IFEX Digest | 22 - 28 August 2011

International

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Honduran journalist Karla Rivas named 2011 winner of Peter Mackler Award (RSF)

Human Rights Watch presses OIC to rein in Syria (Human Rights Watch)

Africa

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Democratic Republic of Congo

Journalist violently attacked during ruling party congress (JED)

Guinea

Freelance journalist freed (MFWA)

Lesotho

Privately-owned radio stations off the air amid demonstrations (MISA)
+ Suspicious silence on the airwaves (MISA)

Mauritania

Senegalese TV crew arrested, equipment seized (MFWA)

Rwanda

Two leading members of human rights group arrested, interrogated (Human Rights Watch)

Sudan

Editor freed on bail, still facing death penalty (RSF)

Security services seize copies of "Al-Jarida" newspaper (ANHRI)
+ Government continues to target press freedom (CPJ)

The Gambia

Radio ban on Islamic cleric lifted (MFWA)

Americas

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Brazil

Access to information bill at risk (ARTICLE 19)

Colombia

Former president Uribe labels journalists "terrorism sympathisers" (CPJ)

Journalist forced to leave country due to threats (FLIP)
+ Journalist forced into exile (IPI)

Ecuador

Defence lawyers question judge's independence in case against newspaper; opinion editor faces new lawsuit (Fundamedios)

Honduras

Assassinated journalist's brother receives death threats (C-Libre)

Mexico

Abducted journalist found dead (ARTICLE 19)
+ Journalist abducted in Sinaloa state found dead (WiPC)
+ Abducted journalist found dead, second murder in past month (RSF)
+ Body of abducted journalist found in Mexico (CPJ)
+ Journalist killed in Sinaloa (IPI)

Armed men kidnap journalist (OLA)
+ Gunmen abduct veteran journalist in Sinaloa state (RSF)
+ Journalist abducted in Sinaloa state; fears for safety (WiPC)

Venezuela

IAPA protests ban on weekly, calls for editor's release (IAPA)
+ Newspaper shut, executives charged (CPJ)

Asia & Pacific

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Australia

Australian journalists' union mourns loss of ABC news crew (Media Alliance)

Cambodia

NGOs advised by ministry to "readjust" their work (CCHR)

China

Magazine president, editor punished for citing historian (CPJ)

Kashmir (India)

IFJ concerned by attack on journalists in Kashmir (IFJ)
+ Two photographers badly beaten by Srinagar police (RSF)

Mongolia

Judge dismisses lawsuit against journalist (Globe International)

Nepal

Daily threatened over satirical cartoon (Freedom Forum)

Journalist manhandled by Maoist activist (FNJ)

Constant threats make media situation precarious (Freedom Forum)

Pakistan

ATV Khyber News team attacked (PPF)
+ Increase in armed reprisals and police violence against journalists (RSF)
+ IFJ condemns attack on news crew (IFJ)
+ News crew attacked at midday in central Peshawar (CPJ)

Philippines

Radio commentator fatally shot (CPJ)
+ IFJ demands investigation into broadcaster's murder (IFJ)
+ Broadcaster shot dead (CMFR)

Sri Lanka

IFJ welcomes partner organisations' press freedom mission to Jaffna (IFJ)

Europe & Central Asia

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Greece

IPI condemns detention of two journalists in Florina (IPI)
+ IPI condemns Greek border police for banning entrance to Albanian journalist (IPI)

Russia

New suspect detained in Anna Politkovskaya's slaying (CPJ)

Tajikistan

Trial of BBC journalist begins (WiPC)

BBC correspondent tells court he was tortured while detained (RSF)

Turkey

Police detain five journalists, raid newspaper and TV station (IPI)

United Kingdom

ARTICLE 19 calls for repeal of 100-year-old Official Secrets Act (ARTICLE 19)

Middle East & North Africa

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Arab governments target Twitter users; Bahraini rights activist summoned (ANHRI) Anti-media violence, censorship and prosecutions continue (RSF)
+ Government forces arrest cameraman (CPJ)

Egypt

Thirty-six NGOs condemn the campaign waged by the authorities against civil society organisations (CIHRS)

Iran

More arbitrary arrests, concealment of political prisoners' whereabouts (RSF)

Israel

Palestinian journalists under fire again from Israeli troops (RSF)
+ Israeli forces arrest journalist Osaid Amarneh (MADA)
+ MADA demands the release of five journalists from Israeli prisons (MADA)

Libya

Six journalists still missing (CPJ)

ARTICLE 19 calls for freedom of expression to be protected in transitional constitutional charter (ARTICLE 19)

Four Italian journalists released after being held for 24 hours; two French journalists sustain gunshot wounds (RSF)
+ Italian journalists kidnapped should be released (CPJ)

American journalist escapes from prison after five months in captivity (CPJ)

Trapped journalists in Tripoli must be treated as civilians, says CPJ (CPJ)
+ Foreign journalists able to leave Rixos Hotel (RSF)
+ Foreign journalists held hostage in Tripoli's Rixos Hotel (RSF)
+ IPI concerned for journalists trapped in Rixos hotel (IPI)

Australian journalist brutally attacked by unknown assailants in Benghazi (CPJ)

ANHRI recalls history of freedom of expression violations, in light of imminent ousting of dictator (ANHRI)

Oman

Judiciary attempts to silence newspaper before trial (CPJ)

Palestine

Hamas interrogates, detains young advocates, suppresses protests in Gaza (Human Rights Watch)

Palestinian journalists under fire again from Israeli troops (RSF)
+ Israeli forces arrest journalist Osaid Amarneh (MADA)
+ MADA demands the release of five journalists from Israeli prisons (MADA)

Syria

Critical cartoonist viciously attacked by armed men (CRNI)
+ Masked men break hands of critical cartoonist (CPJ)
+ Systematic use of torture by security services (RSF)
+ ANHRI condemns attack on cartoonist Ali Farzat (ANHRI)

UN team should insist on protection of protesters, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)

Human Rights Watch presses OIC to rein in Syria (Human Rights Watch)

Awards

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Honduran journalist Karla Rivas named 2011 winner of Peter Mackler Award (RSF)