19 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost
A defamation case brought against the chief editor of Rodnoye Priyapovy, Sergei Shvedko, for doubting aspects of a 1930s famine has been squashed, creating a legal precedent. Businessman Vasily Kovalenko brought the case over an article that stated the Soviet famine — known as Holodomor— was not genocide against the Ukrainian people in particular. Kovalenko cited the constitution which outlaws Holodomor denial. But the court ruling stated Shevdko’s article “did not deny the fact of Holodomor” and was “subjective opinion”.
19 Mar 2010 | Azerbaijan News, Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Imprisoned newspaper editor Eynulla Fatullayev has lost an appeal against his drugs conviction. Baku Appellate Court dismissed Fatullayev’s plea to have his sentence reduced by two months. Fatullayev had the term of his detention prolonged by eight weeks earlier this month when 0.223 grams of heroin was found during his cell. In October 2007, Fatullayev, then editor of the central Asian country’s two largest independent newspapers, Gundelik Azerbaijan and Reakniy Azerbaijan, was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for terrorism and other charges. Human Rights Watch said that this reflected growing hostility from the state towards freedom of expression. Fatullayev has been supported by a number of media rights campaigners in Azerbaijan since his arrest, including the chair of the Media Rights Institute Rashid Hajili, who has been nominated for the Law and Campaigning Award at this years Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards.
19 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
An amendment to youth welfare legislation set to go before the Tokyo Metropolitan General Assembly today could potentially ban all provocative visual depictions of “nonexistent minors”. The action is part of an attempt to crackdown on child pornography, but Japanese Manga artists and the online community have criticised lawmakers actions. They claim that such terms are open to interpretation, and would infringe on their freedom of expression.
19 Mar 2010 | Uncategorized
It seems the Afghan authorities are fighting a losing battle against “racy” television content.
Reuters reports:
The new information and culture minister, Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, summoned the heads of some 20 private broadcasters and cable operators last month, demanding they revise their programs and follow government restrictions.
“I told them that in addition to your personal interests … you should not forget your social and Islamic obligations and act responsibly with regard to the morals of the new generation,” Raheen told Reuters in an interview.
Bollywood films and pop videos are immensely popular in Afghanistan, but apparently the bared mid-riffs and arms of the dancers are too much for the authorities.
The solution? Afghan TV stations employ full-time pixillators. But even then, the occassional elbow or bellybutton can slip through the net.
Read more here
Hat tip @marklittlenews
