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    <title>IFEX - Middle East and North Africa</title>
    <link>http://www.ifex.org/middle_east_north_africa/all/</link>
    <description>Middle East and North Africa</description>
    <language>en</language>
    <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:40:33 GMT</pubDate>
    <lastBuildDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:40:33 GMT</lastBuildDate>
    <ttl>100</ttl>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Translator and poet arrested, whereabouts unknown]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/09/nia_arrested/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[According to a source close to his family, Mohammad Soleimani Nia has been under pressure since November 2011, when he was questioned by security officers. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:05:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/09/nia_arrested/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - Authorities urged to grant entry to journalists]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/02/09/journalists_denied_entry/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Authorities have rejected at least six journalists' applications for entry visas ahead of the anniversary of antigovernment protests that swept the country in February 2011.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:42:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/02/09/journalists_denied_entry/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Egypt - Journalists attacked, threatened in Suez protests]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/02/09/journalists_attacked/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Journalists covering political unrest in the Egyptian port city of Suez have been subjected to at least 10 attacks over a four-day period, according to news reports.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:11:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/02/09/journalists_attacked/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia - Journalist flees country following detention order over tweets]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/saudi_arabia/2012/02/09/kashgari_flees_country/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Hamza Kashgari posted several tweets about the birth of prophet Mohamed, and was surprised to find severe attacks on him by clergymen and some Saudi citizens who were angered by what he had written.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:50:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/saudi_arabia/2012/02/09/kashgari_flees_country/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Syria - Journalist killed in Homs]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/syria/2012/02/09/journalist_killed/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Mazhar Tayyara, a stringer for Agence France-Presse and other international outlets,  sustained multiple severe injuries when government forces fired on the city of Homs and died hours later at the hospital.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:20:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/syria/2012/02/09/journalist_killed/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Kuwait - Electoral campaign marred by attacks, prosecutions against media]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/kuwait/2012/02/09/kuwait_vote_campaign/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Three daily papers and a television station are under threat of judicial proceedings launched by the information minister, Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al Ali Al Sabah.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:25:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/kuwait/2012/02/09/kuwait_vote_campaign/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Syria - Amid fresh bombing, security forces torture children, says Human Rights Watch]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/syria/2012/02/08/children_tortured_journalist_killed/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Syria's bloody crackdown on dissent does not discriminate by age: children as young as 13 have been detained and tortured with impunity by Syrian forces fighting opposition protests, documents Human Rights Watch in a new report.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:44:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/syria/2012/02/08/children_tortured_journalist_killed/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Yemen - Journalists receive death threats; news media attacked]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/yemen/2012/02/08/death_threats/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Four journalists and activist bloggers are currently under threat from a fatwa issued at the start of February by senior clerics which explicitly calls for their deaths and for the closure of the newspapers and websites that carried their articles.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/yemen/2012/02/08/death_threats/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Palestine - MADA condemns escalating campaign against journalists]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/02/08/escalating_campaign/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Israeli forces raided the house of Suhaib Al-A’sa, arrested him and confiscated his mobile phones, recorder and his camera’s memory cards.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:08:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/02/08/escalating_campaign/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Tunisia - Confirmation of court order could lead to return of Internet censorship]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/02/08/internet_filtering/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As the Tunisian Internet Agency has neither the financial resources nor technical capacity to establish a filtering system, it did not comply with the August 2011 court decision and referred the case to the country’s highest appeal court.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/02/08/internet_filtering/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Egypt - Rights activists risk imprisonment]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/02/07/ngo_staff_trial/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[On February 5, the state-run MENA news agency announced that two investigative judges hand-picked by the government had referred 40 NGO staff to trial, both Egyptian and American nationals.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:40:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/02/07/ngo_staff_trial/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Egypt - ANHRI condemns attacks on protestors, raid on residential building]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/02/07/raids_on_houses/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Security services used excessive force against protesters headed towards the ministry of interior, arresting dozens and injuring hundreds.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:35:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/02/07/raids_on_houses/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Blogger sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, newspaper suspended]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/07/khazali_sentenced/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Tehran revolutionary court sentenced Mehdi Khazali to 14 years’ imprisonment, 10 years’ internal exile in the south-western city of Borazjan and 70 lashes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:45:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/07/khazali_sentenced/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Tunisia - Court urged to drop prison sentence given to journalist
]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/02/07/aljaridi_defamation/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[An appeals court should throw out the prison sentence against journalist Abdel Aziz al-Jaridi at a 10 February hearing and authorities should use his case as an opportunity to break from the repressive practices of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's era, CPJ said.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:27:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/02/07/aljaridi_defamation/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Arrest sweeps target Arab minority]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/06/iran_arrest_sweeps_target/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[At least some of the arrests in Khuzestan province were reportedly in response to anti-government slogans and graffiti expressing sympathy for the Arab Spring and calling for a boycott of the parliamentary elections.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:05:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/06/iran_arrest_sweeps_target/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Tunisia - Rapper arrested, detained, for lyrics critical of outcome of revolution]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/02/06/almarabty_arrested/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Anis Al-Marabty was arrested at his home by plainclothes officers who, after asking him if he was the author of the song "Shy Matbadel" [Nothing has changed], confiscated his computer and took him to an unknown location.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:31:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/02/06/almarabty_arrested/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Yemen - IFJ warns press freedom remains under siege after threats against editor]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/yemen/2012/02/06/editor_threatened/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Supporters of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh surrounded the offices of "Althawra" newspaper after editor Yassine Al Massoud removed the photo of the former head of state from the front page.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:28:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/yemen/2012/02/06/editor_threatened/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[United Arab Emirates - "UAE 5" activist denied entry into Kuwait]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/united_arab_emirates/2012/02/06/mansoor_denied_entry/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Travelling with human rights lawyer Abdel Hameed AlKameety, Ahmed Mansoor was prevented from entering the country "on the instructions of the Emirati security service," and was threatened with detention.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:29:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/united_arab_emirates/2012/02/06/mansoor_denied_entry/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Ahead of elections, crackdown on press continues]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/03/crackdown_on_press/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Authorities arrested journalist Saeed Razavi Faghih, who wrote for reformist publications, as he arrived at Tehran airport from Paris.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:52:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/03/crackdown_on_press/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Journalists’ families targeted in campaign against the media]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/03/relatives_targeted/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Iranian authorities have been particularly sensitive to the role of BBC Persian television, which launched operations in January 2009, because of its extensive coverage of the disputed 2009 presidential election.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:11:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/02/03/relatives_targeted/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Syria - Human Rights Watch report documents security forces' use of torture on child detainees]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/syria/2012/02/03/children_tortured/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[According to a new Human Rights Watch report, "Syrian security forces have killed, arrested, and tortured children in their homes, their schools, or on the streets. In many cases, security forces have targeted children just as they have targeted adults."]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:38:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/syria/2012/02/03/children_tortured/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Palestine - MADA condemns arrest of journalist in Ramallah]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/02/03/samara_detained/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Rami Samara was arrested and held for over three hours after writing critical comments about a PLO meeting on his Facebook page.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:55:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/02/03/samara_detained/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Palestine - Journalist injured by Israeli forces]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/02/02/albarghouty_rubber_bullets/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[On 27 January 2012, Israeli forces attacked the weekly Bi’lin village march protesting the separation wall, fired tear gas canisters on the journalists covering it, and one soldier shot rubber bullets at the photojournalist Moheeb al-Barghouty, injuring both his legs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/02/02/albarghouty_rubber_bullets/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - Activist's sentence upheld; others await trial]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/02/01/sentence_upheld/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[An appeals court upheld the 18-month sentence against Fadeelah Mubarak, who was convicted of participating in peaceful protests and listening to revolutionary songs in her car. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:13:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/02/01/sentence_upheld/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - BCHR concerned about Bahrain's election to UNESCO education bureau]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/31/unesco_vicepresidency/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[BCHR demands that Bahrain's membership in the UNESCO IBE be frozen, and contingent on the authorities taking steps to put an end to the targeting of members of the education sector.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/31/unesco_vicepresidency/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - New arrests of labour activists]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/31/labour_activists_jailed/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Labour activists have been at the forefront of the struggle for freedom of association and assembly in the country and they have paid a heavy price, says Human Rights Watch.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:39:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/31/labour_activists_jailed/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - Freedom House opposes US arms sale]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/30/arms_sale/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Because the new arms sale is being broken up into multiple small pieces, it does not fall under Congressional notification requirements and details do not have to be made public.   ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:28:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/30/arms_sale/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - Jailed activists begin hunger strike]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/30/hunger_strike/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Several of the activists who will participate in the hunger strike are in poor health and it is expected that essential medical treatment will be withheld. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:24:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/30/hunger_strike/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia - Authorities reject application to establish rights organisation]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/saudi_arabia/2012/01/30/application_rejected/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The authorities rejected an application submitted by rights activists to establish the Justice Center for Human Rights, claiming that their objectives are incompatible with the statute of associations and charities.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:29:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/saudi_arabia/2012/01/30/application_rejected/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Tunisia - IFEX-TMG delegation meets members of the Constituent Assembly ]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/01/27/constituent_assembly_meeting/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The delegation reaffirmed the necessity to enshrine the right to freedom of expression in the future constitution, to guarantee press freedom and the independence of public service media.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:05:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/01/27/constituent_assembly_meeting/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Algeria - New media law stifles free expression, says CPJ]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/algeria/2012/01/26/media_law/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Of the law's 133 articles, at least 32 can be used to restrict coverage by stifling free expression, CPJ research shows. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:01:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/algeria/2012/01/26/media_law/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Tunisia - Director charged for broadcasting "Persepolis"; journalists assaulted]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/01/26/persepolis_trial/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[For broadcasting the film, Nabil Karoui faces up to three years in prison for libeling a religion, and up to five years for distributing or displaying information "that can harm public order or good morals."]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:37:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/tunisia/2012/01/26/persepolis_trial/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Egypt - Exceptions to ending emergency law invite abuse, says Human Rights Watch]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/26/exceptions_emergency_law/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The military announced on 24 January that it will lift the state of emergency except in cases of “thuggery,” a term military tribunals have used in convicting peaceful protesters following unfair trials.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:27:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/26/exceptions_emergency_law/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[International - Human Rights Watch urges West to accept Islamist rise to power, support Arab Spring protesters]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/international/2012/01/25/hrw_world_report/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Human Rights Watch urged world powers to accept Islamist parties as legitimate political powers and to support the rights of Arab Spring protesters after they ousted long-time regimes once backed by the West, in its annual report released on Sunday. Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also heralded Arab protesters in their annual reviews.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:41:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/international/2012/01/25/hrw_world_report/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - Government's promises of reform unfulfilled, mission announces at Arab Free Press Forum]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/25/mission_report_afpf/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bahrain has failed to deliver on promises of reform despite a highly-touted commission of inquiry, says a report from an international mission to the country. "Justice Denied in Bahrain: Freedom of Expression and Assembly Curtailed" finds that rights violations continue daily, and individuals jailed during the government crackdown in February and March 2011 remain in prison.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:25:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/25/mission_report_afpf/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iraq - Journalist protection law falls short, should be repealed, says CPJ]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iraq/2012/01/25/supreme_court_challenge/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The law, which took effect in November, fails to offer any meaningful protection to journalists and imposes restrictions on who can be defined as a journalist and how one can practice and access information.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:08:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iraq/2012/01/25/supreme_court_challenge/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Crackdown on dissent extends to "last available sanctuary" for free expression: the web]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/25/web_crackdown/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Earlier this month, web developer Saeed Malekpour and IT professionals Vahid Asghari and Ahmad Reza Hasempour had their death sentences confirmed for allegedly hosting illegal content online, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). They are the newest victims of Iran's latest wave of arrests and convictions - one that has mushroomed into a clampdown against online dissent, just before parliamentary elections on 2 March.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:48:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/25/web_crackdown/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Egypt - Blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad freed after being held for 10 months]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/25/sanad_released/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The blogger's release was part of an amnesty announced on 21 January for around 2,000 civilians who had been convicted by military courts during the past year.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/25/sanad_released/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - Freedom House delegation denied entry]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/24/freedom_house_denied_entry/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Freedom House had planned to send three staff members to the country to help implement a women's empowerment program funded by the US Government but they were denied entry into the country after having received their visas.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:08:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/24/freedom_house_denied_entry/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Bahrain - International Mission to Bahrain Report says promises for reform unfulfilled, while situation deteriorates]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/24/mission_report/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A report from a six-member mission of international organisations to Bahrain last November called out Bahraini authorities for failing to deliver on promises of reform, with rights violations continuing on a daily basis and rights activists jailed for life.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2012/01/24/mission_report/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Targeting of journalists ongoing]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/23/journalists_arrested/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Security forces arrested Sahamoddin Boureghani, searched his home and took him to an unknown location.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:53:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/23/journalists_arrested/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Egypt - Popular television programme censored]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/23/tahrir_demo_censorship/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ANHRI expresses concerns about ongoing censorship and media restrictions in the lead-up to the one-year anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:33:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/23/tahrir_demo_censorship/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iraq - Journalist illegally detained, while another is attacked]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iraq/2012/01/23/alfayad_jailed/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Guards at a Baghdad hospital detained Alfayad for publishing news about the firing of 36 policemen in the area, information that was broadcast by multiple news agencies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:44:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iraq/2012/01/23/alfayad_jailed/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Yemen - IFJ cautiously welcomes statements by authorities, calls for implementation]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/yemen/2012/01/20/positive_measures/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Authorities promised to restore press freedom in the country and guarantee the safety of journalists, and assured journalists’ leaders and the IFJ that the government will review the restrictions on media, including the ban on Al Jazeera and the "Al Ayyan" newspaper.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:04:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/yemen/2012/01/20/positive_measures/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Egypt - Revived draft law would give state security control over civil society]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/20/ngo_draft_law/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Faiza Abol Naga and Abdel Aziz Hegazy have proposed to revive a draft law for civil associations more despotic than the one currently in place, giving more power to the state security service, the National Security, over the actions of civil society.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2012/01/20/ngo_draft_law/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Jordan - Authorities urged to drop charges for "undermining royal dignity"]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/jordan/2012/01/20/abuisa_charged/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The military prosecutor has charged 18-year old activist 'Uday Abu 'Isa with "undermining his majesty’s dignity" for burning the king’s image on 11 January.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:40:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/jordan/2012/01/20/abuisa_charged/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Israel - Attacks, arrests, legislation restrict press freedom]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/israel/2012/01/20/mounting_restrictions/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CPJ expressed alarm over ongoing attacks on and detention of journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as well as over a recent series of developments that restrict freedom of the press in Israel.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:41:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/israel/2012/01/20/mounting_restrictions/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Palestine - ANHRI condemns assault on human rights defender]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/01/18/aborahma_attacked/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Mahmoud Abu Rahma was attacked by three masked men following the publication of an article in which he criticised the priorities and role of the authorities in Gaza, as well as the PA in the West Bank.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:39:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/palestine/2012/01/18/aborahma_attacked/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Iran - Arrests of netizens ongoing ]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/17/netizen_arrests/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Simien Nematollahi, a contributer to the pro-Sufi website Majzooban, was arrested at her Tehran home by intelligence ministry officials on 11 January on a charge of anti-government propaganda.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:03:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/iran/2012/01/17/netizen_arrests/</guid>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia - Demonstrator killed, others injured as security forces crack down on peaceful protest]]></title>
      <link>http://www.ifex.org/saudi_arabia/2012/01/17/abdallah_killed/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This is not the first incident of its kind as the authorities have for months been using excessive violence against protesters, says ANHRI.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:20:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.ifex.org/saudi_arabia/2012/01/17/abdallah_killed/</guid>
    </item>

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