The six Gambian journalists whom were recently imprisoned will be launching an appeal against their two-year sentences and heavy fines, on the grounds that the convictions were unconstitutional. Hearing is most likely to begin in October as the judiciary is currently on legal vacation. Read more here
Anna Politkovskaya’s family is to appeal against a judge’s rejection of its request for the case against three alleged accomplices to be sent back to the prosecutor’s office for further investigation in conjunction with the investigation into all other people suspected of a role in her murder. The family’s request for a postponement for the purposes of combined further investigation was backed by both defence lawyers and prosecutors. Read more here
The Hamas interior ministry has denied Palestinian and foreign journalists access to the southern city of Rafah and to all hospitals in the Gaza Strip until further notice. The ban was issued after fighting broke out in Rafah between the Hamas government and a radical Islamist group. Read more here
Leading Chinese Human Rights lawyer Xhu Zhihong has been formally arrested and faces up to seven years imprisonment on a charge of tax evasion. Zhihong is co-founder of Gongmeng (Open Constitution Initiative) which has taken on some of the most sensitive and high-profile cases in the past few years. His arrest comes amid a recent crackdown on humanitarian lawyers in the run up to the 60th Anniversary of Communist rule in October. Read more here