International Press Institute (IPI)

A joint submission to the UN during Spain’s country review emphasises concerns in three areas: defamation, regulation of the audiovisual sector and access to information.

Venezuelan authorities have repeatedly blocked access to Argentinian news outlet Grupo Infobae, after the outlet published photos of the body of a murdered Venezuelan congressman.

Civil society groups call for an end to repression of IFEX member the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, and urge UNESCO to take action to ensure free expression in Azerbaijan.

In a welcome development in Bolivia, a judge has ruled that criminal charges of espionage, complicity and disclosure of state secrets against two journalists be dropped and the case be moved to the country’s Press Tribunal.

Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Abdullah Elshamy was held in a Cairo prison for more than 300 days without charges before being released on medical grounds in June. He had gone on a five-month-long hunger strike during which he lost a third of his body weight.

Independent organizations in Egypt face a looming crackdown. The government has threatened to enforce a draconian associations law that became law 12 years ago, but has seldom been enforced.

Simone Camilli and Ali Shehda Abu Afash were killed in the northern town of Beit Lahiya today when an unexploded missile blew up.

The recent suspensions and departures of so many writers at El Universal is definitely alarming, as it will likely diminish the spectrum of opinions in Venezuela, a country where the open spaces of opinions are becoming less and less common.