With much anticipation, Egyptians huddled around their television sets on Friday night to watch their favourite comedian, Bassem Youssef, make his debut appearance on the Saudi-funded MBC Misr Channel after a three-month absence from the small screen. Shahira Amin reports
CATEGORY: Middle East and North Africa
Tunisia: Will new constitution protect press freedom in practice?
The ratification of Tunisia’s new constitution undoubtedly marks an important victory, but a recent attack on journalists has raised concerns. Mary Atkinson reports
Iran’s online conservatives skirt social media restrictions
A new report by Small Media sheds light on the Arzeshi, a hardline, conservative faction of online activists, devoted to the principles of the 1979 revolution and the supreme leader. Milana Knezevic reports
Israel tells Palestinian TV station to stop broadcasting
Israeli authorities have told a Palestinian TV station to stop broadcasting amid claims it was disrupting Israeli television broadcasting.
Egypt: Another attempt to “demonise” its journalists
Just as rights groups and press freedom advocates were thinking things could not get any worse for journalists in Egypt, a video proved them wrong. Shahira Amin reports
Egypt’s draft anti-terrorism law sparks concern about censorship
Egyptian legislation could allow for social networking sites such as Facebook to be barred, if they are deemed to be endangering public order. Alastair Sloan reports
There is only one side to the story in Egypt: The government line
Twenty journalists working for the Al Jazeera TV network will stand trial in Egypt on charges of spreading false news that harms national security and assisting or joining a terrorist cell. Shahira Amin reports.
Statement: Egyptian authorities must stop their attacks on media freedom
Egyptian authorities must stop their attacks on media freedom
PDF: Arabic Version Leading international media freedom and human rights organisations call on the EU and US to demand Egypt’s authorities drop...
United Arab Emirates targets HRW for critical report
The United Arab Emirates stand accused of blocking criticism over their human rights record, according to international monitoring group Human Rights Watch. Alastair Sloan reports
Tunisia: Man jailed for Facebook post to be released
Jabeur Mejri has been in prison for nearly two years for publishing cartoons of the prophet Muhammad on Facebook