FXI concerned over trend of banning public events in Cape Town to prevent particular points of view from being expressed
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an 8 June 2007 FXI press statement: FXI writes to Helen Zille about banned gatherings in Cape Town On Friday, the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) wrote to the Mayor of Cape Town, Helen Zille, about the prohibition of gatherings in Cape Town during the public sector strike. The FXI […]
SABC withdraws controversial documentary for second time
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an FXI statement: FXI statement on SABC’s second withdrawal of Thabo Mbeki documentary Now you see it, now you don’t, now you see it, now you don’t: such is the farcical situation with the controversial documentary on President Thabo Mbeki, which the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) had scheduled for […]
Following protests over apparent ban, SABC decides to screen edited version of controversial documentary
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 6 June 2007 FXI press release: FXI welcomes SABC’s scheduling of Thabo Mbeki documentary The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) welcomes the fact that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has decided to schedule the controversial documentary on President Thabo Mbeki for screening on Sunday 10 June at 9 […]
FXI welcomes court ruling refusing Transport Department’s request for pre-publication interdict against newspaper
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 31 May 2007 FXI press release: FXI welcomes court ruling on Beeld e-Natis interdict The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) welcomes the fact that, earlier today, the Pretoria High Court refused to grant an interdict against Beeld newspaper, sought by the Department of Transport. The newspaper was seeking to […]
Revised Film and Publications Amendment Bill still problematic, says FXI
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 31 May 2007 FXI press release: FXI’s preliminary comments on the revised Film and Publications Amendment Bill The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) welcomes the fact that the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has reinserted the exemptions for the media into the controversial Film and Publications Amendment Bill. […]
Court dismisses state request for ban on reporting of sensitive nuclear-smuggling case
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 25 May 2007 FXI press release: FXI, Misa-SA, Sanef and the M&G welcome Pretoria High Court ruling in nuclear smuggling case The Mail & Guardian, FXI, the South African Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-SA) and the South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF) are delighted by […]
FXI protests state’s attempt to close court from media during nuclear smuggling trial
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 20 April 2007 FXI press release: FXI and others opposed to prohibition of media from trial proceedings Today, the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) joined the Mail & Guardian newspaper, the South African Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa-SA) and the South African National Editor’s Forum […]
South African response to Zimbabwe’s freedom of expression crisis “grossly inadequate,” says FXI
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 4 April 2007 FXI press statement: RE: FXI’s response to murder of Zimbabwean camerman Edward Chikombo and other media freedom violations The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) is shocked by the most recent assaults on media freedom in Zimbabwe, leading to the murder of Zimbabwean cameraman for the Zimbabwean […]
Court ruling protecting right to privacy in HIV-status case will have no chilling effect on freedom of expression, says FXI
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an FXI media release: RE: Constitutional Court judgement: NM and others v Charlene Smith and others Today the Constitutional Court handed down a judgment in the case of NM and Others v Smith and Others, in which three HIV-positive women claimed that their right to privacy and dignity were violated […]
Public broadcaster pressured into delaying television programme over content
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 30 March 2007 FXI media release: FXI concerned about postponement of SABC 1 programme The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) views with concern the announcement by the SABC that it has delayed the broadcast of SABC 1’s “Emthunzini we Ntaba” because it has decided to embark on a new […]
Professor suspended, faces disciplinary action, for criticising university’s decisions
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is an abridged 20 March 2007 FXI media release: UKZN academic exercises freedom of expression, gets suspended As yet another South African academic, the University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Professor Evan Mantzaris, faces disciplinary action for exercising his right to free expression, the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) again expresses its concern […]
Concerns over parliamentary processing of media bill without consultation with stakeholders
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 14 March 2007 FXI press release: SANEF, MISA-SA & FXI Concerns over parliamentary processing of Films & Publications Amendment Bill without consultation with the media The SA National Editors’ Forum, SA Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa and the Freedom of Expression Institute are shocked by the […]
Disciplinary hearing of critical academic creates climate of fear in university, warns FXI
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 15 March 2006 FXI media release: FXI condemns violation of free expression at Fort Hare University The Freedom of Expression Institute is appalled at the charges levelled against Fort Hare’s Professor Dieter Welz by his university, which accuses him of criticising the University administration in lectures, internal emails and […]
FXI argues before Constitutional Court on student’s right to wear nose-stud as freedom of expression
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 19 February 2007 FXI media release: Media Release: Freedom of Expression central to Nose Stud case, says FXI South Africa’s Constitutional Court heard arguments yesterday and today on the appeal by the Kwa-Zulu Natal provincial Minister of Education (and others) against a High Court decision in favour of school […]
Court clears university professor of defamation; “a victory for increasingly threatened academic freedom”, says FXI
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 21 February 2007 FXI statement: Alert: FXI welcomes judgement in academic freedom case The Freedom of Expression Institute welcomes the judgement handed down yesterday by Magistrate IM Ristow of the Grahamstown Magistrates’ Court in which he dismissed (with costs) charges of defamation made by University of Kwazulu Natal head […]
FXI lodges complaint over broadcasting corporation’s inaction on blacklisting report
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 21 February 2007 FXI press release: Action alert: FXI lays complaint with communications regulator about SABC The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) yesterday laid a complaint with the Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), about the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). […]