Proposed law threatens press freedom and access to information
The Moldavian Parliament voted last week to adopt a bill on public meetings. If ratified by Parliament in a second round (ratification is highly likely), the law would severely restrict journalists’ access to information. Article 10 of the proposed law, which prohibits “the access and participation of all foreigners in public meetings,” would severely restrict […]
Three radio journalists banned from broadcasting
Three broadcasters from Iasi, the state radio station of the National Radio Broadcasting Corporation of Romania, have been banned from going on air as of 12 June 1995. On 1st June, the three journalists had advised Iasi listeners to tune into Romanian independent stations and foreign stations after their 21:00 news bulletin was cancelled. The […]
News director taken into custody
Sanh Ekin, the news director of “Yeni Politika”, was reportedly taken into custody in Istanbul on 2 June 1995. ARTICLE 19 is troubled by the pattern of harassment of independent journalists which has long undermined Turkey’s formal commitment to the observance of international human rights standards. Recommended Action Send appeals to Turkish authorities: asking to […]
Editor Billy Knock interrogated
Billy Knock, editor-in-chief of the satirical weekly “Le Kpakpa Desenchante” was interrogated on 2 June 1995 by police with the Research and Investigation Service. At 6:30 a.m., five police arrived at his house and constrained him after a brief altercation, and using their weapons to threaten him they took him to the police station. It […]
Journalist Zafaryab Ahmed detained
Zafaryab Ahmed, a journalist known for his reporting about the social problems of bonded labour in Pakistan, was arrested and detained on 5 June 1995. It is apparently as a direct result of his work on this important social issue that he has been accused of acting in a way that is “detrimental” to the […]
Two writers detained; fears for their health
Amnesty International reports on the arrests of Ahamed Shafeeq, a civil servant and writer, and Ali Moosa Didi, a writer and politician in the Maldives. There are serious concerns about their health. On 21 April 1995, about a dozen police officers raided Ahamad Shafeeq’s home and arrested both him and Ali Moosa Didi. Also seized […]
Editor Ndzana Seme imprisoned after attack on newspaper’s offices
At 16:00 on 6 June 1995 police interrogated Ndzana Seme, editor- in-chief of the paper “Le Nouvel Independent”, without reason or an arrest warrant. At about 6:30 that morning they made a first attempt to arrest him. After forcing open the door of the home of Ndzana Seme, which is also the head office of […]
Four senior members of two newspapers charged
Four senior members of Swaziland’s two daily newspapers, “Times of Swaziland” Director Paul Loffler and Editor Mashumi Twala, and “Swazi Observer” Managing Director Jeremiah Gule and Managing Editor Cyril Dhlamini, have been released on bail of R1000 each after being charged with contravening the Books and Newspapers Act for publishing and printing their respective newspapers […]
Journalist Vassilis Rafailidis sentenced to prison
Vassilis Rafailidis, a journalist, has been sentenced to four months in prison by the court at Drama. He is accused of having insulted the mayor of Prototsani, Constantin Raias, in an article published in the daily “Ethnos” in December 1994. The article denounced the actions of the Mayor after about fifty Jehovah’s Witnesses were attacked […]
Editor Dam Sithi beaten by students
On 2 June 1995, Dam Sithi, editor of the bi-weekly “Moneakseka Khmer” (“The Khmer Conscience”) was beaten up by a group of students from the University of Phnom Penh. He had previously been threatened because of an article published in his paper at the end of May, which criticized Second Prime Minister Hun Sen of […]
Radio director Pamphile Simbizi killed
Pamphile Simbizi, director of the French section of the second channel of the national radio of Burundi, was stabbed to death on the morning of 7 June 1995 in the hills of the Gasenyi district of Bujumbura, not far from the Kamenge district where violent fighting was taking place. Pamphile Simbizi was an experienced and […]
Four papers suspended
The government evening paper “Horizons” was suspended on 30 May 1995 by the Minister of Communications for “crossing the line of conduct of the State”. The paper had published an article denouncing the shortage of paper in Algeria and accusing those in power of being responsible for “delivering a severe blow to freedom of expression […]
Three journalists arrested by Russian forces on Chechen border & detained in Dagestan
On 3 June 1995, Noel Quidu, a French photographer with the Gamma agency, Laurent Hamida, an independent French cameraman, and United States journalist Stephanie Heymann of the Independent Media agency were arrested by Russian forces while crossing the border between Chechnya and Dagestan. They were again detained in Makhatchkala in Dagestan by the Minister of […]
Outspoken businessperson threatened for denouncing extortion
Farooq Sumar, a prominent Karachi businessman, has suffered threats against himself and his family because of his courageous and outspoken denunciation of criminal extortion in Karachi. Widespread suspicions that recognized political parties tolerate and profit from these iniquitous practices represent a grave threat to the democratic foundations of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recommended Action […]
“Khabrain” journalist Aslam Gauthar stabbed
On 29 May 1995, Aslam Gauthar, a staffer of the Urdu-language daily “Khabrain”, was stabbed in Multan, Punjab province by five unidentified assailants armed with daggers and guns. The journalist arrived at the local hospital in critical condition. In a written statement, Gauhar alleged that he had received threatening telephone calls after writing a report […]
“Nouvel Horizon” journalist Mamadou Dabo arrested
On the morning of 6 June 1995, Mamadou Dabo, a journalist with the daily “Nouvel Horizon”, was arrested in Bamako, Mali. He was arrested at 10:00 am by two agents of the Mali secret service who took him away in a police car. He was interrogated for two hours by the assistant director of State […]