Michael Martin withdraws CFA motion
Former speaker Michael Martin has reportedly withdrawn a motion seeking to block reform of Conditional Fee Arrangements in libel cases.
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Stephen Fry congratulates Twitter
Winner of the New Media Award supported by Google at the 10th annual Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoHPYjvpo3U
IPI: Uganda ‘stifling’ independent media
The International Press Institute has accused the Ugandan government of conducting a “well-planned campaign to stifle the media” ahead of next year’s election. Wangethi Mwangi, Kenyan board member of the global organisation, cited the Press and Journalist Amendment Bill as proof of the president’s Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s efforts to silence the East African country’s independent press. This legislation, if passed, will give authorities the power to revoke the licenses of media organisations if they publish material deemed “prejudicial to national security”.
Venezuela: Opposition Leader Detained
Oswaldo Álvarez Paz, former presidential candidate and leader of the Christian Socialist Copei party, was detained by police on 22 March and has been charged with conspiracy, spreading false information and publicly inciting violation. The arrest came two weeks after the politician appeared on Globovision. Álvarez Paz said at that time that Venezuela had links to illegal armed groups and had become a base for drug trafficking. ”Someone cannot stand up to defame, to lie, to manipulate in the media here and not have anything happen,” Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said.