Articles by International Press Institute (IPI)
Greek civil defamation reform bill step in the right direction
The proposed changes would scrap the law’s minimum limit for compensation in defamation cases and institute a mandatory 20-day pre-trial period during which the impugned media outlet would have the opportunity to publish a retraction.
Japanese journalist faces prison time for allegedly defaming South Korean president
Prosecutors announced on Monday that they would request an 18-month prison sentence for Tatsuya Kato, former Seoul bureau chief of the Sankei Shimbun newspaper, over an article questioning President Park Geun-hye’s whereabouts during a tragic ferry accident in April 2014 that resulted in over 300 deaths.
U.N. Rapporteur calls for whistleblower, source protections
In a new report released this week, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression has called on states to protect the right of whistle-blowers to disclose information in the public interest and to uphold the general principle of source confidentiality in law and practice.
Washington Post correspondent convicted in Iran; details of verdict unclear
A spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, appeared on state TV late Sunday night to announce that the Tehran Revolutionary Court had convicted Rezaian. However, the details of the verdict and whether Rezaian was in fact sentenced are still not clear.
Turkish journalist beaten as pre-election tensions rise
“If Turkish officials want the results of the Nov. 1 elections to be viewed as legitimate, they need to take immediate steps to protect journalists from violence and to end these abuses, which appear designed to deprive Turkey’s voters of the ability to make an informed decision about their future.”
Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohammed among 100 prisoners pardoned in Egypt
Despite today’s development, IPI noted that journalists in Egypt continue to face a number of challenges to press freedom and it urged authorities to implement a broad list of recommendations IPI released last month aimed at reversing the ongoing deterioration of press freedom in the country.
2015 threatens to end as deadliest year on record for journalists
Sixty-one journalists have been killed for reasons related to their work or have died in accidents while on assignment so far this year. This figure does not include approximately 54 journalists whose deaths are currently under review by IPI for inclusion in the Death Watch.
Turkish daily attacked by mob following reports on Erdoğan
The attack came after AKP supporters, including one MP, began an online campaign against Hürriyet, claiming the paper misquoted Erdoğan.