Articles by Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Three television journalists and staff arrested
On 17 April 1996, “Liberal” television station reporter Marisa Romeo, cameraman Jonias Cardoso and soundman Raimundo Marinho were arrested by police near Eldorado do Carajas, in the northern state of Para. The trio were covering a confrontation between police and landless peasants who were blocking a road. After having been singled out by the police, […]
“Novi List” ordered to pay backdated taxes; editor-in- chief of “Nacional” charged with publishing misleading information
On 28 March 1996, the independent daily “Novi List” was ordered to pay backdated taxes of 12.5 million francs (US$ 2.5 million), even though the newspaper had previously been exempt from it. The order came following an investigation by financial police which began on 23 January, several weeks after the publication of an article which […]
Journalist Juan Jose Yantuche dies as a result of his injuries
On 11 April 1996, Juan Jose Yantuche, a reporter with the television program TV Noticias, died as a result of his injuries. Two weeks ago, the wounded body of Yantuche was found in his car at the end of a ravine in Zone 1 of the city of Mixco; he had been in a coma […]
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 […]