14 Apr 2009 | Uncategorized
Fijian media are facing huge pressure from the government of Commodore Frank Bainimarama. The constitution was suspended after the supreme court ruled on 9 April that the military-backed regime had taken power illegally.
Foreign journalists, including ABC’s award-winning correspondent Sean Dorney, have been expelled from the country, and domestic outlets are under surveillance, with government agents stationed in offices watching all communications.
The Public Emergency Regulations 2009, in force since the constitution was suspended, states:
– [A]ny broadcaster or publisher upon direction by the Permanent Secretary for Information must submit to him or her all material for broadcast or publication material before broadcast or publication.
– Any person or entity which fails in any way whatsoever to comply with the provisions of this section may be ordered by the Commissioner of Police or Officer Commanding upon advice from the Permanent Secretary for Information to cease all activities and operations.
You can read the 9 April Supreme Court decision exclusively here
14 Apr 2009 | News
Award-winning ABC journalist Sean Dorney has arrived in Australia after being deported from Fiji, as the military there cracks down on the media.
Read more here
14 Apr 2009 | Middle East and North Africa, News
The trial of journalist Roxana Saberi, accused of espionage, began in Tehran yesterday.
Read more here
9 Apr 2009 | Uncategorized
As you may know by now, Index on Censorship and English PEN are running an inquiry into English libel.
Jonathan Heawood of English PEN spoke to the Bookseller about the disastrously lop-sided defamation laws, and particularly the effect they have on book publishers:
‘We’ve been startled by the extent of this problem. Stories and books, which have a strong claim to the public interest, have been suppressed by the threat of libel action. Because of the extortionate costs involved, most publishers would rather settle out of court than face the risk of an unsuccessful trial.
‘Some larger firms are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds defending themselves. For independent publishers, that level of expenditure simply isn’t an option.’
The rest is here
