India: Roy is often wrong, but she still has rights
Arundhati Roy has been accused of sedition after claiming Kashmir was not part of India. Her comments may be controversial, but the real scandal is the law, says Salil Tripathi
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Azerbaijan: Journalists on hunger strike
Ahead of a key poll, Azerbaijani journalists join jailed editor Eynulla Fatullayev on hunger strike. Vugar Gojayev reports
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Turkey: BlackBerry faces ban
Research in Motion (RIM) faces a ban of BlackBerry data services in Turkey if it doesn’t obey new legislation requiring companies to hand over communication encryption keys to Information and Communication Technologies Authority.
The new regulations aim at fighting terrorism and strive to make it possible for the country’s national security agency to tap into any suspect communications.
Blackberry smartphones are preferred by many, as they are the only smartphones which use an encrypted e-mail system, offering the secure communication.
Egypt: Opposition supporters detained
Security forces in Alexandria have arrested over 50 people hanging posters in support of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is banned from putting up electoral candidates but circumvents the restrictions by fielding candidates as independents. The move is even more contentious given that Alexandria is a Brotherhood stronghold. Since 9 October, when they announced they would stand in November’s parliamentary elections, about 250 Brotherhood members have been detained. An official has said the posters breached a law forbidding the use of religious slogans for election purposes. This follows Tuesday’s threat by the largest liberal opposition party to boycott the election after state television refused to air its political adverts.