IFEX Digest | 3 - 10 October 2011

International

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Journalists from Bahrain, Belarus, Mexico and Pakistan to be honoured with CPJ's International Press Freedom Awards (CPJ)

Africa

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Burundi

Government urged to strengthen support for national human rights commission (Human Rights Watch)

Cameroon

RSF urges government to take action on media reform in mission report (RSF)

Equatorial Guinea

UNESCO suspends Obiang prize again (Human Rights Watch)

Kenya

Freedom of expression standards should guide the fight against "counterfeit" mobile phones, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)

Liberia

Director of state-owned broadcaster suspended (MFWA)

Uganda

Radio station succumbs to pressure, suspends political talk show (HRNJ-Uganda)

Zambia

Journalist concerned over false reports of his arrest (IPI)

Americas

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IPI concerned about safety after 12 journalists receive death threats (IPI)

Argentina

Radio and TV station's antenna vandalised, knocked down (FOPEA)

Arson attack destroys radio station in Buenos Aires province (FOPEA)

Colombia

Valledupar journalist warned of plan to attack her (FLIP)
+ Provincial Colombian journalist receives threats (CPJ)

Ecuador

Official telecast used to discredit TV journalist, interrupt her programme (Fundamedios)

Guyana

President orders TV station off the air ahead of elections (RSF)
+ President suspends television station (CPJ)

Mexico

Women journalists were killed in robbery, says prosecutor (RSF)

Peru

Journalist assaulted by mayor (IPYS)

United States

New rules with limited protection for Net neutrality about to take effect (RSF)

Venezuela

IFEX-ALC delegation submits recommendations on freedom of expression during Venezuela's UPR (IFEX-ALC)

Asia & Pacific

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Bangladesh

Media freedom threatened by wave of violence and harassment (RSF)

Burma

SEAPA report: "Burma in mid-2011: a contradictory landscape" (SEAPA)

Cambodia

Community activists in two provinces subjected to judicial harassment (CCHR)

China

Human Rights Watch calls for release of Nobel laureate and others wrongly jailed, disappeared (Human Rights Watch)
+ Liu Xiaobo, last year’s Nobel peace laureate, still in prison (RSF)
+ Jailed netizen with cancer needs proper medical treatment (RSF)

Activist under house arrest regularly beaten by police; famous human rights lawyer still missing (RSF)

French Polynesia (France)

PFF calls on government to reconsider media shutdown (PFF)

India

IFJ calls for full inquiry into death of investigative journalist (IFJ)

Solomon Islands

"Island Sun" newspaper faces compensation demand (PFF)
+ Compensation claims used to intimidate journalists in Solomon Islands (IFJ)

Thailand

Freedom of expression record scrutinised, ARTICLE 19 calls on government to adopt UPR recommendations (ARTICLE 19)

Europe & Central Asia

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Kazakhstan

Media organisations concerned about draft broadcasting law (Adil Soz)

Authorities harass independent online TV station, close studio (RSF)

Serbia

IPI condemns continuing political pressure on Hungarian minority media (IPI)

Turkey

Translator and publisher indicted, facing up to three years in jail (BIANET)
+ Court suspends proceedings against Burroughs, Palahniuk novels (BIANET)

Turkmenistan

Reporter Dovletmurad Yazguliyev sentenced to five years in prison (CPJ)

Ukraine

TVi channel receives official warning, could lose licence (IMI)

IPI urges authorities to allow ATN TV to transmit again (IPI)

Middle East & North Africa

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Algeria

New media bill needs further improvement, says ANHRI (ANHRI)

Egypt

Protesters detained, face military trial (ANHRI)
+ Respect for freedom of expression worsening (RSF)
+ ANHRI calls on Military Council to end assault on public freedoms (ANHRI)

Iran

More arrests of journalists and intellectuals, families threatened (RSF)
+ Authorities arrest four more journalists (CPJ)

Palestine

CORRECTION: Hamas restricts foreign journalists' access to Gaza Strip (RSF)

Hamas restricts foreign journalists' access to Gaza Strip (RSF)

Saudi Arabia

Authorities detain rights activists, protesters' family members (ANHRI)
+ Human Rights Watch calls on authorities to stop arbitrary arrests of Shia (Human Rights Watch)

Syria

Human rights groups voice need for strong and urgent Security Council action (CIHRS)
+ IBSA: Push Syria to end bloodshed (Human Rights Watch)

ANHRI condemns targeting of pro-revolution artists (ANHRI)

Tunisia

Free expression groups celebrate freeing of whistleblower police commissioner (IFEX-TMG)

Yemen

Two more journalists killed in Saleh regime violence (RSF)

Awards

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Journalists from Bahrain, Belarus, Mexico and Pakistan to be honoured with CPJ's International Press Freedom Awards (CPJ)