9 Jun 2011 | Index Index, minipost
The editor of an independent weekly newspaper in the Central African Republic was jailed on 6 June. Faustin Bambou’s arrest on 27 May followed a series of articles he wrote on embezzlement cases. In one article he suggested that defence minister Jean-Francis Bozizé, President François Bozizé’s son, had embezzled funds donated by the European Union. The court claimed that Bombou’s reports “incited hatred and violence” by encouraging violent demonstrations by former soldiers demanding to be paid.
7 Jun 2011 | Index Index, minipost
Two men kidnapped Channel 22 director Mario Esteban López last night (6 June), tied a rope around his neck and forced him to drive to a secluded area where they poured gasoline on him. Fortunately the abductors’ matches also got covered in petrol and failed to light, a police car then drove by, frightening the men away. López claims he was targeted for his reports on drug trafficking.
7 Jun 2011 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Ali Pour Soleiman, a blogger and teacher was arrested in Iran last week according to HRANA, the human rights activists news agency. He was a member of the Teacher’s Association wrote for Sokhane Molem a teacher’s blog. The charges he faces are unclear.
7 Jun 2011 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Three armed men seized a Syrian blogger and forced her into a car yesterday evening (6 June), her cousin recorded the incident on her website. Amina Araf, a Syrian-American dual citizen who writes under the pen name, Amina Abdallah, discusses politics and sexuality on her blog, A Gay Girl in Damascus. She has been an outspoken critic of the Syrian government.
Editor’s note: Amina Abdallah has been discovered to be a hoax, perpetrated by Tom MacMaster, a 40 year old American studying for a masters at Edinburgh University in Scotland.
