Articles by International Press Institute (IPI)
Journalist held 24 hours without charges
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI reports that according to information they have received, Michael Foder (professional name: Michael Freeman), a Romanian freelance cameraman/producer working in Bucharest, was arrested and held for 24 hours without charge on 7 January 1998. According to IPI, Foder has been researching a programme involving a former politician, in which he intended to […]
Two journalists arrested
(IPI/IFEX) – Ibrahim Karim Sei, editor of the privately-owned magazine the “Standard Times”, and Dorothy Awoonor-Gordon, acting editor of the “Concord Times”, were arrested on 21 November 1997 and are still in detention. Previously, on 12 November, national radio had announced the decision of the military authorities to suspend temporarily “Standard Times”. The editors had […]
Middle East News Agency correspondent detained for one week; ordered to leave
On 4 July 1996, IPI expressed concerned at measures taken against Hassan Anwar, the designated correspondent in Nigeria for the Middle East News Agency (MENA). Anwar had reportedly received an official entry visa from the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, after presenting documents designating him as the MENA correspondent in Abuja, Nigeria. Upon his arrival […]
Concern at statements directed against media
IPI is concerned at statements directed against the Slovak media by Ivan Lexa, head of Slovakia’s intelligence service (SIS). In a 22 May 1996 report to Parliament, Lexa dismissed the findings of a committee headed by Ladislav Pittner, a member of the Christian Democratic Movement. The findings accused Lexa, the SIS and Interior Minister Ludovit […]
Amendments to Penal Code could threaten freedom of expression
On 26 March 1996, the coalition government of Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar pushed through Parliament several amendments to Slovakia’s Penal Code. The amendments allow for imprisonment of people who are found to have organized anti-government rallies or spread false information about Slovakia abroad. This new legislation states that those who with “malicious intent circulate false […]
Proposed amendments to penal code threaten freedom of expression
Source: “Center for Foreign Journalists Clearinghouse on the Central & East European Press” (CFJ) The Romanian Parliament is expected to pass amendments to the penal code in February or March that would constitute a serious threat to freedom of expression. The amendments would provide long prison terms for such offenses as “damaging the reputation of […]
Editor of “Gazeta Wyborcza” sentenced to prison
On 19 January, the Supreme Court of Poland sentenced Waclaw Bialy, editor of the Lublin edition of the daily newspaper “Gazeta Wyborcza”, to two weeks in prison and a fine for refusing to reveal the name of a contributor after he was ordered to do so by a regional court. Although Mr. Bialy based his […]
Russian TV head, Oleg Poptsov, threatened with dismissal
It is rumoured that the head of Russian state television, Oleg Poptsov, will be fired for his organisation’s critical reporting on the conflict in Chechnya, according to unconfirmed reports obtained by IPI. Poptsov could be dismissed because of Russian TV’s supposed lack of objectivity in its coverage of the Chechen crisis. State television employees support […]