Why free speech is a feminist issue

March 8th, 2013

On International Women’s Day, Meredith Tax says censorship is too often overlooked in discussions on gender equality (more…)

Bahrain bans all protests

October 30th, 2012

Bahrain has banned all demonstrations following clashes between police and anti-government protestors on Monday (29 October). Interior minister Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifah said that the clampdown was a result of the “repeated abuses” of freedom of expression. The emergency move is the largest scale attempt to quash the Gulf kingdom’s anti-government uprising which began in February of last year. Index on Censorship award winner Nabeel Rajab is currently serving a three-year jail sentence for organising “illegal protests”.

Syria: Government crackdown results in mass casualties

April 28th, 2011

The Syrian regime has launched a massive crackdown against protestors demanding political reform in the country. The killing of protestors in 14 separate towns on April 22 heralded a dramatic escalation in violence. In an attempt to pre-empt further protests, the government ordered (25 April) tanks to move in to the city of Deera, which has been at the centre of unrest in the last few weeks. Human rights groups have estimated that 400 people have been killed by security forces since protests began five weeks ago.

Venezuela: Censorship row over “violent” photo ban

August 19th, 2010

Yesterday (18 August) El Nacional, a leading Venezuelan newspaper ran a front page with “censored” written across it. The move was a response to a Caracas court ruling that has effectively banned newspapers from publishing images of violence or bloody scenes. El Nacional was found guilty of publishing pictures which may have been harmful to children after it ran a photo showed dead bodies at a morgue. The anti-Chavez publication was told that it may be fined up to two per cent of its revenue for its actions. The newspaper’s editor has accused the government of trying to cover up violent crime in run-up to next month’s election.

Mexican mayor murders opposition supporter

July 12th, 2010

Gerardo Jarquin Diaz, mayor of the small town of San Pedro Totolapan and member of the PRI (The Institutional Revolutionary Party), was arrested for killing one supporter of the rival political group PRD (Party of the Democratic Revolution) and injuring another. The shooting took place after the two men made fun of the PRI’s performance in a recent election. The election results mark the first time that the southern state Oaxaca has been ruled by a non PRI governor in 80 years.