Activists in Syria have reported that the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression in Damascus was raided today. Between 12 and 14 people were arrested, with blogger Razan Ghazzawi said to be among them. Ghazzawi was arrested in December...
CATEGORY: Middle East and North Africa
Bahrain: Hunger strike activist collapses
Bahraini activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja collapsed last night while on hunger strike. Alkhawaja, who went on hunger strike ahead of the February 14 anniversary of mass protests in Bahrain, was taken to the hospital where he was given IV treatment...
Syria: Protesters’ text messages blocked using Irish equipment
The Syrian government has ordered text messages containing politically sensitive words to be blocked. Sources familiar with the country's filtering system say that Irish technology is being used to prevent the delivery of text messages including...
Saudi Arabia: Hamza Kashgari “repents”, family member says
Saudi journalist Hamza Kashgari has repented for his tweets deemed insulting to the Prophet Mohammed, according to a family member. They said Kashgari, 23, "has affirmed to his family that he stands by his repentance, that he has made a mistake and...
Iran: Jailed blogger’s wife and daughter reportedly kidnapped
Iranian blogger Mehdi Khazali's wife and daughter have allegedly been kidnapped by security forces and moved to an unknown location, it was reported yesterday. Khazali, a staunch critic of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iran's state policies,...
Malaysia: Hamza Kashgari deported unlawfully, lawyers claim
Lawyers representing Saudi journalist Hamza Kashgari have said there are no immigration records of his deportation from Malaysia last Sunday, suggesting the columnist may have been sent back to his native country in violation of international laws...
Tunisia: Journalist accused of filming Nessma TV trial faces fine
On Sunday, 13 February, the Tunis court of first instance ordered Cheker Besbes, a journalist for the private radio station Mosaique FM, to pay a fine of 200 dinars (around GBP £82), for allegedly videotaping a hearing in trial of Nessma TV...
Bahrain: Human rights activist Nabeel Rajab detained at protests
Prominent human rights activist and president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), Nabeel Rajab, was reportedly detained today while attempting to reach Pearl Roundabout in the capital Manama. Jihan Kazerooni of BCHR told Index that Rajab...
Bahrain: Index spotlight on 14 February
14 February marks the one year anniversary of mass protests in Bahrain. Index on Censorship looks back at how free expression has been curtailed in the past year’s crackdown on social unrest
Yemen: Shaye commences hunger strike
The pardoned journalist has been imprisoned for one year at the request of the US administration. Iona Craig reports
