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Yemen

Human Rights Watch reports on use of excessive force against peaceful protesters in Taizz

In the report, the organisation calls on the US, EU and Persian Gulf states to acknowledge that the immunity granted to President Saleh and his aides has no legal effect outside Yemen.

South America

GALI report reveals public officials are the worst free expression offenders in the Andean region

According to the report, the aggressions reached their climax towards the middle of the year, sometimes a bit before or a bit later, due to specific situations such as general elections in Peru or the lawsuit for millions of dollars against the newspaper "El Universo" in Ecuador.

Turkey

BIANET releases media monitoring results for 2011

A total of 104 journalists and 30 media workers were imprisoned in 2011, says BIANET, a large jump from 30 journalists in 2010.

Colombia

Criminal gangs intimidate, silence Córdoba journalists

The gangs, known in Spanish as bandas criminales or "bacrim," are the offspring of right-wing paramilitary death squads that fought the country's Marxist guerrillas and trafficked cocaine.

Nepal

Freedom Forum releases report on press freedom violations

The report is a result of media monitoring from 16 December 2011 to 15 January 2012.

Serbia

ANEM's December 2011 media monitoring report

The twenty-ninth Monitoring Report contains a legal analysis and assessment of the most important occurrences in the media sector in Serbia in December 2011.

Ethiopia

EFJA calls for concerted global efforts to stop abuses

Following a spate of convictions of journalists on trumped up charges, EFJA calls for action from democratic governments around the world, as well as civil liberty and freedom advocates.

International

Arab Spring protests deserve strong international support, says Human Rights Watch report

Many democracies have allowed their ties with repressive allies to temper their support for human rights in the Arab Spring protests, according to the annual review of human rights practices around the globe.

China

Press freedom suffered significant setbacks in 2011, says IFJ report

As the scent of the Jasmine Revolution in the Middle East and North Africa drifted towards China, central authorities tightened restrictions on the press, and stepped up intimidation of journalists.

International

Freedom House survey highlights significance of Arab uprisings

In its annual survey of political rights and civil liberties, the organisation concluded that even as the Arab Spring triggered unprecedented progress, it also provoked a backlash, repercussion of which have been felt across the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa.

Somalia

Attacks on the press up in 2011, says NUSOJ annual report

The targeting of journalists is increasingly politically motivated and systemic, says NUSOJ.

Vietnam

IPA report criticises censorship

In its first report on the freedom to publish conditions in Vietnam, IPA concludes that the screening of books is a complex, opaque, at time irrational, and highly bureaucratic process.

Yemen

Journalists see light at end of tunnel, but dangers remain

Reporters are still afraid for their safety as media and media workers continue to be prosecuted, IPI found.

Egypt

Newly elected Parliament urged to dismantle tools of repression

Reforming laws that curb freedom, shield official abuse should top Parliament's agenda, says Human Rights Watch.

Bahrain

Athletes targeted for exercising their rights as country prepares for the Formula One

On 13 December 2011, the Criminal Court sentenced racing champion Mohamed AlKhunaizi to two years' imprisonment on charges of illegal gathering and inciting hatred against the regime.

Cambodia

Ahead of elections, CCHR reports on the right to vote

Elections in the past however have been marred by allegations of undue influence or coercion inhibiting the free expression of the electors' will.

Palestine

Violations of media freedoms in December 2011

Violations by Israeli forces against journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) rose in number in the month of December, with journalists being frequently targeted with tear gas grenades.

Ecuador

Fundamedios records 156 aggressions against the media in 2011

According to the records, most of the aggressions were initiated by public officials; 18.59% of these by the President.

International

IPI reports on deadly trends for journalists in 2011

Of the 103 journalists killed in 2011 because of their work, 36 lost their lives in Latin America, confirming a trend of increasing violence against journalists in the Western hemisphere that IPI and other international groups have sought to address for some years.

International

The Arab world is the most dangerous region for journalists, says WAN-IFRA

According to the organisation's annual report, 64 journalists and other media workers were killed world-wide because of their professional activities in 2011, with nearly half of them killed in Pakistan, Iraq, Libya and Yemen.

Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia

Press freedom overview reveals ongoing violations in South East Europe

SEEMO registered 684 violations in 2011 and noted that the source of threats and pressures was diverse, including politicians; business groups, often linked to mafia-style business dealings and others.

Peru

Decriminalisation of press offences a major issue in 2012

Decriminalization is urgent in Peru, where a promising reform of the criminal code approved in July 2011 has not yet been enacted.

International

IFJ presses UN for action on media killings after violence claims 106 lives of journalists and media staff in 2011

IFJ blames governments' failure to uphold their international obligations for the ongoing violence targeting media.

Turkey

BIANET releases third quarter media monitoring report

BIANET outlines the press freedom violations that took place from July to September 2011.

Americas

IAPA reviews state of press freedom in 2011

IAPA concluded that this was one of the most “challenging and tragic” years for the countries of the Americas and reaffirmed its commitment to confront the next challenges.

International

IPI reviews 10 states with poor press freedom records, on whose strategic support the West depends

In "'Friends' of the West, enemies of press freedom", IPI highlights the press freedom situations in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Hungary.

Somalia

NUSOJ annual review of crimes against journalists

According to NUSOJ research, four journalists were killed, seven wounded and 19 arrested in 2011.

International

RSF annual overview: 10 most dangerous places for journalists

The Arab Spring and protests in other countries were responsible for a dramatic surge in the number of arrests, from 535 in 2010 to 1,044 in 2011.

Syria

Brutal crackdown on media continues

Arrest, imprisonment and torture await journalists who dare to defy the regime, says IPI.

Egypt

Human Rights Watch documents pattern of sexual assaults on protesters

News reports have shown images of protesters in Cairo being stripped, beaten and dragged through the streets.

International

Unrest and impunity drive journalist deaths in 2011, according to CPJ's year-end survey

Political conflict and unrest proved deadly for journalists in 2011, while governments failed to prosecute those who targeted reporters for their work.

Tunisia

Human Rights Watch calls for dismantling of repressive Ben-Ali-era laws

The Constituent Assembly should urgently revise laws to ensure freedom of speech and the independence of the judiciary, Human Rights said in its report.

Middle East and North Africa

ARTICLE 19 highlights historic opportunity for freedom of expression

The organisation believes that integrating robust protections for the rights to freedom of expression and information is essential to guaranteeing democracy and protecting all human rights in the region.

Malaysia

Real legal reform needs free expression and public participation, says SEAPA

Rather than safeguarding the right to assemble, the Peaceful Assembly Act will greatly diminish people's ability to express their political opinions.

Middle East and North Africa

Crackdown on human rights defenders: seeds of repression planted in year of revolution

In new report, CIHRS hails the courageous work of human rights defenders in the region who were locomotives for change in 2011.

Serbia

ANEM's October 2011 media monitoring report

The free expression section of the report presents cases of physical attacks on journalists, threats and requests for disclosure of sources of information, and other violations.

Palestine

Violations of media freedoms in November 2011

November has seen no improvement for Palestinian journalists or media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories, reminding those in the field of journalism of the high price paid for disseminating the truth.

Syria

'Shoot to kill' commanders named in Human Rights Watch report

Statements by former soldiers leave no doubt that the Syrian security forces committed widespread and systematic abuses, including killings, arbitrary detention, and torture, as part of a state policy targeting the civilian population.

Uzbekistan

Human Rights Watch report provides evidence of wide-scale rights abuses

Torture is a chronic problem, rights activists are languishing in prison and the government has disbarred some of the country's most outspoken lawyers, says the organisation.

International

Number of journalists in prison reaches 15-year high

Iran, Eritrea and China are among the leading jailers, according to CPJ's annual census; nearly half of those held were online journalists, while about 45 percent of the imprisoned were freelancers.

China

Launch of new book on regulating access to environmental information

The book examines the legal framework for accessing environmental information and juxtaposes the Chinese model with international standards and best practices from around the world.

Middle East and North Africa

Media in the eye of the storm as revolutions sweep the Arab world

In its report, RSF examines the methods used by the authorities to strangle the flow of information during popular uprisings in six countries - Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria and Yemen.

Tunisia

IFEX-TMG UPR Submission to 13th Session

IFEX-TMG Contribution on Tunisia to the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism, 13th Session (21st May - 1st June 2012).

Turkey

BIANET releases second quarter media monitoring report

BIANET outlines the press freedom violations that took place from April to July 2011.

Russia

ARTICLE 19 outlines six reasons why defamation reform fails to protect free expression

While a reform of the country's defamation legislation was necessary, the organisation says the new amendments will not improve the right to freedom of expression or media freedom.

Philippines

IPI mission report points to continuing impunity in killing of journalists

Despite a relatively favorable attitude towards press freedom by the Aquino administration, the government has so far failed to implement the necessary political reforms that would lead to substantial improvement in the country's press freedom situation, says IPI.

Russia

CJES report highlights ongoing impunity in attacks against journalists

In honour of the International Day to End Impunity, CJES has published a report outlining the challenges faced by journalists in Russia.

Pakistan

PPF report highlights cases and causes of impunity

The report reveals that while formal criminal complaints are lodged for cases where media workers have been killed, the murders not seriously investigated or prosecuted.

Bahrain

BCHR releases report on the price of freedom and social justice

The report gives background to the situation, then identifies and documents all the types of violations that took place, with the aim of putting out recommendations to the Bahraini government, as well as the EU, US, UN OHCHR and the ICC.

International

IPI report surveys the consequences of impunity

"Impunity is a particularly difficult evil to counter because it is self-reinforcing," says the report.

Egypt

Concern over lack of transparency in military investigation of Maspero killings

The military prosecutor's failure to identify the soldiers driving the military vehicles that crushed 13 Coptic protesters on 9 October has eroded public confidence that there will be a transparent investigation of those responsible for the deaths, says Human Rights Watch.

China

Human Rights Watch warns of growing threat of enforced disappearances

Despite the expression of support by elements within the government to end black jail-related abuses, the authorities failed to stop the practice.

Bahrain

Freedom House reports on brutal crackdown in the country

Despite the regime's brutality, the United States recently signed a multimillion-dollar arms deal (currently on hold) with the country and has remained largely silent amid a crackdown that proportionally surpasses the magnitude of any other in the region.

Palestine

Violations of media freedoms in October 2011

Palestinian journalists faced a difficult month in October, with MADA monitoring an increased number of violations committed by the IDF and settlers across the West Bank.

Middle East and North Africa / International

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

The "Countries at the Crossroads 2011" report concludes that success in the Arab democratic revolution will require major reforms in government institutions that had been seriously undermined during previous authoritarian regimes.

United States

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

Although the government has defended Iranian bloggers, Chinese activists and Arab Spring netizens, it has also been responsible for initiatives that have harmed online free speech and has displayed a hostile attitude to online activities.

Cambodia

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

The ruling Cambodia People's Party has imposed arbitrary administrative requirements that are used to stifle opposition and minority party opinions in parliamentary debates, says CCHR.

Russia

Impunity reigns in province killings, says CPJ report

The murders in Togliatti of journalists Valery Ivanov and Aleksei Sidorov illustrate systemic problems that afflict another 15 unsolved murders, nearly 70 percent of them in the Russian provinces.

China

Respect for free speech continues to deteriorate

The US ambassador to the World Trade Organization says that China's "national firewall" and website blocking violate WTO rules.

Turkey

Journalists under pressure as government pursues military offensive against PKK

Nese Düzel and Adnan Demir are being prosecuted for two April 2010 reports containing interviews with former PKK leaders Zübeyir Aydar and Remzi Kartal.

International

Freedom House report finds governments restricting media through regulation

The report shows that governments are becoming increasingly savvy in maintaining control over content, says the organisation.

Tunisia

Report on IFEX-TMG Strategy Workshop: Campaign for Free Expression (September 2011)

Report on IFEX-TMG strategy workshop bringing together three working groups composed of media professionals and civil society participants who shared their assessment of the media landscape nine months after the revolution and formulated recommendations and action plans to guide the reform of the media sector. (Tunis, 27 and 28 September 2011)

Bahrain

Regime continues to target free expression by bringing journalists and photographers to trial

A number of media professionals have recently been summoned to appear before criminal courts, according to BCHR.

Thailand

Media independence curtailed by political and commercial pressures

In an example of the ostracism of the media, a hard-hitting political and current affairs program host was forced to resign following criticisms that he favoured a political party leader in an interview broadcast prior to the elections.

International

Impunity for killers of journalists threatens freedom of expression, says WAN-IFRA report

Assaults are daily - and often deadly - for those who challenge governments, report on conflict or investigate corruption and crime, WAN-IFRA said in its annual review of press freedom worldwide.

North Korea

RSF releases report on freedom of information under Kim Jong-il regime

Foreign radio stations continue to be the main source of independent information for the population.

Afghanistan

Each time a journalist is killed, the truth dies with them, says ARTICLE 19 report

Ten years on, targeted attacks against journalists, media workers and other civilians have increased, despite a number of measures by governments and organisations.

Cambodia

CCHR releases briefing book on law on associations and NGOs, shrinking space for civil society

Palestine / Israel

Violations of media freedoms in September 2011

The state of media freedom in the Palestinian territories continued to decline in September, with an increase in the number of violations perpetrated against journalists, particularly by the IDF.

Americas

IPI concerned about safety after 12 journalists receive death threats

Governments and organised crime cartels remain the principal enemies of press freedom in the region, as they try to silence independent reporting through threats against journalists, legal action, physical aggression and murder.

Syria

ANHRI condemns targeting of pro-revolution artists

A number of singers, actors and artists have been harassed for participating in anti-regime demonstrations or criticising the president.

Burma

SEAPA report: "Burma in mid-2011: a contradictory landscape"

The report addresses the question of what can be expected from the new civilian government, and what are its reasons for the recent gestures toward liberalisation.

Serbia

ANEM's August 2011 media monitoring report

According to the findings of the legal monitoring team, the media scene was marked by the media community's anticipation of the adoption of the Media Strategy by the government.

Belarus

Freedom House and Center for European Policy Analysis release working group report on democratic transition

The report includes recommendations for breaking the information blockade in the country and galvanising the links between civil society organisations and the population.

Mexico

Prosecution and violence against Twitter users must stop, says ARTICLE 19

The climate of fear and distrust prevalent in the country has led many citizens to become increasingly reliant on social media as a source of news.

Eritrea

Human Rights Watch releases briefing paper on missing political prisoners

The fate of 21 senior government members and journalists who criticised President Isaias Afewerki is still unknown 10 years after they were arrested.

Burma

Press freedom vital to credible Burmese reform, says CPJ report

The government's reform rhetoric is contradicted by heavy censorship tactics that continue to make the country's media among the most restricted in the world, says CPJ in a new report.

Palestine

Violations of media freedoms in August 2011

Israeli occupation forces arrested three journalists in the West Bank in August, two of which remain in custody, bringing the total number of Palestinian journalists incarcerated in Israeli jails to four.

Cambodia

CCHR review of 1995 Press Law

In the latest factsheet in its "Law Review" series, CCHR rates the Press Law as "yellow", meaning there are certain provisions that require review and amendment.

Ukraine

ARTICLE 19 policy paper on transparency of media ownership by off-shore companies

States have an obligation to set out a legal regime for transparency of media ownership by off-shore companies in order to avoid media concentration, says ARTICLE 19.

International

Companies that cooperate with dictatorships must be sanctioned, says RSF

RSF condemns the criminal cooperation that exists between many western companies, especially those operating in the field of new technologies, and authoritarian regimes.

Philippines

CMFR report: "Press freedom in Aquino's first year: unfulfilled promises and fading hopes"

The killing of journalists continued in the first year of the Aquino administration, and the prosecution of the alleged masterminds and killers has proceeded as slowly as it had under the Arroyo regime, CMFR notes.

Ecuador

CPJ special report: "Confrontation, repression in Ecuador"

Aggressive legal harassment and intimidation of the news media, led by President Rafael Correa, is weakening free expression, CPJ has found.

China

New developments in Internet censorship and control

The public's enthusiasm for the Internet and the government's fear of online protests has resulted in constant advancements in online censorship, reports RSF.

Bahrain

Authorities attempt to muzzle, intimidate independent broadcasters covering rights violations

Recent moves include the jamming of the opposition Lulu channel and pressure tactics used against Al-Jazeera to prevent the airing of a video on the situation in the country.

West Africa

MFWA 2010 state of the media report

Nepal

RSF notes sharp fall in journalists' ability to work freely

Some political leaders are providing protection to people who are threatening and attacking journalists and media, thereby encouraging a climate of impunity, says RSF.

Chile

Citizen activism challenges protected media oligopoly, concludes RSF

During a visit to Chile in June for the 20th anniversary of community radio station Radio Tierra, RSF saw how the issue of news and information is playing a central role in this upsurge of citizen unrest.

Palestine

MADA issues original study on online media and freedom of expression

Among the key findings of the report is that Facebook enhances freedom of expression but fails to encompass or represent the diversity of heterogeneous societies and political movements.

Palestine / Israel

Violations of media freedoms in July 2011

Numerous violations were committed against journalists during July 2011, particularly while journalists were covering peaceful weekly marches and activities regularly hosted in several locations across the West Bank.

Cambodia

CCHR Fundamental Freedoms Fact Sheet: freedom of expression and the distribution of leaflets

A trend toward convictions aimed at those involved in the distribution of leaflets criticising the Royal Government of Cambodia gives cause for concern.

Paraguay

RSF report on how organised crime impacts journalists

Journalists operate in isolation and with few resources, especially those based in border regions, trying to get information from authorities that are often poisoned by corruption or are themselves involved in the trafficking of drugs or arms.

Palestine / Israel

MADA issues 2011 mid-year report

In the first six months of 2011 MADA has monitored 113 violations on press freedom in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), including 68 committed by the security services of the West Bank and Gaza and 45 committed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

Lebanon

IPI calls for justice for murdered journalists in light of UN STL indictments

"The Special Tribunal for Lebanon should continue its investigations not only into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, but also into the murder and attempted murder of journalists in 2005," said IPI.