IFEX Digest |13 - 19 December 2010

International

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Australian media support WikiLeaks (Media Alliance)
+ Australian journalists condemn attacks on WikiLeaks (IFJ)

WikiLeaks and internet companies (ARTICLE 19)

RSF Press Freedom Prize goes to Iranian journalist and Somali radio station (RSF)
+ Radio Shabelle wins prestigious Press Freedom Prize (NUSOJ)

Africa

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Angola

New state security law restricts freedom of expression, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)

Burkina Faso

Call to combat impunity on 12th anniversary of journalist's murder (RSF)

Burundi

CPJ meets with jailed journalist, calls for his release (CPJ)

Sierra Leone

Minister orders arrest of several newspaper journalists (MFWA)

Justice for journalists attacked at opposition party conference (MFWA)

Swaziland

Criminal defamation case against "Nation" magazine, editor postponed (MISA)
+ Application against "Nation" magazine dismissed (MISA)

The Gambia

Editor tortured under dictatorship of President Jammeh wins case at ECOWAS Court (MFWA)
+ ECOWAS court orders Gambia to compensate tortured journalist (CPJ)
+ ECOWAS court adjourns hearing on Gambian government request for review of two landmark judgements (MFWA)
+ ECOWAS Court orders Gambia to pay compensation to tortured newspaper editor (MFWA)

Americas

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IAPA welcomes support for naming 2011 Freedom of Expression Year (IAPA)
+ Latin American organisations join in "Freedom of Expression Year" (IAPA)
+ IPI supports resolution naming 2011 "The Year of Freedom of Expression in the Western Hemisphere" (IPI)

Colombia

Journalists assaulted, threatened in Pereira, Risaralda (FLIP)

Journalist threatened in Sabana de Torres, Santander (FLIP)

Cuba

Like Nobel ceremony, Sakharov Prize ceremony has empty chair (RSF)

Ecuador

Radio station arbitrarily closed down after 53 years (Fundamedios)

Haiti

RSF urges supporters of political factions to refrain from turning media into hostages (RSF)

Peru

IAPA deplores court ruling against press freedom (IAPA)

Journalists attacked in Chiclayo (IPYS)

Mayoral candidate threatens journalist (IPYS)

United States

Media Alliance condemns WikiLeaks backlash (Media Alliance)

Venezuela

NGO director attacked, threatened (IPYS-Venezuela)
+ Free speech defender assaulted in parliament as more gag laws are voted on (RSF)

Media reforms would be a blow to freedom of expression (CPJ)
+ Vaguely worded bill will tighten controls on broadcast media, extend them to Internet (RSF)
+ Several bills presented for voting this week pose serious threat to human rights (ARTICLE 19)

Asia & Pacific

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China

Police witness assault on journalists, refuse to investigate (IFJ)

Media group bans journalists from speaking of Xiaobo case (IFJ)
+ News of Nobel ceremony censored (CPJ)

India

Embarrassing moments for the media (IPI)

Mongolia

Newspaper and journalist face legal action over publication of human trafficking allegations (Globe International)
+ Investigative reporter faces criminal charges in Mongolia (IFJ)
+ Journalist's trial date set (Globe International)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses Eagle TV of broadcasting inaccurate comments (Globe International)

Pakistan

Authorities must act to stop Balochistan murders, says IFJ (IFJ)
+ Respected journalist gunned down in Balochistan (RSF)

Papua New Guinea

PFF calls on government officials to reinstate senior news editor, let media do its work (PFF)
+ Public media must be free of government pressure (RSF)
+ State broadcaster suspends senior editor (IFJ)

Philippines

Massacre victim's family watched by unknown men (IFJ)

Sri Lanka

Journalists injured in attack on political leader in Sri Lanka (IFJ)

Thailand

Government urged to respect netizens' rights (SEAPA)

Reuters reports government finds military involved in journalist death (CPJ)

Tibet (China)

Jailed filmmaker's wife appeals for his release (RSF)

Tonga

Government and media must support complaints process, says PFF after shutdown of radio station (PFF)

Europe & Central Asia

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Political cartoonist wins SEEMO Human Rights Award 2010 (IPI)

Azerbaijan

No progress on freedom of expression, says IRFS (IRFS)

Opposition journalist attacked (GDF)

Belarus

Journalists, media outlets harassed in run-up to presidential vote (CPJ)

Hungary

Media law fuels international concern (WAN-IFRA)

Proposed media law would threaten freedom (Freedom House)

Russia

Court overturns journalist's defamation conviction (CPJ)

Tajikistan

Independent journalist arrested on defamation, insult charges (CPJ)

Turkey

"Taraf" newspaper contributor on trial for interviewing leader of refugee group (BIANET)

Writer sentenced to 10 months in prison (BIANET)

Two newspaper editors on trial (BIANET)

NTV reprimanded for “surreptitious advertising” (BIANET)

Middle East & North Africa

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Egypt

Palestinian filmmaker arrested just prior to debut of his film on situation in Gaza (ANHRI)

Grim day of violent attacks on the media in second round of polling (RSF)

Iran

Authorities jail seven journalists, sentence another, send Blogfather back to prison (CPJ)

Iraq

Journalist killed, media prevented from working (RSF)
+ Car bomb kills journalist, injures second; another denied access (CPJ)

Jordan

Former parliamentary candidate arrested, detained for peaceful expression (Human Rights Watch)

Kuwait

Local Al Jazeera office shut down (ANHRI)
+ Government closes Al Jazeera's Kuwait City bureau (RSF)
+ CPJ condemns closure of Al-Jazeera's office in Kuwait (CPJ)
+ Revoke order shutting down Al-Jazeera (Human Rights Watch)
+ IFJ condemns 'red herring' claim for closure of Al Jazeera in Kuwait (IFJ)

Lebanon

Five years after journalist's assassination, no progress made in investigation (Maharat Foundation)

Newspaper website hacked after posting WikiLeaks documents (Maharat Foundation)

Saudi Arabia

ANHRI denounces detention of journalist over opinion piece (ANHRI)

Tunisia

Taoufik Ben Brik's son harassed and threatened by police officers (RSF)

After running leaked cables, websites face harassment (CPJ)

Awards

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RSF Press Freedom Prize goes to Iranian journalist and Somali radio station (RSF)
+ Radio Shabelle wins prestigious Press Freedom Prize (NUSOJ)

Political cartoonist wins SEEMO Human Rights Award 2010 (IPI)