21 Mar 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
A Syrian journalist has been beaten, arrested and detained whilst covering a protest in Damascus. Rudy Othman, a prominent freelance journalist, was arrested by security forces during a protest on Thursday, but his whereabouts, legal status, or condition have not been released by the Syrian government. This is the third occasion on which Othman, who has covered the Syrian uprising for a number of regional news outlets, has been detained.
19 Mar 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Two British journalists who were arrested and accused of spying by a Libyan militia group have been released. Gareth Montgomery-Johnson and Nicholas Davies, who work for Iran’s state-owned Press TV were released on Sunday and cleared of all charges. The journalist’s were arrested on 23 February by a Misrata militia based in Tripoli in a direct challenge to the authority of the country’s government. The men were transferred to the custody of the Libyan government last Wednesday and released following questioning to establish if any crime had been committed.
19 Mar 12 | Digital Freedom, Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Three Saudi web managers from news websites which cover political unrest are being held in prison without charge. Habib Ali al-Maatiq and Hussein Malik al-Salam from Al-Fajr Cultural Network and Jalal Mohamed al-Jamal from news website Al-Awamia were arrested by security forces in February. The Al-Fajr Cultural Network website, which covers covers pro-reform protests in the predominantly Shia region, was taken down following the arrests. Al-Maatiq and al-Salam are reportedly being held in a prison in Dammam. Al-Jamal is believed to have been accused of “opposing the state” and “inciting” its downfall. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
06 Mar 12 | Africa, Index Index, minipost
A Somalian journalist has been shot dead by gunmen. Ali Ahmed Abdi who worked for a Somali news website was shot in the head several times by masked men as he walked home on Sunday evening in the northern town of Galkayo. Until recently, Abdi had been working for the privately owned Galkayo Radio. Abdi is the third Somalian journalist to be killed this year. On Saturday, a media director in Puntland was arrested and detained following the closure of radio station Radio Voice of Peace. Officials did not give motive for Ali’s arrest, nor the shutting down of the radio station.
