Journalist Ibrahim Eissa faces a prison sentence for his criticism of President Mubarak. The government’s intention to intimidate the free press is all too clear, writes Amira Howeidy On 26 March a Cairo court sentenced Ibrahim Eissa, editor of the...
A young Saudi woman was murdered by her father last August after he discovered she had been engaging in online chats on Facebook. There are thought to be as many as 30,000 Facebook users in Saudi Arabia, and the site offers several popular dating...
Controversial short film Fitna has been removed from video-hosting site LiveLeak after threats were made against staff. Meanwhile, the Iranian government has summoned the Dutch ambassador in order to register protest against the film. Dutch Foreign...
Five Jordanian journalists have been sentenced to prison terms in two separate defamation cases in the past week. Editor Taher al-Adwan and reporter Sahar Qassam, of Al Arab al Youm, and former editor of Ad Dustour Osama Sharif and Ad Dustour...
A man imprisoned in Morocco for creating a fake Facebook profile of the king’s brother has been released after receiving a royal pardon. Fouad Mourtada was arrested in February and sentenced to three years in prison for 'usurping the identity of...
Iran’s culture ministry yesterday closed down nine lifestyle magazines, claiming they used ‘photos of artists, especially foreign corrupt film stars, as instruments to arouse desire’. The motivation for the ban is unclear. None of the magazines...
The Jordanian ministry of the interior has announced increased restrictions on Internet cafés, which are widespread in the country’s cities. Internet café owners will be obliged to install cameras for the purpose of identifying customers. They will...
An Afghan magazine editor has been detained in Iran and continues to be held without charge. Ali Muhahiq Nasab, editor of the monthly Haqoq-e-Zan (Women’s Rights), was apparently detained by Iranian officials on 4 March in Qumm, near Tehran....
Sihem Bensedrine and her husband Omar Mestiri were seized by customs officials upon their arrival at la Goulette port on 3 March. Awarded the 2008 peace prize by the Danish Peace Foundation, Bensedrine is president of the working group on press...
The murder of Shahab Al-Tamimi highlights the difficulties faced by Iraqis trying to build a free press and civil society, say Dave Anderson and Gary Kent Are we becoming inured to the murders of journalists and civil society leaders in Iraq? The...