Tunisia's ruling party, the Islamist Ennahdha movement, seek to criminalise blasphemy. The Ennahdha party filed a blasphemy bill on 1 August in...
CATEGORY: Middle East and North Africa
UAE: Joint open letter to William Hague calling for release of activists
Since March, Emirati authorities have arrested over 50 activists and human rights defenders in a widespread crackdown on dissent. Index joins a group of international rights groups in calling on UK Foreign Minister William Hague and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to push for the prisoners’ release
Struggle for press freedom in Tunisia continues as media reform body closes
In an unexpected move on 4 July, the National Authority for Information and Communication Reform (INRIC) held a press conference announcing the end...
Atheist convicted of insulting Muslims apologises on Facebook
Atheist Ghazi Beji, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison in absentia last March for insulting Islam has written an apology to...
Tunisia shutters information reform body
In an unexpected move on 4 July, the National Authority for Information and Communication Reform (INRIC) put an end to its activities. INRIC was...
UAE: Activist deported to Thailand
The United Arab Emirates deported an online activist to Thailand yesterday, it has been reported. Ahmed Abdul Khaleq was stripped of his rights to...
New president Morsi faces hostile media
Egypt’s newly-elected President Mohamed Morsi has been the target of a media campaign aimed at tarnishing both his image and that of Islamists. The...
Concern as Tunisian media freedom body shuts down
On 4 July the National Authority for Information and Communication Reform (INRIC), a body enlisted with helping reform the media landscape in...
Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab jailed for tweets
Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) was taken into custody by Bahraini authorities today after a court sentenced...
Radio show host banned after station boss storms studio to confront outspoken guest
Tunisian radio journalist Nadia Heddaoui Mabkhout was denied access to the headquarters of RTCI (Radio Tunis Chaîne Internationale), suspended from...