Lord Mandelson seems hellbent on stifling online creativity, says Bill Thompson
Digital bankruptcy
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Index on Censorship
An Iranian Odyssey
Jenni Hulse:Index on Censorship hosts an exclusive screening of Maziar Bahari’s important documentary
New developments in translation
Sophie Lewis: Despite fears, literary translation is thriving
Turkey: Criminal law silences discussion
Felix Colchester: The “Kurdish question” requires debate, but it is almost impossibe to discuss it openly
Cuban government denies journalists visas
On 12 November, Cuban authorities refused to issue visas for 15 international journalists hoping to report on the Global Forum for Health Research in Havana from 16-20 November. International journalism organisation Media 21, based in Switzerland,...
Stephen Fry loves free speech
Obama’s “town hall” meeting blocked in China
On 16 November, US President Barack Obama’s first serious engagement with the Chinese people ran afoul of China’s restrictions on broadcasting. He addressed the youth of Shanghai in a so-called "town hall" meeting, but it was not shown on national...
Turkey: Journalist detained whilst reporting on dummy soldiers
Bariş Sözal, a journalist at Sabah newspaper, and his driver Ali Kocatepe were detained for 8 hours after taking photographs at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Sözal had been gathering information for a story which revealed that airport security...
Morocco newspaper banned for articles about king’s health
Moroccan newspaper Al-Michaal was banned on 13 November after editor in chief Driss Chahtan was sentenced to one year in prison and a 10,000 dirham fine as punishment for his articles about the health of King Mohamed VI. Two other journalists on...
The Velvet Revolutionary
On 17 November 1989, the police crushed a peaceful student demonstration in Prague. The crackdown led to national protests, culminating in a general strike. Within 11 days, the mass demonstrations had overthrown the communist regime. Václav Havel was elected president on 29 December. Jan Bubeník became the youngest politician in the new government. He spoke to Jo Glanville
"Most imprisoned journalists have been convicted for defamation"
Miklos Haraszti on Britain’s decriminalisation of seditious libel
Matthew Parris and Brian Eno join Index
Matthew Parris, one of Britain’s most renowned newspaper columnists, has been appointed a trustee of Index on Censorship, the UK’s leading organisation promoting freedom of expression. And, in an exciting week for free speech in the UK, musical...