23 January 2012
IFEX Digest | 16 - 22 January 2012
International
Columnist David Rohde is IPI’s 63rd World Press Freedom Hero (IPI)
Freedom House survey highlights significance of Arab uprisings (Freedom House)
Africa
Equatorial Guinea
Concern about rights violations on eve of Africa Cup (Human Rights Watch)Ethiopia
Journalists convicted under anti-terror legislation (IPI)+ Blogger, journalists convicted of terrorism (CPJ)
Ghana
National security officials violently assault photojournalists (MFWA)+ Authorities urged to investigate state agents' attack on photographer (CPJ)
Liberia
"National Chronicle" editor briefly detained, faces criminal complaint (CEMESP)Nigeria
Call for release of labour activists (Human Rights Watch)#OccupyNigeria protesters take on news media coverage (CPJ)
Senegal
Jailed opposition activist receives presidential pardon (MFWA)Somalia
Al-Shabaab militant group conducts illegal raid on radio station, abducts journalist (NUSOJ)TV station raided, journalists detained (NUSOJ)
Journalists released (IFJ)
+ Twenty-five journalists detained in Somaliland (NUSOJ)
+ Twenty-one journalists released (NUSOJ)
+ In past week in Somaliland, 25 journalists arrested, four still held and TV station closed (RSF)
+ Free detained journalists, stop attacks on media freedom (ARTICLE 19)
Attacks on the press up in 2011, says NUSOJ annual report (NUSOJ)
Sudan
Two private newspapers shut down by authorities (RSF)+ ANHRI denounces seizure of newspaper's copies (ANHRI)
+ Authorities confiscate, shut down newspapers again (CPJ)
The Gambia
Former minister gets life imprisonment for demanding an end to the dictatorship (MFWA)+ Life sentence for distributing anti-government t-shirts violates free speech (ARTICLE 19)
Americas
Honduras
Lawyer shot to death after reporting on human rights violations (C-Libre)+ Lawyer gunned down after reporting police abuses to the media (RSF)
Paraguay
Journalist targeted by drug traffickers may have to move abroad (RSF)United States
SOPA poses threat to free expression, says CJFE (CJFE)+ Black Wednesday for websites (ARTICLE 19)
+ RSF closes its English-language site for 24 hours in protest against SOPA and PIPA (RSF)
Venezuela
Journalist threatened via Twitter (IPYS-Venezuela)Asia and Pacific
Cambodia
Ahead of elections, CCHR reports on the right to vote (CCHR)China
PEN protests charges against Zhu Yufu, insisting "poetry is not a crime" (PEN American Center)India
Salman Rushdie receives death threats, withdraws from literature festival (PEN American Center)Start of 2012 marked by violations of freedom of information (RSF)
Malaysia
Political satirist takes government to court over "Cartoon-O-Phobia" (ARTICLE 19)Mongolia
Church files lawsuit against television station, journalist (Globe International)Provincial TV journalist and cameraman assaulted, camera destroyed (Globe International)
+ IFJ condemns assaults on news crew (IFJ)
Pakistan
Tribal journalist gunned down in Charsadda (PPF)+ IFJ condemns murder of journalist (IFJ)
+ Tribal journalist shot dead in mosque (RSF)
+ Reporter killed after receiving threats (IPI)
Philippines
Publisher threatened after condemning colleague's murder (CMFR)+ IFJ condemns death threats against journalist (IFJ)
Arson attack on radio station; journalist gets death threat (CMFR)
Thailand
Solution to journalist's murder within reach (RSF)Vietnam
Blogger released (WiPC)IPA report criticises censorship (IPA)
Europe and Central Asia
Ireland to prioritise Internet freedom during OSCE chairmanship (IPI)
Croatia
IPI calls for professionalisation of public broadcaster (IPI)France
Senate must reject Armenian Genocide law, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)Hungary
Journalist faces threats of criminal prosecution for publishing leaked document (SEENPM)Kosovo (Serbia)
Police allegedly assault reporter (IPI)+ IFJ backs call for probe into assault against photographer (IFJ)
Romania
Journalists assaulted while covering anti-government protests (IPI)Turkey
TV satellite operator usurps court’s prerogative to silence Kurdish TV station (RSF)Journalists set to appear in court after year-long detention (BIANET)
Life sentence and acquittals handed down in Hrant Dink murder trial (BIANET)
+ Further investigation necessary in Hrant Dink murder (CPJ)
+ Hrant Dink murder trial about to end in cover-up, unless... (RSF)
+ Hrant Dink killing verdict "contradictory and shocking," says the IFJ (IFJ)
+ Critics question verdict in Hrant Dink case (IPI)
+ Court protects journalist's killers (Human Rights Watch)
+ Outrageous verdicts in Hrant Dink murder trial, another one needed (RSF)
Western Europe
TV satellite operator usurps court’s prerogative to silence Kurdish TV station (RSF)Middle East and North Africa
Bahrain
BCHR concerned over "show trial" of police officers accused of torturing two detainees to death (BCHR)Athletes targeted for exercising their rights as country prepares for the Formula One (BCHR)
Egypt
Revived draft law would give state security control over civil society (ANHRI)Newly elected Parliament urged to dismantle tools of repression (Human Rights Watch)
Iran
Arrests of netizens ongoing (RSF)Israel
Attacks, arrests, legislation restrict press freedom (CPJ)Jordan
Authorities urged to drop charges for "undermining royal dignity" (Human Rights Watch)Kuwait
Authorities urged not to deny the Bidun's right to freedom of expression (Human Rights Watch)+ ANHRI denounces violence against Bidun protests (ANHRI)
Palestine
ANHRI condemns assault on human rights defender (ANHRI)+ Attack on Abu Rahma constitutes a flagrant violation of freedom of expression (MADA)
+ Authorities urged to investigate attacks on rights defenders (Human Rights Watch)
MADA responds to Government Media Office accusations (MADA)
Saudi Arabia
Demonstrator killed, others injured as security forces crack down on peaceful protest (ANHRI)Syria
Authorities detain blogger (ANHRI)+ More arrests of journalists and bloggers despite Arab League observer presence (RSF)
Tunisia
IFEX-TMG calls for recent public media appointments to be revoked and for journalists' protection (IFEX-TMG)On the first anniversary of the revolution, RSF writes an open letter to the authorities (RSF)
+ Journalists still being assaulted (CPJ)
Yemen
IFJ cautiously welcomes statements by authorities, calls for implementation (IFJ)Journalists see light at end of tunnel, but dangers remain (IPI)
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