Archive for October, 2010

Egypt tightens the screw

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Ashraf KhalilPolitical uncertainty pushes the government to roll recent free speech gains and muzzle independent voices. Ashraf Khalil asks, will Facebook be next?
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India: Roy is often wrong, but she still has rights

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

Arundhati Roy has been accused of sedition after claiming Kashmir was not part of India. Her comments may be controversial, but the real scandal is the law, says Salil Tripathi
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Azerbaijan: Journalists on hunger strike

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

Ahead of a key poll, Azerbaijani journalists join jailed editor Eynulla Fatullayev on hunger strike. Vugar Gojayev reports
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Turkey: BlackBerry faces ban

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

Research in Motion (RIM) faces a ban of BlackBerry data services in Turkey if it doesn’t obey new legislation requiring companies to hand over communication encryption keys to Information and Communication Technologies Authority. The new regulations aim at fighting terrorism and strive to make it possible for the country’s national security agency to tap into any suspect communications. Blackberry smartphones are preferred by many, as they are the only smartphones which use an encrypted e-mail system, offering the secure communication.

Egypt: Opposition supporters detained

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

Security forces in Alexandria have arrested over 50 people hanging posters in support of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is banned from putting up electoral candidates but circumvents the restrictions by fielding candidates as independents. The move is even more contentious given that Alexandria is a Brotherhood stronghold. Since 9 October, when they announced they would stand in November’s parliamentary elections, about 250 Brotherhood members have been detained. An official has said the posters breached a law forbidding the use of religious slogans for election purposes. This follows Tuesday’s threat by the largest liberal opposition party to boycott the election after state television refused to air its political adverts.

Russia fined for banning gay pride marches

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

European Court of Human Rights has fined Russia for repeatedly refusing activists the right to hold gay pride marches. The Moscow authorities claimed the parade would cause a violent reaction, but the court said Russia has discriminated against the gay community on grounds of sexual orientation. Nikolai Alexeyev, the leading activist said it is a “crippling blow to Russian homophobia”. He also said he is planning to take the former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov to court. Russia has been ordered to pay Alexeyev 29510 euros (25678 British Pounds) for legal fees and damages.

Yemen: Press freedom a distant hope

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

A Yemeni journalist accused of advising an Al-Qaeda cleric alleges he was kidnapped and tortured by the state. Iona Craig reports
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Clarke to “scrap no-win no-fee”

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has said he will abolish conditional fee agreements in libel cases. Speaking on the BBC’s Law in Action programme, Clarke also said he would back a strong public interest defence in defamation cases. Read more here