IFEX Digest | 20 - 26 June 2011

International

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IPI commemorates World Refugee Day 2011, journalists talk about life in exile

IPI's Israeli-Palestinian journalists' forum opens with dialogue award at Vienna dinner (IPI)

Imminent danger drives journalists into exile (CPJ)

World Refugee Day: Forced to flee but not silenced, exiled media fight on (RSF)

Africa

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Angola

Army generals launch lawsuit against editor (MISA)

Democratic Republic of Congo

Opposition journalist suffers machete attack (JED)

Journalist gunned down steps away from his home (JED)
+ Community radio journalist gunned down in eastern town (RSF)
+ Journalist murdered (CPJ)

Private television network raided by militia members linked to provincial governor (JED)

Equatorial Guinea

Authorities delete German TV crew's footage (CPJ)
+ Abuses ahead of AU summit (Human Rights Watch)
+ "We won't go to Malabo", says RSF (RSF)

Ethiopia

EFJA urges China to stop complicity in jamming Ethiopian satellite TV transmissions (EFJA)

Ghana

Authorities release seized movies (MFWA)

Guinea

Newspaper suspended for criticising the country's ombudsman (MFWA)

Kenya

Hospital staff said to attack journalist (CPJ)

Lesotho

Local company demands newspaper to reveal sources (MISA)

Liberia

Speaker regrets having ordered seizure of journalists' cameras (CEMESP)

Mauritania

ANHRI condemns blocking of newspaper's website after UAE intervention (ANHRI)

Namibia

Reporter fined for alleged biased reporting (MISA)

MISA calls on the transformation of the NBC to public service broadcaster (MISA)

Senegal

Parliament commits to passing information law (ARTICLE 19)

Sierra Leone

Police arrest two suspects in murder of newspaper journalist (MFWA)
+ Suspect arrested in murder of journalist Ibrahim Foday (RSF)

Newspaper editor attacked by ruling party militants (MFWA)

Editor prevented from covering hearing (MFWA)

South Africa

Concerns mount about parliament's rush to pass Protection of Information Bill (MISA)

Sudan

More journalists hounded, prosecuted for covering human rights violations (RSF)

The Gambia

Missing former minister found, treason charges laid against him and three others (MFWA)

Zambia

Journalists thrown out of soccer stadium (MISA)

Zimbabwe

Newspaper offices ransacked (MISA)
+ Break-in at newspaper targets photos (CPJ)

Americas

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International press organisations concerned at deterioration of fundamental freedoms (IAPA)

Brazil

Supreme Court defends right to freedom of expression (ARTICLE 19)

IAPA concerned over Senate actions that could slow or result in the shelving of access to public information bill (IAPA)
+ Access to information bill at risk (ARTICLE 19)

Ecuador

President requests more than 150 reports about directors and feature writer in connection with lawsuit against newspaper (Fundamedios)

Mexico

Journalist and his family killed in Veracruz (ARTICLE 19)
+ Renowned journalist and family killed (IPI)
+ Prominent columnist, wife, son shot to death (CPJ)
+ IAPA outraged at murder of journalist and his family (IAPA)
+ Two columnists murdered; one editor missing (WiPC)
+ Veracruz journalist shot dead in home with wife and son (RSF)
+ Killing of journalists raises international concern (WAN-IFRA)

Peru

University students attack and threaten journalist (IPYS)

United States

State of Florida urged to reconsider media restriction measure (RSF)

Venezuela

Regional newspaper journalists threatened and assaulted (IPYS-Venezuela)

Armed youngsters attack and threaten journalists (IPYS-Venezuela)

Television station taken off the air, radio programme cancelled allegedly on mayor's orders (IPYS-Venezuela)

Asia & Pacific

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Cambodia

CCHR releases report on ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression (CCHR)

China

Amid prison releases, journalist's sentence extended (CPJ)
+ Investigative journalist jailed twice on identical charges (IFJ)
+ Investigative journalist sentenced to additional eight years in prison (IPI)
+ Journalist sentenced to a further eight years (WiPC)

Journalists and Internet users face retribution (IFJ)

Reports of Health Ministry media blacklist create concerns among journalists (IFJ)
+ Authorities dismiss media blacklist fears after international outcry (IFJ)

Censorship risks fueling public unrest, says IFJ (IFJ)

Ai Weiwei released from detention in Beijing (PEN American Center)
+ Dissident artist Ai Weiwei released conditionally after three months incommunicado (RSF)
+ Artist Ai Weiwei released, questions remain (CPJ)
+ Ai Weiwei case reflects disregard for rule of law, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)
+ Ai Weiwei released but journalist and associates still missing (IFJ)
+ Ai Weiwei released, but colleagues remain detained (ARTICLE 19)

EFJA urges China to stop complicity in jamming Ethiopian satellite TV transmissions (EFJA)

Don't subject activist to house arrest (Human Rights Watch)

Authorities step up harassment of Zeng Jinyan ahead of husband's release (RSF)

Malaysia

Blogger on migrant workers' treatment faces company's defamation claim (Human Rights Watch)
+ Charles Hector defamation case cause for concern (ARTICLE 19)

Mongolia

ARTICLE 19 welcomes adoption of freedom of information law (ARTICLE 19)
+ Parliament passes law on information, transparency, right and freedom to access information (Globe International)

Detention of editor continues as FOI Law passed (IFJ)

Nepal

Police raid radio station in search for journalist's attacker (Freedom Forum)

Pakistan

Camera operator detained and assaulted by police in Lahore (PPF)

Journalist arrested, threatened by police in Quetta (PPF)

"Guardian" journalist assaulted by police (PPF)
+ Reporter beaten for reporting on earlier attack (CPJ)
+ Another assault on journalist condemned (IFJ)

Union wins government backing for murder inquiry (IFJ)
+ IFJ backs journalists in rejecting terms for murder inquiry (IFJ)
+ Supreme Court approves inquiry into Shahzad's murder (IFJ)
+ Intelligence agency gives evidence to Shahzad inquiry (IFJ)

Injured journalist dies of blast wounds (PPF)
+ IFJ mourns death of young reporter (IFJ)
+ Wounded journalist succumbs to burn injuries (CPJ)
+ Young reporter dies from bomb injuries, media hounded throughout country (RSF)

Philippines

Supreme Court allows live coverage of Ampatuan massacre trial (CMFR)
+ IFJ welcomes ruling on coverage of Philippines massacre trials (IFJ)

Murder complaint against two former governors, four others dismissed (CMFR)
+ Court asked to reconsider case dismissal against accused in journalist's murder (CMFR)

Sri Lanka

Tamil journalist bound, shot, during civil war (CPJ)

Online news portals temporarily blocked (IFJ)

Taiwan

RSF hails TV satellite operator's decision to continue broadcasting NTD-AP (RSF)

Vietnam

Press decree part of crackdown on freedom of expression, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)

Europe & Central Asia

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

Group of journalists threatened while attempting to cover funeral procession (IPI)

Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)

Photojournalist shot in Northern Ireland violence (IPI)
+ Photojournalist shot in Northern Ireland sectarian violence (CPJ)

Serbia

ANEM, NUNS and local press comment on recommendations to local governments for allocation public information funds (ANEM)

Tajikistan

Call for improvements to draft mass media law (ARTICLE 19)

BBC journalist arrested (WiPC)

Turkey

"A book is not a bomb," says RSF fact-finding mission (RSF)

Two journalists complete 100th day in prison (RSF)

Make rights reform a priority (Human Rights Watch)

Ukraine

State media journalists complain of rise in censorship (IMI)

Uzbekistan

Call for release of ailing rights defender (Human Rights Watch)

Middle East & North Africa

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Irish journalist deported from Bahrain; reporter kidnapped in Yemen (RSF)
+ Bahrain expels a freelance journalist from kingdom (BCHR)
+ ANHRI condemns kidnapping of Yemeni journalist Yahia Al-Thanaya (ANHRI) Crackdown continues in Bahrain; Libyan camera operator released (RSF)
+ Attack on AFP's Amman bureau, media counter-offensive by Syrian regime (RSF)

Bahrain

Extraordinary tribunal sentences bloggers to life (CPJ)
+ Vindictive sentences against human rights activists, says ANHRI (ANHRI)
+ Harsh sentences for 21 prominent oppositional leaders and human rights defenders (BCHR)
+ Activist and blogger Abdul-Jalil Alsingace sentenced to life imprisonment (WiPC)
+ Authorities continue to abuse human rights advocates, reformers (CIHRS)
+ On eve of Egyptian prime minister's visit to Bahrain, organisations express concern over human rights violations (CIHRS) (EOHR)
+ Detained blogger Abduljalil Al-Singace on hunger strike (RSF)

Egypt

Teachers arrested at sit-in acquitted (ANHRI)

Two more journalists to be tried by court martial over story about army (RSF)

EOHR calls on authorities to provide information on forcibly disappeared individuals (EOHR)

Iran

Authorities ban Iranian documentary from Lebanese film festival (ANHRI)

Iraq

Camera operator killed in suicide bombing (CPJ)
+ Camera operator killed by car bomb in southern city (RSF)
+ IFJ condemns murder of camera operator (IFJ)

Israel

Israeli Occupation Forces detain camera operator, interrupt filming (MADA)

Jordan

Offices of Agence France Presse attacked in Amman (IPI)
+ Attacks on the press go unpunished despite government assurances (CPJ)

Lebanon

Authorities ban Iranian documentary from Lebanese film festival (ANHRI)

Morocco

One year in prison for editor critical of government (WiPC)

Palestine

Israeli Occupation Forces detain camera operator, interrupt filming (MADA)

Syria

Authorities urged to produce evidence that jailed blogger is alive and well (CPJ)

United Arab Emirates

ANHRI condemns blocking of newspaper's website after UAE intervention (ANHRI)

Yemen

IFJ warns official media management over plans to sack journalists (IFJ)

ANHRI condemns storming of "Al-Adwaa" newspaper headquarters, hacker attack on website (ANHRI)
+ ANHRI condemns ongoing attacks on newspapers, media workers (ANHRI)