PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

Azerbaijan urged to free investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova *PEN Case List
Sport for Rights, a coalition of international press freedom groups, has called for the reporter’s release along with that of other journalists and rights activists held in Azerbaijan’s jails. The coalition, which includes the Committee to Protect Journalists and the PEN American Center, has urged the Azerbaijani authorities to end their crackdown on the press, highlighting the case of award-winning Ismayilova, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years’ in prison at a closed trial. THE GUARDIAN

France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi
According to leaked documents seen by Le Monde, the French government is considering two new pieces of legislation: a ban on free and shared Wi-Fi connections during a state of emergency, and measures to block Tor being used inside France. The new bills could be presented to parliament as soon as January 2016 and were drafted presumably in response to the attacks in Paris last month where 130 people were murdered. ARS TECHNICA

South Korean gov’t reacts to foreign coverage of free speech record
The government is drawing international concern for allegedly putting pressure on foreign journalists who have published articles that are critical of President Park Geun-hye and her style of governance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently sought to discuss the content of articles published respectively by The Nation and The New York Times, an action seen by observers as being oversensitive to critical opinions about the President. KOREA TIMES

Serbia’s defense minister to fall over sexist insult to journalist
Serbia’s defense minister faced dismissal on Monday after remarking to a crouching female reporter, “I love these journalists who kneel so easily.” The comment by Bratislav Gasic was met with a storm of criticism in the Balkan country. The reporter’s employer said the comment was not just sexist but “made clear in what position journalists are personally acceptable to him…They are more acceptable when kneeling before the executive power.” REUTERS

Parents of slain journalist Steven Sotloff present UM student with scholarship
A scholarship in the name of Miami-Dade journalist Steven Sotloff has been presented to University of Miami student Carlen Dickerson. Sotloff’s parents presented the award Sunday at the Miami Dolphins football game against the Baltimore Ravens. The Sotloff family set up the scholarhip in September with a pledge of $125,000 in the memory of Steven Sotloff, who was slan by the Islamic State in September 2014. SUN SENTINEL

Japanese government cancels visit from UN free speech representative
David Kaye, UN’s global monitor of free expression, was due to visit Japan Dec. 1-8, but in mid-November, the Japanese government cancelled the trip. Kaye said he had planned to raise questions about the Act on Specially Designated Secrets, which the Human Rights Committee has stated “sets high criminal penalties that could generate a chilling effect on the activities of journalists and human rights defenders”. INDEX ON CENSORSHIP

Nigeria’s lawmakers set to pass bill which could gag citizens on social media
Nigeria’s senators and house representatives are not exactly a popular bunch. Widely criticized for their high salaries and luxurious lifestyles, Nigerians have a frosty relationship with their senators. That relationship could get even worse with the introduction of a bill which is seen as aiming to gag free speech on social media. QUARTZ

Commentary: Can Internet access go truly global?
As Facebook turns to drones, Google is pushing ahead with balloons in the quest to bring the Internet to everyone – but is it really going to work? Tech experts talk to Sophie Perry about the reaches of modern connectivity technology and the ways in which Internet use continues to evolve worldwide. THE GUARDIAN