Syria
“Attacks on journalists have threatened the flow of news to the outside world”, says Amnesty International, launching a report on threats to media workers in that country’s civil war. According to AP, killings of journalists in the conflict number “somewhere between 44 and 100, depending on who does the counting”. (AP)
Burma
A Muslim woman, Win Win Sein, has been charged with “religious defamation”, after she accidentally knocked over the alms bowl of a Buddhist monk (AFP)
France
The video for “College Boy” by rock band Indochine has been banned from TV for its portrayal of bullying and the crucifiction and shooting of a schoolboy (Huffington Post France)
(Warning: video is graphic)
Turkmenistan
Government officials searched phones and cameras of spectators at a horse racing event in an attempt to suppress footage of President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov falling off his horse at the end of a race he “won” (The Times £)
French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo is being sued by two Muslim organisations for cartoons it published of the Muslim prophet Muhammad in September. The organisations, Algerian Democratic Rally for Peace and Progress and the United Arab Organisation, are demanding EUR 782,500, accusing the publication of inciting violence and racially-motivated hatred against Muslims. The controversial cartoons were published on the heels of the Innocence of Muslims film which also depicted the prophet, sparking protests from Muslims around the world.
The leader of France’s National Front, Marine Le Pen has announced plans to sue philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy for libel. Le Pen’s move comes after an article posted on the website La Règle du Jeu, where Levy links the controversial politician to the 2 June assault on three young Jews in Villeurbanne. In the article, Levy writes about increased anti-semitism in France, and ties allegations that Le Pen routinely made fun of Jewish-sounding names in meetings to the assault. Le Pen’s camp has denied the allegations.
Update 02 May 2012: Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) confirmed in a statement today that they are holding French journalist Roméo Langlois prisoner.
A French television journalist injured during a clash between Colombian Army troops and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) has gone missing and may have been kidnapped by the rebels according to Colombian and French officials. Roméo Langlois, a correspondent for France 24 and a contributor to Paris daily Le Figaro, disappeared on Saturday. Langlois had joined the army unit to cover an anti-drug raid in the southern region of Caqueta.
