President Barack Obama has signed the SPEECH Act into US law, a move designed to protect US writers and reporters from England’s controversial defamation laws
Obama acts to defend US from UK libel laws
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CATEGORY: News and features
Online protest: power to the people?
Index on Censorship’s Mike Harris took part in a discussion on the use of social media and protest at the Frontline Club on Tuesday night with Sina Motalebi of BBC Persian TV, Sunny Hundal of Liberal Conspiracy, Benjamin Chesterton of Duckrabbit, and Mexico Reporter founder Deborah Bonello
Belarus continues crackdown on opposition
The Belarusian government has continued with its crackdown on opposition groups by arresting Mikhas Bashura on charges of forgery. Bashura, who denies the charges, is an outspoken member of the Tell the Truth campaign. In May 2010 three of his...
Ai Weiwei “attacked by police”
Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei has claimed that he was attacked by plainclothes policemen. Ai, who was nominated for an Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award in 2009, says he and an assistant were on their way to report a previous assault when...
Sudan: BBC radio suspended
Reports from Khartoum state that the Sudanese government has suspended BBC radio stations over alleged smuggling offences which included bringing satellite equipment into the country. The stations broadcast in Arabic to around four million people...
Southampton score own goal with photographer ban
Southampton FC has declared that it will retain its ban on all non-official photographers, despite widespread condemnation. The original company sourced to provide photographs for the media, The Digital South, has since refused to work with the...
Wikileaks security under threat
A Swedish newspaper has claimed that Wikileaks is not fully protected by Swedish law and so could be vulnerable to demands to reveal its sources. Håkan Rustand, deputy to the acting Chancellor of Justice, claims that simply placing Wikileaks'...
Egypt: TV programmes censored during Ramadan
The television censorship committee in Egypt has decided to delete scenes deemed inappropriate from television dramas such as Al Aar and Al Haijah Zahra that will be aired during the month of Ramadan. Scenes considered inappropriate include those...
Saudi Arabia in BlackBerry deal
The Saudi Arabian government and RIM, the Canadian manufacturer of BlackBerry have compromised over plans to ban the BlackBerry messenger service. The deal reportedly allows for a server to be built in Saudi Arabia, overcoming the concerns of the...
Mexico kidnaps bring home reality of drugs war
The kidnap of four journalists in Durango state has made the capital’s elite take notice of the dangers for journalists attempting to work under the shadow of the traffickers. Ana Arana reports