21 February 2012
IFEX Digest | 13 - 19 February 2012
International
RSF concerned about Google's new country-redirect service on Blogger (RSF)
AMARC celebrates first World Radio Day (AMARC)
Africa
Burundi
Defence rights flouted in terrorism case involving RFI reporter (RSF)Democratic Republic of Congo
Radio Télévision Catholique, pro-opposition broadcasters allowed back on air (JED)Catholic broadcaster shut down ahead of protest march (JED)
Equatorial Guinea
Opposition figure held without charge (Human Rights Watch)Liberia
Police officer brutalises "New Dawn" reporter (CEMESP)Senegal
RSF monitors freedom of information, media behaviour during presidential election campaign (RSF)Uganda
Minister shuts down rights workshop (Human Rights Watch)HRNJ-Uganda demands investigation of judge's conduct towards journalists (HRNJ-Uganda)
HRNJ-Uganda report points to deterioration in media freedom (HRNJ-Uganda)
Zimbabwe
MISA publishes position on inclusion of media freedoms in draft constitution (MISA)Americas
Regional media under siege in Latin America (IPI)
Brazil
Journalist killed in Ponta Porá (CPJ)+ Third journalist's murder confirms disastrous start to year for Brazilian media (RSF)
+ Abraji concerned with violence against journalists (ABRAJI)
+ IAPA calls on President Dilma Roussef for action on crimes against journalists in Brazil (IAPA)
+ Two journalists shot to death (WiPC)
+ Editor gunned down (IPI)
IFJ condemns killing of journalist in Barra do Piraí (IFJ)
+ Online journalist killed in Rio de Janeiro state, seven months after surviving shooting (RSF)
+ Reporter brutally executed (IPI)
+ IAPA outraged at killing of journalist (IAPA)
+ Journalist who covered corruption murdered (CPJ)
Ecuador
IFEX-ALC concerned over recent developments that undermine and jeopardise fundamental freedoms (IFEX-ALC)Judge claims president's attorney dictated original sentence against "El Universo" (Fundamedios)
Sentence against "El Universo" is a setback for democracy (CPJ)
+ Supreme Court upholds three-year prison sentences and huge fines against "El Universo" (WiPC)
+ "El Universo" verdict bad precedent for free press in Americas (CPJ)
+ The IAPA denounces a decision by the Ecuadorian National Court, calling it a serious attack on freedom of the press (IAPA)
+ IPI concerned at "El Universo" court decision (IPI)
+ "El Universo" verdict a devastating setback for freedom of expression (RSF)
+ World's press condemns sentence against newspaper (WAN-IFRA)
+ WPFC letter to High Representative Ashton regarding a new press freedom abuse in Ecuador (WPFC)
+ Fundamedios denounces brutal blow against freedoms (Fundamedios)
+ In Ecuador, a crushed and silenced democracy (CPJ)
Tribunal sets new date for the review of facts in "El Universo" case (Fundamedios)
+ Supreme court hearing expected to close final chapter in "El Universo" case (RSF)
Trinidad and Tobago
Police raid "Newsday" office in Trinidad (ACM)+ Police disregard confidentially rules in raids to find journalist's sources (RSF)
+ IPI condemns raid at Newsday (IPI)
Venezuela
Journalists detained by members of militia (IPYS-Venezuela)Asia and Pacific
Bangladesh
Two journalists killed in Dhaka (IPI)+ No motive, arrests in double murder (CPJ)
China
International journalists attacked while covering land dispute (CPJ)+ Foreign journalists attacked (IPI)
+ IFJ condemns assaults on journalists in eastern China (IFJ)
India
Old issues, new debates on Internet freedom (CPJ)+ Court to rule on Internet firms' responsibility for third-party content (RSF)
Court forces web firms to remove "objectionable" content (RSF)
Indonesia
Reporter found dead; Czech journalist arrested; young TV journalist assaulted by motorcycle gang (RSF)+ Czech journalist detained, deported from Indonesia (CPJ)
Malaysia
Writer faces apostasy trial after Malaysia deports him back to Saudi Arabia (Human Rights Watch)+ Malaysia deports Saudi journalist wanted on blasphemy charges (IPI)
+ Fears for writer Hamza Kashgari after extradition (WiPC)
+ Saudi columnist deported from Malaysia (CPJ)
+ Malaysian authorities must ensure safety of arrested Saudi journalist, clarify legal grounds for arrest (CIJ)
Mongolia
State investigator files criminal lawsuit against TV9 channel (Globe International)+ Journalists charged with criminal defamation (IFJ)
+ TV station facing criminal defamation charges (IPI)
Pakistan
Threats to journalists don't let up (CPJ)Europe and Central Asia
Azerbaijan
IRFS is target of government smear campaign (IRFS)France
Turkish newspaper’s Europe offices attacked (IPI)+ Coordinated attacks on Turkish newspaper's offices in Europe (RSF)
Germany
Turkish newspaper’s Europe offices attacked (IPI)+ Coordinated attacks on Turkish newspaper's offices in Europe (RSF)
Greece
IPI hopes court of appeal will reconsider excessive fines against two weekly Turkish papers (IPI)Hungary
Media freedom under threat, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)Russia
Ekho Moskvy board shuffled ahead of election (CPJ)French journalist expelled for interviewing opposition members (CPJ)
Turkey
Turkish newspaper’s Europe offices attacked (IPI)+ Coordinated attacks on Turkish newspaper's offices in Europe (RSF)
Musician detained; band members pledge to hold solidarity concerts (BIANET)
Middle East and North Africa
Bahrain
Two human rights activists detained (BCHR)+ Three activists detained (ANHRI)
Blogger and activist Zainab Al-Khawaja detained (BCHR)
One year on, authorities urged to address abuses, implement comprehensive reform (Freedom House)
+ Index on Censorship profiles blogs on the situation in Bahrain (Index on Censorship)
+ Repression ongoing on the first anniversary of the uprising (ANHRI)
Two American activists arrested, deported; news website blocked (RSF)
Egypt
Australian journalist released following trumped-up arrest (RSF)Comedian given three months' imprisonment for "insulting Islam" (EOHR)
Journalist's TV show taken off the air (ANHRI)
Labour activist detained (ANHRI)
Australian journalist, translator detained (CPJ)
One year after Mubarak: interview on press freedom with "Egypt Independent" managing editor Lina Attalah (IPI)
Iran
French magazine censored for publishing images from "Persepolis" (ANHRI)Israel
Journalists targeted with tear gas canisters, rubber bullets (ANHRI)+ Israeli troops take aim at photojournalists covering protests in West Bank (RSF)
Morocco
Activist sentenced for "insulting" the king (ANHRI)French magazine censored for publishing images from "Persepolis" (ANHRI)
Oman
Union activist detained (ANHRI)Blogger detained following blog entry critical of Sultan Qaboos' reign (ANHRI)
Palestine
Journalists targeted with tear gas canisters, rubber bullets (ANHRI)+ Israeli troops take aim at photojournalists covering protests in West Bank (RSF)
Saudi Arabia
Protester killed in peaceful demonstration (ANHRI)Writer faces apostasy trial after Malaysia deports him back to Saudi Arabia (Human Rights Watch)
+ Malaysia deports Saudi journalist wanted on blasphemy charges (IPI)
+ Fears for writer Hamza Kashgari after extradition (WiPC)
+ Saudi columnist deported from Malaysia (CPJ)
+ Malaysian authorities must ensure safety of arrested Saudi journalist, clarify legal grounds for arrest (CIJ)
Syria
Artist killed, activists detained, journalists' houses targeted (ANHRI)Authorities arrest 14 in attempt to block news (CPJ)
+ Raid on centre for media and freedom of expression (RSF)
+ Monitoring group raided; journalists, activists arrested (IPI)
+ Activist Mazen Darwish and others detained (ANHRI)
+ CIHRS condemns arrest of human rights defenders (CIHRS)
Rights activist and lawyer charged for providing legal aid to detained protesters (ANHRI)
+ Crackdown escalates; fears for safety (WiPC)
Authorities urged to respond to rumours of writer's death in detention (RSF)
Tunisia
New authorities use old methods to detain newspaper publisher (RSF)+ Authorities arrest three journalists over nude photo (CPJ)
IFEX-TMG concerned by series of setbacks, calls on authorities to consolidate free expression in the country (IFEX-TMG)
Yemen
Release imprisoned journalist, says CPJ (CPJ)+ Detained journalist on hunger strike to press for release (RSF)
+ Journalist on hunger strike in protest at continued detention (IPI)
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