In one of his last public acts, dissident, playwright and president Václav Havel signed this statement calling for free speech in Belarus, along with Ai Weiwei, Sir Tom Stoppard and many more
An artists’ manifesto for Belarus
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CATEGORY: News and features
Václav Havel dies: How Samuel Beckett and Havel changed history
Václav Havel, dissident, playwright, first president of the Czech Republic, and author of Charter 77 died today.
Samuel Beckett wrote a play for Václav Havel when he was in jail. On being freed, Havel returned the favour. Jo Glanville reflects on a great dramatic double-act
Hungary: airbrushing row highlights media law failings
Activists are on hunger strike to protest against manipulation of TV images.
Thomas Escritt reports
PLUS: Read Mike Harris on “Hungary – How Not To Regulate The Press“
Russia urges Putin to step down
Elena Vlasenko reports from Saturday’s momentous Moscow protest
Belarus: European ministers meet activists
UK’s Europe Minister David Liddington visits Human Rights House Viasna alongside Index on Censorship; Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore emphasizes NGO involvement
Plus: Conference urges ministers to “suspend Belarus from the OSCE”
Russia cracks down on anti-Putin protests
Activists and opposition politicians arrested as Russians speak out against the prime minister’s party. Elena Vlasenko reports
Egypt: self-censorship and the military hinder press freedom
A crisis at a new Egyptian newspaper over an academic’s critique of the country’s military leadership led to does not bode well for the future of independent media
Conference urges ministers to “Suspend Belarus from the OSCE”
Index on Censorship’s Mike Harris joined a panel debate at the OSCE parallel conference on adopting a joint resolution on Belarus, giving consideration to the country’s suspension from the council
Macedonia: media freedom sliding backwards
The International Partnership Group of freedom of expression organisations visited Macedonia last month to assess the state of media freedom in the country.
Mike Harris reports on the findings
Drug study secrecy puts lives at risk
Studies to test the safety and efficacy of drugs and medical devices are too often never made public, putting lives at risk. Deborah Cohen reports