As the US marks Banned Books Week, one of the world’s most-read authors reflects on finding her book censored in American schools and libraries
Judy Blume on being banned
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CATEGORY: News and features
Kofi Awoonor 1935-2013
A poem from the Ghanain writer murdered by Al-Shabab
South Africa’s ruling ANC gunning for “censorship lite”
South Africa’s ANC has changed tack in its campaign to curtail the media. In a turn to what could be called “censorship lite”, the iron fist of state security intervention is being augmented by the velvet glove of calls for “patriotic” journalism. Christi van der Westhuizen reports
The oasis in Uganda’s “literary desert”
Amy Fallon of Think Africa Press reports on a new project distributing low-cost books to Ugandan children
Wie geht’s, Deutschland?
As Germany votes, what are the country’s big free expression issues? Index on Censorship investigates
Greece: murder of anti-fascist prompts protest
The Athens neighbourghood where a rap artist was killed was the scene of protest against Golden Dawn and the government. Christos Syllas-Dellis reports
The link that landed a journalist in jail and gagged the press
Josh Stearns of Free Press reports on journalist Barrett Brown who could face a 100-year prison term if he’s found guilty for linking to stolen information. He didn’t steal this information himself, nor did he post it online. He simply linked to it.
The US shield law’s dangerous precedent – and how to fix it
Josh Stearns of Free Press argues the proposed US press shield bill could be greatly strengthened and simplified by defining journalism as an act, a process that anyone can participate in, instead of a profession limited to a few practitioners.
Egyptian activists battle ‘epidemic’ of sexual harassment and violence
Sexual harassment has been widespread in Egypt for decades but since the January 2011 uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak, the problem has taken on epic proportions becoming what rights activists now describe as “an epidemic”. Shahira Amin reports
Daily Mail backs the BBC Trust
In a move that may have left a few people slightly confused, the Daily Mail has published an editorial in support of the BBC.