Yemeni authorities detained the editor of Al-Shahid at a checkpoint on 25 April. Abdel Aziz al-Majidi was prevented from entering the Taiz province to report on the region. In a separate incident on the same day, security forces encircled the house of Mohammed al-Louzi, a reporter for the daily Akhbar al-Youm. Al-Louzi has been highly critical of the Yemeni government’s response to protests in the country.
Index on Censorship is pleased to announce it is to join the Global Network Initiative, the multi-stakeholder organisation created to protect and advance free speech and privacy. This unique coalition includes companies, civil society organisations (including human rights and press freedom groups), investors and academics. Corporate members including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft have signed a code of conduct designed to tackle the key human rights challenges facing the information and communications technology sector.
Index on Censorship’s chief executive John Kampfner said:
“Events in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere have demonstrated the key role communications technology plays in enabling human rights, especially freedom of expression. The Global Network Initiative helps companies present a united front against governments with poor human rights records and Index on Censorship is delighted to join this groundbreaking initiative.”
Susan Morgan, executive director of GNI, commented “We welcome the knowledge and experience that Index on Censorship bring, and while the gain of such a valuable participant is news in it’s own right, we are also excited by the momentum that GNI is gaining with Folksam joining recently and now Index.”
Rob Mahoney of The Committee to Protect Journalists, an original member of the GNI, welcomes the addition of Index. “Index on Censorship has been a leader in the battle for freedom of expression in print, on air, and online. Their experience and expertise in this field will be an invaluable asset for all members of the Global Network Initiative. As a European-based organisation their presence will further expand the international reach of GNI.”
Violence against journalists in Colombia has escalated recently, with paramilitary groups issuing threats against reporters all over the country. The threats are worrisome for a country, where drug traffickers, corrupt politicians, leftist guerrillas and paramilitary groups killed 43 journalists since 1992. For that reason, the Colombian Federation for Journalists, FELCOPER, will hold a silent march on 3 May to mark International Press Freedom Day.
The paramilitary group, Grupo Bloque Capital de las Águilas Negras, has become the worst press freedom offender. It recently issued threats against 28 reporters from the capital city of Bogota and other provincial towns.
Worse yet, is the fact that the Colombian Attorney General´s office just announced that it was shelving investigations on murders of journalists that occurred in the 1990s. One case is that of two journalists from El Universal, Julio Daniel Chaparro, 29, and Jorge Torres, 39. The two were killed by unknown men while reporting on the anniversary of a human rights massacre in the town of Segovia, Medellin. That massacre was completed by paramilitaries in 1988, but Chaparro and Torres were killed by guerrillas who later died in combat themselves.
Police on Monday (25 April) arrested a journalist working for the independent website, Lanka eNews. Shantha Wijeysooria was arrested at the website’s offices in Colombo for alleged contempt of court. The charges relate to an April 19 article which allegedly defamed the court’s honour by suggesting that it was holding two suspects in custody in contravention of the attorney general’s written order to release them. The paper issued an apology on 22 April.