IFEX Digest | 31 October - 6 November 2011

International

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Seventy-seven civil society organisations call on UN to recognise importance of access to information and a free media to sustainable development (ARTICLE 19)
+ Rio 2012: international transparency convention and new laws on right to information needed (ARTICLE 19)

Freedom House report cites rule of law, anti-corruption as keys to Arab Spring success (Freedom House)

Africa

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Angola

Armed men threaten journalist in Cabinda (CPJ)

Equatorial Guinea

Concern over politically motivated arrest of opposition member ahead of referendum (Human Rights Watch)
+ Referendum vote discredited by irregularities (Human Rights Watch)

Eritrea

RSF concerned over fate of Dawit Isaac (RSF)

Ethiopia

Court drops one of three charges against Swedish journalists (RSF)

Liberia

Politician files US$10 million libel suit against newspaper (CEMESP)

Newspaper risks being shut down over US$1.5 million fine (CEMESP)

Rwanda

Supreme Court urged to overturn journalists' convictions (ARTICLE 19)

Somalia

Puntland authorities suspend two TV networks (NUSOJ)
+ Invoking security, Puntland bans two TV stations (CPJ)

NUSOJ demands end to assaults on journalist, media freedoms in Somaliland (NUSOJ)

Americas

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Explosive device blows up outside newspaper office in Chile; IAPA angered at attacks on media, journalists (IAPA)

Argentina

Reporters' van shot at in Cordoba (FOPEA)

Colombia

FLIP concerned over actions against journalists in period leading up to elections (FLIP)

Ecuador

WAN-IFRA calls for dialogue amidst polarised media scene (WAN-IFRA)

Government makes false accusations against Fundamedios in retaliation for its appearance before the IACHR (Fundamedios)

Guatemala

Members of local security committee threaten journalist (IPYS)
+ Whistle-blowing journalist accused of using drugs by local security committee (RSF)
+ IAPA calls for protection of threatened reporter in Guatemala (IAPA)

Honduras

Lead suspect in journalist's killing cleared (RSF)

Unknown assailants shoot journalist (C-Libre)

Mexico

ARTICLE 19 highlights absence of protection of journalists before IACHR (ARTICLE 19)

Peru

Journalist Paul Garay acquitted (IPYS)

United States

Domestic reality does not match bold words on Internet free expression, says RSF (RSF)

Asia & Pacific

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Bangladesh

Newspaper editor freed after three months, immediately re-arrested (RSF)
+ Political victimisation, attacks on journalists mount (IFJ)

Editor granted bail after three months in detention (IFJ)

Cambodia

CCHR Institutions Fact Sheet: the National Assembly and freedom of expression (CCHR)

China

Central government must prevent media harassment, says IFJ (IFJ)

India

IFJ welcomes debate on media regulation, calls for civility and respect (IFJ)

IPI condemns newspaper blockade in Kerala state (IPI)

Call for investigation of alleged torture of detained journalist (IFJ)

Nepal

Journalist receives death threat (Freedom Forum)

Sri Lanka

Death threats against newspaper editor (RSF)

Europe & Central Asia

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Azerbaijan

Editor of "Khural" newspaper arrested (IRFS)
+ Independent editor imprisoned (CPJ)
+ Editor arrested (IPI)
+ Editor-in-chief arrested (IRFS)
+ Editor's appeal rejected (IRFS)
+ Newspaper hounded, editor jailed (RSF)
+ Editor's appeal denied (IRFS)
+ Hearing on Avaz Zeynalli's appeal held (IRFS)
+ Judge extends pre-trial detention of Avaz Zeynalli (IRFS)

France

IFJ condemns violent attack against satirical weekly (IFJ)
+ Offices of satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo" firebombed (CRNI)
+ Magazine attacked over Muhammad cartoon (IPI)

Russia

Journalist beaten and robbed (GDF)

Turkey

Prominent publisher, academic taken into police custody (BIANET)
+ Publisher and leading Turkish PEN member Ragip Zarakolu arrested (PEN American Center)
+ Ersanli and Zarakolu formally arrested (BIANET)
+ Turkish Freedom to Publish hero jailed: IPA demands immediate release of publisher Ragıp Zarakolu (IPA)
+ IFJ condemns arrest of Ragip Zarakolu as new press freedom campaign is launched in Turkey (IFJ)
+ Arrests expose flawed justice system (Human Rights Watch)
+ Writer and academic Ragip Zarakolu formally charged alongside Professor Büşra (WiPC)
+ Judge says publishing freedom pioneer must remain in detention (RSF)
+ Publisher detained (IPI)
+ IPA and PEN International demand immediate release of publisher Ragıp Zarakolu (IPA)

Middle East & North Africa

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Freedom House report cites rule of law, anti-corruption as keys to Arab Spring success (Freedom House)

Egypt

Military officials jail critical blogger (CPJ)
+ Military council detains Alaa Abd el-Fattah (EOHR)
+ Activist detained as authorities try to hide reality of Maspero massacre (ANHRI)
+ EOHR calls for immediate release of Ala Abdel Fattah (EOHR)

Iraq

New wave of abuses and intimidation against the media (RSF)
+ ANHRI condemns closure of independent broadcasting station (ANHRI)

Israel

IFJ backs opposition to "gagging" press bill (IFJ)
+ Defamation amendment bill threatens free expression (IPI)
+ Draconian measures threaten democracy (RSF)

Whistle-blower gets four and a half years, has 45 days to appeal (RSF)
+ Press freedom endangered in Israel and the Palestinian Territories (IPI)

Escalation of settler attacks on journalists (MADA)

Palestine

Escalation of settler attacks on journalists (MADA)

Syria

Journalists, blogger missing (CPJ)
+ ANHRI condemns the ongoing campaign against journalists and bloggers (ANHRI)
+ More arbitrary arrests and disappearances of journalists and bloggers (RSF)
+ Library attacked; activists targeted (ANHRI)

United Arab Emirates

Trial observer finds flagrant due process flaws in "UAE 5" case (ANHRI)

Yemen

Media workers caught in clashes between loyalist troops and opposition forces (RSF)