Cameroonian journalist Innocent Ebodé was abducted from his home in the Chadian capital N'Djamena on 21 December. A military source said that he is safe in Kousséri, across the border in Cameroon, but Ebodé's family and lawyer have not heard from...

Canada takes chill off libel laws
The Canadian Supreme Court ruled on 23 December to strengthen the public interest defence in libel cases. The chief justice stated that the law as it stood did not "give adequate weight" to free expression. The court also moved to change the...
Mexico: democracy without voice
The killing of 12 journalists in Mexico this year and the impunity that follows poses a serious problem for Mexican democracy, argues Ángel García Català
Pakistan: three killed in press club bombing
Three people have been killed and several others injured after a suicide bomber attacked a club for journalists in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar and a dozen more injured according to police. The incident took place when a bomber blew...
Uzbekistan: photographer facing jail term
A criminal case has been filed against the photographer and documentary film maker Umida Akhmedova in Uzbekistan for "slander" and "insult". Akhmedova is incriminated for her involvement in "Women and men: from dawn till dusk" photo album, produced...
Kyrgyzstan: journalist dies after brutal attack
A Kyrgyz opposition journalist, Gennady Pavlyuk has died in Kazakhstan today, nearly a week after he was thrown out of sixth-floor window with his hands and feet bound. He had been in a coma since the 16 December incident and died without regaining...
Turkey: investigative journalist murdered
Cihan Hayirsevener, the editor of a local newspaper in the northwestern Turkish city of Bandirma has been shot dead. The shooting follows threats made against him over his coverage of a corruption scandal. The 53-year-old was walking to the...
Burma “will review” Aung San Suu Kyi sentence
Burma's highest court has provisionally agreed to review the most recent extension of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest. Suu Kyi's lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court last month after a lower court upheld a decision to sentence her...
Australia: anti-censorship website censored
The Australian internet company, auDA that runs the .com.au domain registry has been accused of censoring a website satirising Australian communications minister Stephen Conroy's proposed internet censorship laws. On Friday, Sapia Pty Ltd, the...
BBC may face sanctions over homosexuality debate
Trevor Phillips, the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission has said the BBC may be sanctioned if comments made by the public on its website do not comply with Labour’s new anti-discrimination laws. The move follows public criticism pver...
Iran: protests at funeral of prominent dissident
Iranian authorities have acknowledged that at least three protesters who were jailed after the countries disputed presidential elections in June, were beaten to death in prison. A military court announced that 12 prison officials had been charged...
Danish radiologist gagged by UK libel laws
Danish radiologist, Henrik Thomsen has said from now on he will not publish his research findings in the UK as he fears he will be sued for libel. His decision follows legal action against him by GE Healthcare, a British subsidiary of General...