IFEX Digest | 21 - 27 March 2011

International

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ARTICLE 19 highlights importance of freedom of expression and free flow of information in right to water agenda (ARTICLE 19)

ARTICLE 19 and CIHRS urge Human Rights Council to support resolution on religious discrimination (ARTICLE 19)

Africa

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Burkina Faso

Mob prevents state TV journalists from covering labour meeting (MFWA)

Angry university students attack state TV crew (MFWA)

Cameroon

Editor charged with criminal libel (CPJ)

Government blocks Twitter via SMS service (RSF)

Côte d'Ivoire

Clampdown on pro-Ouattara newspapers intensifies; journalists targeted by pro-Gbagbo forces (MFWA)

Ethiopia

Newspapers and journalists face threats and legal pressure (RSF)

Liberia

Monrovia mayor threatens CEMESP with libel suit (CEMESP)

Somalia

Radio journalist detained in Puntland (NUSOJ)

TV journalists targeted by Somaliland troops (NUSOJ)

Sudan

Security forces hound journalists who cover their abuses (RSF)

Togo

Media outlets protest to demand reopening of three radio stations (MFWA)

Uganda

Journalist detained for 48 hours after exposing wave of break-ins (HRNJ-Uganda)

HRNJ-Uganda flags government failure to honour free expression commitments in advance of UPR (HRNJ-Uganda)

CPJ condemns police attack at Jinja protest (CPJ)

Zimbabwe

Editors removed from remand (MISA)

Americas

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Brazil

Critical blogger shot in Rio (CPJ)
+ Shooting attack on outspoken Rio blogger, reprisal suspected (RSF)
+ Police confirm that attack on blogger was a homicide attempt (ABRAJI)

Colombia

New e-mail threat against journalists' association and four reporters (FLIP)
+ Black Eagles step up threats against journalists and NGOs, authorities slow to react (RSF)

Ecuador

President files US$10 million lawsuit against two investigative journalists (Fundamedios)
+ Government dedicates second "cadena" to discrediting investigative journalists (Fundamedios)

Honduras

Journalists attacked by National Police officers in separate incidents (C-Libre)
+ New spate of threats and attacks on journalists: "The coup d’état's original goals are still being pursued" (RSF)
+ Probe charges of police brutality (Human Rights Watch)

IFEX-ALC intervention during the review of the Honduras UPR report by the United Nations Human Rights Council (IFEX-ALC)

Community radio correspondent receives death threat (C-Libre)

Community radio director shot; staff threatened (CPJ)

Mexico

AMARC condemns policy of targeting radio stations (AMARC)

CJFE urges US authorities to grant Mexican journalist political asylum (CJFE)

United States

Court rules NSA surveillance suit brought by PEN, partners can proceed (PEN American Center)
+ PEN heading to Supreme Court in warrantless surveillance case (PEN American Center)

CJFE urges US authorities to grant Mexican journalist political asylum (CJFE)

Venezuela

Distribution of weekly newspaper prohibited in municipality of San Fernando (IPYS-Venezuela)

Asia & Pacific

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India

Journalists' free movement restricted in Chhattisgarh state (IFJ)

Indonesia

SEAPA condemns violence against human rights advocates (SEAPA)

Malaysia

Authorities urged to withdraw reprimand to newspaper, repeal Printing Presses and Publications Act (CIJ)

Nepal

Journalist threatened, harassed at construction site (Freedom Forum)

Pakistan

Journalist abducted for four hours (PPF)
+ IFJ condemns abduction of senior union official (IFJ)
+ Journalist abducted, released in Karachi (CPJ)
+ Kidnapped journalist accuses secret service agents (RSF)

Philippines

Broadcaster shot dead in capital (CMFR)
+ On notorious anniversary, journalist shot (CPJ)
+ Authorities urged to act on radio anchor's death (IFJ)

Tibet (China)

Authorities censor Tibetan websites (CPJ)

Europe & Central Asia

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ARTICLE 19 urges Council of Europe to ensure free expression in search engines and social networks (ARTICLE 19)

Azerbaijan

CPJ concerned about Fatullayev's safety, calls for his release (CPJ)

Turkey

Appeals against journalists' detention rejected (BIANET)
+ Courts refuse to back down, so journalists to remain in prison pending trial (RSF)
+ Two journalists complete 100th day in prison (RSF)
+ Indictment for detained journalists Sık and Sener (BIANET)
+ Investigative journalists complete six months in detention on terrorism charges (RSF)
+ Journalists being tried in Oda TV case (BIANET)
+ Journalists mark Sik and Sener's 200th day in prison (BIANET)

Ukraine

Former president indicted in journalist's murder (CPJ)
+ Former president to be investigated in connection with journalist's murder (RSF)
+ Time for justice says IFJ as former president faces media murder probe (IFJ)
+ Authoritites to investigate Kuchma in Gongadze murder (CPJ)

Middle East & North Africa

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Journalists targeted by governments desperate to control news coverage of unrest (RSF)
+ Internet service licences revoked, 2 Connect owner arrested for participating in peaceful protests (ANHRI) Al-Jazeera office raided in Sana'a; anti-press attacks in Libya, Syria, Bahrain (CPJ) Thousands demonstrate peacefully (Human Rights Watch)

Bahrain

Security personnel incite violence against journalists, opposition figures (BCHR)

New arrests target rights activists, doctors who criticised government (Human Rights Watch)

Islamic scholar urged to abandon sectarian rhetoric, tolerance of oppressive regimes (ANHRI)

Egypt

Students at Cairo University calling for dean's resignation attacked by his supporters (ANHRI)

Human rights organisations comment on newspaper interview with military police commander (ANHRI)

Complaint submitted to health minister over mistreatment of detainees (ANHRI)

Libya

Four journalists detained, three missing, another killed (CPJ)
+ Second journalist killed in uprising (IPI)
+ AFP confirms that three foreign journalists were arrested near Ajdabiya (RSF)
+ "New York Times" reporters freed in Libya; 13 still missing, detained (CPJ)
+ IFJ condemns second killing of journalist as media crisis mounts (IFJ)
+ Free detained journalists (Human Rights Watch)
+ African rights court issues first ruling against a state (Human Rights Watch)

Palestine

Hamas attacks Gaza news bureaus; Yemen ousts reporters (CPJ)
+ Two journalists killed, many missing, arrested or deported - list of media freedom violations gets longer (RSF)
+ IFJ condemns media crackdown by Hamas in Gaza (IFJ)

MADA condemns free expression violations perpetrated by security force personnel in Gaza (MADA)
+ Stop suppressing peaceful protests, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)

The Defending Freedom of Expression Coalition accepts new members and condemns attacks against journalists in Gaza (MADA)

MADA receive delegation of youth from Arab Media Forum (MADA)

Ministry of Information holds workshop to discuss MADA's annual report (MADA)

Syria

IPI alarmed at reports of bloggers, journalists detained (IPI)
+ Authorities impose news blackout on crackdown in Deraa (RSF)

Security forces kill dozens of protesters; activists and journalists detained (Human Rights Watch)
+ Head of media monitoring centre arrested in Damascus (RSF)
+ African Union: press Libya to obey African Court's order (Human Rights Watch)

Government crackdown leads to protester deaths (Human Rights Watch)
+ Violence escalates in wake of ongoing demonstrations (Freedom House)

Tunisia

Opening up of free expression (CJFE)

Yemen

Authorities shut Al-Jazeera offices; journalists beaten, threatened (CPJ)
+ Emergency law does not trump basic rights, Human Rights Watch says (Human Rights Watch)

Hamas attacks Gaza news bureaus; Yemen ousts reporters (CPJ)
+ Two journalists killed, many missing, arrested or deported - list of media freedom violations gets longer (RSF)
+ IFJ condemns media crackdown by Hamas in Gaza (IFJ)

US: Suspend military aid to Yemen (Human Rights Watch)

More harassment of journalists covering pro-democracy demonstrations, one killed in Yemen (RSF)

IFJ blames state violence over killing of journalist (IFJ)