Articles by International Press Institute (IPI)
Clamp down on private media in run-up to elections
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is expressing concern about independent reports which indicate that the Kazakh government is clamping down on the private media in the run-up to the 10 January 1999 elections. According to IPI’s information, the authorities have visited many independent media offices and warned journalists and media owners against covering the opposition candidates, or […]
Magazine first victim of new information law
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is strongly condemning the repressive action taken against “Evropljanin” (European) magazine in a Belgrade court on 23 October 1998. IPI has been informed that the court found that articles and illustrations in the most recent issue of “Evropljanin” violated Article 67 of the new Public Information Law. As we indicated in previous […]
Statements from the IPI Board meeting in Istanbul
(IPI/IFEX) – On 19 October 1998, IPI released this statement on the occasion of its Board meeting in Istanbul, Turkey (15-17 October 1998): The Executive Board of IPI, the global network of editors and media executives, urged the following governments to take steps which would further press freedom in their countries: Cameroon. The IPI Board […]
Kurdish-language television transmissions jammed
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is strongly condemning the jamming of transmissions from the London-based Kurdish-language satellite television station, Med TV, by the Turkish authorities. **For background to harassment of Med-TV, see IFEX alerts of 20 September and 20 November 1996** IPI has been informed that Med TV’s news and panel discussion programmes are being targeted since […]
Military trial of journalist set to begin
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is most concerned about the forthcoming case of Grigori Pasko, who has been imprisoned since November 1997 in Vladivostok. IPI reported on 13 October 1998 that he was to go on trial on charges of treason on 14 October. **Updates IFEX alerts of 21 May and 11 May 1998** The charges against […]
President vetoes proposed radio and tv law; bill goes back to parliament
(IPI/IFEX) – According to the International Press Institute, Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov vetoed a proposed radio and television law on 28 September 1998. Stoyanov sent the bill back to parliament for further debate, as he was concerned it may fail to guarantee the political independence of the media and could create divisions between ethnic groups. […]
IPI calls on authorities to revoke penal code articles which allow prison for libel and defamation
(IPI/IFEX) – An International Press Institute delegation met in Sofia with three members of parliament (MPs) from the ruling Union of Democratic Forces Party (UDF) — Dimitar Abajiev, Ivan Dimov and Sasho Stoyanov — to call on the Bulgarian authorities to revoke articles within the penal code that punish journalists with imprisonment for articles that […]
IPI issues report on Slovakia?s elections and the media
(IPI/IFEX) – In a 21 September 1998 press statement, IPI says over the past few weeks, listeners to private Radio Twistâs news programmes have first been presented with a recorded apology issued by the General Director Andi Hryc. The statement announces that due to restrictive aspects of the Election Law, Radio Twist is legally forbidden […]