An Azerbaijani activist who was sentenced to two years in prison following demonstrations in Baku last year, has been released before completing his jail term. Elnur Majidli, an opposition activist, was charged with disturbing public order after...
Indonesia: Lady Gaga gig banned
Lady Gaga has been refused a permit to play her sold-out concert in Indonesia following demonstrations from religious protesters. The permit for the Born This Way Ball, scheduled to take place on 3 June, was refused after Islamic hardliners,...
UK: Broadcasters win legal fight over Dale Farm footage
A number of UK broadcasters have won a judicial review overturning a decision that had forced them to hand over video footage of October's Dale Farm evictions to Essex Police. ITN, the BBC, Sky, Hardcash Productions and the National Union of...
Iraq: Kurdish authorities arrest magazine editor
The editor of a Iraqi Kurdish magazine has been arrested for reprinting an allegedly blasphemous article. Hamin Ary, editor of Kurdish and Arabic monthly publication Chirpa (Al-Hamsah in Arabic) was arrested on 7 May after publishing an article by...
Colombia: Bomb attack on minister-turned-journalist
A former interior minister-turned-journalist was targeted in a bomb attack in Colombia earlier this week. Fernando Londoño Hoyos, who is now a radio station programme director and a columnist for various newspapers, was injured after a bomb was...
Pakistan: Journalist killed by kidnappers
The dead body of a kidnapped Pakistani journalist was discovered in Karachi last week. Tariq Kamal was kidnapped on 6 May, along with his friend Fawad Sheikh, who was also murdered. Kamal was visiting a dangerous area of Balochistan for an...
Iran: MP withdraws complaint against cartoonist after outcry
A sentence handed to an Iranian cartoonist may be quashed after the MP who brought the case withdrew his complaint. Mahmoud Shokraye faced 25 lashes after local conservative MP Ahmad Lotfi Ashtiani took offence at a caricature the artist had drawn....
Iran: Rapper faces death threats and fatwa for ‘blasphemous’ song
An Iranian rapper has been issued with fatwas and faced death threats after releasing a controversial song. Shahin Najafi, an Iranian singer based in Germany, released a song containing references to one of the 12 Shia Muslim Imams. The song, which...
Rwanda: Radio presenter held pending trial
A Rwandan community radio presenter is being held in pre-trial detention for “minimising” the 1994 Tutsi genocide. Habarugira Epaphrodite was arrested last month after confusing the Kinyarwanda words for “victims” and “survivors” whilst reading a...
UK: Phone-hacking police charge Rebekah Brooks
Former News International Chief executive Rebekah Brooks has been charged with perverting the course of justice, as part of the. Brooks has been charged along with several others, including her husband Charlie, and four former members of News...
Azerbaijan: Index writer arrested ahead of Eurovision
Index on Censorship writer and youth activist Turgut Gambar was among activists arrested yesterday (14 May) during a demonstration in Baku, Azerbaian. Police violently dispersed peaceful protests ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest which will take...
Chen Guangcheng’s nephew arrested on attempted murder charges
UPDATE: Chen Guangcheng's relatives have described beatings by local authorities since the activist fled house arrest last month. His brother, Chen Guangfu, father of Chen Kegui was reportedly detained for three days, during which time he was...