A prominent South African newspaper has accused the African National Congress Youth League of using intimidation and fear to silence journalists. An editorial in the Business Day claimed that the youth wing of South Africa’s governing party have...
Further escalation in Sri Lankan press crackdown
Following our report on the Sri Lankan press crackdown, the office of the president has issued a statement on Tuesday denying the existence of the leaked government “hit-list” that contained 35 journalists, lawyers and activists. One of the top...
Human Rights Watch facing Rwanda deportation
The Rwandan director of Human Rights Watch faces deportation from the central African state after her work permit was revoked. Immigration officials claim to have found "anomalies" in Carina Tertsakian’s accreditation documents at a time when...
ANC leader guilty of hate speech
The leader of the youth wing of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been found guilty of hate speech. Julius Malema has been ordered to apologise for remarks he made last year, which suggested that the women who accused...
Two journalists arrested in Somalia
Two journalists have been detained in southern Somalia by the Islamist group al-Shabaab. Mohammed Salad Abdulle of the Somali Broadcasting Corporation was arrested in Kismayo, while Mohamed Abdikarim was imprisoned in Baladhawo on 16 March....
Holodomor defamation case squashed in the Ukraine
A defamation case brought against the chief editor of Rodnoye Priyapovy, Sergei Shvedko, for doubting aspects of a 1930s famine has been squashed, creating a legal precedent. Businessman Vasily Kovalenko brought the case over an article that stated...
Azerbaijan: Editor Eynulla Fatullayev loses appeal
Imprisoned newspaper editor Eynulla Fatullayev has lost an appeal against his drugs conviction. Baku Appellate Court dismissed Fatullayev's plea to have his sentence reduced by two months. Fatullayev had the term of his detention prolonged by eight...
Japan to tighten censorships laws on Manga cartoons
An amendment to youth welfare legislation set to go before the Tokyo Metropolitan General Assembly today could potentially ban all provocative visual depictions of “nonexistent minors”. The action is part of an attempt to crackdown on child...
Missing Chinese lawyer charged with subversion
Lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been charged with subverting state power, Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi made the annoucement during a news conference with David Miliband on Tuesday. Gao, noted for taking on high-profile cases against the Chinese...
Chávez calls for internet control
On 13 March, Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez called for new internet regulations and demanded that authorities crack down on a news website he accused of spreading false information. Chávez claimed the Noticiero Digital website had falsely...
Indonesian censorship laws ‘blocks discussions on impunity’
The Asian Human Rights Commission yesterday condemned the Indonesian governments ban of books and films under the guise of maintaining “public order” and “state unity”. The banned material covers subjects including the 30 September Movement and the...
Turkish editor jailed for defamation and insult
Editor-in-chief of the Firat newspaper Hacı Boğatekin has been sentenced to five years in jail. Bogatekin was charged with "insult" and "defamation" and "attempting to influence a fair trial". Three other journalists were charged with similar...