IFEX Digest | 30 May - 5 June 2011

International

---

Special rapporteurs for free expression call for Internet speech rights (ARTICLE 19)

Deauville Declaration on the Internet fails to recognise importance of freedom of expression, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)
+ G8: New unjustified Internet restrictions would hamper free flow of information (ARTICLE 19)

Freedom House exposes world's worst human rights abusers (Freedom House)

Impunity plagues cases of slain journalists, says new CPJ index (CPJ)

Africa

---

Burkina Faso

Radio host suspended for attending opposition meeting (MFWA)

Eritrea

Thirty-three IFEX members condemn continued persecution of imprisoned journalists (NUSOJ)

Ethiopia

Ghanaian journalists prevented from covering African Union Summit (MFWA)

Guinea

RSF urges authorities to implement 2010 press laws (RSF)

Liberia

Lawmakers attack journalists (MFWA)

Namibia

Football association head assaults journalist (MISA)

Somalia

Thirty IFEX members sign letter to authorities regarding attacks against journalists (NUSOJ)

Sudan

Media freedom worsens steadily in south, old problems recur in north (RSF)
+ Reporter freed after being held for three weeks without valid reason (RSF)
+ As south split looms, abuses grow in Darfur (Human Rights Watch)

The Gambia

Court exonerates sports presenter in criminal suit (MFWA)

Uganda

ARTICLE 19 calls on East African Community to discuss Uganda's human rights record (ARTICLE 19)

Police storm printing press (HRNJ-Uganda)
+ Ggwanga newspaper closed after security forces raid (HRNJ-Uganda)

Americas

---

Bolivia

Electoral law change not enough, concern about draft broadcasting law (RSF)

Colombia

Journalist targeted by hired assassins (OLA)

Cuba

Six dissidents sentenced in summary trials (Human Rights Watch)

Dominican Republic

Judge jails TV host after defamation trial opens (RSF)
+ TV host released after six days, but trial continues (RSF)

Ecuador

Thirty-three IFEX members urge the state to stop all attacks and persecutions against journalists and the media (Fundamedios)

Mexico

Missing journalist found dead (CPJ)
+ Drug trafficker confesses to killing missing reporter (CPJ)
+ Police find body of Veracruz state reporter missing since March (RSF)
+ Body of disappeared journalist found (WiPC)

IAPA protests attack on paper, calls on authorities to ensure safety (IAPA)
+ Newspaper bombed (CPJ)

IAPA calls for renewed commitment to investigation into journalist's still unpunished murder (IAPA)

Peru

Photojournalist assaulted by party official; hospital guard attacks several journalists (IPYS)

Journalist threatened after criticising presidential candidate; Gana Perú party supporters assault reporters (IPYS)

United States

Congress fails to protect reader privacy again (PEN American Center)

Department of Justice asks reporter to betray source but spares one of its own whistleblowers (RSF)

Asia & Pacific

---

Burma

Thirty-seven IFEX members call attention to the plight of 17 journalists, bloggers and artists who remain detained in Burmese prisons (Mizzima News)

China

Human Rights Watch urges Facebook to safeguard users before entering Chinese market (Human Rights Watch)

Blanket bans cloak reports of deaths, protests and explosions (IFJ)
+ China must allow free reporting in Inner Mongolia (CPJ)

Thirty-three IFEX members express grave concern over restrictions on freedom of expression (IFJ)

Leading activist and editor Hada remains detained; fears for safety (WiPC)

Attacks on free expression at a level not seen since Beijing games, says IFJ report (IFJ)

Fiji

PFF calls on government to lift Public Emergency Regulations, allow media to report freely (PFF)
+ IFJ calls on government to fulfil promise to end emergency regulations (IFJ)
+ Serious concerns about attacks on free expression (WiPC)

Indonesia

Million-dollar defamation award to Suharto's son a setback for free expression, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)
+ In-flight magazine ordered to pay more than a million euros to former dictator's son (RSF)

Malaysia

NUJ president's resignation a step backward in media freedom, says CIJ (CIJ)

Mongolia

IFJ concerned by ongoing detention of editor (IFJ)

Nepal

Suspects in journalist's killing sentenced to life imprisonment (Freedom Forum)
+ Two people receive life sentences for murdering a journalist (IPI)
+ Journalist Birendra Sah's killers convicted (IFJ)
+ Journalist's killers sentenced to life (CPJ)

Freedom Forum condemns spate of attacks on the press (Freedom Forum)

Party supporters angered over press coverage, vandalise press vehicle (Freedom Forum)
+ Daily newspaper burnt (Freedom Forum)

Pakistan

Government urged to set up Shahzad judicial commission by 10 June (IFJ)
+ Government urged to set up independent inquiry into journalist's killing (Human Rights Watch)
+ IFJ looks forward to judicial commission report (IFJ)
+ Freedom Forum condemns journalist's murder (Freedom Forum)

Thirty-four IFEX members call for murder investigations (CPJ)
+ Organisations appeal for justice as Pakistan mourns (IFJ)
+ CPJ presses Pakistan to uphold impunity pledge (CPJ)

Body of missing journalist found with torture marks (PPF)
+ Urgent appeal to government to find missing journalist (IFJ)
+ Freedom House condemns journalist's murder (Freedom House)
+ Prominent journalist dies in targeted killing (CPJ)
+ "Asia Times" reporter found dead in car 48 hours after going missing (RSF)
+ Leading journalist and writer murdered (WiPC)
+ IFJ demands Pakistan bring journalist's killers to justice (IFJ)

Philippines

IFJ welcomes arraignment of key Ampatuan massacre suspects (IFJ)

Thirty-eight organisations call for freedom of expression and justice in the Ampatuan massacre trials (IFJ)

IFJ rejects dismissal of journalists' complaint (IFJ)

Radio station bombing linked to illegal numbers game (CMFR)

Singapore

Appeals court upholds ruling against government critic (Human Rights Watch)
+ Court rejects ailing British writer's appeal against six-week sentence (RSF)

Sri Lanka

Thirty-seven IFEX members urge authorities to accommodate visit of UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression (IFJ)

Vanuatu

Progress in journalist assault case (IFJ)

Europe & Central Asia

---

IPI calls for respect for public broadcasters in south, central and east Europe (IPI)

Azerbaijan

False Eynulla Fatullayev profiles posted on Facebook (IRFS)

Student journalist's appeal rejected (IRFS)

Belarus

Russian journalist deported and banned from reentering country (CPJ)

Georgia

At least a dozen journalists attacked by police dispersing protesters (RSF)
+ Police used excessive force on peaceful protests (Human Rights Watch)
+ ARTICLE 19 calls on president to condemn attack on journalists (ARTICLE 19)
+ Journalists attacked during police crack down on opposition demonstrations (WiPC)

Moldova

Transport minister files lawsuit against two media outlets (Independent Journalism Center)

Russia

Suspected gunman indicted in Anna Politkovskaya's murder (CPJ)

Court suspends private weekly's printing house for 90 days (WAN-IFRA)

"Chernovik" journalists cleared of charges of extremism (GDF)

Turkey

Journalist sentenced to 20 months under anti-terror law (BIANET)

Uzbekistan

Activist fined, ordered to apologise to community organisation (CJES)

Middle East & North Africa

---

Human rights organisations call on UN to urgently address killings of pro-democracy protestors (CIHRS)

Bahrain

France 24 correspondent tortured for covering pro-democracy demonstrations (RSF)

Thirty IFEX members protest travel ban on Nabeel Rajab and other threats to BCHR (Maharat Foundation)

Internet "the biggest victim" in authorities' war on freedom, says ANHRI (ANHRI)

BCHR report outlines misinformation campaign waged by the Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BCHR)

Egypt

Journalists, judges under martial investigation for criticising military council (ANHRI)
+ Military harasses critical journalists (CPJ)
+ EOHR welcomes release of journalists (EOHR)
+ EOHR calls for respect of judges' right to free expression (EOHR)
+ Military rulers urged to allow freedom of expression (RSF)
+ Two more journalists to be tried by court martial over story about army (RSF)

Iraq

Protest organisers beaten, detained (Human Rights Watch)
+ Iraqi authorities raid headquarters of Ayna Hakke organisation (ANHRI)
+ Government urged to ensure journalists are free to cover 10 June demonstrations (RSF)

Israel

MADA delegation visits wounded journalist (MADA)

Middle East

Attacks on journalists and the media in Iraq and Yemen, two bloggers freed in Saudi Arabia (RSF)

Saudi Arabia

Authorities block online forum expressing support for detained activist (ANHRI)

Syria

Information blockade shields crimes against humanity, says Human Rights Watch report (Human Rights Watch)

Yemen

Security forces storm Al Horriya Square, killing at least 20 demonstrators (ANHRI)
+ Other states should freeze officials' assets (Human Rights Watch)