IFEX Digest | 4 - 10 April 2011

International

---

Writers hail UN accord ending push to ban blasphemy (PEN American Center)

Africa

---

Benin

RFI programme about president's reelection mysteriously disrupted (RSF)

Cameroon

Reporter detained after questioning arrests (CPJ)

Côte d'Ivoire

RTI reportedly broadcasting from mobile truck (RSF)
+ Held by pro-Gbagbo forces, RTI urges supporters to protect presidential palace (RSF)

Gbagbo camp to block access to independent and opposition websites (RSF)

Violence, terror and lack of information - initial evaluation of battle for Abidjan's impact on media (RSF)

Djibouti

Government urged to end systematic crackdown on critics, allow peaceful protests (Human Rights Watch)

Ethiopia

Following mass arrests of ethnic Oromo opposition members, concerns raised that Anti-Terrorism Law may be used to suppress legitimate criticism of government policy (Human Rights Watch)

Liberia

Sports journalist assaulted by police (CEMESP)

Newspaper alarmed over arson threats (CEMESP)

Malawi

ARTICLE 19 calls for review of penal code amendment (ARTICLE 19)
+ Chief justice postpones hearing of Section 46 case (MISA)

Rwanda

ARTICLE 19 calls for improvement of law on protection of whistleblowers (ARTICLE 19)

Somalia

Private newspaper bombed, radio journalist wounded (NUSOJ)

Two journalists freed in Mogadishu, two others still held in north (RSF)
+ Radio journalists released, who was behind their arrest? (NUSOJ)

NUSOJ blames transitional government for brutal suppression of independent journalism following "illegal" detention of two senior journalists (NUSOJ)

Sudan

Government of Southern Sudan seizes "Juba Post" copies (CPJ)

The Gambia

National Assembly security discriminates against private media (MFWA)

Uganda

District commissioner threatens to file lawsuit against two journalists (HRNJ-Uganda)

"New Vision" photo journalist persecuted (HRNJ-Uganda)

Americas

---

IAPA president and McCormick Foundation receive press freedom awards (IAPA) Argentine songwriter wins IAPA anti-impunity song contest (IAPA)
+ IAPA posts virtual CD of song contest finalists on its website (IAPA)

Colombia

Paramilitaries threaten 11 journalists and indigenous radio stations (RSF)

Ecuador

Amazon-based radio station closed by police (Fundamedios)
+ CPJ condemns closure of provincial radio station (CPJ)
+ Local media, unions and associations reject radio station's closure in Amazon region (Fundamedios)

IAPA assails "abusive attitude" of President Correa (IAPA)

Government dedicates second "cadena" to discrediting investigative journalists (Fundamedios)

Honduras

Joint appeal for end to persecution of community and opposition media (AMARC)

Journalist grazed by bullet during dispersal of demonstrators (C-Libre)
+ CPJ alarmed by wave of anti-press attacks (CPJ)

Mexico

Newspaper pressured to fire two journalists in exchange for government advertising contract (CENCOS)

Venezuela

Presidential decree grants vice-president additional powers over radio and television frequencies (IPYS-Venezuela)

CONATEL shuts down radio station, seizes its equipment (IPYS-Venezuela)

Asia & Pacific

---

Bangladesh

Authorities continue to harass opposition newspaper editor (RSF)

Cambodia

Authorities urged to withdraw flawed draft NGO and association law (Human Rights Watch)
+ Restrictive draft NGO law an urgent cause for concern (ARTICLE 19)

China

Two radio station operators to be tried for broadcasting to China (RSF)
+ Two citizen journalists facing jail sentences for operating pirate radio (RSF)

Crackdown broadens as outspoken artist feared detained in Beijing (CPJ)
+ Artist Ai Weiwei arrested at Beijing airport, held incommunicado (RSF)
+ Release artist and critic Ai Weiwei (Human Rights Watch)
+ European Parliament must speak out on abuses (CPJ)

Malaysia

Freedom of information law a breakthrough amid culture of secrecy (CIJ)

Nepal

Journalists subjected to abuse, death threats over reporting (Freedom Forum)

Pakistan

Journalist gunned down in Karachi (CPJ)
+ Fourteen journalists murdered in 13 months (RSF)

Television network claims its sports channel banned by media regulatory authority (PPF)

Philippines

Five hundred days since massacre, it's time for Aquino to act, say Philippine and international organisations (IFJ)

Vanuatu

PFF welcomes rule of law in publisher assault (PFF)
+ Minister to face court in publisher assault case (IFJ)
+ Government urged to resolve lengthy delay in publisher assault case (PFF)
+ Progress in journalist assault case (IFJ)

Vietnam

Two radio station operators to be tried for broadcasting to China (RSF)
+ Two citizen journalists facing jail sentences for operating pirate radio (RSF)

Conviction of human rights activist violates right to free expression, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)
+ Prominent activist sentenced (WiPC)
+ Ensure fair hearing for legal scholar, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)

Europe & Central Asia

---

Azerbaijan

In latest escalation of crackdown, opposition journalists are now being abducted and beaten (RSF)
+ Another Azadlyg reporter attacked in Baku (CPJ)
+ Criminal case against Elnur Majidli suspended (IRFS)

Activists jailed ahead of protest (Human Rights Watch)

Journalists assaulted, rights defenders harassed by police while covering opposition protests (IRFS)
+ Activists jailed ahead of planned protest (Human Rights Watch)
+ Journalist injured in attack by police (IRFS)

Cyprus

IFJ condemns brutal attack against journalist in northern Cyprus (IFJ)

Kazakhstan

Publisher goes missing days after attack (CPJ)

Russia

Rights activist arbitrarily detained (Human Rights Watch)

Serbia

Public official threatens to file lawsuit against Novi Sad-based radio station (ANEM)

Turkey

Courts continue to hound journalists who cover Kurdish minority issues (RSF)

OSCE report finds Turkey is holding 57 journalists in prison (IPI)

Turkmenistan

Activist confined to psychiatric hospital for talking to radio station (RSF)

Middle East & North Africa

---

Journalist missing in Libya; another killed in Iraq; arrests in Yemen, Syria (CPJ)
+ Journalist abducted from Baghdad's Rusafa prison (RSF)
+ Libya detains 4 more international journalists (CPJ)
+ TV station director gunned down in Iraq (RSF)
+ More arrests and disappearances in Libya and Syria, threats in Jordan and UAE (RSF)
+ IFJ raises concerns over arrest of journalist amid media clampdown in Syria (IFJ)
+ Release detained journalists (Human Rights Watch) Journalists to be expelled from Libya; two deported from Bahrain (CPJ)
+ ANHRI condemns assault on critical journalist (ANHRI)
+ Journalist arrested in Tripoli (RSF)
+ Gaddafi regime deports foreign journalists who had been invited to Tripoli (RSF) Attacks continue in Libya, Iraq and Yemen (CPJ)
+ Journalists detained in Libya, Syria, Yemen; 1 dead in Iraq (CPJ)
+ Iraqi provincial police spokesman arrested for criticising government as journalist (RSF)
+ ANHRI condemns targeting of Internet activists in Bahrain, restrictions on freedom of expression (ANHRI)
+ ANHRI condemns closure of "alWasat" newspaper, expulsion of academics and administrators from Bahrain university (ANHRI) Bahraini and Syrian authorities try to impose news blackout (RSF)

Bahrain

State of fear prevails with arbitrary detentions, pre-dawn raids (Human Rights Watch)

Egypt

Blogger brought before military court over critical commentary (ANHRI)
+ Drop charges against blogger critical of military (Human Rights Watch)
+ CJFE expresses concern over arrest of blogger and activist (CJFE)

Iraq

More attacks on journalists covering demonstrations, TV cameraman missing in Iraqi Kurdistan (RSF)

Jordan

Al-Jazeera staff threatened in Jordan; journalists detained and released in Syria (CPJ)

Lebanon

Protesters attack journalists, smash their equipment (SKeyes)

Libya

Rebels should open books on oil sales (Human Rights Watch)

Morocco

Authorities urged to restore accreditation to Al Jazeera (Human Rights Watch)

Oman

Three poets detained amid crackdown on protesters (ANHRI)

Palestine

Journalists covering march attacked by security forces (MADA)
+ Journalists attacked covering peaceful protests (CPJ)

Free expression coalition meets with director of government media center (MADA)

Journalist Al-Titi’s trial postponed (MADA)

Human Rights Watch report documents rise in attacks, detentions of journalists in West Bank and Gaza (Human Rights Watch)

Syria

Al-Jazeera staff threatened in Jordan; journalists detained and released in Syria (CPJ)

Stop shooting protesters (Human Rights Watch)

Yemen

Stop shooting protesters (Human Rights Watch)