The BBC, the UK’s international broadcaster, is planning a season of hard-hitting investigative programmes from around the world asking what freedom looks like today.

The programmes will run on the BBC World Service in English as well as its language services, together with TV and online, beginning on January 25.

Peter Horrocks, Director of BBC Global News said: “The BBC is a champion of media freedom; has long been a symbol of freedom, as the sole provider of impartial and balanced news reporting in many countries.”

“So I’m delighted to announce Global News’ Freedom2014 season, in which the BBC will explore what freedom means to people around the world. We are uniquely placed to explore this theme, drawing on the expertise of our journalists around the world to give local knowledge and context to powerful investigative journalism.”

Freedom2014 kicks off with the documentary Thailand’s Slave Fishermen on both radio and tv.

Becky Palmstrom investigates the forced enslavement of Burmese and Cambodian men on Thai fishing boats.

On January 26, programmes will be asking to what extent we can or should be free from government intrusion, as technological change makes every aspect of our lives easier to monitor and record.

A day of programming on television and radio will look at how government intelligence agencies spy on their allies and millions of ordinary citizens around the world.

The programmes will report on what individuals can do to keep their personal information secure.

James Stephenson, Head of News at BBC World News said: “Edward Snowden revealed the extent of surveillance by the US National Security Agency. We will look at the implications for citizens around the world of an age of digital data and digital surveillance.”

As part of the season, the BBC will be calling on its worldwide audience to submit their own images of freedom. Details on how to submit images can be found online at bbc.co.uk/freedom2014 from January 29.

Over the coming months there will be a wide variety of programmes commissioned as part of the Freedom2014 season, produced by journalists from across the World Service’s 27 Language services.