IFEX Digest | 19 - 25 September 2011

Africa

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Landmark regional declaration paves way for access to information (ARTICLE 19)
+ World's press welcomes African declaration on access to information (WAN-IFRA)

Democratic Republic of Congo

Journalist held in police detention for 17 days (JED)

Eritrea

No one can continue to ignore the regime's brutality, says RSF (RSF)

Human Rights Watch releases briefing paper on missing political prisoners (Human Rights Watch)

Ethiopia

Authorities detain two more journalists on vague terrorism accusations (CPJ)
+ Crackdown on dissent intensifies (Human Rights Watch)

Anti-terror law denounced as serious challenge for the media; journalist named in WikiLeaks cable flees abroad (RSF)

Malawi

Arson attacks target rights activists (MISA)

Journalist Ernest Mahwayo granted bail, pleads not guilty (MISA)

Somalia

Radio journalist shot, critically wounded (NUSOJ)
+ Harassment and attacks on journalists in Puntland and Somaliland (RSF)
+ Shooting of journalist outside radio station (CJFE)

South Africa

Ruling ANC pulls secrecy bill (CPJ)

Sudan

Human Rights Watch calls for end to clampdown on opposition party members, government critics (Human Rights Watch)

Uganda

Author arrested for publishing book that called for president to step down (HRNJ-Uganda)

Journalist's trial adjourned (HRNJ-Uganda)

Zimbabwe

Freedom House condemns crackdown on peaceful WOZA protest (Freedom House)

Former minister sues "Daily News" over stories quoting WikiLeaks cables (RSF)

Americas

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Brazil

Government must pass right to information bill, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)

Colombia

Journalist informed of plan to attack her, asks president to intervene to ensure her safety (RSF)

Ecuador

Tribunal upholds sentencing of newspaper, its directors and former feature writer on defamation charge (Fundamedios)
+ Court confirms "El Universo" sentence, setting grave legal precedent (RSF)
+ Legal sentence against "El Universo" shows zeal to gag the press (IAPA)
+ CPJ dismayed by decision to uphold libel conviction (CPJ)

Seven radio stations face sanctions for airing free expression programme (Fundamedios)

Mexico

Prosecution and violence against Twitter users must stop, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)

Nicaragua

Journalist flees country after death threats (CPJ)
+ IAPA protests harassment of journalists in Venezuela, Argentina, Nicaragua (IAPA)

Peru

Suspects arrested in journalist's murder (IPYS)
+ Three murder suspects arrested amid growing risk of pressure on investigators (RSF)

Critical journalist gunned down (CPJ)

Venezuela

Appeal against editor's pre-trial detention when no crime has been established (RSF)

Asia & Pacific

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Afghanistan

Iranian journalist dies of injuries sustained in Kabul attack (CPJ)
+ Cameraman dies from injuries during Taliban attack in Kabul a week ago (RSF)

Burma

Many news websites unblocked; 17 journalists and three netizens still held (RSF)

Press freedom vital to credible Burmese reform, says CPJ report (CPJ)

China

TV journalist killed; IFJ worried by recent spate of attacks (IFJ)
+ TV journalist murdered in Luoyang (RSF)
+ Journalist who probed cooking oil scandal is killed (CPJ)

India

Freelancer charged with antistate activities (CPJ)

Malaysia

PM's promise of sweeping reforms does not extend to media freedom, says CIJ (CIJ)
+ Promises of legal reforms raise hope (ARTICLE 19)
+ CPJ welcomes reform vow (CPJ)

Nepal

Journalist's attackers in custody (Freedom Forum)

Killers of journalists could go free, warns CPJ (CPJ)

Pakistan

Journalist attacked, seriously injured in tribal area (PPF)

Bomb blast targets market selling music and video CDs (PPF)

Foreign journalists banned from town where Bin Laden was living (RSF)

Philippines

Broadcaster's daughter abducted (CMFR)
+ Journalist's daughter kidnapped (CPJ)

Appellate court denies petition of alleged masterminds in Esperat case (CMFR)

Thailand

RSF calls into question responsibility of army in fatal shooting of cameraman (RSF)

Vietnam

Activist and Internet writer sentenced to four years in prison (WiPC)
+ Blogger Lu Van Bay serving four-year sentence (RSF)
+ Crackdown on journalists in past six months (CPJ)

Europe & Central Asia

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Belarus

Freedom House and Center for European Policy Analysis release working group report on democratic transition (Freedom House)

Greece

RSF reports on outlook for media following five-day country mission (RSF)

Russia

Editor attacked in his home over anti-corruption reports (CJES)

Turkey

Journalist and human rights defender acquitted (BIANET)

Protesting students face possible 10-year prison sentences (BIANET)
+ Protesting students rely on legal rights (BIANET)

Court orders one-month suspension of newspaper under anti-terror law (BIANET)

Access to LGBT sites restricted in Parliament (BIANET)

United Kingdom

IFJ joins protest against threat to confidentiality of sources from police (IFJ)

Uzbekistan

Human rights activist attacked over critical online publications (CJES)

Middle East & North Africa

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Journalists continue to be targeted while covering Arab Spring (RSF)
+ Cameraman critically wounded by gunfire (CPJ) International "Day of Rage": UN Rights Council addresses situations in Libya, Sudan, Syria and Yemen (CIHRS)

Bahrain

CIHRS hosts panel discussion, film screening on free expression crisis (CIHRS)

Egypt

Twenty-three NGOs call on transitional authorities to engage in dialogue, meet demands of civil society (CIHRS)
+ Government moves to restrict rights and democracy groups (Human Rights Watch)
+ In a lecture to National Security officers, Bahey eldin Hassan warns of the dangers of reviving the policies and practices of Mubarak and al-Adli and the application of the emergency law (CIHRS)
+ The Ministry of Information ongoing (ANHRI)

Jailed blogger resumes hunger strike, in critical condition again (RSF)

Iran

UN member states should challenge Ahmadinejad as campaign to crush dissent continues, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)
+ From bad to worse: the human rights situation in Iran (Freedom House)

Six documentary filmmakers arrested (CPJ)
+ Regime continues to wage war against foreign media (RSF)

Journalist, poet and activist Faranak Farid arrested; serious health concerns (WiPC)

Charge or release rights activist (Human Rights Watch)

Oman

ANHRI condemns suspension of "Al Zaman", imprisonment of its editorial team (ANHRI)
+ Journalists appeal verdict in insult case (IPI)
+ Newspaper verdict aims to silence dissent (ARTICLE 19)

Two activists detained after participating in peaceful protest (ANHRI)

Palestine

MADA welcomes acquittal of journalist Alaa Al-Titi (MADA)

Radio director faces trial after criticising Health Directorate (MADA)

Syria

ANHRI calls on Egyptian authorities to condemn the actions of the Syrian government (ANHRI)

United Arab Emirates

Free activists before elections, say four rights groups (Human Rights Watch)
+ After another hearing, detained blogger's trial adjourned again (RSF)
+ Sorbonne should condemn lecturer's prosecution (Human Rights Watch)

Yemen

ANHRI condemns killing of peaceful protesters (ANHRI)
+ Killing of protesters shows perils of immunity deal, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)
+ UN Human Rights Council: Yemen resolution falls far short (Human Rights Watch)