IFEX Digest | 6 - 12 September 2010

International

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IPI honours Radio Okapi with 2010 Free Media Pioneer award (IPI)

CJFE announces 2010 International Press Freedom Award honourees (CJFE)

Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez named IPI's 60th and final World Press Freedom Hero (IPI)

Transparency and free flow of information vital to Millenium Development Goals, say conference participants (ARTICLE 19)

Africa

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African press freedom advocates fight criminal defamation laws (WAN-IFRA)

Angola

Radio presenter gunned down (CPJ)
+ Radio journalist killed (MISA)
+ Journalist with critical radio station gunned down in his home (RSF)
+ Radio journalist buried (MISA)
+ Angolan Journalist Alberto Graves Chakussanga gunned down (MISA)

Burundi

Judges keep editor in detention (RSF)

Democratic Republic of Congo

Journalist released after five months in prison (JED)
+ Newspaper editor acquitted and released after five months in prison (RSF)

Human rights defender abducted, mistreated (Human Rights Watch)

Ghana

Radio journalist hospitalised following assault by ruling party supporters (MFWA)

Liberia

Senate concurs with House of Representatives to pass FOI bill (CEMESP)

ARTICLE 19 welcomes approval of Freedom of Information Act (ARTICLE 19)

Malawi

MISA statement on the state of the media and freedom of expression (MISA)

Somalia

NUSOJ condemns continued detention of journalist by Puntland authorities (NUSOJ)

Puntland court hears journalist's appeal (NUSOJ)

The Gambia

Nigerian rights defender jailed in The Gambia; his organisation banned indefinitely (MFWA)

Togo

President Gnassingbé files lawsuit against yet another newspaper (MFWA)

Uganda

Politician assaults photojournalist (HRNJ-Uganda)
+ Court summons journalist's attacker (HRNJ-Uganda)

Thirty-one IFEX members and global partners demand retraction of proposed amendment to Press and Journalists Act (Freedom House)

Journalist questioned by police for over five hours (HRNJ-Uganda)

Zimbabwe

London-based exile radio station's broadcasts jammed in Harare (RSF)
+ State's attempt to press new charges against visual artist foiled (MISA)
+ Maseko makes application for referral to Supreme Court (MISA)
+ Artist granted leave to refer to Supreme Court (MISA)

Americas

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Argentina

Journalist and community leader assassinated in Buenos Aires shanty town (FOPEA)
+ Murder of Bolivian journalist based in Buenos Aires immigrant neighbourhood (RSF)
+ Journalist stabbed to death in Buenos Aires (CPJ)

Colombia

Teleantioquia Noticias correspondent receives death threats (FLIP)

IAPA calls for due process for Colombian journalist under arrest warrant (IAPA)

Prosecutor removed from case against former Telesur reporter (RSF)

Cuba

Another "Black Spring" journalist released (CPJ)

Released journalists interviewed seven years after "Black Spring" (RSF)

Ecuador

Journalist leaves television station saying he was subjected to pressure tactics (Fundamedios)

Radio journalist leaves programme after 17 years (Fundamedios)

Radio broadcaster intimidated by mayor’s supporters (Fundamedios)

Coverage in police premises is forbidden (Fundamedios)

El Salvador

A year later, many arrests in journalist's murder but facts still unclear (RSF)

Honduras

No let-up for radio stations that opposed coup (RSF)

United States

IAPA surprised at libel suit filed by Florida politician (IAPA)

Venezuela

Governor of Barinas verbally attacks "La Prensa" newspaper (IPYS-Venezuela)

Asia & Pacific

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Afghanistan

Journalist stabbed to death in Kabul (RSF)
+ TV anchor stabbed to death outside his Kabul home (CPJ)
+ IFJ condemns murder of broadcaster (IFJ)

Japanese reporter's release raises hopes for French journalists (RSF)
+ Kidnapped Japanese freelancer released in Afghanistan (CPJ)

Burma

With elections just two months away, media still denied freedom and access (RSF)

China

IFJ Press Freedom in China Campaign Bulletin - September 2010 (IFJ)

Microblogging websites to recruit censors to step up pressure on netizens (RSF)

Journalist arrested for writing book about Sanmenxia Dam (RSF)
+ IFJ urges immediate release of illegally detained writer (IFJ)

Two more Tibetan journalists arrested in Qinghai province (RSF)

IFJ concerned about troubling series of assaults on journalists (IFJ)

India

Tensions between India's embassy and local media in Nepal (IFJ)

Malaysia

Blogger faces trial for malicious intent over satirical article (RSF)

Maldives

IFJ concerned about increasing hostility against independent media (IFJ)

Mongolia

Authorities confiscate computer containing newspaper's confidential information (Globe International)
+ IFJ condemns confiscation of newspaper computer in Mongolia (IFJ)

Nepal

Newspaper editor assaulted by youths (Freedom Forum)
+ Newspaper office attacked (IFJ)

Tensions between India's embassy and local media in Nepal (IFJ)

Two journalists threatened in separate incidents (Freedom Forum)

Pakistan

British-Pakistani journalist held captive in Pakistan since March released (IPI)
+ Abducted British journalist freed in Pakistan (CPJ)

Supporting media and journalists hit by flooding (RSF)

Journalist abducted, tortured (PPF)
+ Men in police uniforms abduct and beat Pakistani journalist (CPJ)

Two media workers killed, several others injured in suicide bomb blast in Quetta (PPF)
+ Media staff among Balochistan blast victims (IFJ)
+ Journalists killed and injured in Quetta bombing, reporter kidnapped in Islamabad (RSF)
+ Cameraman succumbs to injuries suffered in Pakistan attack (IFJ)
+ Journalist and media worker dead in Quetta attack (CPJ)

Philippines

Damning testimony for Ampatuan clan at Maguindanao massacre trial (RSF)
+ Maguindanao massacre trial moves forward (Human Rights Watch)
+ Ten months on, Maguindanao massacre trial begins (IPI)
+ Ampatuan trial update: Trial of multiple murder defendants begins (CMFR)
+ Local ruling family's abuses implicate government (Human Rights Watch)

Sri Lanka

Exiled journalist and his family continue to receive threats (IFJ)

Vietnam

French blogger detained in Ho Chi Minh City (RSF)

Europe & Central Asia

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Azerbaijan

Freedom of expression and independent media essential to ensuring fair elections, says International Partnership Group (ARTICLE 19)

Belarus

Journalist found dead outside Minsk, CPJ calls for investigation (CPJ)
+ Freedom of expression must not be compromised during pre-election period (ARTICLE 19)
+ Reporter found hanged (CJES)

Russia

Media reporting on forest fires face restrictions (GDF)

Turkey

Newspaper executives on trial for "spreading propaganda for an illegal organisation" (BIANET)

Two Kurdish newspapers suspended; magazine copies seized (BIANET)

Foreign minister calls for reclassification of freedom of speech cases at ECHR (BIANET)

Ukraine

ARTICLE 19, IMS call on parliament to address media freedom (ARTICLE 19)
+ Parliament must adopt crucial law on access to public information without delay (ARTICLE 19)

Newspaper lawyer alleges police planted drugs in his apartment (IMI)
+ Police claim lawyer Ismaylov's wife and son assaulted them (IMI)

Camera operator beaten in Poltava (IMI)

Middle East & North Africa

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Bahrain

Human Rights Watch urges authorities to halt threats against rights defenders (Human Rights Watch)
+ As elections approach, crackdown on the opposition and rights advocates reaches its peak (CIHRS)
+ Revoke order dissolving rights group's board (Human Rights Watch)

Dozens of websites and electronic forums blocked (BCHR)

Blogger arrested amidst crackdown (BCHR)
+ Arrests, torture and website-blocking as situation worsens alarmingly (RSF)
+ In the war waged against freedom of expression, ANHRI denounces detention of blogger Ali Abdelemam (ANHRI)
+ Prominent online journalist arrested in Bahrain (CPJ)
+ Bahrain crackdown grows more concerning (Freedom House)

Egypt

State security department prevents group from forming a registered association (ANHRI)

Rights organisations call on Prosecutor General's Office to investigate intellectual property case (ANHRI)

Defamation case against prominent journalist referred to criminal court (IPI)
+ ANHRI denounces referral of media figure Hamdi Kandil to criminal court (ANHRI)
+ Hamdy Kandil referred to Giza criminal court (EOHR)
+ Hamdi Kandil prosecuted for criticizing foreign minister (ANHRI)

Iran

Prominent lawyer arrested (RSF)

Iraq

Second targeted killing of a TV presenter in two days (RSF)
+ Second TV anchor gunned down in two days (CPJ)
+ IFJ calls on politicians to oppose violence against media after another journalist is gunned down (IFJ)

IFJ condemns killing of journalist (IFJ)
+ Al-Iraqiya anchorman gunned down in Iraq (CPJ)
+ ANHRI condemns murder of Riyadh al-Sarray (ANHRI)

Israel

Activist convicted after unfair trial (Human Rights Watch)

IFJ protests bar on union leader, calls on authorities to "Open Door to Dialogue" (IFJ)

Yemen

Several journalists attacked while covering protests (RSF)

Awards

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IPI honours Radio Okapi with 2010 Free Media Pioneer award (IPI)

CJFE announces 2010 International Press Freedom Award honourees (CJFE)

Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez named IPI's 60th and final World Press Freedom Hero (IPI)