“Ozgur Ulke” 6 January edition seized
On the morning of 6 January, copies of “Ozgur Ulke” were seized from the newspaper’s distribution centre. Editions of “Ozgur Ulke” have been seized in the past, but it has always been possible to obtain copies of the editions in their first hours at newsstands. The 6 January seizure marks the first time since the […]
“Quds Press” raided by Israeli police
Source: “Quds Press”, London On 16 January 1995, the offices of the Palestinian “Quds Press” in Jerusalem were raided for 75 minutes by a 19 member Israeli police unit, who seized computers and files and made a record of the names and identifications of personnel. The officer in charge gave no explanation as to the […]
Two Khmer language newspapers suspended
On 14 January 1995, on the basis of the press law of 6 April 1992, Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith suspended the “Samleng Yuvachun Khmer”, “for having offended the governmental institutions” of Cambodia by publishing a picture showing the Prime Minister, Norodom Ranariddh, with a sack of gold on his head. According to information received […]
Four Radio Zid journalists mobilised into Bosnian army
The IFJ/FIEJ Coordinating Centre reports that four senior journalists employed by Radio Zid have been mobilised into the Army of Bosnia and Hercegovina. Radio Zid had been promised special recognition by Sarajevo authorities and was granted 32 civilian work permits to ensure that the station could remain on the air. Radio Zid has used only […]
Former editor-in-chief of “Ozgur Gundem” Ocak Isik Yutcu sentenced; more sentences likely
Ocak Isik Yutcu, the first editor-in-chief of the now defunct “Ozgur Gundem” was sentenced on 28 December 1994 to 25 years in prison for separatist articles published in the pro-Kurdish daily in 1991. He was arrested and sent to jail when the appeals court upheld the first sentence for him in a series of more […]
Author Graa Boomsma (m) faces appeal against acquittal in face of threats; journalist Eddy Schaafsma’s acquittal confirmed
**Updates IFEX CH alerts dated 3 August, 13 June, 24, 23 May 1994** On 12 January 1995, the Leewarden Court heard an appeal against the acquittal on charges of defamation in June 1994 of author Graa Boomsma and journalist Eddy Schaafsma. Schaafsma was acquitted; the verdict against Boomsma will be given on 26 January. If […]
Hearing date upcoming for five “New Breed” journalists who remain in detention
**Update to IFEX CH alert dated 13 December 1994** The following four journalists and printer from the weekly “The New Breed” have been in detention at the Pademba Road prison in Freetown since 12 December 1994: Julius Spencer, publisher; Donald John, editor-in-chief; Alfred Conteh, business manager; Mohamed Bangura, journalist; Abdul Bashiru Alusine Kargbo, director of […]
Siaka Massaquoi, editor-in-chief of “The Vision”, arrested; Gambian newspaper correspondent Ojukwu Sesay also arrested
Siaka Massaquoi, editor-in-chief of the weekly “The Vision”, and Ojukwu Sesay, a correspondent for a Gambian newspaper, were both arrested on 10 January 1995 by military security police. The two journalists were taken to military security offices where they were interrogated. The journalists were asked about their sources for articles criticizing the government with respect […]
Russian TV head, Oleg Poptsov, threatened with dismissal
It is rumoured that the head of Russian state television, Oleg Poptsov, will be fired for his organisation’s critical reporting on the conflict in Chechnya, according to unconfirmed reports obtained by IPI. Poptsov could be dismissed because of Russian TV’s supposed lack of objectivity in its coverage of the Chechen crisis. State television employees support […]
Police prevent holding of Palestinian press conference
A 2 January 1995 Palestinian press conference was banned by the authorities in East Jerusalem, reported Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) on 2 January. The police, led by police captain Arie Amit, prevented the conference on the topic of settlement in the occupied territories of the West Bank from taking place in an East Jerusalem hotel. […]
Newspaper “Correio da Guine Bissau” suspended
On the night of 29 December 1994, the Minister of Communications of Guinea-Bissau, Helder Proenca, suspended the publication of the independent newspaper “Correio da Guine Bissau”. In a press release, the Minister said that a debt to the government incurred by the newspaper was the reason for the suspension. The editor- in-chief of “Correio da […]
Two WTN journalists attacked by West Bank settlers; MBC camera stolen from cameraman Nidal Mansour
On 6 January 1995, two journalists with the British Worldwide Television News (WTN) network were attacked by a group of Jewish settlers at Halamish, a Jewish settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The camera crew was taking footage in the aftermath of an attack by Palestinian gunmen in which a woman was killed. The journalists […]
Printers refuse to print “Al-Ayyam”
On the morning of 3 January 1995, the Aden-based independent weekly “Al-Ayyam” paid the state-owned 14th of October Press in Aden to print its 200th issue. That night, the government printing facility returned the paper’s money, claiming that they could not print the issue because their equipment was in disrepair. On the morning of 4 […]
Sentencing and detention of human rights lawyer under Anti-terror law
In a 6 January 1995 letter to Turkish officials, ARTICLE 19 expressed profound concern over reports of the sentencing on 1 December 1994 of the human rights lawyer, Sedat Aslantas, and his subsequent arrest and detention on 5 December. His sentence, under Article 8 of Turkey’s Anti-Terror, violated his right to freedom of expression, as […]
International PEN appeals for 37 Vietnamese writers seeking asylum
The WiPC wrote to Hong Kong Governor Christopher Patten on the plight of a number of Vietnamese writers and journalists who are among those seeking asylum in Hong Kong. It noted that there are reports that those who have been denied refugee status face imminent repatriation and that many have legitimate cause to fear persecution […]
Correspondent Vladimir Zhitolenko killed
“Krasnaya Zvezda” (“Red Star”) correspondent Vladimir Zhitolenko was killed on 31 December 1994. “Krasnaya Zvezda” is the daily newspaper of the Russian Ministry of Defence. Zhitolenko was stepping out of an armoured personnel carrier in Grozny when he was hit with by two bullets. CPJ fears that press conditions in Chechnya may deteriorate as has […]