The Azerbaijan Press Council have published a blacklist of 77 newspapers. They accuse the newspapers of racketeering and publishing articles affecting people’s honour. The blacklist, which is available online, lists the founder and editor-in-chief of each publication. Last year, a similar list in the Eurasian state blacklisted 95 publications.
Three journalists who were arrested after they published an official government document on corruption were due to be released yesterday. The editor, managing editor and publisher of the Nouveau Courrier d’Abidjan were acquitted of charges relating to theft of official documents but charged with a lesser offence and fined five million CFA francs (7,500 euros).
Earlier today British author Alan Shadrake was arrested in Singapore for alleged criminal defamation and contempt of court .The state run Media Development Authority filed a complaint against Shadrake’s book, which examines the death penalty in Singapore, accusing it of questioning the impartiality of the judiciary. Last year Singapore ejected British journalist Ben Bland and charged the Wall Street Journal with contempt of court . Last week the authorities banned a film containing a speech made by an ex political prisoner.
The SPP (Paraguayan Union of Journalists) has condemned the recent actions of politicians in the city of Cuidad del Este. Last week Juan Pío Balbuena had his programme cancelled on Radio Corpus after the owner of the station made a ‘business deal’ with local politician Javier Zacarías Irún, in which he agreed not to criticise Zacarías’s political group. Zacarías’ wife, Sandra Mcleod, is mayor of Ciudad del Este and was recently accused of attempting to bribe another Radio Corpus journalist to favour her party on air. He refused and was later forced to resign.