5 Feb 2010 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, Uncategorized
An Egyptian criminal court has convicted Yasser Barakat, editor-in-chief of the weekly Al Mougaz of defamation. The suit was filed by Mustafa Bakri, editor-in-chief of the weekly Al-Osbo’ and member of the Egyptian parliament. Barakat has been sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 60,000 Egyptian pounds. Al Mougaz accused Barakat of engaging in illegal profiteering, taking advantage of his governmental positions to buy land for less than the market value.
5 Feb 2010 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, Uncategorized
An Iraqi appeals panel has lifted a ban on hundreds of candidates barred from standing in impending Iraqi election because of their suspected links to Saddam’s Baathist party. In a compromise negotiated by President Jalal Talabani, if the disputed candidates are elected an appeals court will examine their records for links to the former regime.
5 Feb 2010 | Azerbaijan News, Index Index, minipost
Newspaper editor Ayyub Karimov has been given a 18-month suspended sentence after being convicted of libelling the interior minister Ramil Usubov. Ububov claimed articles printed in the Azadlyg and Femida 007 newspapers were inaccurate and damaged his dignity and honour, citing article 147.2 of the criminal code, slander by accusal of committing grave crimes. The minister’s lawyer demanded a two-year prison sentence and is considering appealing the sentence. Karimov has also vowed to appeal the verdict.
5 Feb 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Lawsuits were launched against four leading newspapers following a Dushanbe court’s decision to uphold a damages award against independent news weekly Paykon. The damages award of 300,000 somoni (€49,000) was confirmed on 26 January. Paykon published an open letter to President Emomali Rakhmon from a number of businessmen accusing Tajikstandart, a government agency, of corruption and incompetency. Nuriddin Qarshiboev, the chairman of Tajikistan’s Association of Independent Media, predicted the media would be targeted in the run-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 28.
