United Kingdom

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: RIGHTS GROUP CONDEMNS BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S INVOLVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF TURKISH DAM In a letter to Tony Blair, ARTICLE 19, the Global Campaign for Free Expression, has expressed serious concerns over the UK government’s plans to provide $200 million towards the building of the Ilisu […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: 17 May 2000 For immediate release ARTICLE 19 CONDEMNS UK GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO GAG JOURNALISTS The UK government is violating international principles on freedom of expression in its increasing attempts to restrict freedom of expression in Britain. Sunday Times Northern Ireland editor, Liam Clarke, […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 31 March 2000 ARTICLE 19 letter to UK Home Secretary Jack Straw expressing concern over proposed Freedom of Information legislation: 31 March 2000 The Right Honourable Jack Straw PRIVATE Home Secretary Home Office 50 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1H 9AT Thank you for your letter of 29 November […]

In a 20 March 2000 letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair, IPI expressed its great concern over the threats posed to “The Observer” and “The Guardian” newspapers as a result of the government’s actions in the matter of David Shayler, a former MI5 (Britain’s security service) officer now residing in France. It is IPI’s understanding, […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: LORD CHANCELLOR CHALLENGED ON ‘INSIDIOUS CENSORSHIP’ The Lord Chancellor’s office has acted as judge, jury and censor by taking action leading to the closure by an Internet service provider of a website deemed ‘offensive’, according to ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against Censorship. Andrew […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Yugoslav Minister of the Interior Vlajko Stoiljkovic, RSF demanded the immediate release of Desa Trevisan, a journalist with the British daily, “The Times”. “Nothing can justify the sentence Ms Trevisan received,” declared Robert Ménard, RSF’s secretary-general. “She must be released immediately,” he added. On 1 November 1999, Trevisan (75 […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: 25 October 1999 – for immediate release UK GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP INCREASING, UN MISSION HEARS The British Government is presiding over a trend towards increasing censorship, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom Of Opinion and Expression was told today by a broad range of civil […]

(HKJA/IFEX) – The Hong Kong Journalists Association expresses deep regret at the treatment meted out by a British police officer to a Hong Kong TV crew covering the visit of Chinese President Jiang Zemin in London, England. The incident occurred at 9:30 GMT on 20 October 1999. Ngo Yuk-mei and a Hong Kong Cable Television […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – Tony Geraghty, a British writer and journalist, and author of several books about Britain’s Special Air Services, or SAS for short, has been charged under the country’s Official Secrets Act. This charge concerns his latest book, “The Irish War”, published last year in hardback by HarperCollins and due to be published shortly […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: For immediate release – 22 June 1999 THE UK – WHERE’S THE PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW? ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against Censorship, today published The Public’s Right to Know: Principles on Freedom of Information Legislation, a set of international and comparative standards on […]

(IPI/IFEX) – The following letter is a reply from Independent Television Commission (ITC) spokesperson Peter B. Rogers to IPI’s recent letter expressing concern regarding the suspension of Med TV: **Updates IFEX alerts of 2 April and 30 March 1999** Dear Mr. Fritz MED TV Thank you for letting us know views in the ITC’s actions […]

(IFJ/IFEX) – The IFJ is concerned at the suspension of Med TV’s license by the Independent Television Commission (ITC). According to the IFJ’s information, the suspension issued on 22 March 1999 was based on the Commission’s opinion that Med TV had broadcast material “likely to encourage or incite to crime or to lead to disorder” […]

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI recently expressed its concern with regard to the suspension for a period of twenty one days of the satellite television service licence of Med Broadcasting Ltd. (Med TV). IPI understands that the Independent Television Commission (ITC) has taken this action under powers given by Parliament in Section 89 of the 1996 Broadcasting […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 2 October 1998, ARTICLE 19 wrote to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg, appealing to him to urgently review British obscenity laws and stating that they represent an excessive restriction on freedom of expression. Frances D’Souza, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19, said: “The Obscenity Act is impossibly subjective and is […]

(WAN/IFEX) – Three editors of “Green Anarchist” magazine, Saxon Burchnall-Wood, Steve Booth and Noel Molland, were each sentenced to three years in jail on 14 November 1997 after being found guilty of conspiring to incite persons unknown to commit criminal damage. The charges arose from their dissemination of radical animal rights literature. Recommended Action Send […]

Peter Tatchell, the gay rights activist, has protested to ARTICLE 19 that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has banned him and members of his organization, OutRage, from being interviewed live on BBC programmes. Tatchell wrote in a letter to ARTICLE 19 that the source of this information is a reporter from “Capital Gay” newspaper, Rob […]