An appeal for Catholic newspaper The Herald to be allowed to print the word Allah in its Malaysian edition has been turned down. Tom Francis writes
Malaysia: The newspaper that can’t print “Allah”
read more
CATEGORY: News and features
Poland: Dissident theatre director fired by city mayor
Ewa Wojciak and The Theatre of the Eighth Day speak out against injustices. It’s deplorable that they should be repressed by the authorities of their city, writes Index contributor Tomasz Kitlinski
Turkey: Even mild criticism is not tolerated, says journalist labelled “shameless” by Erdogan
Index speaks to Amberin Zaman, the critical Turkish journalist who was recently told to “know [her] place” in a public tirade by president-elect Erdogan
Padraig Reidy: Football banter will always need its edge
Football banter (or, in modern usage, “bants” or even “#bantz”), can range from the strange to the self-deprecating to the plain awful, but it will always need its edge.
Bulgaria: Disputed sections of “bank censorship” proposal axed
Bulgarian journalists covering the financial beat can breathe freely as the most controversial parts of the so-called “bank censorship” amendment to the Criminal Code have been removed by the legal committee of the National Assembly. Zoltan Sipos reports
Gaza: Press vests fail to protect Palestinian journalists
News coverage of the ongoing Gaza conflict would be infinitely poorer without local journalists, but it’s clear that international media needs to show their commitment by providing Palestinian reporters and fixers with extra support. Ruth Michaelson reports
Draw the Line: Do wars justify censorship?
During the First World War, censorship was deemed crucial to send the public the right messages, and keep the enemy in the dark about tactics.
Today, especially in times of war, governments continue with their attempts to control what the public and the outside world are told, often in the name of national security.
Azerbaijan: Police search NGO offices
Clampdown by authorities on human rights groups in Azerbaijan continues
Turkey: Presidential election shines spotlight on free speech challenges
Concerns about media and internet freedom as Erdogan looks set to make the switch from prime minister to president
Padraig Reidy: What is the alternative to boycott?
The concept of boycotts, and particularly cultural and academic boycotts, have for a long time been problematic for people engaged in the promotion of free expression.