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IFEX Communiqué Vol 20, No 50

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EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the final issue of the 2011 "IFEX Communiqué". We will return on 4 January 2012. Have a good holiday.

Bahrain

Baby's death, arrest of al-Khawaja threaten government's commitment to reform

The arrest of international cause célèbre "Angry Arabiya" and the death of a five-day-old girl as a result of a tear gas attack have become the latest events threatening to overshadow Bahrain's promises of reform following a highly critical report into the pro-democracy protests earlier this year, say the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Index on Censorship and other IFEX members.

Tunisia

Free expression landscape in state of malaise post-Ben Ali, says IFEX-TMG

Almost a year after the overthrow of President Ben Ali, the free expression field is in a state of "malaise" due to decades of censorship and repression, said members of the IFEX Tunisia Monitoring Group (IFEX-TMG). Meeting in Tunis last week to discuss the free expression landscape in the new Tunisia, IFEX-TMG members came up with a slew of recommendations that could help the country move forward.

Honduras

Soldiers assault protesters calling for justice for slain journalists

A group of mostly women journalists calling for justice for slain reporters were violently suppressed by police with batons and tear gas in Honduras's capital last week, reports IFEX's member in Honduras the Comité por la Libre Expresión (C-Libre), as well as Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Two members of C-Libre, Tirzia Gáleas y Cesar Villeda, who were at the demonstration as observers, were also assaulted.

Somalia

Leading journalist murdered by man in military uniform

A leading journalist who had recently reported receiving death threats was shot and killed on 18 December by an armed man in military uniform, reports the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), along with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and other international IFEX members.

Russia

Free expression activist gunned down on Memorial Day for slain journalists

On 15 December - a day to commemorate assassinated journalists in Russia - a newspaper publisher and free expression activist was shot 14 times by a masked gunman, report the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES), the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF), the International Press Institute (IPI), Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and ARTICLE 19.

Turkey

Morning raids sweep up pro-Kurdish journalists nationwide

At least 25 journalists were among more than 40 people arrested in a nationwide sweep in Turkey yesterday, allegedly for having links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), report the IPS Communication Foundation (BIANET), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The arrests bring the number of journalists in Turkish jails to more than 90, making Turkey one of the world's worst for detaining journalists, says BIANET.