Articles by Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Additional prison sentences imposed on journalists Win Tin and Myo Myint Nyein
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 10 January 1996 and 10 July 1995** On 28 March 1996, Win Tin, the former editor of the “Hanthawati” newspaper, and Myo Myint Nyein, editor-in-chief of the cultural magazine “What’s Happening”, were given additional sentences of five and seven years respectively. They were found guilty of smuggling letters to Professor Yozo […]
Pressure placed on staff of two state-run newspapers
On 9 April 1996, presidential spokesperson Kamil Bayalinov announced that by virtue of a principle of “rotation of administrative staff,” the editor of the state-run newspaper “Slovo Krghyzstana”, Aleksander Malevanni, had been “transferred” to the editorial department of another state-run newspaper, “Svobodnie Gori-Erkin Too”, and that his associates, Ella Taranova and Danil Kishtobayev, had been […]
Two journalists sentenced to six months in prison
On 4 April 1996, Mahmoud el-Maraghy and Gamal Fahmi, editor-in- chief and columnist respectively for the opposition weekly “Al- Arabi”, were each sentenced to six months in prison for “slandering a member of parliament.” They were also each fined US$ 200. They have appealed the decision and are currently free. The two journalists had published […]
Croatian Parliament adopts amendments to Penal Code which will severely curtail press freedom
**Updates IFEX alert dated 14 March 1996** On 29 March 1996, the Croatian Parliament voted to adopt amendments to the country’s Penal Code that would re-establish crimes of the media. Journalists who contravene any of the crimes could face penalties ranging from six months to three years in prison. For the amendments to become law […]
Two journalists briefly detained; two others threatened by police
On 29 March 1996, journalists Jean-Marie Mayard and Augustin Frantz were detained briefly by police in the city of Saint-Marc, north of Port-au-Prince. The journalists, who work for Radio Magik FM and Radio Caraibes, respectively, were held for four hours at the city’s police station. The two were also reportedly assaulted by the police. The […]
Journalist Srecko Latal detained
On 29 March 1996, Bosnian journalist Srecko Latal was apprehended by Bosnian Serb police. Latal, who works for the Associated Press (AP) news agency, was on his way to investigate a series of explosions in Grbavica, located near the border between the Bosnian and Serb zones in Bosnia Herzegovina. Once there, he was confronted and […]
Journalist Joseph Ruyenzi arrested; whereabouts unknown of journalist Manasse Mugabo
On 29 March 1996, journalist Joseph Ruyenzi was arrested by soldiers from the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA). Ruyenzi, a Hutu, works for the Kinyarwanda-language program “Radio Rwanda”. He was reportedly charged with participating in “secret meetings” (“reunions clandestines”). There has been no news of his whereabouts since his reported arrest. Meanwhile, there has been no […]
Staff of “Trinidad Guardian” harassed
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Basdco Panday said on 2 February 1996 that journalists from the daily “Trinidad Guardian” would not be allowed access to government information until the paper’s editor-in-chief, Jones Madeira, was fired. He contacted Anthony Sagba, chairman of the ANSA McAl group, the newspaper’s financial controller, to demand Madeira’s dismissal. Panday’s action […]