Index on Censorship

Our Middle East and North Africa round-up spotlights Bahrain’s first military trial of civilians since 2011, a growing crackdown on members of Egypt’s LGBTQI+ community, and a new player restricting Iranians’ internet access.

The recent use of the Interpol system to target journalists is a serious breach of media freedom, says Index. Interpol’s own constitution bars it from interventions that are political in nature.

The killing of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in a car bomb has sparked shock and outrage across Europe.

The Guggenheim’s alarming action continues a growing worldwide trend in which threats of violent protest are silencing artistic expression and posing a danger to free speech in general.

After many predictions of its death, radio is on the rise again, its audience is growing across various age groups and various countries including the US and UK.

A joint statement by the Association of Progressive Communications, IFEX and 64 co-signatories at the UN-HRC 36 warns of the threat to human rights posed by recent attacks on the right to use encryption technology, in Turkey and across the globe.

Writer Jamie Bartlett asks: are we willing to prevent good guys having protection just because bad guys are using it?

Despite Google’s best intentions, banning unpopular ideas could lead to a culture that is not good for business…or free expression.