7 Apr 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Large-scale riots have broken out in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, over what human rights groups claim are increasingly repressive policies of the president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev. One government minister has been killed, and the deputy prime minister has been taken hostage in a series of protests which started when a group of protestors stormed government offices in the town of of Talas on Tuesday. Since he took office in 2005, Bakiyev has cracked down on opposition parties and the independent media. Last Wednesday, a court suspended the newspaper Forum, on the basis that an article contained “appeals to forcibly overthrow the constitutional order”. On Thursday, financial police raided the Bishkek headquarters of the independent Web-based television outlet Stan TV, confiscating all computer equipment. The clampdown follows suspensions of two other newspapers Achyk Sayasat and Nazar on 18 March. All thee had reported on a March opposition convention, at which representatives demanded President Bakiyev dismiss his relatives from government positions, and that the government lower electricity and heating costs.
31 Mar 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
The World Association of Newpapers and News Publishers, the World Editors Forum, and the European Newspaper Publishers Association have called on the government to drop a proposal that would enable courts to jail journalists who failed to reveal their sources, and impose fines on newspapers solely on the basis that they intend to publish “potentially harmful information”. In an open letter to President Thomas Hendrik, the organizations said that proposed Source Protection Act would“have a significant negative impact on investigative journalism”and was in conflict with Estonia’s international treaty obligations. On 18 March, six leading newspapers published blank pages in protest at the draft legislation.
25 Feb 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has welcomed the release of Chandana Sirimalwatte, editor of the opposition Sinhala newspaper Lanka, on February 16 after 18 days in detention without charge. Lanka is aligned with a political party that had strongly backed the rival candidate.
Sirimalwatte was taken into custody on January 29, two days after President Mahinda Rajapaksa was declared re-elected to a second term in office. According to IFJ sources, Sirimalwatte’s unconditional release was ordered by a magistrate’s court after the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Sri Lankan police failed to present charges against him.
The IFJ meanwhile continues to be concerned for the welfare of Prageeth Eknaligoda, a senior journalist and political commentator who has been missing since January 24.
15 Feb 2010 | Azerbaijan News, Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Laws were revised late last Friday forbidding journalists from filming, recording or photographing subjects without their express permission. Parliamentarian Panah Huseynov claims this is a move to restrict the freedom of press and announced he would appeal to the courts regarding the law. Several prominent newspaper editors, including the former editor of the Russian-language weekly Real Azerbaijan, Eynulla Fatullayev, are now serving prison sentences on charges that critics claim are politically motivated.
