03 Jun 11 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
The United Nations special rapporteur for free expression Frank La Rue has called for the abolition of criminal defamation laws. Guatemalan lawyer La Rue also condemned the use of “national security” reasons to curb free expression:
In a report released today, LaRue comments:
The Special Rapporteur reiterates the call to all States to decriminalize defamation. Additionally, he underscores that protection of national security or countering terrorism cannot be used to justify restricting the right to expression unless it can be demonstrated that: (a) the expression is intended to incite imminent violence; (b) it is likely to incite such violence; and (c) there is a direct and immediate connection between the expression and the likelihood or occurrence of such violence.
Criminal defamation cases are frequently brought to silence criticism of authorities. Recent examples include actions brought against journalist Art Troitsky in Russia and anti death penalty campaigner Alan Shadrake in Singapore.
20 Nov 09 | Index Index, minipost
On 12 November, Cuban authorities refused to issue visas for 15 international journalists hoping to report on the Global Forum for Health Research in Havana from 16-20 November.
International journalism organisation Media 21, based in Switzerland, had selected 15 journalists from countries including Guatemala, Brazil, Spain, Uganda, France and the United States to cover the event and participate in a series of workshops.
According to the Cuban Embassy in Berne, the Foreign Ministry in Havana decided not to issue visas to journalists wishing to participate in the Media 21 programme, which seeks to promote quality reporting of key global issues through specially tailored workshops and field trips. ( World Federation of Science Journalists)
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16 Dec 08 | Awards
The Guardian Journalism Award
Arat Dink, editor of Turkey’s only Armenian newspaper Agos, is the son of the assassinated journalist Hrant Dink. He continued his assassinated father’s work, providing a media outlet for an oppressed people whilst under continuous harassment by the Turkish authorities. On 11 October 2007 Arat Dink was sentenced to a year in prison for re-publishing his father’s interview to Reuters, where his father had stressed the necessity of recognising the ‘Armenian Genocide’.
http://www.hrantdink.org/en/hrantdink/life/
The Economist New Media Award
Founded by Chinese dissidents, along with journalists, mathematicians and IT experts from around the world, Wikileaks’ aim is to develop ‘an uncensorable system for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis’.
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks
Index Film Award
Ahlaam (Dreams) by Mohammed Al-Daradji is a powerful depiction of the desperate situation in Iraq before and during the American invasion in 2003. During the making of the film members of the team were abducted, interrogated and even killed.
http://www.ahlaamthemovie.com/
T. R. Fyvel Book Award
The Art of Political Murder: Who killed Bishop Gerardi? by Francisco Goldman uncovers the reality of organized crime and political corruption in Guantemala investigating into the killing of Guatemala’s leading human rights activist.
Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award
U Gambira is the pseudonym of the leader of the All-Burma Monks Alliance, which organised and spearheaded the nationwide protest in Burma in 2007. The brutal crackdown that followed forced him into hiding until he was detained in November 2007 where he his ever since.
16 Dec 08
The Guardian Journalism Award
Arat Dink, editor of Turkey’s only Armenian newspaper Agos, is the son of the assassinated journalist Hrant Dink. He continued his assassinated father’s work, providing a media outlet for an oppressed people whilst under continuous harassment by the Turkish authorities. On 11 October 2007 Arat Dink was sentenced to a year in prison for re-publishing his father’s interview to Reuters, where his father had stressed the necessity of recognising the ‘Armenian Genocide’.
http://www.hrantdink.org/en/hrantdink/life/
The Economist New Media Award
Founded by Chinese dissidents, along with journalists, mathematicians and IT experts from around the world, Wikileaks’ aim is to develop ‘an uncensorable system for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis’.
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks
Index Film Award
Ahlaam (Dreams) by Mohammed Al-Daradji is a powerful depiction of the desperate situation in Iraq before and during the American invasion in 2003. During the making of the film members of the team were abducted, interrogated and even killed.
http://www.ahlaamthemovie.com/
T. R. Fyvel Book Award
The Art of Political Murder: Who killed Bishop Gerardi? by Francisco Goldman uncovers the reality of organized crime and political corruption in Guantemala investigating into the killing of Guatemala’s leading human rights activist.
Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award
U Gambira is the pseudonym of the leader of the All-Burma Monks Alliance, which organised and spearheaded the nationwide protest in Burma in 2007. The brutal crackdown that followed forced him into hiding until he was detained in November 2007 where he his ever since.
