IFEX Digest | 15 - 21 November 2010

International

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Anti-corruption prize awarded to Sri Lankan journalist (IFJ)

Writers in Prison Committee commemorates 50 years (WiPC)
+ Aung San Suu Kyi released (WiPC)

Africa

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Côte d'Ivoire

Conclusions from media monitoring during campaign for first round of presidential election (RSF)

Democratic Republic of Congo

Radio station reopened after 48 days of arbitrary closure (JED)

Ethiopia

Editor released; his son jailed (WiPC)

Namibia

"Informanté" editor resigns following threats (MISA)

"Informanté" editor under threat for publishing article on former president's illness (MISA)

Senegal

Unfair libel trial ends in heavy fine, suspended jail sentence for leading journalist (RSF)

Somalia

NUSOJ condemns suspension of journalists from their work (NUSOJ)

Sudan

Journalists detained, fears for safety (WiPC)

The Gambia

Journalists' rights advocates engage Gambian government on media situation (NUSOJ)

Uganda

Missing Radio Simba journalist released after eight days in detention (HRNJ-Uganda)

Zambia

Victory for two journalists as political supporter jailed for assault (MISA)

Court orders arrest of online publication editor and journalist for contempt of court (MISA)

Zimbabwe

"The Standard" journalist arrested (MISA)
+ Bail hearing for "The Standard" journalist (MISA)
+ Journalist's bid for freedom thwarted (MISA)
+ Journalists condemn detention of colleague (MISA)
+ Government blocks bail for journalist (IPI)
+ Journalist kept in prison despite judicial release order (RSF)

Police question "Newsday" journalist (MISA)
+ IFJ slams arrest of journalists' leader (IFJ)
+ Spate of journalist arrests raises concerns (WAN-IFRA)

Journalists assaulted by youths during incident at church (MISA)

No new broadcasting licences issued (MISA)

Americas

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Bolivia

Journalists’ unions still protest at dangers in anti-racism law (RSF)

Brazil

Attack against newspaper printing press (IPYS)
+ Police investigate attack against newspaper press in São Paulo (ABRAJI)

Canada

RSF interview with journalist who won right to protect source (RSF)

Chile

Authorities shut down three community radio stations (AMARC)

Ecuador

Camera operator threatened during protest at border (Fundamedios)

Newspaper denounces discrediting campaign by government controlled media (Fundamedios)

Journalist to be investigated for his opinion on the police uprising (Fundamedios)

Honduras

ARTICLE 19 welcomes UPR recommendations (ARTICLE 19)

Mexico

Two reporters flee the country after receiving death threats (CEPET)

Gunmen attack newspaper in Acapulco (CPJ)

Peru

Journalist accused of participating in land takeover, sent to prison (OLA)

Journalist assaulted, forced to drink contaminated water (IPYS)

United States

Decision against filing charges in CIA video destruction case deals new setback to right to information (RSF)

Venezuela

News crews assaulted by group of labourers (IPYS-Venezuela)

Asia & Pacific

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Afghanistan

Call for journalist Hojatullah Mujadadi's release before Aid al-Kabir (RSF)

Australia

New threats to journalists' sources as police secretly access reporter's telephone records (RSF)

Burma

Junta uses Internet upgrade to centralise and reinforce online controls (RSF)

Suu Kyi release spotlights remaining political prisoners, says Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch)
+ Aung San Suu Kyi released (WiPC)

Nepal

Journalist abducted, brutally assaulted and threatened (Freedom Forum)
+ Journalist abducted and assaulted (IFJ)

Radio journalist receives death threat (Freedom Forum)

Government fails to prosecute journalists' murderers (Freedom Forum)

New Zealand

Search and Surveillance Bill undermines journalists' rights, says IFJ (IFJ)

Philippines

IFJ demands congress resolve media safety crisis (IFJ)

Local ruling family's abuses implicate government (Human Rights Watch)

Singapore

CPJ condemns jail sentence against writer critical of death penalty (CPJ)
+ British author Alan Shadrake sentenced (WiPC)
+ Court to hear appeal by critic of judiciary (Human Rights Watch)

Singapore need not fear loosening censorship (Index on Censorship)

Europe & Central Asia

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ARTICLE 19 calls on authorities to fulfill international obligations to freedom of expression (ARTICLE 19)

Azerbaijan

Blogger Emin Milli released (IRFS)
+ Two bloggers freed but Eynulla Fatullayev remains in prison as Baku continues to defy European Court of Human Rights' ruling (WiPC)

Blogger Adnan Hajizade released (IRFS)
+ Release of one blogger not enough, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)
+ Blogger released on parole after 16 months in jail (RSF)
+ Blogger is free, but two journalists remain jailed (Human Rights Watch)
+ Azerbaijan releases blogger; two reporters still in prison (CPJ)

Without free expression, elections not free and fair, say international organisations (ARTICLE 19)

Eynulla Fatullayev caged for appeal hearing as Baku continues to defy European Court of Human Rights' release ruling (WiPC)

Azerbaijan must immediately release Eynulla Fatullayev (CPJ)

Court defies European Court instruction to free journalist (Human Rights Watch)

Italy

Following press freedom mission to Italy, IPI highlights politicisation of the media (IPI)
+ IPI press freedom mission to Italy underway; lack of editorial independence, media concentration, and proposed 'Wiretap' Bill top discussions (IPI)

Kyrgyzstan

Askarov's appeal denied; his health deteriorating due to beatings (CPJ)

Russia

Journalist living "under siege" in Volgodonsk (GDF)

CPJ calls on mayor to "immediately drop his cruel lawsuit" against editor Mikhail Beketov (CPJ)

IFJ appalled by conviction of Russian journalist following near death beating (IFJ)

Second Russian journalist attacked in two days (IPI)

Attempt on journalist's life (GDF)

Turkey

ARTICLE 19 calls on government to lead by example during Committee of Ministers Chairmanship (ARTICLE 19)
+ Kurdish party members' trial violates rights (Human Rights Watch)

United Kingdom

Order to shut down police monitoring website illegal, says ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19)

Middle East & North Africa

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Bahrain

Activist sentenced to one year in prison for distributing information on human rights violations (BCHR)

Fifty human rights organisations, including four IFEX members, express solidarity with activists on trial on fabricated charges (ANHRI)

Egypt

Blogger Kareem Amer released from prison (PEN American Center)
+ Blogger Kareem Amer finally released (RSF)
+ Internet writer Kareem Amer released (WiPC)

Disinformation campaign by Tunisia's government in Egyptian newspapers (ANHRI)

Egyptian activist arrested in Saudi Arabia (ANHRI)

Iran

World's youngest detained blogger on trial (RSF)

Two German reporters charged with espionage (CPJ)
+ Reporting is not spying, says RSF (RSF)
+ Press groups protest against arrest of German journalists in Iran (WAN-IFRA)

One blogger freed on bail, another denied parole (RSF)

Libya

RSF contributes to UN Human Rights Council review of Libya (RSF)

Morocco

IFJ calls for higher accuracy standards in media coverage of Western Sahara crisis (IFJ)

IFJ rejects 'baseless' accusations against Spanish media in Morocco (IFJ)

Palestine

MADA welcomes the release of journalist Tariq Abu Zaid; condemns threats against another journalist in Gaza (MADA)

Photographers detained; journalists threatened, interrogated (MADA)

Saudi Arabia

Egyptian activist arrested in Saudi Arabia (ANHRI)

Journalist sentenced to public lashing (Human Rights Watch)

Syria

Lawyer and writer attacked; fears for safety (WiPC)

Tunisia

Five years past WSIS, online activity even more censored, critics silenced (IFEX-TMG)

Disinformation campaign by Tunisia's government in Egyptian newspapers (ANHRI)

Yemen

International partnership for Yemen reports on critical press freedom situation (ARTICLE 19)
+ Fourth hearing in detained reporter's trial before state security court (RSF)

Awards

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Anti-corruption prize awarded to Sri Lankan journalist (IFJ)