ANHRI concerned over passage of media regulation law
(ANHRI/IFEX) – ANHRI has followed with deep concern and disappointment the passage of the law for regulation of the media by the Federal National Council during its last session on 20 January 2009. ANHRI feels that this has been done without regard for differing opinions and a total rejection of concerned media professionals and interested […]
World Report 2009: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
World Report 2009: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Newspaper suspended and fined after reporting on horse-racing scandal
(ANHRI/IFEX)- On 19 November 2008, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) condemned an order handed down on 18 November by the Abu Dhabi court of appeal suspending the “Emarat Alyoum” newspaper for defamation. The court also fined the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Sami Al-Alraymi, 20,000 dirham (approx. US$5,400) and the newspaper 500,000 dirham (approx. US$136,000). […]
Deliberate blocking, “accidental” blocking and filtering all pose threat to online free expression, says RSF
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders is concerned about online free expression in the United Arab Emirates following recent comments by leading Internet sector officials. The spokesman for the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), which oversees the UAE’s Internet, said on 17 October 2008 that the authority was considering “deliberately blocking” access to part of the social […]
Annual Report 2008: The Gulf states
Annual Report 2008: The Gulf states
World Report 2008: United Arab Emirates
World Report 2008: United Arab Emirates
Freedom of the Press 2007: United Arab Emirates
Freedom of the Press 2007: United Arab Emirates
UAE allows one Pakistani TV station to resume broadcasting but government continues to block signal; two radio stations still censored in Pakistan
(RSF/IFEX) – On 30 November 2007, Reporters Without Borders wrote to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf asking him to quickly rescind his ban on the Geo TV group’s various television stations and two independent radio stations, Power99 FM and Mast Fm 103. Mr. Pervez Musharraf President Islamabad Republic of Pakistan Dear Mr. President, The authorities in […]
CAPSULE REPORT: Freedom of expression violations continue despite end to imprisonment for press crimes
(HRinfo/IFEX) – The following is an abridged HRinfo report: United Arab Emirates: Freedom of expression is missing despite a decision banning imprisonment for press crimes November 27, 2007 Preface Despite the wise decision by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoom – the prime minister and Dubai’s governor – not to imprison journalists for press crimes, […]
Owner of Majan.net website avoids prison on appeal
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF welcomes an appeal court decision overturning a 17-month jail sentence imposed in November 2006 on Mohammed Rashed Shehhi, owner of the website Majan.net ( http://majan.net/ ) for allegedly defamatory comments. On 19 November 2007, the Ras Al Khaimah appeal court ruled in favour of Rashed Shehhi, who had been sentenced in a […]
Station owner harassed, financial losses severe as ban on television stations continue
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a Human Rights Watch press release: Pakistan: Dubai Should End Shutdown of Pakistani Channels UAE Should Resist Pakistani Pressure; US Should Tell Ally It Opposes Closures (New York, November 20, 2007) – The Dubai government should allow Geo Television and ARY Digital, which broadcast from Dubai and function as Pakistan’s […]
Two Pakistani television channels broadcasting from Dubai ordered off the air
(PPF/IFEX) – The government of Pakistan pressured the government of United Arab Emirates to close down two leading private television networks on 16 November 2007. According to Geo TV, the authorities in Dubai had asked the network’s administration to close down its operations by midnight (local time) on 16 November. The network further said no […]
Court overturns journalists’ convictions on libel charges; website owner fined, given suspended sentence
(RSF/IFEX) – On 8 November 2007, Reporters Without Borders welcomed a Dubai appeal court’s decision to overturn the convictions of Shimba Kassiril Ganjadahran, the former editor of the English-language “Khaleej Times”, and one of his reporters, Mohsen Rashed, on charges of libel. The two journalists had been sentenced on 24 September to two months in […]
Prime minister decriminalises press offences
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 26 September 2007 IFJ media release: IFJ Welcomes Legal Breakthrough as Emirates End jail Threat to Journalists The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed a decree by the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that journalists should not be jailed for their work, setting a precedent […]
Two journalists receive two-month prison sentences for libel
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has deplored the handing down of two-month prison sentences for libel to the former editor of the English-language paper “Khaleej Times”, Shimba Kassiril Ganjadahran, and journalist Mohsen Rashed by a court in Dubai. The sentences came less than two weeks after five-month prison terms were given to two online journalists […]
Web writer and site administrator sentenced to five months in prison
(HRinfo/IFEX) – HRINFO has expressed deep concern over a new sentence passed by the Ras Kheima court against writer Khalid El-Asly, of the Majan website ( http://www.majan.net ), and the site’s head administrator Muhammed Shouhi. Both were sentenced to five months in prison. This is the second case launched against the website. A further two […]