Free expression in the news - Index on Censorship

NEWS

Free expression in the news

BRAZIL Brazilian protests see 200,000 take to the streets As many as 200,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Brazil’s biggest cities on Monday in a swelling wave of protest tapping into widespread anger at poor public services, police violence and government corruption. (Reuters) CAMBODIA As free expression groups meet in Phnom Penh, police target […]

By Index on Censorship

19 Jun 13

In the News

BRAZIL
Brazilian protests see 200,000 take to the streets
As many as 200,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Brazil’s biggest cities on Monday in a swelling wave of protest tapping into widespread anger at poor public services, police violence and government corruption.
(Reuters)

CAMBODIA
As free expression groups meet in Phnom Penh, police target demonstrators
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for theIFEX General Meeting and Strategy Conference 2013, Index Director of Campaigns and Policy Marek Marczynski reports back on a protest outside the Royal Palace
(Index on Censorship)

ECUADOR
Stop press!
HE WAS a media darling before his inauguration in 2007, but President Rafael Correa’s adversarial relationship with the press has counted among the defining characteristics of his six-year rule. On June 14th a legislature now dominated by his allies whisked through a bill to regulate the media. Gabriela Rivadeneira, the president of Congress, praised the reform for outlawing practices such as “lynching by media” (roughly, character assassination), and said that the new law would curb the press’s supposed habit of “vetoing and vexing citizens”. Many journalists fear it in fact spells censorship. (The Economist)

EGYPT
Egyptian rights lawyer sentenced to 5 years for defamation of religion
As many as 200,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Brazil’s biggest cities on Monday in a swelling wave of protest tapping into widespread anger at poor public services, police violence and government corruption.
(IFEX)

Egypt takes steps towards addressing sexual harassment
A proposed bill in Egypt outlawing violence against women has now been proposed by the country’s National Council for Women. But is it a step forward in tackling the silence around sexual harassment in the country? Shahira Amin reports
(Index on Censorship)

JORDAN
The New Arab Censors
The Internet has proved to be a powerful tool for overcoming media restrictions and censorship worldwide. But new restrictions on Web-based news media, such as those in Jordan, threaten to reverse the progress that the Internet has enabled.
(Project Syndicate)

INDIA
India Media Buries Paid News Report
A major new report on the phenomenon of paid news in India’s media is, well, hardly making big news. The report, submitted to Parliament last month by the Standing Committee on Information Technology, is pretty racy stuff.
(Wall Street Journal)

‘Just’ artistes, not arsonists: Free speech vs state
The Social Network: We discuss the narrowing scope of free speech in India as filmmaker K P Sasi and 4 others get booked with ‘rioting’ for their peaceful anti-Capital punishment protests, and Kabir Kala Manch members languish in Pune jail branded as Naxalites even as a film based on them bags National Award. Filmmakers K P Sasi and Anand Patwardhan and lawyer Chinmayi Arun join us.
(NDTV)

IRAN
Adieu Ahmadinejad
The controversial Iranian president leaves office in August. Sara Yasin looks back at how he has restricted freedom of expression during his presidency
(Index on Censorship)

PHILIPPINES
Village captain sues Cebu blocktimer for libel
Radio blocktimer Oscar Pasaporte told CMFR last 14 June 2013 that Patupat barangay (village) captain Leonida Gabales filed a libel case against him after he allegedly accused her of using the barangay hall as her home. A blocktimer is an individual who buys “blocks” of TV or radio time which he then uses to air a program for which he solicits sponsors
(Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility)

SLOVAKIA
Coin bearing cross hits European Union hurdle
The National Bank of Slovakia announced that the European Commission (EC), the union’s executive arm, had ordered it to remove halos and crosses from special commemorative euro coins due to be minted this summer. (Times of India)

SOUTH AFRICA
Cruel, nasty attack
Certain aspects of democracy can sometimes be difficult to stomach. Take, for instance, free speech.
(The Citizen)

SRI LANKA
Media code threat to free speech
A new media code proposed by the Sri Lankan government contains overbroad and vague language that could have a severe and chilling effect on free speech, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today. (Colombo Gazette)

SUDAN
Censorship as a Human Rights Violation in Sudan
The Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services, or NISS, confiscated over 10 major newspapers in Sudan in May of 2012, banned 13 journalists from operation, and identified several prohibited topics of discussion.
(Enough)

THAILAND
Thai Students Demand Freedom of Expression
In the face of a school system structured around discipline, obedience, and uniformity, students in Thailand are working to express themselves.
(Open Equal Free)

TUNISIA
Tunisia judiciary presses on with witch-hunt of artists and journalists
A Tunisian court on Monday charged two musicians and a journalist implicated in violence that erupted last week at the trial of a rapper who was controversially jailed for two years for insulting the police.
(Middle East Online)

Freedom Online Conference 2013
The third annual Freedom Online Conference is taking place in Tunis. Government and business representatives, civil society, academics and net activists are discussing how freedom of expression on the Internet is helping to promote social, cultural and economic development worldwide. Mike Harris collects the highlights
(Index on Censorship)

TURKEY
Turkey ‘too harsh’ on protesters, says Merkel
Angela Merkel has risked a diplomatic backlash from Turkey by condemning its response to opposition protests as a violation of human rights.
(The Irish Independent)

UNITED STATES
Port Clinton police practice censorship
When it comes to releasing public information state law prohibits public officials from picking and choosing which documents to release.
(Sandusky Register)

Texas Email Privacy Bill Signed Into Law
Texas Gov. Rick Perry gave the green light to an email privacy bill that will guard Texans from warrantless searches by state law enforcement officials.
(Courthouse News)

Indiana Intimidation Law Challenged on Free Speech Grounds
A state law against making intimidating speech will be receiving First Amendment scrutiny from the Indiana Supreme Court.
(Lawyers.com)

Gay Censors Attempt to Cleanse Google of App they Disagree With
LGBTQ pro-censorship activists have gathered 150,000 signatures to a petition demanding that Google remove from the free market an app which promotes a philosophy they disagree with. (Rockland County Times)

Google files free speech challenge to FISA gag orders, renews criticism of Guardian
Google has sued to shine more light on the secret court that approves controversial national security letters — the petition also represents part of the ongoing PR strategy of tech companies caught up in a surveillance scandal. (Gigaom)

ZIMBABWE
Journalist in Zimbabwe battling for life after being kidnapped, assaulted
Freelance journalist, Paul Pindani, is reportedly battling for life after he was abducted from his home and severely assaulted in Mashonaland West’s provincial capital of Chinhoyi on Friday, 14 June 2013.
(IFEX)