Short-term restrictions on freedom of expression in the run-up to Thursday’s Afghan vote may mask deeper and longer term steps to curtail the rights of the media that independent journalists may find harder to resist, says Rohan Jayasekera
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The six Gambian journalists whom were recently imprisoned will be launching an appeal against their two-year sentences and heavy fines, on the grounds that the convictions were unconstitutional. Hearing is most likely to begin in October as the judiciary is currently on legal vacation. Read more here
Anna Politkovskaya’s family is to appeal against a judge’s rejection of its request for the case against three alleged accomplices to be sent back to the prosecutor’s office for further investigation in conjunction with the investigation into all other people suspected of a role in her murder. The family’s request for a postponement for the purposes of combined further investigation was backed by both defence lawyers and prosecutors. Read more here
The Hamas interior ministry has denied Palestinian and foreign journalists access to the southern city of Rafah and to all hospitals in the Gaza Strip until further notice. The ban was issued after fighting broke out in Rafah between the Hamas government and a radical Islamist group. Read more here