19 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
A prominent South African newspaper has accused the African National Congress Youth League of using intimidation and fear to silence journalists. An editorial in the Business Day claimed that the youth wing of South Africa’s governing party have made “blatant attempts” to limit freedom of expression. Nineteen political correspondents have written an open letter of complaint after youth league spokesman Floyd Shivambu threatened several reporters when attempting to ‘leak’ a dossier. The National Editors Forum has also urged president Jacob Zuma to rein in the organisation from making personal attacks on individual media workers.
19 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
The leader of the youth wing of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been found guilty of hate speech. Julius Malema has been ordered to apologise for remarks he made last year, which suggested that the women who accused President Jacob Zuma of rape had enjoyed the experience. The prominent South African politician was ordered by the Equality Court to pay 50,000 rand to a shelter for abused women. Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 after he insisted that the sex with his accuser was consensual.
19 Mar 2010 | Azerbaijan News, Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Imprisoned newspaper editor Eynulla Fatullayev has lost an appeal against his drugs conviction. Baku Appellate Court dismissed Fatullayev’s plea to have his sentence reduced by two months. Fatullayev had the term of his detention prolonged by eight weeks earlier this month when 0.223 grams of heroin was found during his cell. In October 2007, Fatullayev, then editor of the central Asian country’s two largest independent newspapers, Gundelik Azerbaijan and Reakniy Azerbaijan, was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for terrorism and other charges. Human Rights Watch said that this reflected growing hostility from the state towards freedom of expression. Fatullayev has been supported by a number of media rights campaigners in Azerbaijan since his arrest, including the chair of the Media Rights Institute Rashid Hajili, who has been nominated for the Law and Campaigning Award at this years Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards.
8 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost
Vedat Kursun, former editor of Azadiya Welat, has been charged with 105 counts of “helping and abetting [the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party] by spreading propaganda” and “glorifying crimes and criminals”. His newspaper published numerous articles regarding statements and activities of the organisation, which his lawyer cites as published under the scope of freedom of expression and right to inform. His successor, Ozan Kilinç, was convicted and sentenced to 21 years imprisonment on similar charges in February.
