ARTICLE 19

The report highlights yet again an appalling level of violence and attacks perpetrated against journalists and media workers over 2010, along with a marked increase in self-censorship on the part of journalists and editors.

Many governments, are trying hard to restore or fortify barriers to trace, block, target and censor those who champion the truth, ARTICLE 19 said.

There have been widespread allegations of human rights violations and disappearances during the pro-democracy protests, and many journalists, human rights defenders, bloggers and cyber activists have been detained in a number of countries, including in Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen and Syria.

The government is urged to enter into a good faith dialogue and consultation with the communities that will be affected by the Belo Monte Power Plant and to uphold their right to receive information and freely form their opinions about the project.

Protesters wearing masks bearing the face of jailed journalist Eynulla Fatullayev will stage a protest outside the Azerbaijani Embassy on Wednesday 20 April 2011.

In its seventh formal mission to Tunisia, and the second visit since deposed President Zine El Abedine Ben Ali fled the country, an IFEX-TMG delegation spent over a week meeting a wide range of stakeholders as part of the ongoing assessment of the state of freedom of expression in the country.

In the weeks leading up to the 11-15 April Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe session, the authorities have engaged in a crackdown on freedom of expression in the country.

The March alert features cases from Tunisia, Pakistan, China and United Arab Emirates, among others.