Articles by Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Concern as broadcasters granted licences, but many rejected; most to be banned from broadcasting political news
On 17 September 1996, the Lebanese government gave broadcasting licences to four privately-owned television and eleven radio stations, rejecting the applications of 47 other broadcasters, who will have to refrain from broadcasting political programs as of 18 September and cease operating completely after 30 November. Minister of Information Farid Mekari, however, said the 47 were […]
New trial opens against weekly’s editor-in-chief
A military court trial against Manuel Cabieses, editor-in-chief of the weekly “Punto Final”, has opened on charges of “inciting sedition” (“incitacion a la sedicion”). With a warrant for the arrest of Cabieses, police on 10 September 1996 raided the journalist’s home, as well as the offices of the weekly. A verdict was to be pronounced […]
Journalist Uri Avneri assaulted
On 6 September 1996, Uri Avneri, a journalist with the daily “Ma’ariv”, was assaulted by members of the public as he was entering the Cinerama building, where the Likud National Committee was due to meet. He received several blows before being thrown out of the meeting room. Justice Minister Tsahi Hanegbi, who was chairing the […]
Broadcasting bill threatens to limit press freedom
On 18 July 1996, the Bulgarian Parliament approved by 125 votes out of 240 a bill laying down regulations for the operation of a new National Radio and Television Council. The bill states that programmes broadcast must be in accordance with “the constitutional order, state security, the interests of defence and shared moral values.” The […]
Independent radio station suspended
On 1 September 1996, the Ministry of Communications suspended broadcasts by Radio 101.2 FM by cutting off access to its state-owned transmitter. A few days earlier, the independent Minsk station received a fax from the ministry saying the decision had been made because its broadcasts “were interfering with government frequencies.” Since no replacement wavelength has […]
Photographer Salah Omar arrested
On 2 September 1996, Salah Omar, a photographer for the news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) and the official Sudanese News Agency (SUNA), was arrested by security force agents in Khartoum as he was taking pictures in the street. Omar, who has worked for AFP for six years, was driven by the agents to an […]
Journalist Jerzy Slavomir Mac reported missing
Jerzy Slavomir Mac, a journalist with the weekly “Wprost”, has been missing since 27 August 1996. At 5pm in Warsaw, he left the newspaper’s editorial office, leaving his computer on and without having taken his identity card. Two days later, after Mac had failed to show up at either his home or the newspaper’s office, […]
Several journalists harassed while covering demonstrations
On 29 August 1996, Luis Gonzalo Velez, a cameraman for the television news program “Colombia 12:30”, which broadcasts on the public channel Cadena 1, was assaulted by several soldiers as he was covering confrontations between the soldiers and coca producers in Caqueta department, in southern Colombia. According to footage broadcast the same day, Velez was […]