ARTICLE 19 calls on UN Security Council to hold emergency session over wave of arrests, threats and curbs on media’s access
Following is the full text of a letter sent by ARTICLE 19 to the current President of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, urging that the Security Council call an emergency session on Myanmar (Burma), even though China, a close ally of Myanmar’s ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), currently holds the chair. […]
Human rights activist Eyad Serraj thought to have been arrested for comments to paper
Dr. Eyad Serraj was once again arrested without charge on 18 May 1996. Serraj, who serves as director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, and Commissioner General of the Palestine Independent Commission for Citizens’ Rights (PICCR), is a well- known human rights activist in Gaza. According to Human Rights Watch, it is believed that […]
Concern at statements directed against media
IPI is concerned at statements directed against the Slovak media by Ivan Lexa, head of Slovakia’s intelligence service (SIS). In a 22 May 1996 report to Parliament, Lexa dismissed the findings of a committee headed by Ladislav Pittner, a member of the Christian Democratic Movement. The findings accused Lexa, the SIS and Interior Minister Ludovit […]
Police detain journalist Leena Reikko, cameraman and two individuals she was interviewing; confiscate videotape
On 23 May 1996 at approximately 12:30 hours, Istanbul police arrested Finnish Broadcasting Company journalist Leena Reikko. Reikko was arrested along with her cameraman, Kemal Gokakan, and two Kurdish refugees she was interviewing. They were held for questioning and released at 18:00 hours. Police confiscated the videotape of the interview. Recommended Action Send appeals to […]
French journalist arrested; Zaire imposes ban on journalists crossing from Rwanda
Adrian de Mun, a French freelance journalist based in Rwanda and working for Radio France International and several other radio stations, was arrested in the Goma region of Zaire earlier this week. De Mun was transferred to the Zairian capital, Kinshasa, on Thursday 23 May 1996. The charges against him are still not known. The […]
Correspondent Nyenati Allison flees Liberia after threats from fighting factions
**Updates IFEX alert dated 23 April 1996** Liberian journalist Nyenati Allison, correspondent for the Associated Press (AP) news agency and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), has fled with his two children from Liberia after being threatened by soldiers for the third time. On 3 May 1996, a commander of the National Patriotic Forces of Liberia […]
Journalist Rodolfo F. Pena target of death threat
On 11 May 1996, an anonymous message containing death threats was discovered in the mailbox at the home of journalist Rodolfo F. Pena. It is suspected that the threat is connected to the work of Pena, who is a reporter for the daily “La Jornada” as well as part of the daily’s publishing group. This […]
Radio Miraflores owner Ricardo Palma Michelsen arrested; court orders seizure of his personal property, including Radio Miraflores
On 16 May 1996, the owner of Radio Miraflores, Ricardo Palma Michelsen, was arrested for alleged tax evasion. The order for his arrest was issued following a report broadcast the previous day on “Good Morning Mr President”–a radio program carried by Radio Miraflores–about apparent irregularities in the bidding for a construction project of a hydroelectric […]
Managing director of the satirical weekly “El-Kalaa” detained; editor-in-chief released on bail
On 20 May 1996, Mahmoud Boumedjria, the managing director of the satirical weekly “El-Kalaa”, was placed on a committal order (“mandat de depot”) by the prosecutor’s office of Tebessa, in eastern Algeria. Lakhdar Khelfaoui, the weekly’s editor-in-chief, was released on bail. Boumedjria was detained following the publication of an article that commented on the absence […]
Journalist and human rights activist Parag Kumar Das murdered
On 17 May 1996, journalist and human rights activist Parag Kumar Das was shot by unidentified gunmen in Guwahati, in the northeastern state of Assam. Das, the editor-in-chief of the daily “Asomiya Pratidin”, was picking his son up from school when three men drove up in an automobile and opened fire. Das was shot at […]
“Evrensel” journalist Irsan Kurt arrested
On 22 May 1996, Irsan Kurt, a journalist for the leftist daily “Evrensel”, was arrested by Istanbul police. He was apprehended while making his way in a car to a press conference in the Alibeykoy district of Istanbul. The driver of the car stated that they were stopped at a roadblock allegedly set up by […]
Authorities confiscate copies of the privately-owned daily “Al-Rai Al-Akhar”
On 20 May 1996, a group of armed men stormed the offices of the privately-owned daily “Al-Rai Al-Akhar” and confiscated all 20,000 copies of that day’s edition. The attack occurred one day after the newspaper had reported the revolt at a prison south of Khartoum orchestrated by 95 soldiers suspected of taking part in a […]
Case against “El Watan” director Omar Belhouchet dropped; allowed to travel to U.S.
**Updates IFEX alert dated 18 April 1996** After preventing him from leaving the country last month, the Algerian government has permitted Omar Belhoucet, director of the independent French-language daily “El Watan”, to travel to the United States by dropping 14 April charges against him and returning his seized passport. Belhouchet was invited to participate in […]
Satirical weekly “Mesmar” suspended; three staff released after 48 hours; fourth arrested
**Updates IFEX alert of 15 May 1996** On 19 May 1996, the East Constantine state printing house refused to publish the fourth issue of the satirical weekly “Mesmar”. The paper’s editors were informed verbally of the suspension, but were given no official reason. On 15 May, managing director Mohamed Zetili, managing editor Mustapha Nattour and […]
Proposed anti-corruption legislation could restrict press freedom
Source: “El Claron”, Buenos Aires On 15 May 1996, Argentine President Carlos Menem introduced a bill to fight government corruption which would allow access to statements of the personal wealth of public officials. However, the bill could pose a threat to press freedom, since it calls for prison terms for those individuals who circulate that […]
“Azg” newspaper resumes publication
**Updates IFEX alert dated 1 May 1996** The independent daily “Azg” resumed publication on 14 May 1996 and Hagop Avedikian resumed his position as editor-in-chief after a court quashed an attempt by the Ministry of Justice to change the ownership of the newspaper. Appeals To