified content found on online platforms such as social media.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES

Activist files First Amendment lawsuit against city of Waukegan
Community activist Ralph Peterson, who has filed multiple complaints against the city of Waukegan for its policies on public comments during City Council meetings, is suing the city and Mayor Wayne Motley for alleged violations of his First Amendment rights.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE