While the Italian prime minister’s crude jokes are a source of amusement abroad, at home there are increasing fears over proposed new media restrictions. Giulio D’Eramo reports
Berlusconi’s gag law is no laughing matter
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CATEGORY: News and features
Tawakkol Karman: a courageous and controversial campaigner
Iona Craig on the the Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize winner
Human Rights in Bahrain – Rhetoric and reality
International outcry over the sentencing of 20 medics in Bahrain, who treated injured protesters, has led to the announcement of their retrial. Front Line Defenders’
Mary Lawlor explores the stories of others imprisoned in similar circumstances
Index on Censorship and English PEN publish report on the Alternative Libel Project
Mediation of defamation cases will help balance freedom of expression and reputation, argues a report published today by Index on Censorship and English PEN
Iran: BBC news chief seeks government action over “intimidation”
The Head of Global News at the BBC has sought government action over the increasing "intimidation" of their staff in Iran. In a BBC blog post Peter Horrocks claimed yesterday that there had been an increase in "anti-BBC rehtoric" following a...
Ecuador: President Correa goes after El Universo again
Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa has threatened to bring charges against the newspaper El Universo after publishing a letter critical of the Correa's negative comments about María Leonor Jiménes, the Guaya Court of Justice president, on a radio...
El Salvador: President supports bill decriminalising libel
Salvadoran president Mauricio Funes has shown his support for a reform bill to decriminalise defamation, but only if certain changes are implemented. Funes, an ex-journalist, has largely supported the decree to substitute the penalty of...
France: Presidential tapping scandal rumbles on
The scandal of surveillance of Le Monde journalists’ telephones threatens to derail Nicolas Sarkozy’s bid for re-election.
Natasha Lehrer reports
Urgent appeal to release Pham Minh Hoang
Index joins call for freedom for Vietnamese blogger
Egyptian blogger passes 40th day of hunger strike
Maikel Nabil Sanad is entering his 42nd day of hunger strike in protest against a three-year sentence imposed by a military court for criticising the army. He spoke
to Shahira Amin