Sudan: Newspapers confiscated for publishing statements by Islamist opposition leader

21 Feb 12 | Africa, Index Index, minipost

The entire print-run of two Sudanese newspapers were seized by The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) yesterday. Al-Tayar and Al-Youm Al-Tali newspapers Monday (20 February) editions were confiscated after they published statements made by Hassan al-Turabi the leader of the Popular Congress Party (PCP). Turabi alleged that his office had been wiretapped by security services, and showed journalists some of the listening devices he found. Security agents arrived after midnight at the newspaper’s Khartoum offices and seized the Monday edition. Twenty newspaper reporters protested the confiscation in front of the National Press Council, which licenses newspapers.

Belarus: Police seize entire print run of private local newspaper

16 Jan 12 | Europe and Central Asia, Index Index, minipost

A 10,000 copy print run of a private Belarusian newspaper has been seized by police. Copies of Vitebsky Kuryer were seized by officers on Friday night, as a car carried them from the print house in Smolensk. Police pulled over the car, and ordered the driver to a nearby police station, where the print run was impounded. Yuliya Kanaplyova, a journalist from the  newspaper, who was driving the car was charged with having dirty license plates. The newspaper was apparently seized following the article  “Ten Facts about the Case of Ales Byalyatski,” detailing the proceedings against the prominent human rights defender.