13 Apr 2010 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, Uncategorized
Human Rights Watch called on the Iraqi government to suspend its media regulations. The regulations, which impose tight restrictions on the country’s broadcast media, have been enforced by the Communication and Media Commission (CMC) in order to silence the broadcasters who encourage ‘incitement of sectarianism.’ “These restrictions open the door to politically motivated discrimination in the regulation and licensing of broadcasters” claims Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. The organisation claims the government can prohibit speeches and that incite the violence but the vague definition endangers the international norms of freedom of expression. The new restrictive Iraqi broadcast rules have been compared to the Afghan government’s ban on the filming and live broadcasting of militant attacks, approved on March 2010.
30 Mar 2010 | Digital Freedom, Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
The Ethiopian government has been accused of blocking the website of US broadcaster Voice of America (VOA) as a row over press intimidation continues to escalate in the Horn of Africa. Residents of the capital Addis Ababa have been unable to access the site since early on Sunday, reports Reuters. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s administration has yet to comment on the development. Earlier this month, the government accused the VOA radio service of broadcasting propaganda and revealed that it was testing its ability to jam transmissions. Meles even compared the station to Radio Mille Collines, whose broadcasts were blamed for sparking the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
25 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
The International Press Institute has accused the Ugandan government of conducting a “well-planned campaign to stifle the media” ahead of next year’s election. Wangethi Mwangi, Kenyan board member of the global organisation, cited the Press and Journalist Amendment Bill as proof of the president’s Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s efforts to silence the East African country’s independent press. This legislation, if passed, will give authorities the power to revoke the licenses of media organisations if they publish material deemed “prejudicial to national security”.
25 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
A radio broadcaster in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been arrested and questioned by intelligence agents for “broadcasting false information liable to threaten state security”. Mohamed Lukebana, head of programming at Radio Television Bangu (RTB), was held by government officials in Kimpese after his station reported that Angolan troops had occupied the Bas Congo province earlier this month. Security officials forced Lukebana’s colleagues at RTB to retract the reports while the editor was being held.
