Free Expression & the Law

When legislation and the judicial system affect your right to express yourself.

8033 articles
Link to: Journalists from the same paper sentenced in separate defamation cases in Peru

Journalists from the same paper sentenced in separate defamation cases in Peru

Esther Valenzuela Zorrilla, editor of the newspaper La Calle of Ayacucho, and Asencio Canchari Sulca, a contributor for the same paper, were sentenced for alleged defamation in separate cases. They were both accused in relation to their monitoring of irregularities in public works.

Link to: Five Saudi Arabian writers currently in prison or facing trial

Five Saudi Arabian writers currently in prison or facing trial

The press and media in Saudi Arabia are not free and legal provisions governing information were strengthened in 2011 by the enacting of the Anti-Cyber Crimes Law.

Link to: Macedonian journalist receives unprecedented prison sentence

Macedonian journalist receives unprecedented prison sentence

A group calling for the release of Tomislav Kezarovski notes that his four-and-a-half year jail term – for revealing the first name of a protected witness – is unprecedented in European jurisprudence.

Tomislav Kezarovski, centre, attends trial in Skopje on 9 August 2013., AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski

Macedonian reporter gets four-and-a-half year jail term

Tomislav Kezarovski was handed a lengthy prison sentence for revealing a protected witness’s identity in a 2008 murder case, even though the witness recently testified that he had given false evidence.

Link to: Criminal investigation advanced against Venezuelan daily

Criminal investigation advanced against Venezuelan daily

The District Attorney’s office summoned Diario 2001 newspaper directors after the president asked for “the most stringent punishment” for an article about irregularities in the supply of gasoline.

Tunisian rapper Klay BBJ, left, is surrounded by supporters as he arrives at the court house in Tunisia on 26 September 2013, a couple of weeks before his acquittal, AP Photo/Mohamed Khalil

Tunisian rapper acquitted after 3 weeks in prison

An appeals court on 17 October 2013, overturned the conviction of a rapper on charges of “insulting the police.” Rapper Klay BBJ had been sentenced to six months in prison.

Link to: Reporter held incommunicado by Pakistan’s military intelligence

Reporter held incommunicado by Pakistan’s military intelligence

“The freedom with which Pakistan’s intelligence agencies act poses a grave threat to freedom of the press and information,” said Reporters Without Borders.

Link to: Saint Lucia radio host faces lawsuits after reading critical article aloud

Saint Lucia radio host faces lawsuits after reading critical article aloud

At least three high-ranking Saint Lucian public officials have announced plans to sue a local radio broadcaster for defamation after the broadcaster read on-air an investigative news article alluding to possible wrongdoing by members of the current governing party.

The main entrance of The Guardian newspaper office in north London., John Stillwell/PA Wire/Associated Press

Concern about U.K.’s parliamentary review into reporting of mass surveillance

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron has encouraged a House of Commons select committee to review whether The Guardian newspaper has damaged national security by publishing material leaked by Edward Snowden.

Link to: Fiji’s media authority extends restrictions on independent journalists

Fiji’s media authority extends restrictions on independent journalists

Fiji’s media authority announced on 8 October that it was looking at extending registration requirements to foreign media trainers and organisations that conducted media training in Fiji, on issues including media freedom, democracy, human rights and elections.

In this photo taken on 12 August 2012, activist Said Yousif al-Muhafdah speaks to protesters in Bahrain, calling for freedom for jailed rights activists seen on the poster at right, Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, Nabeel Rajab and Zainab al-Khawaja, AP Photo/Hasan Jamali

Messages from imprisoned and targeted human rights defenders in Bahrain

In a speech delivered to the 7th Frontline Defenders Platform for Human Rights Defenders at Risk, the acting vice president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Said Yousif AlMuhafdah, shared two letters written by jailed rights defenders Nabeel Rajab and Zainab AlKhawaja.

Link to: Macedonian authorities urged to release investigative journalist

Macedonian authorities urged to release investigative journalist

Writers in Prison Committee Chair Marian Botsford Fraser writes to the Macedonian Minister of Justice regarding the prolonged pre-trial detention of Macedonian investigative journalist Tomislav Kezarovski.

Link to: Somalia’s draft media law is still too repressive, says journalists’ union

Somalia’s draft media law is still too repressive, says journalists’ union

The National Union of Somali Journalists criticizes Somalia’s latest draft media law, as it lacks adequate safeguards to ensure respect for freedom of expression.

Link to: Former judge in Ecuador takes paper to court for libel

Former judge in Ecuador takes paper to court for libel

On September 20, 2013 the Second Criminal Court in Esmeraldas accepted an action for slander that a former judge Ivonne Boada Ortiz presented against Diario la Verdad and four members of its board of directors. Boada also requested financial reparation of US$30 million. The criminal action was presented against Diario La Verdad, and against Mario […]

Link to: Ethiopian editor illegally arrested and removed from Addis Abada

Ethiopian editor illegally arrested and removed from Addis Abada

The editor of the Amharic-language version of the independent big-circulation weekly The Reporter, Desmisse was arrested for unclear reasons in his office on 9 October, taken to a police station in the Addis Ababa suburb of Bole, and from there was taken more than 250 km south of Addis Ababa to Awasa.

Algerian blogger Abdel Ghani Aloui has been detained for posting cartoons on his Facebook account mocking President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (pictured above), REUTERS/Louafi Larbi

Blogger arrested for posting cartoons of Algeria’s president

On 9 October 2013, security forces arrested blogger Abdel Ghani Aloui, 24, for posting on his Facebook account a caricature mocking Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.