More than 100 prominent journalists from 47 countries sent a petition to the Iranian government today calling for the immediate release of Maziar Bahari, Newsweek’s Tehran correspondent, who has been held without charge in an Iranian jail since 21...
CATEGORY: News and features

Senior News of the World reporter accused in phone hack scandal
The Culture, Media and Sports Committee has heard evidence on the tabloid voicemail hacking scandal. Padraig Reidy reports Investigative journalist Nick Davies today produced evidence he claimed proved there was more widespread knowledge of...
Britain: you want answers?
The concealment of the contents of an important letter shows that ministers have been evasive about the details of airport expansion, and now an opposition MP has complained to the Speaker of the House of Commons. Chris Ames reports A Conservative...
Ireland: blasphemy law a backward step
The government should not be creating new laws to enforce provisions written in the reactionary 1930s, says Michael Nugent This Wednesday the Irish parliament will vote on a new law making blasphemy an offence punishable by a fine of €25,000. If...
Maziar Bahari must be freed
Iranian-Canadian journalist's supposed "confession" suggests serious human rights abuses Iranian news agency Fars reported yesterday that Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari had admitted that his coverage of the Iranian election was biased in...
Another victim of an archaic law
Darryn Walker has suffered unemployment and vilification for writing a pornographic story. The censorious obscenity law that allows this to happen must be scrapped, say John Ozimek and Julian Petley Authors across the UK breathed a sigh of relief...
Girls Aloud obscenity case dropped
The Crown Prosecution Service has dropped its case against Darryn Walker, the civil servant who was facing trial under the Obscene Publications Act for writing a violent pornographic fantasy story about pop group Girls Aloud. Darryn Walker was...
Anna Politkovskaya: retrial must hear new evidence
The family of the slain journalist has called for the retrial of those accused of involvement in her murder to include a comprehensive new investigation. Maria Eismont reports The decision of the Russian Supreme Court to overturn the not guilty...
Azerbaijan: Reading about God is dangerous
Azerbaijan has a new, harsher religion law and new penalties for producing, selling, circulating, importing and exporting religious literature without state permission, reports Felix Corley of Forum 18 When two Azeris crossed a remote border...
Venezuela: Chávez’s war on independent media
Steps taken by the government to remove Globovisión’s free-to-air licence poses a fresh threat to the country’s independent media. Daniel Duquenal reports In a move that signals a renewed attack on Venezuela’s independent media, President Hugo...